Tang San: You Are Not Allowed to Slander Teacher!

"Hmm?"

Xiao Wu caught a glimpse of a new face from the corner of her eye. Looking over, she noticed the newcomer wore simple but clean clothes, had a slender build, and possessed well-defined facial features.

He was completely different from the motley crew surrounding her.

An immediate sense of goodwill arose, though she still blew into her fists and walked over.

"New here?"

"My name is Xiao Wu, 'Wu' as in dance. I'm the boss of Dorm Seven. Either beat me to become the new boss, or acknowledge me as your boss!"

She waved her little pink fists, hoping Xia Yan would say he wanted to fight.

That way, she could get some exercise.

A bruised and battered Wang Sheng leaned in close to her and whispered, "Sister Xiao Wu, he's not new. He arrived several days ago, he just hasn't been around for the last two days."

Hearing this, Xiao Wu immediately lost interest.

He looked good enough, but he was too weak. If he surrendered without a fight, she wouldn't be interested; she preferred someone with a bit more backbone.

Then, Wang Sheng leaned over to Xia Yan's side.

"Everyone's been gossiping these past two days, saying you had a conflict with Grandmaster. Is it true?"

"You didn't leave for two days just to hide from Grandmaster, did you?"

"It's fine, you don't need to hide. If Grandmaster gives you trouble, just run to where there are lots of people. He definitely wouldn't have the face to chase you."

Hearing this, Xiao Wu's curiosity was piqued. "What Grandmaster?"

"Is someone trying to bully you? Don't worry, Sister Xiao Wu will protect you!"

As she spoke, she waved her little pink fists again, eager and ready to teach that bad guy called Grandmaster a lesson.

Wang Sheng explained:

"Grandmaster's real name is Yu Xiaogang, a level 29 Soul Grand Master. He's a guest teacher at the academy, but he hasn't taught a single class. He only stays here because he has a good relationship with the Dean."

Xiao Wu was stunned. "Huh?"

She looked at Xia Yan, who was putting down his bedding, her beautiful eyes sparkling. "You dared to provoke a two-ring Soul Grand Master as soon as you arrived?"

"Aren't you a bit too bold?"

She immediately crowded next to Xia Yan, her face full of anticipation. "Tell me, tell me, what did you do?"

"How did that Grandmaster offend you?"

She had assumed Xia Yan was as rule-abiding as the others, but it turned out he was even bolder than her!

How exciting!

Looking at the excited Xiao Wu, Xia Yan didn't intentionally keep her in suspense.

"He believes his theories on martial soul research are profound and wanted to take me as his disciple. He tried to conquer me with his theories, but after talking, I realized he didn't necessarily know more than I did, so I left."

Yu Xiaogang had a major problem: he was simply too weak.

He was called a two-ring Soul Grand Master, but his martial soul could only fart. His strength was so pathetic that he would be finished if he encountered a 400-year-old Datura Snake; he wouldn't even be able to run.

On the surface, he had spent decades researching martial soul theory, but he didn't even know that a soul master's spirit would suffer a shock when absorbing a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring.

His so-called decades of research were truly just research.

He never touched the actual subjects.

He just holed up in Notting City, never seeing soul masters or soul beasts.

Pure theory.

Xiao Wu's beautiful eyes were practically sparkling. "Martial soul theory? You know that much!"

Her curiosity about Xia Yan reached its peak.

Xia Yan was just about to wave his hand and say he only understood martial soul mutations better than Yu Xiaogang—because at the very least, that mutation theory wasn't something he had made up—when, Suddenly, everyone heard a loud shout: "I won't allow you to insult my teacher!"

Tang San stood at the doorway, glaring at the group with fury. He had been listening for quite a while; he couldn't believe these people had no respect for his teacher, And they even had the audacity to claim they knew more than him.

Ridiculous!

What, teacher?!

Xiao Wu looked around awkwardly, not expecting to be caught gossiping behind someone's back.

But Wang Sheng and the others were stunned. He stepped forward:

"You took Grandmaster as your teacher?"

