Snakes

Yu Xiaogang instructed, "Tang San, from now on, you must be able to defeat Xia Yan."

Tang San subconsciously recalled Xia Yan's appearance. "Teacher, is it because he insulted you?"

He nodded. "Yes, Teacher. I'll go back and defeat him."

Naturally, Yu Xiaogang would not admit it. "No, it's because he also has Innate Full Soul Power. At every stage, you need a goal you can reach. Only then will you have more motivation."

"As for the insult... heh."

He shook his head with feigned nonchalance. "Why would I care about what others say?"

Heh, Xia Yan, just wait. How dare you deny my research? Tang San will definitely defeat you!

Arrogant brat!

Tang San felt a wave of shame, never expecting that he had judged a gentleman with a petty mind. "Mm!"

In the shadows,

Tang Hao listened to their conversation and could not help frowning.

The relationship between his son and Xia Yan absolutely could not become hostile.

Tang Hao's hatred for Spirit Hall had seeped into his bones.

He dreamed of Revenge.

But in the past, he had not seen the slightest hope.

His sect had been forced into seclusion, he had been expelled, his wife had died, leaving behind only a body full of incurable Hidden Injuries and a son.

So what if he was the continent's youngest Titled Douluo?

So what if he was the Clear Sky Douluo?

Before Spirit Hall, he was still powerless to resist.

There had been no possibility of Revenge at all.

But now, he saw hope. His son possessed Innate Full Soul Power, Twin Martial Souls, and the Clear Sky Hammer!

As long as he cultivated properly, he could attach nine Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, or even hundred thousand year Soul Rings, to the Clear Sky Hammer!

Most importantly,

he had also encountered two people with Innate Full Soul Power!

Tang Hao hoped that Tang San could build a good relationship with Xia Yan. After all, Xia Yan also possessed Innate Full Soul Power and extraordinary talent. He could become a major source of assistance in the annihilation of Spirit Hall.

As for Xiao Wu,

Tang Hao believed that his son had more than enough charm.

After all, back then, he had relied on his own charm to win Ah Yin's heart.

As long as Spirit Hall could be annihilated, everything else could be compromised!

Notting Academy officially began classes.

The daily curriculum was actually quite varied, covering everything from theory to practice: soul master classifications, combat, cultivation, soul beast distribution and identification, types of weapons, herb identification and simple medicinal salve preparation, survival essentials in soul beast forests...

Of course, there was also arithmetic, continental history, Heaven Dou history...

It could be said that none of it was superfluous. Every subject was useful, and the workload was light.

A day later, on the back mountain of Notting Academy,

more than fifty people had gathered.

They stood in two clearly divided groups, each with more than twenty people.

One group consisted of the Work-Study Students led by Xiao Wu.

The other consisted of ordinary students. Their leader was a mature-looking student, a head taller than Wang Sheng, burly, and wearing a disdainful expression.

He looked exceedingly arrogant.

The relationship between ordinary students and Work-Study Students was like fire and water.

Both sides had long found the other unpleasant, but in the past, only Wang Sheng had been able to stand up for them, so the Work-Study Students had always been bullied.

Now that they had Xia Yan and Xiao Wu,

the Work-Study Students naturally would not keep swallowing their anger.

"Xiao Chenyu, don't think you can act arrogant just because you have more people!"

Having finally found backing, Wang Sheng pointed at Xiao Chenyu's nose and cursed.

The ordinary students had always looked down on Work-Study Students. Relying on their numbers and strength, they often bullied them.

Over the years, as the leader of the Work-Study Students, Wang Sheng had nearly always had one bruise, or even several, on his body in order to hold his ground.

Now, the Work-Study Students could finally stand tall!

Xiao Chenyu sneered. "Oh? You've grown bolder?"

"Looks like you haven't learned your lesson yet..."

"You!"

Wang Sheng flew into a rage and turned to Xia Yan. "Brother Yan..."

He had personally experienced Xia Yan's strength. Even now, he was wary of all kinds of shadows, having been frightened by Xia Yan's soul skill.

He did not believe Xiao Chenyu could win!

However, before Xia Yan could speak, Xiao Wu stepped forward and glared at Xiao Chenyu.

"Cut the crap. Get out here and take your beating!"

Xiao Chenyu did not reply immediately. His eyes shifted, and he could naturally tell that Xia Yan and Xiao Wu were the backbone of the Work-Study Students.

