Xie Xie's Will to Survive

Tianhai Hotel

Yun Jingheng and his group huddled in a corner, silently observing the scene involving nearly a thousand people.

Yun Jingheng was about to say something to Tang Wulin next to him when he realized that Gu Yue was the only person left close to him.

I turned my head and looked.

It seems that Tang Wulin is flirting with a young girl.

That's so disloyal.

"I never expected to see you here. Is this a coincidence?"

Tang Wulin smiled and said, "I knew I'd see you. We're here on behalf of the Douluo Continent for exchange and learning with your Star Luo Continent."

Is that so?

Gu Yue's voice was soft, yet it reached Yun Jingheng's ears precisely. "Yun Jingheng, is she pretty?"

Ye Xinglan's slightly cold voice came from behind him, "Do you like it? Or should I help you connect?"

Xu Xiaoyan had somehow squeezed next to him, and the joy she had felt from "finally getting it" seemed to have vanished.

"Jing Heng, is she special?"

Yun Jingheng: "..."

I knew it! Tang Wulin! You're disloyal!

I said...

His voice was hoarse, "Are you sure you're not mistaken? That girl is being talked to by Wulin, what does it have to do with me?"

Gu Yue remained silent, looking at him calmly.

Ye Xinglan sneered, "Is that so? Your gaze hasn't left him since he left. Do you think I didn't see him?"

"I only did that because Wulin is disloyal!"

Yun Jingheng felt extremely wronged. "Think about it, the three of us were standing together, and he went to chat with us without saying a word, leaving Gu Yue and me standing here like this—"

"So you want to strike up a conversation too?" Xu Xiaoyan tilted her head, her tone carrying a sweetness that sent chills down one's spine.

Yun Jingheng took a deep breath.

666, I feel like I'm going to die here.

He decided to change the subject.

"Wulin!"

He called out to Tang Wulin, his voice not loud, but loud enough for the kid to hear, "Are you done talking? Come back when you're done, something's up."

Tang Wulin was talking to the girl when he heard this. He turned around and glanced at Yun Jingheng, then at the girl beside him, seemingly hesitant.

The girl followed his gaze and nodded slightly in Yun Jingheng's direction from afar, as if to say hello.

Before Yun Jingheng could respond, he heard three voices ringing in his ears at the same time.

Gu Yue: "She's watching you."

Ye Xinglan: "She even smiled at you."

Xu Xiaoyan: "Jing Heng, have you met before?"

Do I have to die today?

Xie Xie, who was watching the show from the sidelines, silently moved halfway, but was kicked by Yuanen Yehui.

Xie Xie rubbed his calf, grimacing as he looked at Yuanen Yehui with an innocent expression. "I didn't say anything, why did you kick me?"

Yuanen Yehui said expressionlessly, "Aren't you afraid of getting beaten up for laughing so loudly?"

Xie Xie: "... I didn't even open my mouth."

Wu Siduo suddenly turned around, her shoulders shaking violently.

Seeing the girl beside Tang Wulin leave, Yun Jingheng took three steps in one go, grabbed Tang Wulin tightly, and pulled him back instantly.

Under Tang Wulin's astonished gaze, Yun Jingheng blurted out the three deadly questions.

"Who is she?"

"Don't I recognize him?"

"Are you two very close?"

Tang Wulin looked at Yun Jingheng's face, which seemed to say "I'm going to die," and was completely baffled.

Are you alright?

"Something's wrong."

Yun Jingheng gritted his teeth, "Answer my questions, one at a time."

Tang Wulin glanced at him, then at the three pairs of gazes, some indifferent and some scrutinizing, not far behind him. Suddenly, he vaguely understood something, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved into a smile.

Yun Jingheng, with his sharp eyes, immediately caught the subtle change in his expression. "What are you laughing at?"

I didn't laugh.

Tang Wulin immediately put on a serious face, his survival instincts kicking in. "First question, her name is Lin Yuhan. Second question, you don't know her. Third question, we're not very familiar; we only met once before, during a forging competition."

Just one side?

Xu Xiaoyan had somehow gotten closer again, her tone sweet with a chilling undertone, "Then why did she nod to Jing Heng just now?"

Tang Wulin scratched his head. "Maybe it's... politeness?"

Ye Xinglan crossed her arms and coldly added, "So polite that you'd specifically pick out a complete stranger from the crowd to nod to?"

Gu Yue didn't speak, but her silence itself was an attitude.

Xie Xie's fearless laughter drifted over from the corner.

All eyes immediately turned to Xie Xie.

