A Promise with Tang Ya! Yan Shaozhe's Fury

"Su Chen!"

"Brother Su Chen!"

Two calls, laced with urgency and worry, rang out almost simultaneously from the perimeter of the dispersing crowd.

The crowd was shoved aside somewhat roughly as a dainty, purple-clad figure darted out first like an agile swallow—it was Tang Ya! Following closely behind her was Bei Bei, his expression a mix of helplessness and concern.

Tang Ya practically lunged toward Su Chen. Her beautiful purple eyes were filled with undisguised worry and lingering fear as she looked him up and down, scrutinizing him as if to confirm he hadn't lost a single hair. Her slender, fair fingers instinctively gripped Su Chen's sleeve, but she pulled back as if electrocuted, terrified of causing him pain.

"Bei Bei and I just finished our fourth-year advancement assessment, and we heard about what happened here the moment we stepped out!" Tang Ya's voice trembled with urgency, her words tumbling out rapidly. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? Where are you injured? Is it serious?"

She fired questions like a machine gun, the concern in her eyes nearly overflowing.

Bei Bei also stepped forward quickly. His gaze swept over Su Chen with equal scrutiny, his composed face betraying shock and disbelief that he could not hide.

"Brother Su Chen, did you... did you really cross hands with Teacher Zhou Yi? And... and you actually wounded her?" Bei Bei's voice was dry. Even seeing the wreckage of the training ground and the wretched state in which Zhou Yi had been carried away, he still found it hard to believe. "Zhou Yi is a genuine six-ring Soul Emperor! How... how on earth did you manage that?"

As a top student of the outer courtyard, Bei Bei knew all too well the chasm between a Soul Emperor and a Soul Grand Master; it was an almost insurmountable natural moat! Yet, Su Chen had achieved this near-mythical feat!

Su Chen smiled faintly at Tang Ya, his tone relaxed. "It's nothing. My soul power was just a bit drained, and I took a slight shock. A bit of meditation will set it right."

The worry in Tang Ya's eyes did not dissipate; instead, his "understated" attitude only added a touch of annoyance and heartache. She couldn't help but stomp her foot.

"But... that's Zhou Yi! A Soul Emperor! Her Soul Power Level is so much higher than yours! What if... what if you had made a mistake or slipped up?" She lowered her voice, her tone trembling with lingering fear. "I was so... Bei Bei and I were terrified when we heard!"

She nearly blurted out "I was so worried about you," but caught herself just in time, though a faint blush still crept onto her cheeks.

Bei Bei also reined in his shock and said sternly, "Indeed, Brother Su Chen. Teacher Zhou Yi... her style is quite extreme. By humiliating her in public today, you've ensured she won't let this go easily. You must be very careful in the academy from now on."

Seeing their sincere concern warmed Su Chen's heart, but his smile remained calm. "Don't worry. Since I dared to do it, I naturally had my reasons. Besides, look at me—I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"

He paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "As for Zhou Yi's retaliation? Let her come. Does she really think I, Su Chen, am afraid of her?"

Bei Bei sighed upon hearing this. Knowing Su Chen's resolute character and his tendency to follow his own judgment, he stopped trying to persuade him to back down and instead offered a warning: "Brother Su Chen, having such courage is good. But Zhou Yi is a senior teacher at the academy, and her husband, Fan Yu, is a core figure in the Soul Guidance Department with a special status. Open spears are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against. You must be cautious. If you encounter any trouble or need help, don't hesitate to come to me and Xiao Ya."

His words were sincere. However, what Bei Bei did not know was that the very friend he was speaking to was the one who had snatched away his beloved Tang Ya.

Su Chen nodded. "Bei Bei, I understand your intentions, and I thank you. I know I must be careful. But if I were to refrain from resisting today out of fear of the connections behind her, wouldn't everyone feel free to push me around in the future? Some things, if you endure them once, there will be a second time. When it's time to be tough, one must never be soft."

Seeing Su Chen's firm stance, Tang Ya knew she couldn't sway him, so she stopped saying things that would dampen the mood. Her eyes darted around, and she suddenly beamed, leaning in closer. Her purple eyes sparkled as she looked at Su Chen, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness and an air of refusal to be denied.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this! Anyway, even if that Zhou Yi really dares to come, you have me and Bei Bei! We aren't easy to bully!" She patted her chest—which was not particularly full—adopting a "leave it to me" posture.

