The Forbidden Divide, Xie Xie the Ultimate Fanboy!

The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the window lattice, scattering mottled patches across the wooden floor.

The heart-palpitating sensation of spatial distortion in the room finally receded, like seawater ebbing after high tide, leaving behind only a damp beach.

Tang Linyuan slowly opened his eyes. Deep within those ink-black pupils, strange visions of collapsing stars and folding dimensions seemed to linger.

A moment later, the phenomenon faded, leaving only the clarity of Return to Simplicity.

"Phew..."

After exhaling a breath of foul air, Tang Linyuan did not get up. Instead, he lowered his head to look at his palm, lost in thought.

After deeply comprehending the two companion runes—"Devour" and "space"—last night, he had finally glimpsed the true threshold of the Nine Calamity Annihilation Styles within the Ancient Forbidden Canon: Tyrant Scroll.

"So that's how it is."

Tang Linyuan murmured inwardly, his thoughts clearer than ever before.

"Mountain Collapse breaks through a surface with a point, Sea Severing sweeps through armies, Void Splitting unleashes extreme-speed vibrations, Falling Star creates a gravitational field..."

"At their core, these first four forms still fall within the realm of 'technique.' They are interpretations of spear arts that push strength, skill, speed, and potential energy to their limits within the boundaries of mortal capability."

"But from the fifth form onward, this spear art truly bares its forbidden fangs."

It was a qualitative transformation from "technique" to "Dao," from "physical laws" to "cosmic laws."

To use the fifth form, Black Hole: Immeasurable, one not only needed enormous Soul Power as fuel, but also an extremely profound understanding of spatial structures and the Law of Devouring.

To evolve a black hole with one's flesh and use the spear tip to bear a singularity—one misstep, and the first thing to collapse would likely be oneself.

"Even with the two runes as keys, this door is still astonishingly heavy."

Tang Linyuan clenched his fist, feeling the tyrannical power lying dormant within him. Yet a confident curve appeared at the corner of his lips.

A long road lay ahead? Then he would simply walk it step by step.

Having lived two lives, what he lacked least was the patience to climb lofty peaks.

"Wulin, get up."

Tang Linyuan rolled out of bed and patted his younger brother, who was still sleeping with his head buried beneath the covers.

"Today is the first day of special training. If we're late, Teacher Wu's 'chilling-to-the-core' package won't be a joke."

"Mm... I'm up, I'm up!"

At the words "Teacher Wu," Tang Wulin jolted awake and sprang out of bed in an instant, his practiced movements almost pitiful to watch.

When the brothers entered the Grade One Class Five classroom right on time, they were surprised to find that Wu Zhangkong, the frosty male god who always liked making a grand final entrance, was already standing at the podium.

The atmosphere in the classroom was somewhat strange.

Everyone's gaze drifted, intentionally or otherwise, toward the side of the podium—where a young man stood with his hands in his pockets and a cool expression on his face.

It was Xie Xie, who had been smashed senseless by Tang Wulin's hammer in yesterday's practical combat class.

When he saw Tang Wulin enter, a flash of life instantly crossed Xie Xie's originally cold and arrogant face. Not only was he not embarrassed in the slightest, he even wiggled his brows and greeted him. He looked exactly like a husky that had spotted someone familiar.

Tang Wulin was completely baffled. Tugging on his brother's sleeve, he asked, "Bro, why is this guy here? Didn't he get beaten enough yesterday?"

Tang Linyuan remained calm. He merely glanced at Xie Xie before walking straight toward his seat.

"Quiet."

Wu Zhangkong coldly tapped the blackboard, and the classroom instantly fell so silent that a pin could be heard dropping.

"Let me introduce Xie Xie."

Wu Zhangkong pointed at the youth beside him, his tone utterly flat.

"Starting today, he will officially transfer into Grade One Class Five."

"Alright. Find yourself a seat."

After saying that, Wu Zhangkong ignored him. In his eyes, this was merely a trivial matter.

However, it stirred up a storm in the hearts of the Class Five students.

