This Plot is Getting Weirder and Weirder

"Going home?" Xiao Wu blinked her eyes, saying seemingly casually, "Where is your home? Can I go with you to play?"

Lin Yi nearly fell off his chair upon hearing this.

[Go home with me? What kind of joke is this?]

[According to the original story, you're supposed to go home with Tang San. Why the sudden change of target?]

[Is there some trait on me that attracts Soul Beasts?]

[Or is it the butterfly effect? But I haven't done anything yet.]

He was frantically complaining in his heart, but on the surface, he could only maintain a smile: "I don't think so. My home is quite far away, and it's small, so there's nothing fun to do there."

"It's fine," Xiao Wu said with an innocent face, "I like small places. Besides, I've been in the academy for so long that I'm bored stiff. I want to go out and walk around."

[If you want to walk around, go with Tang San. He's the one going home.]

Lin Yi muttered to himself, continuing to make excuses: "My family's conditions are very poor. There isn't even an extra bed. If you go, you'll have to sleep on a pile of hay."

"I don't mind!" Xiao Wu immediately replied, a flash of cunning in her eyes, "I can squeeze in with you."

"Cough, cough." Lin Yi was choked by these words and was left speechless.

[You might not mind, but what the hell does 'squeeze in' mean?!]

[Big sister, you are a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form. Even if you look like a six-year-old girl, you've lived for a hundred thousand years, right?]

[Then again, she was just as bold in the original story.]

Lin Yi looked at Xiao Wu's innocent eyes and felt a chill run down his back.

He finally understood: this little rabbit was determined to follow him today.

But why?

Lin Yi couldn't figure out for the life of him what about him had attracted Xiao Wu's attention.

In terms of strength, he only displayed the Innate Soul Power of a level three support-type Spirit Master.

In terms of background, his registered identity at the academy was just an ordinary villager.

In terms of looks, although he considered himself decent, it wasn't enough to make a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast throw herself at him, right?

"Lin Yi, why aren't you saying anything?" Xiao Wu tilted her head, looking puzzled, "Are you not welcoming me to your home?"

Lin Yi waved his hands: "No, it's just that my parents aren't home. If you go, you'll probably go hungry."

Xiao Wu didn't care at all. She tugged on Lin Yi's sleeve and acted like a spoiled child: "It's okay, I can find food myself. Maybe I can even help you cook. Just take me with you."

"This..." Lin Yi scratched his head, at a loss for words.

Seeing this, Xiao Wu immediately pressed her advantage: "It's settled then! I'll go back with you after the holidays!"

Not giving Lin Yi a chance to refuse again, she turned to look at the arena: "Oh, the next match is about to start. Let's focus on watching."

Lin Yi curled his lip, feeling depressed inside.

[Great, this just got even more troublesome.]

[Tang San was already annoyed because Xiao Wu was getting close to him, and now she wants to go home with me? Isn't this just adding fuel to the fire?]

[Although I'm not afraid of him, I don't want to clash with him this early either.]

[Sigh, this plot is getting more and more twisted.]

Lin Yi sighed and decided to stop thinking about these annoying matters for now.

The competition continued.

After several rounds of elimination, only four people remained in the arena: Tang San, Xiao Wu, Xiao Chenyu, and a boy named Li Yan.

Li Yan's martial soul was the earth element, possessing extremely high defensive power. In the previous rounds, he had won by exhausting his opponents' soul power.

Teacher Zhang looked at the list and announced loudly: "The first match of the semifinals: Tang San versus Xiao Chenyu. The second match: Xiao Wu versus Li Yan. The winners will advance to the finals."

Once the semifinal list was confirmed, the atmosphere in the Martial Arts Arena became subtle.

Tang San stood in the preparation area, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Chenyu, Xiao Wu, and Li Yan, before finally landing on Lin Yi in the spectator stands.

At this moment, Lin Yi was bowing his head and yawning, looking completely bored.

[Finally, the finals are almost here. Let this boring year-end competition end quickly.]

[Come to think of it, besides Tang San and Xiao Wu, the other two are really lucky to have made it this far.]

[Xiao Chenyu's strength is indeed not bad, but his Wind Wolf martial soul has no chance of winning against Tang San's Blue Silver Grass.]

[However, Xiao Chenyu was taught a lesson by Tang San before, so I don't know if he even dares to fight.]

[As for Li Yan, his earth element martial soul has strong defense, but Xiao Wu's Soft Technique is specifically designed to counter such clumsy opponents.]

[So the finals will definitely be Tang San versus Xiao Wu, then Tang San takes the championship and Xiao Wu takes the runner-up. No suspense there.]

Lin Yi analyzed silently in his heart, completely unaware that the teachers and students around him were pricking up their ears to listen to his commentary.

Teacher Zhang stood on the arena and cleared his throat: "The first match of the semifinals: Tang San versus Xiao Chenyu. Both sides, please take the stage."

Tang San and Xiao Chenyu walked onto the arena.

At this moment, Xiao Chenyu's expression was somewhat complex; he had originally intended to use this opportunity to settle his previous grudge.

But after learning of Tang San's background through Lin Yi's inner voice, he changed his mind.

After all, Tang San possessed those Tang Sect hidden weapons, and if he were to push him too far and end up on the receiving end of a "path to death," it would all be over.

Therefore, he intended to just go through the motions this time.

As he was thinking this, Teacher Zhang's voice rang out, "The match begins!"

Following this command.

Xiao Chenyu immediately released his martial soul, and the phantom of a Wind Wolf appeared behind him.

He pushed off with his feet, his figure rushing toward Tang San like a ghost, though he only used seventy percent of his speed.

Tang San's eyes narrowed as he likewise released his Blue Silver Grass martial soul.

He did not intend to use hidden weapons this time; he wanted to win uprightly in front of everyone to salvage some of his image.

"First soul skill, Entangle!"

Dozens of Blue Silver Grass vines burst from the ground, lunging straight at Xiao Chenyu.

Xiao Chenyu's figure paused, and he dodged to the side, yet he was intentionally half a beat slow.

A vine wrapped around his left leg.

"Aiya!" Xiao Chenyu cried out exaggeratedly, taking the opportunity to fall to the ground.

However, he did not feign unconsciousness like Lin Yi; he merely put on a look of great pain.

He struggled a few times, pretending to exert force to break free, but while his movements were wide, they lacked any real strength.

Tang San's brows furrowed slightly; he could feel that Xiao Chenyu's struggle was not genuine.

Is this... throwing the match?

Does he need someone to throw a match for him?

Below the stage, Lin Yi watched this scene, his heart beginning to grumble once more.

[Xiao Chenyu's acting is too over-the-top, isn't it? He could have easily dodged that.]

[Though it's understandable; after being taught a lesson once before, he definitely wouldn't dare to use his full strength.]

The surrounding students heard this inner voice and nodded one after another in agreement.

Xiao Chenyu's acting was indeed too obvious; compared to this "inner voice brother," it was like heaven and earth.

On the arena, the doubt in Tang San's heart grew ever larger.

He knew Xiao Chenyu's strength, and given his arrogant and domineering personality, he should have wanted to get back at him; he would never treat a match as child's play because of what happened before.

Why was he acting so timid today?

Could it also be because of Lin Yi?

As soon as this thought emerged, Tang San's gaze turned cold.

He withdrew the soul power in his hands, the Blue Silver Grass vines loosened, and he said in a deep voice, "Xiao Chenyu, please fight seriously."

Xiao Chenyu climbed up from the ground, brushed the dust off his body, and gave a bitter smile. "Tang San, I am already being very serious."