Xie Xie: Beautiful, Who Are You?

In his sleep, the instant Xie Xie met the dragon's pupil, the once-empty space erupted into a raging tempest and swallowed him whole.

The sudden feeling of suffocation jolted Xie Xie awake.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he met those familiar, big black eyes once more.

"What is it this time?" Xie Xie grumbled.

"For you." Tang Wulin placed ten thousand Federal Coins in cash on Xie Xie's bedside table.

The distinctive smell of cash instantly perked Xie Xie up. He forcibly suppressed the corners of his mouth, which were rising uncontrollably, and put on a stern expression. "What's this for? Are you trying to avoid our fight?"

Tang Wulin shook his head.

"I couldn't help it before. I really didn't have any money. But I was the one who did most of the damage to school property, so I can't make you pay for it. Here's ten thousand for now. I'll give you another ten thousand later."

After saying that, Tang Wulin thought for a moment, then added, "I'll keep my promise. After school tomorrow, you can pick the place."

As soon as Tang Wulin finished speaking, Xie Xie quickly snatched up the Federal Coins and stuffed them into his Storage Soul Tool.

Only a fool would turn down money.

The next morning, Tang Wulin woke Xie Xie up.

Xie Xie's soul sat up first, turned around, and slapped his own body. Only then did his body sit up, bleary-eyed.

His mind was still hazy as he mechanically brushed his teeth and washed his face.

It wasn't until he followed Tang Wulin to the cafeteria and took a sip of piping-hot porridge that he came around.

"Ah—hot, hot, hot!"

The freshly cooked porridge scalded Xie Xie's mind fully awake.

Xie Xie set down his bowl, rubbed his eyes, and yawned. Through his bleary vision, he thought he saw a... little mountain across from him. No, that can't be right. Where would a mountain come from in Eastsea Academy's cafeteria?

Xie Xie took a closer look. It was a mountain of buns. Oh, that's fine, then.

The person sitting across from Xie Xie was indeed Tang Wulin. His table was piled with food—milk, eggs, sausages, and buns. There were more buns than anything else, stacked up neatly into a little mountain.

Xie Xie calmly drank his porridge while watching Tang Wulin eat one bun after another, barely even bothering to chew.

After watching the live eating show, Xie Xie had an extra bowl of porridge for breakfast.

Tang Wulin seemed embarrassed by Xie Xie's gaze. He slowed down and held his milk in both hands, sipping it in little mouthfuls.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Xie Xie had only two bowls of porridge and an egg. This was a Grade A meal.

The porridge Xie Xie had just drunk was made with premium Spirit Grain Rice, slowly simmered over a low flame until every grain had completely dissolved, with a thick layer of rice oil on top—the most nourishing essence for a Soul Master's vital energy and blood.

With the addition of ten-year-old Spirit Grain Potato Dices, Soul Plant Fruit Crumbs, and Qi-Nurturing Fruit, its nutritional value left a hundred buns in the dust.

The sun was already high in the sky when the opening ceremony began.

"Hello, students."

"Every year at this time, I feel a little wistful!"

"Because a group of students from the Intermediate Division and Advanced Division have graduated and left the academy. At the same time, some students have advanced from the Intermediate Division to the Advanced Division, and the Intermediate Division has welcomed new students! In my eyes, the academy is like the Federation's blood-making institution..."

No matter where you went, it seemed that every school year began with a speech from the principal.

The Advanced Division and Intermediate Division were all gathered in the square.

At the very back of the Intermediate Division, Xie Xie was so sleepy he could barely stay awake. His head bobbed, and a little bubble of sleepiness even formed at the tip of his nose.

He had no idea how long he'd been asleep before the voice from the square woke him again.

"Class teachers, take your students back to your classrooms to familiarize them with the academy."

Through bleary eyes, Xie Xie seemed to see someone walking this way. He rubbed his eyes, and when he recognized the person, he went completely dumbstruck.

The newcomer wore a plain white martial outfit, its hems pristine and spotless.

Her long hair fell to her waist like a frozen waterfall, its color an icy blue as vast as the ocean. It set off the slender, luminous whiteness of her neck, yet gave her an air of aloofness that kept others at a distance.

