Xiao Wu Issues a Challenge

"Your speed is sufficient, but unfortunately, you lack strength," Lan Si said calmly, his expression entirely relaxed.

"Hmph, spare me the chatter." Feeling the stinging pain in her toes, Xiao Wu was truly incensed. She slid along Lan Si's right leg, pivoted horizontally in mid-air, and prepared to hook her leg over his shoulder to execute her signature soft-style technique, intending to toss Lan Si right off the bed.

However, Lan Si, who knew exactly what Xiao Wu was capable of, would not let her have her way.

Leaning his torso back to dodge her surprise attack, he braced his right palm against the bed and kicked out with his left leg, aiming straight for Xiao Wu's chin.

Everyone present, including Tang San, watched the exchange between Lan Si and Xiao Wu with rapt attention, their eyes filled with wonder. Watching Lan Si's movements, Tang San set aside his initial slight and a flicker of gravity crossed his eyes. As the saying goes, the layman watches the spectacle, while the expert watches the technique.

Seeing that Xiao Wu was no weakling, he knew she had nowhere left to dodge.

However, he chose not to intervene; this was his first meeting with Xiao Wu, and they were not yet as close as they would be in the original timeline.

It was not worth exposing his Tang Sect arts just for a minor scuffle between children.

Lan Si unleashed the same move Xiao Wu had used against him earlier, but with greater speed, leaving Xiao Wu almost no room to evade.

"Ah!" The intense wind from the kick made Xiao Wu's hair flutter and stung her cheeks. Knowing she couldn't dodge, she simply closed her eyes and waited for the impact.

Yet, after a long moment, the expected attack never arrived.

She opened her eyes to see Lan Si's foot hanging in mid-air, stopped dead just five centimeters from her chin.

"Why did you..." Xiao Wu instinctively wanted to ask why he had pulled his strike.

But before she could finish, Lan Si's foot pressed firmly against her smooth, fair cheek.

Though the force was light—nowhere near enough to cause injury—it threw Xiao Wu off balance. She stumbled back seven or eight steps, fell onto the adjacent bed, performed a clumsy somersault, and with a thud, rolled off the other side.

"Ow, ow, it hurts!" Xiao Wu cried out in pain. As she scrambled back up, a dark, distinct footprint was already visible on her fair, flushed face.

Seeing Xiao Wu in such a disheveled state, the work-study students couldn't help but snort with laughter.

Even Tang San's mouth twitched; he had to look at Lan Si with new eyes for being able to defeat Xiao Wu, who possessed Innate Full Soul Power.

But that was all.

The gap created by talent was insurmountable.

Coupled with the Tang Sect arts he possessed, the distance between them would only continue to grow.

"To be so arrogant and domineering at such a young age—consider this a lesson. Next time, keep your eyes open and don't go attacking others indiscriminately." Lan Si did not strike hard; he still had to spend the next few years at Nuoding Academy and could not afford to cause too much of a stir.

With that, he walked out of Dorm Seven. He was only a hair's breadth away from breaking through to the tenth level of soul power, and he couldn't focus on his breakthrough here.

"Laugh, what are you laughing at? Whoever dares to laugh again, I'll beat them up!" Watching Lan Si's retreating back, Xiao Wu was furious. She rubbed her sore backside and threatened them viciously.

Hearing this, although everyone still wanted to laugh, they had seen Xiao Wu's ferocity and could only hold it in.

"Xiao Wu, take a look at yourself," Tang San said, pointing to a mirror hanging on the wall behind her.

Following his gaze, Xiao Wu froze. When she saw the footprint on her face, she shrieked, "Ah! That damned Lan Si, I will never forgive you!"

As she spoke, Xiao Wu hurried out of the dormitory to find water to wash her face.

After the farce subsided, Tang San learned from Wang Sheng that Lan Si hadn't been bullying them; the work-study students were simply so accustomed to being picked on by regular students that they had stayed quiet out of fear of angering Lan Si.

Tang San didn't pay it much mind; possessing the memories of two lifetimes, he treated it all as children's play.

Instead, the regular students' bullying of the work-study students ignited his anger. Eventually, just as in the original story, Tang San defeated Wang Sheng and then lost to Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu became the boss of Dorm Seven.

On the other side, Lan Si had already arrived at the small woods behind the Nuoding Academy dormitory building.

Finding a quiet spot, he sat cross-legged on a large boulder and entered a state of meditative cultivation.

By evening, Lan Si had broken through. He had successfully reached the tenth level.

"Finally, the tenth level."

Exhaling a long, turbid breath, Lan Si slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the sky darkening, his stomach let out a growl.

Lan Si gave a wry smile; in his rush to break through his soul power, he hadn't even bothered to eat lunch!

He took his academy uniform from his Soul Tool, changed into it, and headed toward the cafeteria.

"Isn't that Wang Sheng and his bunch of paupers? They can't even afford to eat on the second floor."

As soon as he entered the cafeteria, Lan Si witnessed the classic scene from the original story where Xiao Chenyu mocked the work-study students.

As the big sister of the work-study students, Xiao Wu took on the responsibility of a Dorm Seven boss. Seeing someone provoking them, she snapped, "Hmph, having money makes you special? Does it mean you can do whatever you want?"

"Sorry, having money really does mean you can do whatever you want."

With a triumphant smile, Xiao Chenyu and his group headed up to the second floor.

Xiao Wu was so angry she stomped her feet and started to chase after them, but then she saw Lan Si, who had defeated her that morning, walking toward the stairs. She stopped in her tracks. "Hey, you—the one called Lan Si."

"Something the matter?" Lan Si turned back and said indifferently.

Xiao Wu said, "I will definitely defeat you next time. Let's fight again after you obtain your first soul ring, so you can't say I bullied you."

"Those defeated by my hand have never been considered my rivals. I will give you time to catch up, until you can no longer even see my back."

With a slight curl of his lips, Lan Si left behind the arrogant and domineering words of the Huang Heavenly Emperor from his past life, then walked up to the second floor without looking back.

"Hmph, you just wait for me. Next time, I will definitely beat you." Having been humiliated twice in a row, Xiao Wu's face flushed red.

"Sister Xiao Wu, we'll support you." The work-study students were unimpressed by Lan Si's words.

Although they acknowledged that Lan Si was strong, he was still just a Spirit Scholar like the rest of them. To speak with such arrogance was simply too conceited.

Tang San, however, furrowed his brows, for he sensed an aura of absolute confidence in Lan Si's tone—a feeling that no one else could compare to him.

Walking up to the second floor, Lan Si finished getting his food and spotted an acquaintance: Director Su from the Academic Affairs Office.

"Hello, Director." Lan Si carried his tray and sat down opposite him.

"Oh, it's Lan Si. I've already finished applying for your room." As he spoke, Director Su took a key from his pocket and handed it to Lan Si.

Lan Si took the key and thanked him, "Many thanks, Director Su."

Director Su waved his hand with a chuckle, "It was just a small favor."

Lan Si said, "Director, there is one more thing I would like to ask of you."

Director Su picked up a bowl of meat broth and blew on it, "Go ahead, what is it?"

Lan Si smiled, "I've broken through to level ten."

"Oh, oh, level ten, huh? Wait, what?!" The meat broth Director Su had just taken into his mouth sprayed out instantly. Fortunately, Lan Si was quick-witted and agile, lifting his tray to dodge the spray, otherwise, he would have been covered in it.

Yu Xiaogang, who had just finished greeting Tang San downstairs and was preparing to get his own meal, stopped in his tracks upon hearing their conversation and chose to listen in.