Xie Xie: Huh? Am I a genius?!

Eastsea Academy

Zhou Changxi and Yun Xiao watched helplessly as Xie Xie dragged the unconscious Tang Wulin by the back of his collar, hauling him into the dormitory just like that.

Yun Xiao looked at the bloodstain on Tang Wulin's right shoulder and couldn't help but gulp, "Xie Xie, you... did you really have to hit him that hard?"

Xie Xie tossed the boy onto the bed and immediately rolled his eyes.

"I hit him hard? He nearly punched me into a pile of hero-shards!"

"As for him," Xie Xie said, looking at the unconscious Tang Wulin on the bed with his arms crossed, "this guy used too much force himself and passed out. I didn't knock him out."

Seeing that Yun Xiao and Zhou Changxi's brains seemed to have crashed, with smoke practically rising from their heads, Xie Xie simply changed the subject.

"By the way, what time is it now?"

Yun Xiao recovered from his system crash and checked the time, "We haven't missed mealtime yet."

Suddenly, Tang Wulin sat bolt upright on the bed like a corpse coming back to life, giving Xie Xie another fright.

In the blink of an eye, Xie Xie felt a gust of wind brush past him. When he looked back at Tang Wulin's bed, it was completely empty; the person had already vanished without a trace.

"What... happened to him?" Yun Xiao scratched his head, completely bewildered.

Xie Xie spread his hands, "Triggered a keyword, that's all~"

No sooner had he spoken than a fuzzy head poked through the dormitory doorway, the cowlick on top of his head twitching toward Xie Xie.

Xie Xie turned to look, and it was still those familiar, wide eyes of Tang Wulin.

"Xie Xie, do you want me to bring you back some food?"

"No need!!"

After chasing Tang Wulin away once more, Xie Xie climbed into bed and fell fast asleep.

Sleeping until nightfall, Xie Xie was suddenly woken up by rustling noises from the lower bunk and pulled his blanket away, looking irritable.

Yun Xiao, in the upper bunk opposite, was also woken up.

The two exchanged a glance and looked down at the lower bunk simultaneously.

Tang Wulin was acting strangely in the middle of the night; he kept his eyes squeezed shut in fear while trembling as he pricked his own index finger with an embroidery needle.

"Uh, Tang Wulin," Yun Xiao sat halfway up, looking a bit embarrassed, "are you... performing some kind of ritual in the middle of the night? It's a bit creepy."

Xie Xie nodded in deep agreement, "If it's really that bad, I know an expert."

Tang Wulin looked awkward, "It's not like that! It's just a misunderstanding!"

Early morning.

Xie Xie was woken up by Tang Wulin as usual, followed him to the cafeteria for breakfast in a daze, and then followed him to the classroom in a daze, finding a random seat to sit down.

When the bell rang and Wu Zhangkong walked in wearing her high-heeled boots, Xie Xie instantly woke up.

Today, Wu Zhangkong was wearing an ice-blue, slim-fit turtleneck sweater paired with a white, cinched-waist trench coat, and a pair of black, high-waisted straight-leg trousers.

When she lifted her eyes to scan the classroom, the corners of her eyes flicked upward, naturally exuding an air of cold arrogance.

For Xie Xie—this was absolutely perfect!!

Xie Xie almost couldn't resist slamming his desk and shouting at the top of his lungs: I am Teacher Wu's dog!

You could tell at a glance who had trained this soldier.

It wasn't just Xie Xie; the entire class was staring in a daze.

"Starting today, we begin formal lessons."

Wu Zhangkong said flatly, "I will personally guide most of your courses. Everyone, stand up."

All the students rose quickly.

"Follow me."

After a casual sweep of the room, Wu Zhangkong shoved her hands into her pockets and walked out.

The students hurriedly followed.

Because they were freshmen, they had no concept of lining up, and while they looked chaotic, they were strangely quiet.

Wu Zhangkong led them to the playground.

"Two to a row, stand in line."

The group quickly formed lines, and Xie Xie, unsurprisingly, ended up in the same row as Yun Xiao.

Wu Zhangkong crossed her arms, her expression unchanging, "The first lesson today is combat practice. Real combat is always the best way to test ability."

A female student giggled while raising her hand, "Um, hehehe... Teacher Wu, I'm a Tool Soul Master, do I have to spar too?"

Wu Zhangkong glanced at her coldly.