Her features were strikingly clear and cold. Her dark green eyes were exactly like Xie Xie's.

She had a finely shaped nose and pale lips. Her eyes seemed to hold a thousand years of snow and ice, their clarity untouched by the mortal world.

Every step she took was as light as falling snow, yet the entire square fell silent.

There were no unnecessary ornaments, nor the slightest trace of coy charm—only her coolness and solitude.

Simply standing there, she was like an ice lotus blooming alone atop a snowy peak, breathtakingly beautiful, beyond compare.

Everyone in the square stared at her, their gazes drawn to her. They even unconsciously held their breath.

Xie Xie's jaw had practically hit the ground.

Wait, who are you, beautiful?!

"You lot, come with me."

The woman parted her lips, her voice clear and cool as jade striking an ice plate. Then she led the way toward the classroom building.

Xie Xie followed the person in front of him in a daze until they reached the Class Five classroom.

There were thirty sets of desks and chairs, with the lectern at the front.

"Sit," the woman said coldly.

Xie Xie blankly took a seat by the window. Tang Wulin sat to his right.

Once everyone was seated, she merely raised her eyes and swept her gaze across the class. Her expression didn't waver, yet her look cut through the room like an icy blade, silencing the chatter in an instant.

But what she said next made Xie Xie feel as if he'd cracked apart on the spot.

"My name is Wu Zhangkong."

The woman said calmly, "For the next six years, you will all be my students."

Wu Zhangkong stood before the lectern, straight as a sword, her white clothes as pure as snow and her features cool and striking. It was as if a chill surrounded her.

"The first thing I want to make clear is that you can forget everything the principal just said."

"Even if you're a bunch of good-for-nothings, I'll make you the strongest among your peers. Unless you drop out, that will be your goal for the next six years."

She spoke the most arrogant words in the calmest tone, yet not a single person in the classroom questioned her.

One look at her aura told you she was a big shot. Why would anyone question her?

"Do you all understand?"

Yet no one answered. The whole class was lost in Wu Zhangkong's peerless beauty.

Wu Zhangkong didn't care. She continued, "Now, introduce yourselves. Give your name, Martial Soul, Soul Power Level, and what kind of Soul Master you want to become. Begin."

Wu Zhangkong pointed in a random direction. Yun Xiao happened to be the first person in the front row on that side.

Although Yun Xiao was a little dazed too, he quickly came to his senses and hurriedly stood up, his voice still nervous.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Yun Xiao."

"My Martial Soul is... the Star Disk. My Soul Power is at Level Twelve. My goal is to become an Intelligence-Support Battle Soul Master."

Wu Zhangkong didn't say anything. She simply turned her calm gaze toward the next person.

Tang Wulin sat behind Yun Xiao.

Tang Wulin stood up. When Wu Zhangkong's gaze fell on him, he suddenly felt nervous for no reason. "Tang Wulin. My Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass. My Soul Power is at Level Eleven. My goal is..."

Tang Wulin paused, then continued, "I don't have a goal yet."

As soon as Tang Wulin finished speaking, a sudden voice rang out from diagonally in front of him.

"Haha, your Martial Soul is the Trash Martial Soul Blue Silver Grass. Of course you don't have a go—bleurgh!"

Halfway through the boy's sentence, a box of chalk shot through the air like a guided missile and landed squarely in his mouth, stuffing it full.

The bitter taste of the chalk made the student gag at once.

That wasn't the end of it. As the student bent over to retch, the chair beneath him suddenly tipped sideways, making him fall flat on his face. The chalk he'd just spat out was forced right back down his throat.

Tang Wulin turned around and happened to see Xie Xie whistling as he quietly drew his leg back.

Noticing Tang Wulin looking his way, Xie Xie raised a finger to his lips and slyly winked with his left eye.

"Shh~"

Tang Wulin froze for a moment, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes. Then a faint smile spread across them.

He winked back at Xie Xie without drawing attention to himself.

It was a silent thank-you.

Finally, Tang Wulin straightened up again and met the cool gaze from the lectern. His expression was calm now, without the slightest trace of embarrassment.