Xie Xie's laughter stopped abruptly, a chill running down his spine.

"I... I... uh..."

Xie Xie raised his hands and slowly backed away, saying, "You guys continue, continue."

Yuanen Yehui and Wu Siduo moved a step to the side expressionlessly, distancing themselves from him.

At that moment, a loud voice resounded throughout the entire hall through the soul-guided loudspeaker.

"Hello everyone, I am Pan Wen, the Secretary General of the Federation. I will be leading this exchange trip to the Star Luo Continent."

"Please have the Star Luo Continent exchange group count their numbers and depart first, boarding buses numbered one through twenty-five. Then our group will board buses numbered twenty-six through fifty-two. Now, each department, please count your numbers."

Seeing Wu Zhangkong walking quickly towards them, Yun Jingheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Phew... Pan Wen, you're a good person.

The Federation's organizational skills are quite good; with so many people, they've managed to organize things in a very orderly manner.

This time, however, Yun Jingheng didn't give anyone a chance.

With an elbow strike, Xie Xie was sent flying, and he sat down next to Tang Wulin.

Xie Xie:...

He glanced at Gu Yue, Ye Xinglan, Xu Xiaoyan, who hadn't yet taken their seats, as well as Wu Siduo, who had already sat down, and Yuanen Yehui, whose identity had been inexplicably exposed.

"You..." Xie Xie opened his mouth, his voice slightly unsteady.

Yun Jingheng had already turned his head and was chatting with Tang Wulin about the buffet dishes for tonight, as if the elbow strike just now was just an unintentional physical contact.

"Xie Xie, if you're not going to sit down, then get out and run." Wu Zhangkong stood in the aisle, with Cai Yue'er and Zhuo Shi peeking out behind him to see what was going on.

Xie Xie a deep breath.

"Teacher Wu, I'd like to sit with you. I'd like to discuss cultivation with you."

Wu Zhangkong was slightly taken aback.

A rare flicker of relief crossed those usually indifferent eyes—a sense of satisfaction, or perhaps a feeling that "this kid has finally figured it out."

"Um."

He nodded, his tone still steady, but warmer than usual, "Yes. Cultivation certainly requires dedication."

Xie Xie was almost moved to tears.

Xie Xie didn't have time to think it through. He quickly found an empty seat, sat down properly, and waited for Wu Zhangkong to take his seat. His movements were as swift as a model soldier in military training.

Zhuo Shi Master Zhuoshi stroked his chin, glanced at Xie Xie with a smile, then turned to look at the group of young people, letting out a meaningful "ho".

Cai Yue'er didn't say anything, but gently patted Wu Zhangkong's shoulder and said in a gentle tone, "This child is good, he has ambition."

Xie Xie lowered his head guiltily.

Wu Zhangkong sat down beside him, turned his head to look at him, and asked, "What do you want to discuss?"

Xie Xie's brain was working at lightning speed.

He was just saying it casually; he hadn't actually prepared any cultivation-related questions.

"Well..."

Xie Xie pondered for a moment, "Teacher Wu, I would like to ask, how should a speed-type Soul Master maximize their advantage in agility when facing a strength-type opponent?"

"For example, in a confined space, if your opponent's explosive power far exceeds your own, should you maintain distance to preserve your mobility, or risk closing in to find a breakthrough?"

After listening, Wu Zhangkong nodded slightly.

"That's a very good question," he said.

Xie Xie was taken aback—he hadn't expected that a question he'd made up on the spot would receive such a response.

Wu Zhangkong began to speak earnestly, starting with the tactical system of speed-type Soul Master, then moving on to strategies for dealing with different terrains, and finally discussing the coordination between Soul Power circulation and physical coordination.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear and logical, and every point he made hit the nail on the head.

Xie Xie initially listened half-heartedly, but later he found himself completely absorbed.

Zhuo Shi leaned back in his chair, watching this scene, and exclaimed "Whoa!" again.

Cai Yue'er chuckled, "This child, she really did something unexpected."

A few rows ahead, Yun Jingheng listened intently for a while, then turned to Tang Wulin and whispered, "Xie Xie, that kid, hit the jackpot by accident."

Tang Wulin nodded. "Teacher Wu's explanation was indeed excellent."

"I didn't say Teacher Wu."

Yun Jingheng's lips curled slightly. "I'm telling you Xie Xie. Listen to the question he asked. I bet he made it up on the spot."

"But the fact that he could write something of this quality on the spot shows that he has put a lot of thought into it."

Tang Wulin thought about it and felt it made sense.