Before he even reached the door, a mix of laughter and chatter in all sorts of accents spilled through the half-open wooden door.
It seemed pretty lively.
Ye Feng held the bedding in his arms as he reached the doorway and pushed open the creaking wooden door.
Whoosh!
The laughter inside stopped dead.
A dozen pairs of eyes, all different, turned in unison toward the doorway and fixed on Ye Feng.
Some were curious, some appraising, some hostile, and a few gleamed with the amusement of people waiting for a show.
Ye Feng furrowed his brow slightly.
Why did this scene look so much like Tang San's arrival in the original story?
Don't tell me... they're going to give me the same "newcomer's welcome."
A burly, dark-skinned boy stepped out of the crowd. He stood half a head taller than Ye Feng, and his solid muscles made it clear he was used to fighting.
He looked Ye Feng up and down, then glanced at the brand-new bedding in his arms. Grinning, he showed a row of white teeth.
"Hey, newcomer!"
The boy's voice rang out, carrying an overbearing authority that brooked no argument.
"We have a rule in Dorm Seven. It doesn't matter who you are or what your family does. Once you walk through this door, you follow the rules."
"Every newcomer has to fight one of us old students."
He pointed a finger at himself, then at Ye Feng.
"If you win, you're the new boss of Dorm Seven! We'll all listen to you from then on!"
"If you lose, heh... you'll be our lackey. You'll handle the tea, the laundry, and the sock-washing!"
The other boys in the dormitory immediately burst into laughter.
Just as expected. The same old routine.
Really... not an original bone in their bodies.
Ye Feng felt no stirring whatsoever. He even felt like laughing.
"Fine."
He uttered the word calmly.
"Let's do it."
His crisp, straightforward answer left everyone—who had expected him to beg or cower—in a daze.
The dark-skinned boy, who was the current boss of Dorm Seven, was named Aolan. He looked a little surprised, too.
This kid looked delicate and weak. Who knew he had guts?
"Interesting."
Aolan rolled his wrists, his knuckles cracking sharply.
"I like people with backbone. Let's hope your fists are as hard as your mouth!"
Ye Feng didn't waste any more words. He casually set the bedding and small bundle from his shoulder on an empty wooden bed beside the door.
He had just put his things down and hadn't even straightened up when—
Whoosh!
A gust of wind slammed into him!
Aolan moved, fast as lightning, with no regard for fair play. While Ye Feng was bent over, he launched a powerful straight punch at Ye Feng's face!
The punch was quick and vicious. Aolan clearly meant to take him down in one blow and teach the arrogant newcomer a lesson.
Yet faced with the sudden attack, Ye Feng didn't even raise his head.
His body slid half a step to the left at an impossible angle. He twisted at the waist, narrowly dodging the punch.
So fast!
Aolan was startled. His fist struck empty air, and its tremendous force pitched him slightly forward, leaving an opening.
Now!
Ye Feng moved like flowing water. As he dodged to the side, his right hand shot out and clamped precisely around Aolan's extended arm, while his left swept in and hooked around Aolan's thigh.
"Up!"
Ye Feng gave a low shout.
He drove his strength through his back and waist, then heaved upward with both arms!
Aolan felt an irresistible force seize him. The whole world spun upside down in an instant!
"Fly!"
Ye Feng swung his arms and sent Aolan's entire body flying toward the open space in the middle of the dormitory!
Thud!
Aolan hit the ground, but his reflexes were quick. He rolled across the floor to bleed off the force and came away unharmed.
But before he could steady himself, Ye Feng was already on his heels.
Aolan gritted his teeth. Instead of retreating, he used the momentum of his roll to plant both feet against a stone pillar supporting the roof and kick off hard!
Propelled backward, he shot toward Ye Feng like a cannonball!
This was clearly Aolan's trump card: fast, fierce, and coming in at a tricky angle.
The other Work-Study Students in the dormitory all cried out in alarm.
Aolan had used this move to defeat the previous boss and secure his own position.
Yet as Aolan came flying at him, Ye Feng simply stood there calmly.
He slowly raised both hands.
Humm!
A soft yet dazzling golden light flared in his palm.
It wasn't blinding, but it carried a sacred, imposing aura. In an instant, it illuminated the dim dormitory.
Then, under everyone's stunned gaze, the light stretched and solidified, becoming a sharp blade three feet long, formed entirely of light energy!
Light-Gathering Blade!
"Holy crap! What's that? He didn't even use his Martial Soul!"
A scrawny boy cried out, his face filled with disbelief.
"Could that be a Soul Skill? Isn't that something only a Soul Master can do?"
Another boy, who seemed to know a thing or two, spoke with a trembling voice.
"The boss is going to lose... there's no way to dodge that!"
"That light... it's so pure, so full of light!"
A boy whose Martial Soul was a Ghost Wolf felt his very soul tremble.
"We're done for. We picked a fight with someone way out of our league. Aolan's big shot act just blew up in his face."
In the crowd, Wang Sheng muttered gleefully under his breath.
Amid everyone's horrified chatter, Ye Feng held the Light Blade and gave a casual swing at Aolan as he flew through the air.
There was nothing fancy about it—just a simple horizontal slash.
But the shriek of the Light Blade cutting through the air made everyone's scalp go numb!
Aolan, hurtling through the air, was even more terrified!
He could clearly feel the terrifying energy contained in the Light Blade. If it struck him, he'd either die on the spot or be left gravely injured!
He wanted to dodge, but with nothing to push off against in midair, he had nowhere to go. There was no escaping it!
All he could do was watch as the deadly blade grew larger before his eyes!
Just as the Light Blade was about to touch Aolan, Ye Feng turned his wrist, instantly replacing its sharp edge with its broad, flat back.
At the same time, he pulled back half the force.
Smack!
A sharp crack rang out.
The back of the Light Blade struck Aolan squarely in the chest.
"Urgh!"
Aolan screamed. As if struck by an invisible sledgehammer, he flew backward even faster than he'd come. With a thud, he crashed back into the same spot, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Ye Feng closed his hand. The Light Blade vanished at once, turning into flecks of golden light that melted into the air.
That move had used up nearly twenty percent of the Soul Power in his body.
There was no need to waste more against an ordinary person who wasn't even a Soul Master.
Ye Feng walked over to Aolan, who lay on the ground clutching his chest and couldn't get up.
Aolan struggled to lift his head. His earlier arrogance was gone, replaced by the fear of someone who'd just escaped death and deep awe.
"D-do you... still want to fight?"
Before you continue