Then, she blinked, her voice softening, clearly expectant. "Su Chen, you must be exhausted and shaken today. Tonight... let me treat you to something delicious!"

As she spoke, she took another step forward, practically pressing against Su Chen. Under Bei Bei's bewildered gaze and the focused attention of Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, she stood on her tiptoes and leaned her warm lips toward Su Chen's ear. In a whisper that only the two of them could hear, filled with a hint of playfulness and secrecy, she said quickly:

"Tonight, at the entrance of the Freshman Dormitory Building, I'll be waiting for you... just the two of us. I won't bring Bei Bei."

Having said that, she quickly stepped back, a bright and slightly shy smile on her face.

"Fine." Su Chen's expression remained unchanged as he nodded calmly.

Receiving the affirmative answer, Tang Ya's smile grew even more radiant, like a little fox that had successfully stolen a candy. "It's a deal, then! See you tonight, don't be late!"

She waved at Su Chen, gave a polite smile to Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, and then turned around, pulling along Bei Bei—who was still reacting slowly, his eyes shifting complexly between Su Chen and Tang Ya—and walked away with a light step.

Watching the backs of Tang Ya and Bei Bei as they receded, Wang Dong, who had been standing by Su Chen's side and witnessing the entire process, finally couldn't hold back.

She pouted her little mouth, slanted her powder-blue eyes at Su Chen, and suddenly reached out an arm, hooking it around Su Chen's neck in a "buddy-buddy" fashion. Her tone was sour, carrying clear teasing and... a certain indescribable sense of irritation:

"Tsk! Su Chen, you're something else! You've really made a name for yourself, haven't you!"

She began to "count" on her fingers: "First, we have our little beauty Xiao Xiao taking the initiative to sit at your desk and fuss over you~" She glanced at Xiao Xiao, who was blushing and looking down at her fingers because of the remark.

"And now, we have a beautiful senior from the upper grades running over to show you such deep concern in front of everyone~" Wang Dong dragged out her tone, the sourness practically wafting for miles. "Student Su Chen, isn't your luck with the ladies a bit too good? When are you going to introduce a pretty girl to me, your roommate? You can't just keep all the 'happiness' to yourself, right?"

Although she spoke in a joking tone, it sounded awkward, somehow... insincere. Even Wang Dong herself didn't fully understand why seeing Tang Ya so close to Su Chen made her feel like her chest was stuffed with cotton—a bit stifled, a bit annoyed, and a bit... inexplicably flustered.

Hearing this, Xiao Xiao buried her head even lower, her earlobes turning bright red. Her small hands twisted the hem of her shirt unconsciously, her emerald-green eyes stealing glances at Su Chen's profile. She felt both shy and a little disappointed—Wang Dong was right; Senior Tang Ya was both beautiful and proactive. Would Student Su Chen...

Su Chen looked at her sideways, somewhat helplessly, as she kept him in a headlock. This one had quite the jealous streak, didn't she? Even if she might not realize it herself.

"Stop guessing wildly." Su Chen tried to explain. "I met Tang Ya and Bei Bei by chance in the Star Dou Great Forest a few days ago. I helped them with a small favor at the time. They are just acting out of gratitude and camaraderie."

"Heh~" Wang Dong snorted through her nose, clearly not believing him. Her powder-blue eyes were filled with the certainty of someone who "had seen through everything." "A man's mouth is a deceiver's tool! Explaining is just covering up, and covering up is the truth! The way that Senior Tang Ya looked at you was definitely more than just 'gratitude'~"

She deliberately leaned close to Su Chen's face, staring into his eyes as if trying to find a flaw.

Looking at her exquisite little face, which was puffed up with indignation and curiosity, Su Chen suddenly felt a mischievous urge. He raised an eyebrow slightly and lowered his voice to a volume only the two of them could hear, asking with a hint of mockery:

"Wang Dong, as fellow 'men,' why would I lie to you? Hmm?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "men," his gaze sweeping over Wang Dong's chest—which, despite her loose school uniform, still showed curves that were hard to hide when she was agitated—and her excessively fair, delicate neck.

"..." Wang Dong froze at his words and that meaningful gaze. Then, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she abruptly released her hold on Su Chen's neck and jumped back a small step. Her cheeks flushed a suspicious red, and even the tips of her ears turned crimson.

"You... what nonsense are you spouting! Who is a fellow... Hmph! I'm ignoring you!" She dodged his gaze, her heart beating a few paces faster for no reason. Shy and angry, she simply turned her head away, pretending to look at the scenery, though her bright red ears betrayed her.