"If we were on the battlefield and I were your enemy, would I refrain from killing you just because you're a Tool Soul Master?"

The female student shivered involuntarily, instantly snapping out of her infatuation, and nodded tremblingly.

"I, I understand..."

When Wu Zhangkong turned her gaze toward the other students, they all shook their heads to indicate they had no objections.

"Very well." Wu Zhangkong pointed casually, "First group, prepare to start from your side."

Wu Zhangkong's casual gesture landed right on Tang Wulin and Zhou Changxi.

Zhou Changxi was instantly excited.

He had never been reconciled to the fact that Tang Wulin had blasted him out the window last time, and with the dean strictly forbidding fighting, he had been bottling it up for a long time. Especially after Xie Xie defeated Tang Wulin, it had given him a great deal of confidence.

Xie Xie: ?

Xie Xie: I didn't, I wasn't involved!

So this time, he was determined to—

"Bang!"

It was still a plain, unadorned punch. Zhou Changxi was once again sent flying by a single blow, spinning 360 degrees in the air before crashing to the ground, hands folded over his lower abdomen, lying there peacefully.

So this time, he was determined to lie there elegantly.

"You, eliminated."

Wu Zhangkong said coldly to Zhou Changxi, then her icy gaze fell upon Tang Wulin. "Why didn't you use your martial soul?"

Tang Wulin replied without hesitation, "He said he wanted to compete with me in strength."

Wu Zhangkong's eyes grew even colder.

"If he told you to eat shit, would you?"

"Combat is not a game; enemies will not reason with you or follow rules. If you are on the battlefield, you must win to survive. That is your only goal."

Having said that, Wu Zhangkong stopped looking at Tang Wulin and turned around, saying, "Qualified. Next group."

Wu Zhangkong's words left Tang Wulin standing in place, lost in deep thought.

The second pair to step up was the group consisting of Yun Xiao and Xie Xie.

Yun Xiao wore a mournful expression, pointing at the 20/20 health bar above his head. "Brother, can you go easy on me? I'm just an auxiliary-system soul master, I'm very squishy!"

Xie Xie smiled. "No problem, I..."

"Begin!"

"I was lying to you!"

Following Wu Zhangkong's command, Xie Xie burst forward once again. The hundred-year soul ring beneath his feet lit up in an instant, and the Light Dragon Dagger brought forth a shrill golden light as it slashed toward Yun Xiao.

Just then, a flash of white light appeared on Yun Xiao's body.

Most of the students only felt a blur before their eyes; Xie Xie's Light Dragon Slash had actually struck empty air.

As an auxiliary-system soul master, Yun Xiao's first soul skill was position swapping. In that split second of extreme danger, he had swapped positions with Xie Xie, which was the only reason he had dodged that Light Dragon Slash.

However, before he could even catch his breath, Xie Xie appeared abruptly in front of him like a ghost, the Shadow Dragon Dagger pressed against his neck.

"Stop!"

Wu Zhangkong nodded at Xie Xie. "You qualify."

"But before that..." Wu Zhangkong's dark green eyes stared intently at Xie Xie, filled with immense pressure. "Just now, how did you get in front of Yun Xiao?"

On the other side, Tang Wulin, who had been watching the battle intently, also furrowed his brows.

Because he had fought Xie Xie before, he had been watching particularly closely, yet he had completely failed to see how Xie Xie had suddenly arrived in front of Yun Xiao.

"Eh?" Xie Xie tilted his head, confused.

He didn't know why Wu Zhangkong would suddenly ask that.

However, seeing the serious look in Wu Zhangkong's eyes, Xie Xie casually threw the Light Dragon Dagger. With a thought, he appeared at the location of the Light Dragon Dagger the very next moment.

Xie Xie gripped the Light Dragon Dagger again. "Just like that."

"Does it consume soul power?" Wu Zhangkong asked.

"Of course it does," Xie Xie explained. "The Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger act as two anchor points I've set. I can transfer back and forth between the two. But the further the distance, the more soul power it consumes."

Speaking of this, Xie Xie felt a surge of excitement.

Isn't this the signature Flying Thunder God jutsu from that anime?!

He didn't even know how he had managed it; it was purely the feeling the two daggers gave him, causing him to do it subconsciously.

Thinking of this, Xie Xie froze.

Wait?

No way, right?

Could he actually be a genius?!