The Dandy's Provocation

Following the campus's main road, Zhong Shenxiu dragged his suitcase toward the dormitory area.

Tall soul guidance lamp posts lined both sides of the road, their tops set with glowing crystals that emitted soft halos even in daylight.

Students in uniforms occasionally passed by, mostly in groups of two or three, chatting and laughing. Their gazes lingered on him briefly before shifting away—those Light Gold Vertical Pupils were simply too conspicuous.

Zhong Shenxiu had long grown accustomed to such looks.

Over the past nine years, those eyes had caused him no shortage of exclusion and alienation from children his age.

At first, he had tried to explain. Later, he gave up.

A predator's gaze was not something he could control. It was an innate trait brought by his Martial Soul and bloodline, just as a tiger would not retract its fangs because a flock of sheep feared it.

The dormitory building was a twelve-story white structure, its outer walls covered in lush green vines dotted with pale purple flowers.

A sign stood in front of the building: Men's Dormitory Building A.

Zhong Shenxiu found his room—307, on the third floor.

He unlocked the door, and the scent of fresh renovations hit him. The room was not large, around thirty square meters, but it was fully furnished: a four-person dormitory with desks, chairs, wardrobes, an en suite bathroom, and a balcony. At the very least, Eastsea Academy was not stingy when it came to living conditions.

He set his suitcase against the wall and went to the balcony to look outside.

Behind the dormitory building was a small grove. Farther away were several open-air training grounds, where students could be seen practicing soul skills amid flashes of multicolored light.

"Not bad." Zhong Shenxiu's tone was calm.

He briefly unpacked, hanging several clothes in the wardrobe and arranging his daily necessities. From the bottom of his suitcase, he took out a small iron box and opened it. Inside was a stack of Federal Coin—the orphanage's first-year allowance for him, ten thousand in total.

After thinking about it, Zhong Shenxiu put the allowance back into the iron box and placed it beneath his pillow.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to examine himself internally.

Soul Power circulated through his meridians, more condensed than before.

A cultivation of Level Sixteen Soul Master was not outstanding at Eastsea Academy, but neither was it at the bottom. He tried to mobilize his Soul Power, and the phantom of a Radiant Dragon emerged behind him—no, it should now be called the Radiant King Dragon.

The dragon phantom was more solid than before. Star-like patterns flickered faintly across its scales, while four-colored runes slowly revolved in its eyes.

Zhong Shenxiu could sense that this Martial Soul contained potential far beyond that of ordinary dragon Martial Souls. Most of its power, however, was still dormant.

With a thought, he attempted Martial Soul Possession.

A deep dragon's roar faintly sounded from within his body.

Zhong Shenxiu's upright body grew slightly taller. Dense light-gold dragon scales surged from his neck and the ends of his limbs like a tide, instantly covering his vital areas and flowing with a cold metallic sheen beneath the light.

His ten fingers extended, transforming into pale-gold dragon claws sharp as blades, with scorching halos curling around their tips.

The contours of his face grew sharper, and two short, hard brilliant gold dragon horns emerged from either side of his forehead, like the beginnings of a crown.

Most intimidating of all were his eyes, which had completely become molten-gold vertical pupils. Liquid light seemed to burn within them, and the pressure and savagery of an apex predator were no longer concealed.

Zhong Shenxiu walked into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.

The youth in the mirror no longer showed the childishness of a nine-year-old. He looked more like a humanoid young dragon.

Light-gold scales covered his neck, arms, calves, and other areas. Fine scales also protected the vital areas of his chest, abdomen, and back.

His dragon claws were sharp. With a casual swipe across the wall, he left three deep marks.

"Too aggressive."

Zhong Shenxiu frowned.

This appearance was far too conspicuous within the academy and would easily draw unnecessary attention.

He withdrew his Soul Power, and the scales and dragon claws slowly receded, returning him to the appearance of an ordinary human.

