A Path of Seeking Death Caused by Meat Buns

"Ah?"

Lin Yi nearly choked on the bun. He coughed several times before recovering. "Why are you suddenly asking that?"

"Just asking." Xiao Wu swayed her little head. She looked casual, but tension hid in her eyes.

Future misery? Could this girl be talking about herself?

Xiao Wu's sacrifice in the original story really was tragic, but that was far, far in the future.

No, that's not right. She shouldn't know what will happen in the future, should she?

Lin Yi carefully studied Xiao Wu's expression. Her face held only curiosity; he found nothing unusual.

Without thinking too much about it, he said, "If you know the future will be miserable, then work hard to change it."

"Change it?" Xiao Wu tilted her head. "Can fate really be changed?"

"I think it can." Lin Yi answered seriously. "Some things may be destined to happen, but how they happen, when they happen, and what the outcome is—those can all be changed."

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Of course." Lin Yi nodded. "Man can conquer nature... That might be a bit exaggerated, but you get the idea."

"Thank you, Lin Yi." Xiao Wu revealed a sincere smile. "I understand."

Understand what?

I don't even understand what I'm saying.

Lin Yi grumbled inwardly. Just as he was about to say something, he caught sight of Tang San walking toward them.

And his gaze...

Why was it fixed on the meat bun in his hand?

That look... He can't be jealous that I have a meat bun to eat, can he?

Hm?

Hearing this Heart Voice, Xiao Wu followed Lin Yi's gaze and saw Tang San.

Her body stiffened briefly, but she quickly recovered and asked in a relaxed manner, "Little San, why are you here?"

Tang San's gaze shifted from the bun in Lin Yi's hand to Xiao Wu's face, then finally returned to Lin Yi.

"I came to see whether you were feeling better."

His tone was calm, but Lin Yi heard a trace of suppressed emotion in it.

Why does that sound so sour?

Wait, don't tell me Tang San bought this bun?

Lin Yi looked at the bun in his hand, then at Xiao Wu's slightly awkward expression, and suddenly understood.

Damn it, did I eat the bun Tang San bought for Xiao Wu?

No wonder his expression is so off. In the original story, Tang San treated Xiao Wu like his personal possession. Their relationship isn't like that yet, but his possessiveness is already strong.

A blush surfaced on Xiao Wu's face upon hearing that Heart Voice.

What did he mean, personal possession? That was such an awful way to put it.

"Little San." She tried to explain. "This bun..."

"It's fine." Tang San interrupted her, even showing a faint smile. "They're only a few meat buns. As long as Student Lin enjoys them, that's enough."

Lin Yi watched Tang San's expression and understood what was going on.

Here it comes, Tang San's standard expression. Smiling on the surface while cursing like crazy inside.

This Little Rabbit really set me up. If she'd told me these meat buns were bought by Tang San, I wouldn't have eaten them even if it killed me.

With this guy's personality, he's probably already labeled me as someone on the Path of Seeking Death.

Lin Yi complained madly in his heart while keeping a calm expression on his face.

He swallowed the last bite of bun, wiped his mouth, and smiled at Tang San. "Student Tang San, thank you... Uh, I mean, thank Xiao Wu for sharing the buns."

It sounded rather strange, but Lin Yi truly could not think of a better way to say it.

Tang San's eyes narrowed slightly before returning to their gentle look. "No need to be polite. We're all classmates."

Classmates? You weren't this polite to the other classmates in the original story. Didn't you beat Wang Sheng and the others into complete submission?

But then again, what's with their relationship right now...? Why does it look a little tense?

Tsk, tsk... Were they already arguing at six years old?

Lin Yi observed their interaction and found the atmosphere between them somewhat subtle.

Xiao Wu seemed to be deliberately, or perhaps unconsciously, keeping her distance from Tang San, while Tang San was clearly somewhat impatient.

They looked exactly like a young couple having a fight.

"Xiao Wu, are you feeling better?" Tang San asked again, his tone filled with obvious concern.

"Much better." Xiao Wu nodded. "I was just a little dizzy earlier. I'm fine now."

"That's good." Tang San paused, then turned his gaze toward Lin Yi. "Student Lin, are you adjusting well to the academy? Is the work for a Work-Study Student tiring?"

Here it comes, the classic probing phase.

Following Tang San's routine, he'll ask what my spirit is, what level my Soul Power is, and where I live next.

Lin Yi understood perfectly well, but he put on a grateful expression. "Thank you for asking. I'm doing quite well. The work for Work-Study Students is a little hard, but it helps cover living expenses. I'm satisfied."

"That's good." Tang San nodded, then abruptly changed the subject. "By the way, what is Student Lin's spirit? I haven't seen it yet."

See? Just as expected, he asked.

Lin Yi sighed inwardly but answered honestly, "A support-type Myriad Star Core. It's nothing particularly useful."

He deliberately made it sound modest, hoping to lower Tang San's guard.

After all, once Tang San set his sights on someone, who knew when he might strike with a Hidden Weapon.

"Support types are good too." Tang San said, though a nearly imperceptible trace of disdain flashed through his eyes. "A team cannot do without Support Spirit Masters."

Disdain? That's a little too much, isn't it?

Although the Myriad Star Core is indeed only a flashlight-level support spirit right now, once it develops, it won't be any worse than your Tang Sect Hidden Weapons.

Besides, what right does a cheater like you have to look down on proper Soul Masters?

Lin Yi was displeased, but he maintained a smile. "Yes, I also hope to become a useful Support Spirit Master."

Perhaps deciding that a support-type Soul Master like Lin Yi posed no threat, Tang San did not ask any further questions.

In the end, Tang San said he was going to seek the Grandmaster's guidance on some matters and left first.

As Lin Yi watched Tang San's back disappear at the end of the corridor, he felt a wave of helplessness.

He recalled the Tang Sect's rules from the original story: "Tang Sect disciples, whenever they encounter traitors or enemies, must kill them without mercy. Anyone on the Path of Seeking Death may be killed."

This sentence had practically become Tang San's guiding principle. Whenever he believed someone was on the Path of Seeking Death, he would show absolutely no mercy.

"Lin Yi, you seem very afraid of Tang San?" Xiao Wu looked at Lin Yi and suddenly asked.

"Afraid?" Lin Yi shook his head. "I wouldn't say I'm afraid. I just think it's best not to offend someone like him."

It's only because Tang San started out ahead of me with all that Tang Sect Hidden Weapon stuff.

If heaven gave me a cheat too, just watch whether I'd dare take him on.

But for now, I should keep a low profile. The farther I can stay from him, the better.

Xiao Wu's eyes flickered when she heard this Heart Voice.

She could hear the disdain in Lin Yi's tone, yet under the current circumstances, she also felt extremely helpless.

Shaking her head slightly, Xiao Wu said, "Let's return the tools first. It's getting dark."

"Okay." Lin Yi nodded.

The two packed up their cleaning tools and headed toward the tool room together.

On the way, Xiao Wu returned to her usual lively self.

But Lin Yi could sense that she had something on her mind.

And that something was most likely related to Tang San.