"Go home?" Xiao Wu blinked, seeming casual as she said, "Where's your home? Can I come play with you?"
Lin Yi nearly fell off his chair when he heard that.
Go home with me? What kind of joke is this?
According to the original story, you were supposed to go to Tang San's house. Why did you suddenly switch targets?
Do I have some trait that attracts Soul Beasts?
Or is this the butterfly effect? But I haven't done anything.
He complained frantically in his heart, but on the surface, he could only keep smiling. "Better not. My home is pretty far away, and it's small. There's nothing fun there."
"It's fine." Xiao Wu looked utterly innocent. "I like small places, and I've been at the academy for so long that I'm bored stiff. I want to go out for a walk."
If you want to go out, go with Tang San. He's going home.
Lin Yi muttered inwardly and continued making excuses. "My family is very poor. We don't even have an extra bed. If you go, you'll have to sleep in a haystack."
"I don't mind!" Xiao Wu immediately replied, a sly glint flashing through her eyes. "I can squeeze in with you."
"Ahem, ahem." Lin Yi choked on those words, utterly speechless.
It's one thing that you don't mind, but what do you mean, squeeze in?!
Miss, you're 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 inside, haven't you?
Then again, she was this bold in the original story too.
Looking into Xiao Wu's innocent eyes, Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine.
He understood now. This Little Rabbit was determined to follow him today.
But why?
No matter how hard Lin Yi thought about it, he could not figure out what had caught Xiao Wu's attention.
In terms of strength, he had only displayed the abilities of an auxiliary-type Soul Master with level-three Innate Soul Power.
In terms of background, the identity he had registered at the academy was that of an ordinary villager.
As for looks, while he considered himself decent-looking, surely he was not attractive 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. "Don't you welcome me to your home?"
Lin Yi waved his hand. "No, it's just that my parents aren't home. We'd probably go hungry."
But Xiao Wu did not care at all. Tugging on Lin Yi's sleeve, she said coquettishly, "That's okay. I can find food myself. Maybe I can even help you cook. Just take me with you."
"Well..." Lin Yi scratched his head, at a loss for words.
Seeing this, Xiao Wu immediately pressed her advantage. "Then it's settled. After the break, I'm going back with you!"
She did not give Lin Yi another chance to refuse. Turning toward the arena, she said, "Oh, the next match is about to start. Let's focus on watching."
Lin Yi pursed his lips, feeling thoroughly depressed.
Great. This just got even more troublesome.
Tang San was already unhappy because Xiao Wu had gotten close to me. Now she wants to go home with me too. Isn't that just adding fuel to the fire?
I'm not afraid of him, but I don't want to clash with him this early either.
Ugh, this plot is really going more and more off the rails.
Lin Yi sighed and decided not to think about these annoying matters for now.
The competition continued.
After several rounds of elimination, only four people remained: Tang San, Xiao Wu, Xiao Chenyu, and a boy named Li Yan.
Li Yan's martial soul was the Earth Element. His defense was extremely strong, and he had won the previous rounds by exhausting his opponents' Soul Power.
Teacher Zhang looked at the list and announced loudly, "First semifinal match: Tang San versus Xiao Chenyu. Second match: Xiao Wu versus Li Yan. The winners will advance to the finals."
Once the semifinalists were decided, the atmosphere in the Martial Arts Arena became rather 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 audience.
At that moment, Lin Yi was lowering his head and yawning, looking bored out of his mind.
The finals are finally almost here. Let this boring Year-End Competition end already.
Come to think of it, aside from Tang San and Xiao Wu, the other two were really lucky to make it this far.
Xiao Chenyu is indeed fairly strong, but his Wind Wolf martial soul has absolutely no chance against Tang San's Blue Silver Grass.
Still, Xiao Chenyu was taught a lesson by Tang San before. I wonder if he'll even dare to fight.
As for Li Yan, his Earth Element martial soul has strong defense, but Xiao Wu's Soft Technique is the perfect counter to bulky opponents like him.
So the finals will definitely be Tang San versus Xiao Wu. Then Tang San takes first place, Xiao Wu takes second. There's no suspense at all.
Lin Yi silently analyzed everything in his heart, completely unaware that the teachers and students around him were all pricking up their ears to listen to his commentary.
Teacher Zhang stood on the arena platform and cleared his throat. "First semifinal match: Tang San versus Xiao Chenyu. Both contestants, take the stage."
Tang San and Xiao Chenyu stepped onto the arena platform.
At this moment, Xiao Chenyu's expression was somewhat complicated. He had originally wanted to use this opportunity to settle the score for what had happened before.
But after learning Tang San's background through Lin Yi's Heart Voice, he changed his mind.
After all, Tang San had those Tang Sect Hidden Weapons. If he angered him and got hit with a Path of Seeking Death, it would all be over.
So this time, he planned to simply go through the motions.
Just as he was thinking that, Teacher Zhang's voice rang out. "The match begins!"
At the command.
Xiao Chenyu immediately released his martial soul, and the phantom of a Wind Wolf appeared behind him.
He pushed off with his feet and charged toward Tang San like a ghost, but he only used seventy percent of his speed.
Tang San's gaze sharpened, and he released his Blue Silver Grass martial soul as well.
This time, he did not intend to use Hidden Weapons. He wanted to win openly and honorably before everyone, recovering some of his image.
"First soul skill, Entangle!"
Dozens of Blue Silver Grass vines burst from the ground and shot toward Xiao Chenyu.
Xiao Chenyu paused, dodging to the side, but he deliberately slowed down by half a beat.
One vine wrapped around his left leg.
"Ow!" Xiao Chenyu cried out exaggeratedly and fell to the ground.
However, unlike Lin Yi, he did not pretend to faint. He merely acted as though he were in terrible pain.
He struggled a few times, pretending to exert himself in an attempt to break free, but while his movements were large, they lacked strength.
Tang San frowned slightly. He could tell that Xiao Chenyu was not struggling seriously.
Was he... holding back?
Did he need someone to hold back for him?
Below the platform, Lin Yi watched the scene and began complaining in his heart again.
Xiao Chenyu's acting is way too exaggerated, isn't it? He could have easily dodged that.
Still, it's understandable. He was taught a lesson before, so he definitely doesn't dare go all out.
Hearing this Heart Voice, the surrounding students nodded in agreement.
Xiao Chenyu's acting was indeed far too obvious. Compared to this Heart Voice guy, it was the difference between heaven and earth.
On the platform, the doubts in Tang San's heart grew deeper and deeper.
He knew Xiao Chenyu's strength. Given his arrogant and domineering personality, he should have wanted to regain some face. He should never have treated the match as a joke just because of what happened before.
Why was he acting so timid and restrained today?
Could it be because of Lin Yi too?
The moment that thought surfaced, Tang San's gaze turned cold.
He withdrew the Soul Power from his hand, and the Blue Silver Grass vines loosened. Then he said in a low voice, "Xiao Chenyu, please fight seriously."
Xiao Chenyu climbed to his feet, dusted himself off, and gave a bitter smile. "Tang San, I'm already fighting seriously."
Before you continue