Wang Sheng looked worried:

"How could you take Grandmaster as your teacher? His strength is nothing to write home about. I heard he's nearly fifty and only level 29. I'm afraid he'll never break through in his life. The minimum requirement for an academy teacher is level 30; he only stays because of his connection with the Dean. To put it bluntly, he's just a freeloader."

"Tang San, you've been deceived!"

"Shut your mouth!"

Tang San shouted again, his face flushed red, the veins on his neck bulging.

He could tolerate insults behind his back, but for Wang Sheng to dare insult him to his face was too much!

Insulting him, he could endure;

Insulting his teacher, he could not!

He warned Wang Sheng and the others:

"This is the last time. If I hear anyone insult my teacher again, I will make them regret it!"

"Crack!"

Tang San slammed his hand down, and the wooden door beside him shattered, pieces clattering onto the floor.

The room fell silent.

"Hmph!"

With that, he turned and walked away.

"You..."

Wang Sheng was equally furious. That Grandmaster was nothing but a freeloader; he had kindly tried to help Tang San see the truth, never expecting Tang San to be so ungrateful.

Now he had even smashed the door; repairs and compensation would cost a fair amount of money.

They were all Work-Study Students, Tang San surely had no money, He just hadn't expected Tang San to be not only broke but also gullible and brainless!

Xiao Wu poked Xia Yan's arm and whispered:

"Who exactly is that Grandmaster? Why does Tang San worship him so much, while you guys look down on him?"

Xia Yan shook his head:

"Actually, I've only met him once before and don't know much about him. As for why Tang San worships Yu Xiaogang, I have no idea."

He certainly couldn't state the reason directly, as he had no real contact with either of them.

"Anyway, are you not planning on sleeping here tonight?"

Xiao Wu was confused by the sudden change of topic and blinked her large eyes in bewilderment:

"What do you mean?"

Xia Yan pointed at her bed: "There isn't even a mattress or quilt on it, unless you want to sleep on the wooden slats."

Xiao Wu finally realized.

She didn't mind sleeping on the boards—she had slept on grass before—but all the other Work-Study Students had bedding. If she didn't, she would stand out.

No, she had to get a set of bedding!

But, she really had no money right now.

"Uh, I..."

She looked at Xia Yan with a pitiful expression: "That... could you lend me some money? I promise to pay you back double!"

"I'll pay you back next month..."

"Please..."

With her watery eyes and pleading expression, the lethality was off the charts.

Xia Yan didn't mind lending the money; a set of bedding wouldn't cost many Copper Soul Coins, but compared to a Gold Soul Coin, it was a pittance.

It would be better to have her collect her subsidy instead:

"You're even more impressive than Wang Sheng. Is your Soul Power higher than his?"

Xiao Wu didn't understand why Xia Yan had suddenly changed the subject again, but she still wrinkled her delicate nose and said proudly, hands on her hips:

"Of course!"

"I have Innate Full Soul Power!"

Wang Sheng and the other students nearby were shocked: What? Innate Full Soul Power?! No wonder Sister Xiao Wu is so strong!

Xia Yan continued: "Then have you obtained a Soul Ring?"

Xiao Wu hesitated for a split second, the smile vanishing from her face as her eyes darted away:

"Uh..."

"What's wrong?"

Xia Yan seemed completely oblivious to her strange behavior:

"I just returned from the Soul Hunting Forest with the Dean. I've already obtained my first Soul Ring, and once I go to the Martial Soul Hall to register, I'll be able to collect a subsidy.

It's one Gold Soul Coin every month."

"I can lend you the money now, and you don't have to pay me back double. Or, you could go find the Dean and have him take you to obtain a Soul Ring."

Xiao Wu's beautiful eyes lit up. So Xia Yan was also Innate Full Soul Power, and there was money to be had just by registering!

Money to be had!

"Thank you, Xia Yan!"

She grabbed Xia Yan's hand to thank him profusely, then skipped out the door in high spirits.

Wang Sheng and the others, however, wore expressions that were the complete opposite, their mouths hanging open wide enough to fit a goose egg. He said in disbelief: "You... you're also Innate Full Soul Power?! And you even have a Soul Ring already?"

"Then why did you say you couldn't beat me?!"