Their strength was certainly not weak.

He raised his brows and smiled. "How about this? I won't take advantage of you. Each side picks ten people for one-on-one duels. The winner keeps fighting, while the loser steps down, until everyone on one side has been defeated..."

"What do you say?"

Soul master cultivation required resources. Work-Study Students had no resources, so their cultivation was slower. Overall, they could not compare to ordinary students.

Thus, Xiao Chenyu intended to win through overall strength.

Xiao Wu and Xia Yan might defeat one person or two, but they could not possibly defeat three or four.

As long as those two lost, the remaining Work-Study Students would be nothing to fear.

"Fine!"

Xiao Wu clenched her fists. "I'll go first!"

She hated people ganging up on the few and using their power to bully others most of all. She swore that she would stomp Xiao Chenyu's face into the ground.

The corner of Xiao Chenyu's mouth curled upward. This was exactly the answer he had been waiting for!

He turned his head and jerked his chin, and a tall upperclassman stepped forward.

He wore the same proud expression.

"Hmph!"

Just as Xiao Wu was about to step out and teach these bad people a lesson, Xia Yan pressed a hand onto her shoulder.

"I'll do it."

Xia Yan had no good impression of the ordinary students either. Every one of them was unbearably arrogant.

They truly needed to be taught what respect meant.

Otherwise, they would be very troublesome in the future.

Xiao Wu froze. In her impression, Xia Yan had always been unwilling to fight.

However,

she also wanted to see just how strong Xia Yan really was. "Alright. Be careful."

"Go, Brother Yan!"

"Go, Brother Yan!!"

Xia Yan walked out, and the Work-Study Students behind him cheered for him.

Xiao Chenyu and the ordinary students all examined Xia Yan. They had heard that Xia Yan had clashed with Yu Xiaogang.

They only thought he had guts.

But he was just a newcomer.

No matter how strong he was, how strong could he possibly be?

"I advise all ten of you to come at me together."

Xia Yan's expression was calm, as though he were stating something utterly ordinary.

What?!

Xiao Chenyu thought he had misheard. Come at him together?

What ridiculous boasting!

He sneered. "Liu Long, give this newcomer a lesson."

Liu Long, standing at the front, wore the same disdainful expression. He was merely a newcomer. No matter how strong he was, how strong could he be?

He loosely clenched his left hand and grabbed a long wooden staff that appeared out of thin air.

This was his martial soul.

Before everyone's eyes, Xia Yan raised a small black tower in his right hand.

It was a martial soul none of them had ever seen before.

Liu Long's gaze turned cold. He stomped off the ground and charged straight at Xia Yan.

Xia Yan did not move at all.

The Work-Study Students all shouted, "Go, Brother Yan!"

"Brother Yan, he's coming!"

Before everyone's eyes, a Century Soul Ring slowly rose beneath Xia Yan's feet.

"What?!"

The ordinary students, including Xiao Chenyu, were all stunned. He was a soul master?!

Xia Yan lightly flicked his fingertip. "This is the Shadow Snake Swarm."

Everyone was still confused.

In an instant, countless snake-shaped shadows drilled out of everyone's shadows.

They burrowed into their clothes, wrapped around their necks, and pressed cold scales against their skin.

The Shadow Snake Swarm surged, baring its fangs at them!

"Ahhh!!!"

"Snakes!!"

The ordinary students immediately fell into terrified chaos.

The braver ordinary students scrambled and crawled away.

Those with less courage had already been frightened senseless, collapsing where they stood. Some could not even scream.

As for Liu Long, he had long since been wrapped up by snake shadows.

Faced with the snake shadows hissing at him with sharp fangs bared, he could only beg for mercy through tears.

"Don't kill me, don't kill me..."

The entire process took less than three seconds.

Xia Yan slowly walked up to Xiao Chenyu and looked at him, trembling in terror as several snake shadows coiled around him.

"That's it?"

Xiao Chenyu's face was deathly pale, his lips trembling. "Don't, don't... kill me..."

Xia Yan said, "This is only a lesson. Remember to show more respect to Work-Study Students."

"Mm, mm...!!"

Xiao Chenyu did not even dare nod. He could only make muffled sounds of agreement.

Xia Yan then dispersed the snake shadows. Their strength was connected to the main body. They could serve as chains or become real snakes, and they carried part of the main body's venom.

One bite could truly be fatal.