"Are you coming, Huang Fei?"
Tang San's voice came from ahead, tinged with a hint of helplessness.
Huang Fei stood at the entrance to the dormitory area, watching the direction in which that black figure had disappeared, as if lost in thought.
"Coming, coming." He answered and hurried after him.
The two walked side by side along the path leading to Dorm Seven, ginkgo leaves crackling softly beneath their feet.
Tang San couldn't help glancing back at the direction Huang Fei had been watching. Curious, he asked, "What were you looking at just now? Was there something special about that person?"
Huang Fei's steps faltered slightly.
Tang San had brought up Yu Xiaogang on his own. This was a good opportunity.
He thought for a moment, then decided to take this chance to give Tang San a warning.
Some things were better said sooner rather than later.
If Yu Xiaogang really came knocking, putting on the airs of some worldly master and using a pile of half-true theories to hoodwink him, it would be hard to set things straight afterward.
"Xiao San, I need to tell you something."
Huang Fei lowered his voice, as if afraid someone might overhear.
Seeing him act so mysteriously, Tang San slowed down too and leaned in to listen.
"If someone ever tells you to take your Blue Silver Grass down a poison-and-control path, and then tries to take you on as his disciple, you'd better think it through carefully."
Huang Fei's voice was quiet, but every word was clear. "Don't let yourself get fooled."
Tang San froze for a moment, his steps faltering slightly.
That had come out of nowhere, with no context at all.
What poison-and-control path?
Who was going to take him on as a disciple?
They had only just arrived at the academy and didn't even know a single teacher. Why was Huang Fei suddenly bringing this up?
"Why are you saying this all of a sudden?"
Tang San frowned, baffled.
"I'm just giving you a heads-up."
Huang Fei waved a hand, his tone casual.
"Think about it. We both have Blue Silver Grass Martial Souls, which the whole continent recognizes as Trash Martial Souls. But we're also both Innate Full Soul Power. You can hardly find a combination like that anywhere on the continent."
Tang San nodded. He understood that much.
A Trash Martial Soul combined with top-tier talent was a contradiction that would naturally draw people's attention.
"So there'll definitely be some so-called experts coming to see us," Huang Fei continued. "They'll show you a pile of research, tell you how Blue Silver Grass should be developed, how to match it with Soul Rings, and how to forge a path from Trash Martial Soul to a comeback."
Tang San listened, deep in thought.
"I'm not saying they're all charlatans." Huang Fei changed tack. "But what they say isn't necessarily right. Or, to be more precise, it may not be right for you."
"So what you mean is..." Tang San slowed his words, as if mulling over what Huang Fei had said.
"I mean, if someone wants to take you on as a disciple, you should ask him a few questions first."
Huang Fei raised one finger. "First, what's the essence of Blue Silver Grass? Where does its core strength lie?"
"Second, what path should Blue Silver Grass take? Control, poison, or some other direction?"
"Third, does his approach to developing Blue Silver Grass have a theoretical basis? Are there any successful precedents?"
Tang San came to a complete stop.
He stood there, looking Huang Fei seriously in the eye.
Huang Fei had spoken in earnest. He wasn't joking.
And the more Tang San thought about it, the more sense it made.
He couldn't blindly trust someone just because that person had a big reputation and sounded convincing.
Especially when it came to the direction his Martial Soul would develop in. It would shape his entire path of cultivation, so he couldn't let someone else lead him by the nose.
"You're right." Tang San nodded solemnly. "I really should look into these things myself instead of just listening to what other people say."
"It's not that you shouldn't listen to other people," Huang Fei corrected him. "But you have to verify what they say for yourself. The library has plenty of books on the basics. Build a solid foundation first, and you'll be able to tell truth from nonsense no matter what anyone says."
Tang San smiled.
Huang Fei seemed especially... dependable today.
The lazy good-for-nothing who usually did nothing but eat and sleep was suddenly saying something so sensible. It was like seeing the sun rise in the west.
"All right, I'll remember that." Tang San patted Huang Fei on the shoulder. "If someone really does want to take me as a disciple, I'll ask him some questions first."
Huang Fei nodded with satisfaction.
The warning was in place. Now they'd see if Yu Xiaogang could still hoodwink Tang San.
They continued forward. Dorm Seven was just ahead.
It was a two-story building of gray brick and tile. Much of the lime had peeled off the exterior walls, exposing the mottled brickwork beneath.
An Old Locust Tree stood in front of the building. Its crooked trunk looked like the hunched back of an old man.
A wooden sign hung beside the entrance, with two characters written on it:
Dorm Seven.
Tang San pushed the door open, and Huang Fei followed him inside.
The door had barely cracked open when a gust of wind came flying from within.
A fist shot straight for Tang San's face.
Tang San reacted instantly. His body veered to the side almost instinctively, and he shoved Huang Fei away at the same time.
Huang Fei stumbled back two steps and hit the doorframe, letting out an "Ouch!"
Tang San had already dodged the sneak attack. His footwork shifted as he launched Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track,
and he drifted to the attacker's side like a wisp of smoke.
He kicked, striking the other boy squarely in the small of the back.
The attacker grunted and staggered back several steps, knocking over a bed before finally managing to steady himself.
Leaning against the doorframe, Huang Fei patted his chest.
He had actually been prepared for this all along.
He was a transmigrator, after all. The plot was etched into his brain.
Wang Sheng, the boss of Dorm Seven, liked to give newcomers a rough welcome. It was a scene straight out of the original story.
The instant Tang San shoved him aside, he had been planning to dodge too.
After all, he knew everything Tang San knew, and if Tang San could dodge an attack, so could he.
Besides, his cultivation was ten levels higher than Tang San's.
Still, being shoved out of harm's way felt different from dodging on his own.
Tang San had shoved him aside without thinking. That instinctive act of protection warmed Huang Fei's heart.
Tang San didn't notice Huang Fei's expression. His attention was fixed on the person in front of him.
The attacker was a boy of about ten, with a broad, boyish face and dark skin. He was considerably sturdier than others his age.
Clutching his lower back, he got up from the floor, grimacing, but he didn't seem injured.
"Who are you? Why did you attack me?" Tang San's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a note of accusation.
The boy rubbed his back. Rather than getting angry, he grinned.
"Not bad, not bad. Quick reflexes." He patted the dust off himself and stood up straight. "My name's Wang Sheng, and I'm the current boss of Dorm Seven."
"Boss?" Tang San frowned.
"That's the rule in Dorm Seven."
Wang Sheng struck a fighting pose, fists clenched. The faint shadow of a tiger appeared behind him.
His Martial Soul was War Tiger.
Tang San's pupils contracted slightly.
War Tiger. A Beast Martial Soul. At first glance, it seemed pretty strong.
At least, it had the presence to match.
Perfect. This would show him what the youngsters of this world were made of.
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