Word of what had happened at the dormitory entrance spread like wildfire. So many people had witnessed it that by the time breakfast was over, the story had reached every year level.
Yan Shaozhe's direct disciple. The top student in third year. The Flame Maniac. Ma Xiaotao.
She had provoked a first-year student of her own accord and set a date to face him in the Soul Fighting Arena one year from now.
There was no question about it: this was a case of the strong bullying the weak!
But when it came to Ma Xiaotao, it was perfectly normal. When that Flame Maniac went on a rampage and wanted to beat someone up, she didn't care what year they were in.
You could give someone the wrong name, but you couldn't give them the wrong nickname.
Why wasn't her nickname the Flame Phoenix, but the Flame Maniac? The word "maniac" captured Ma Xiaotao's personality perfectly.
Some people felt sorry for Feng Tianyu, the one she'd provoked, but no one thought he'd been wronged.
That was because he had chosen to leave the Martial Soul Department and join the Soul Guidance Department!
Every one of those Martial Soul Department students regarded their department as the one true path and the Soul Guidance Department as a waste of time. They believed that only students without much talent would go there to study.
That was the arrogance of Soul Masters!
Feng Tianyu had become the poster boy for "wasting his time." No one spoke up for him, and no one took his side.
Feng Tianyu didn't care in the slightest!
After breakfast, he parted ways with Beibei and headed to the Soul Guidance Department's teaching building with Grey Wolf.
As he entered the gray cluster of buildings, Feng Tianyu sensed a malicious gaze fall on him.
He followed that gaze and glared back. The owner was a muscular, middle-aged man, with thick arms and a broad chest. He wasn't particularly handsome, but he had a rugged, gruff air about him.
Following behind the man was a Black child, so dark he looked like a lump of coal.
Seeing the big-and-small pair, Feng Tianyu quickly realized who they were: Fan Yu and his disciple, He Caitou.
Fan Yu's wife was Zhou Yi!
Because of her own actions, Zhou Yi had been ordered by Yan Shaozhe to take five years off. Clearly, she'd gone home that night and whispered in Fan Yu's ear, which was why he was now looking at Feng Tianyu with such hostility.
Feng Tianyu silently repeated the names in his heart:
"Fan Yu, Zhou Yi, Yan Shaozhe, Ma Xiaotao. Heh... When you've got too many debts, you stop worrying about them. When you've got too many lice, you stop itching. One day, I'll make these people afraid to look me in the eye!"
Then Feng Tianyu looked away and headed for Qian Duoduo's Studio No. 2 with Grey Wolf.
By the pillar beside the teaching building, the malice in Fan Yu's eyes never faded.
"My wife may be stupid, but she's beautiful. She may be a little overbearing, but she loves me deeply. Because of this kid called Feng Tianyu, the Martial Soul Department suspended her for five years. Her reputation was dragged through the mud and trampled into the dirt. It's infuriating."
"Even if Feng Tianyu is talented and has Dean Qian to teach him, I can't just let this go."
"Even if I can't go after him directly, I can still make things difficult for him. That Ultimate Soldier Project, which will pool the Soul Guidance Department's resources and is still in the planning stages—so long as I'm here, I won't let him have the slightest chance of taking part."
"Dean Xian and Vice Dean Qian will eventually enter the Sea God Pavilion and become elders. When that happens, I'll be in charge of the Soul Guidance Department. As long as I'm alive, Feng Tianyu won't get ahead."
With that, Fan Yu turned and headed back. At the same time, he said to the Black child beside him:
"Caitou, come back with me and continue studying. Only if you build a solid foundation as a Soul Engineer can I recommend you for the Ultimate Soldier Project and secure the full support of the Soul Guidance Department's resources for you."
Because Fan Yu was hostile toward Feng Tianyu, the Black child called Caitou also glared furiously at Feng Tianyu and Grey Wolf a few times.
Hearing Fan Yu's words, he turned and followed him, answering in a deep, rumbling voice:
"Teacher, I'll study hard. When the time comes, I'll teach that kid who bullied my teacher's wife a lesson."
Studio No. 2!
Feng Tianyu knocked on the door. Only after hearing someone call, "Come in," did he open it and enter with Grey Wolf.
"Dean Qian, Grey Wolf and I are here!"
Qian Duoduo toyed with a Tungsten Steel Engraving Knife in his hand. He'd prepared it for Grey Wolf to practice engraving Soul Guidance Arrays.
"Tianyu, I've already heard about what happened at the dormitory entrance this morning."
"That must've been the work of the naturally evil Yan Shaozhe. That old bastard—back when we were students, I could tell he was no good."
"Black-hearted, vindictive, stingy, and lecherous. Even if he acts like your sworn brother to your face, the moment there's anything to gain, he'll just shovel it all into his own pockets."
Qian Duoduo was seething as he spoke. Clearly, Yan Shaozhe had swindled him out of plenty over the years.
"You came to our Soul Guidance Department with Mu En's approval. Yan Shaozhe wouldn't dare object openly, but with all that malice in his gut, would he really let it go?"
"Ma Xiaotao is his disciple. He must know exactly what kind of temper she has."
"He doesn't need to give Ma Xiaotao any explicit instructions. He only has to let a little information slip, and she'll come looking for trouble with you at once. That's as underhanded as it gets."
"It's not easy for us teachers to interfere in disputes between students. Yan Shaozhe must have counted on that."
Qian Duoduo looked at Feng Tianyu with a frown.
"I heard you want to accept her challenge. How do you plan to face Ma Xiaotao, with her top-tier Beast Martial Soul, the Evil Fire Phoenix?"
Feng Tianyu was impressed by how quickly the news had spread. He smiled and said:
"That's where I'll need your help, Dean Qian."
"I'm six years old, with fifteen levels of Soul Power. Ma Xiaotao is fourteen, with thirty-eight levels. She's eight years older than me. There's no way I can make up that eight-year gap in such a short time."
"If I want to defeat Ma Xiaotao, I'll have to find another way—through Soul Tools."
"Dean Qian, if Grey Wolf wants to make Soul Tools, do you think the Soul Guidance Department's rare Soul Guidance Metal could be made freely available for us to use?"
Qian Duoduo had thought Feng Tianyu had some clever solution, but it turned out he was counting on Soul Tools.
Soul Tools could indeed improve one's combat ability!
But with just one year, it would be an incredible feat if Feng Tianyu and Grey Wolf could even reach the level of Level-Two Soul Engineers!
And a Level-Two Soul Engineer still couldn't defeat Ma Xiaotao!
Qian Duoduo slapped his thigh.
"Sure. You're representing the Soul Guidance Department's reputation. The rare Soul Guidance Metal belonging to the department is limited, and has to be shared among all the teachers and students. But you can use as much of the rare metal under my name as you want. That's my personal sponsorship."
"I'll also make a few Defensive Soul Tools for you. Even if you can't beat Ma Xiaotao, you won't lose too badly."
Qian Duoduo was dependable. He'd offered Feng Tianyu a private sponsorship from the rare metal he owned personally.
Feng Tianyu brightened.
"Then thank you, Dean Qian. I feel much more confident now!"
He glanced at Grey Wolf. Everything was ready; all they needed was the east wind. Now it was up to Grey Wolf to see what kind of impressive contraption he could come up with!
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