Xiao Xiao watched this sudden, subtly charged interaction between the two, blinking her large eyes, half-understanding. She looked down at her own figure, which was indeed still "plain," then secretly compared it to Wang Dong's curves—which, while not exaggerated, were clearly more developed—and then looked back at Su Chen's handsome profile and Wang Dong's red ears...

The little girl puffed out her cheeks like an angry little hamster, silently convincing herself: Forget it, forget it. Xiao Xiao, you're still young, you're still growing! Later... it will definitely be better later! Student Su Chen... Student Su Chen is just a nice person!

Dean's Office

The atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if it could be wrung out like water.

Du Weilun straightened his back as he stood before the expansive mahogany desk, reporting the thrilling conflict that had occurred on the freshman training grounds that afternoon to Yan Shaozhe, who sat composed behind the desk. He recounted the cause, the process, the outcome, and Su Chen's mind-boggling Martial Soul and Soul Ring configuration with absolute clarity and precision.

When Du Weilun mentioned that Su Chen, as a level 28 Soul Grand Master, had not only withstood a direct attack from a Soul Emperor like Zhou Yi but had ultimately left a wound on her with a single Holy Light Slash, forcing her to kneel and apologize in public, Yan Shaozhe, who had maintained a steady demeanor throughout, finally could not help but reveal a look of shock.

"What did you say?!" Yan Shaozhe leaned forward slightly, his eyes, usually gentle and scholarly, now wide open and flashing with disbelief. "Su Chen? That twelve-year-old freshman who was level 27? He... he wounded Zhou Yi? A six-ring Soul Emperor?!"

His voice rose slightly due to extreme astonishment: "And... are you certain his Martial Soul is... a Six-Winged Angel? That god-tier Martial Soul which vanished ten thousand years ago? Director Du, this matter is of great importance; are you sure you saw it clearly?"

Du Weilun nodded affirmatively, his tone grave: "It is absolutely true, Dean. I saw it with my own eyes. The six white wings unfurled behind that boy were indeed real, and the holy aura was pure and powerful, far exceeding any ordinary light-attribute Martial Soul. His Soul Ring configuration is even more bizarre; the first ring is a thousand-year purple, and the second... is a brilliant gold never seen before, with an aura that is ancient and vast, certainly not ordinary."

"I was holding back!" A hoarse, unwilling voice filled with deep resentment suddenly cut in.

Zhou Yi, who had been standing to the side with her head bowed like a piece of background scenery, still bearing the disheveled marks of her defeat, suddenly looked up. Her face was etched with humiliation and indignation as she shrieked: "Dean Yan! If I hadn't been worried about academy rules and afraid of accidentally killing a student and causing trouble, and had gone all out from the start, that arrogant little bastard would have been dead long ago!"

"How could he have possibly wounded me?! He was just relying on a special Martial Soul and a bit of luck..."

"Enough! Zhou Yi!"

Yan Shaozhe slammed his hand onto the desk with a loud "bang," cutting off Zhou Yi's excuses. The gentle expression on his face had long since vanished, replaced by a stern, angry look. His gaze shot toward Zhou Yi like lightning, carrying undisguised reproach.

"This is not your place to speak!" Yan Shaozhe's voice was cold, imbued with the pressure of one who has long held a high position. "Do you not know what you have done? Bullying the weak, unable to accept defeat, attempting to kill, and finally being forced by a student to kneel in public... you have thrown away all of Shrek's dignity!"

He stood up and walked to the window, turning his back to the two of them, his voice heavy and anxious: "Zhou Yi, do you not understand the current situation on the continent? Evil Soul Masters are becoming increasingly rampant, with the shadow of the Sun Moon Empire vaguely behind them. They act with growing recklessness, using bizarre and vicious methods that pose a great threat to ordinary Soul Masters and the common people! Although Shrek is strong, our power is ultimately limited, and often we can only hold our own ground."

He turned around, looking at Zhou Yi with a sharp gaze, his tone intensifying: "The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul possesses the ultimate holy and purifying attributes; it is the natural nemesis of Evil Soul Masters! Its reappearance may have immeasurable strategic significance for the entire continent's Soul Master world and for the fight against Evil Soul Masters!"

"And you, instead of having the insight to recognize a gem and properly guide such a genius, nearly drove him to a dead end out of personal spite, potentially creating a future enemy for the academy! What on earth were you thinking?!"