"What's going on? Isn't Xie Xie the genius of Class One?"

"He must have lost to Tang Wulin from our class yesterday. Their Class One homeroom teacher probably disliked him and kicked him out, right?"

"Tsk, tsk. How miserable. Falling from the genius class to the trash class—that difference..."

The surrounding whispers did not affect Xie Xie at all.

The instant Wu Zhangkong finished speaking, the guy seemed to have springs installed beneath him. Without a trace of hesitation, he charged straight toward the back of the classroom.

His target was clear—the empty seat to Tang Linyuan's left.

(Note: At this time, Tang Wulin was seated to Tang Linyuan's right.)

"Hey, Tang... ahem, Tang."

Standing beside Tang Linyuan's desk, Xie Xie rubbed his hands somewhat awkwardly. The arrogance that usually made him look down on everyone else had completely vanished, replaced by an almost ingratiating anticipation.

"Um, can I sit here?"

Tang Linyuan was flipping through a Soul Beast Illustrated Handbook. Hearing this, he slightly turned his head and looked at the bright-eyed youth.

He said nothing, merely nodding calmly.

"Great! Thanks, Boss!"

As if granted amnesty, Xie Xie blurted out "Boss," then happily pulled out the chair and sat down. He moved so quickly that it seemed he feared Tang Linyuan might change his mind.

This scene nearly made the eyes of the surrounding students, who had assumed Xie Xie had been "demoted," pop out of their sockets.

Was this really that icy Class One genius? Why was he as obedient as a cat in front of Tang Linyuan?

In truth, how could they know that this class transfer was not a punishment at all? Xie Xie had shamelessly begged for it.

Yesterday's battle, when Tang Linyuan had fought Wu Zhangkong one-on-one and forced out his Battle Armor, had completely shattered Xie Xie's worldview—and rebuilt his faith.

What Class One? What genius?

Before a truly powerful person, all of that was nothing but drifting clouds!

To transfer into Class Five, he had used his family connections last night and argued himself hoarse with those old fossils in his family.

He did not dare tell them that he wanted to follow around a nine-year-old kid. He only said that Wu Zhangkong's practical combat instruction was more suited to his agility attack path.

"Boss, my name is Xie Xie. Xie as in thanks, Xie as in chance encounter."

The moment he sat down, Xie Xie switched into chatterbox mode. Leaning toward Tang Linyuan, he lowered his voice and said,

"That battle yesterday was absolutely amazing! I'm truly convinced! From now on at Eastsea Academy, I'll follow you around. Point east, and I'll never go west!"

Tang Linyuan turned a page, his expression indifferent. "I'm not anyone's boss, and I don't take underlings."

"Ah, don't shut people out like that." Xie Xie was exceptionally thick-skinned. He turned toward Tang Wulin on the other side.

"Brother Wulin, we got to know each other through a fight. Those two hammer blows of yours yesterday had some real force! I, Xie Xie, admire you!"

Tang Wulin had still been somewhat wary, but one could not slap a smiling face. After being praised like that, he immediately scratched his head in embarrassment.

"It was nothing. You were just too fast, so I could only swing wildly."

"Hehe, we're all brothers from now on."

Xie Xie patted his chest and declared grandly,

"To celebrate me joining our little group, and to apologize for yesterday, after school today, it's on me! I'll treat Boss and you to Braised Beef in Pot! I know an old, famous place. The flavor is incredible!"

The moment he heard the word "eat," Tang Wulin's eyes instantly turned into searchlights. All his wariness and distance vanished in that second.

"Really?! Can we eat our fill?"

"Absolutely!"

Watching the two immediately become fast friends, Tang Linyuan closed his book and shook his head helplessly, though a faint smile curled his lips.

This underling was a little noisy, but... he did not seem too bad.

At the podium, Wu Zhangkong watched the three "troublemakers" gathered together at the back of the room. A trace of unfathomable meaning flashed through his eyes before he tapped the desk.

"Enough chatting. Everyone, stand up and head to the field. Special training begins."