But his eyes could not change back—Light Gold Vertical Pupils were a permanent feature unless he deliberately disguised them with Soul Power, which would continuously consume energy.

"Forget it. This is fine."

Zhong Shenxiu no longer dwelled on it. Rather than painstakingly hiding it, he might as well accept it openly. The strong had no need to care about the gazes of the weak.

Zhong Shenxiu sat cross-legged on the bed and cultivated, unaware of how much time had passed.

The Eternal Myriad Dragon Source Art had entered a semi-automatic cycle. The thin spiritual energy between heaven and earth was slowly yet continuously drawn into his body, purified and transformed by the Dragon Origin Core into threads of pure energy that nourished his bloodline and flesh.

He could feel that with every cycle, his body became a little lighter and his strength grew a little greater. Compared with his previous meditation method, the cultivation speed of the Myriad Dragon Source Art was simply beyond comparison!

This tangible feeling of growing stronger immersed him completely.

Until—

"Bang!"

The dormitory door was kicked open with great force, slamming into the wall with a thunderous crash and interrupting Zhong Shenxiu's cultivation.

An overbearing, arrogant voice followed. "The dorm isn't bad."

Zhong Shenxiu slowly opened his eyes. His golden vertical pupils looked like two points of burning molten gold in the dim light. He did not rise immediately, instead calmly ending his cultivation and gradually settling the rushing Soul Power within him. Only then did he turn his head to look at the youth who had just entered the dormitory.

The youth looked around ten years old, half a head taller than Zhong Shenxiu, with a well-proportioned build. He wore a tailored dark-blue casual outfit and gleaming soul guidance leather shoes. His features were handsome, but his brows and eyes were filled with spoiled arrogance. With his chin slightly raised, he surveyed the dormitory with a condescending air.

If Zhong Shenxiu was not mistaken, this youth should be his roommate.

"My name is Lin Xuan. You know the Lin Family Soul Guidance Technology Group, right? That's my family's business."

The youth introduced himself, his tone filled with undisguised superiority. He walked to his bed—the other lower bunk by the window—and casually tossed the leather backpack on his shoulder onto it with a dull thud.

Then his gaze shifted to Zhong Shenxiu, inspecting him from head to toe.

Zhong Shenxiu's clothes were very ordinary. His white school-uniform shirt had been washed until it had faded, and his dark-blue trousers were somewhat worn as well. On his feet was a pair of half-worn canvas shoes. The only striking thing about him was his Light Gold Vertical Pupils, which glimmered with an inhuman luster in the dim light.

"Tch, what a shabby sight."

Lin Xuan curled his lip, his disdain undisguised. "But your eyes are kind of interesting. What Martial Soul do you have? A beast Martial Soul?"

Zhong Shenxiu did not answer. He got down from the bed and stood upright.

Though half a head shorter than Lin Xuan, his erect posture and the aloof aura surrounding him made him seem no less imposing.

"I asked you a question. Are you mute?"

Lin Xuan frowned, displeased by Zhong Shenxiu's silence.

"Zhong Shenxiu."

Zhong Shenxiu finally spoke. His voice was calm, revealing no emotion. "My Martial Soul is the Radiant King Dragon."

"Radiant King Dragon?"

Lin Xuan's eyes lit up, but he immediately curled his lip again. "It sounds impressive, but looking at you, it's probably just an ordinary dragon-type Martial Soul. What level is your Soul Power?"

"Sixteen."

"Level Sixteen?"

Lin Xuan sneered. "Just as expected, an ordinary Martial Soul. I'm Level Seventeen, and I'm a control-type Soul Master. My Martial Soul is the Ice Soul Spirit Snake, one of the top control-type Martial Souls."

He took two steps forward until he stood before Zhong Shenxiu, then said in a patronizing tone, "You look all alone, and you're some poor orphan. How about this? Follow me from now on and be my lackey. I'll protect you at school and give you one thousand Federal Coin a month for pocket money. What do you say?"