Xiao Wu didn't answer right away.
She rolled the dried fruit in her hand, lowering her head to look at the tabletop.
"I was afraid."
Ning Rongrong waited for her to say more, but Xiao Wu tossed out only those two words before popping the dried fruit into her mouth and falling silent.
Su Hang didn't speak for her, either.
Some things were up to Xiao Wu to decide how much she wanted to share. He wouldn't make that choice for her.
The courtyard fell quiet for a moment, until Xiao Chenyu ran in from outside, skidding to a halt as his soles scraped across the stone.
"Boss Su, something's happened."
Wang Sheng trailed behind him, still clutching half a bun and breathing hard from the run.
"Someone on Tang San's side found a teacher. They want to investigate you."
Xiao Wu shot to her feet.
"Investigate what?"
Xiao Chenyu laid it all out.
"They're saying you took control of Tang San's Blue Silver Grass yesterday and that it might involve some evil technique. They want the academy to conduct a public examination."
Ning Rongrong unclasped the Seven Treasures Token from her waist, resting her finger along its edge.
"They're turning the tables on you. That didn't take long."
Xiao Wu grabbed Su Hang's sleeve and pulled him half a step behind her.
"What right does he have to investigate you? He attacked first, and now he's turning around to file a complaint?"
Su Hang patted the back of her hand.
"Don't rush. Let's go see."
The Training Ground was already packed with people.
A teacher on duty at Notting Academy stood in the middle of the field, holding a hastily drafted inspection notice. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
He had taught for over a decade, and this was the kind of scene he dreaded most.
On one side was a new student with Innate Full Soul Power, backed by Yu Xiaogang. On the other was a freak with a purple First Spirit Ring, accompanied by the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
He couldn't afford to offend either side.
Tang San stood beside a wooden post, his sleeves neat and his right hand hanging naturally at his side.
The mechanism beneath his cuff was tightly fastened, and the pouch was hidden behind his waist. Nothing showed from the outside.
Yu Xiaogang stood half a step behind him, hands clasped behind his back.
"Teacher Zhao, we're merely raising a reasonable concern."
"Yesterday, during their spar, Su Hang used an unknown method to deprive Tang San of control over his Martial Soul. Such an ability is unheard of."
"If we let this go unchecked, who will guarantee the safety of the academy's other students?"
Teacher Zhao tried to tuck the notice into his sleeve, his face creased with discomfort.
"Mr. Yu, Su Hang didn't attack anyone yesterday, and Tang San wasn't hurt."
Tang San stepped forward, cutting into the conversation.
"I wasn't hurt, but I can still feel the force that suppressed my Martial Soul lingering in my meridians."
"I only want to confirm whether the ability he used is a normal Spirit Skill or something else."
He spoke evenly.
The watching students whispered among themselves. Some nodded, while others shook their heads.
"That sounds reasonable."
"But Tang San was the one who used a Poison Arrow to attack someone's vital spot yesterday. Why aren't they bringing that up?"
"Shh, Grandmaster's here. Keep your voice down."
Su Hang walked onto the Training Ground with Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong.
The crowd parted on its own to make way.
Xiao Chenyu and Wang Sheng followed behind them, one with his arms folded and the other still chewing his bun.
Su Hang stopped in the middle of the field, five paces from Tang San.
"I hear someone wants to investigate me."
Tang San met his gaze.
"I merely raised a legitimate concern with the academy."
Su Hang nodded and casually pointed at the ground.
"Then should we investigate the Poison Arrows, Fine Needles, and Sleeve Crossbow Mechanism hidden in your cuffs, too?"
Someone at the edge of the Training Ground immediately laughed.
Tang San's right hand tightened slightly as he tugged his sleeve lower.
"Hidden Weapons are just tools. There's never been a rule against Soul Masters carrying tools to aid them in battle."
Su Hang took a step forward.
"There's no rule against tools, but there is one against my Spirit Skill?"
"I used an ability of my Martial Soul itself. You used Poison Arrows hidden up your sleeve."
"Which one of us deserves to be investigated?"
Tang San didn't retreat.
"Control over a Martial Soul belongs to an entirely different realm from ordinary Spirit Skills. You can take control of my Blue Silver Grass today, and next time you could take someone else's Martial Soul. If that ability ever gets out of control, the danger will far exceed that of a single Hidden Weapon."
Yu Xiaogang immediately chimed in.
"Teacher Zhao, Su Hang's ability is beyond the scope of known Spirit Skills. For the academy's safety, a public examination is entirely reasonable."
Caught between the two sides, Teacher Zhao looked ready to back away.
Su Hang ran through the situation in his mind.
Tang San and Yu Xiaogang had moved quickly, playing on the fear of the unknown.
The academy's teachers were already afraid of trouble. The moment the words "evil technique" were brought up, they had to think twice.
The trouble was, they'd chosen the worst possible moment to try this.
Ning Rongrong stepped out from behind Su Hang. She walked without hurry, her heels clicking twice against the stone.
She held the Seven Treasures Token up in front of Teacher Zhao.
The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda engraved on its face caught the sunlight and gleamed. The character Ning on the back stood out clearly.
Teacher Zhao's legs froze in place.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The token of the little princess of the world's foremost auxiliary sect was right before his eyes.
Ning Rongrong spoke in a calm, measured voice, each word landing with weight.
"Su Hang was in my sight the entire night."
"He helped me with questions about cultivating my Martial Soul. He didn't use any evil technique, from beginning to end."
"Ning Rongrong of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is willing to vouch for him."
The Training Ground erupted in an uproar.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is vouching for him?"
"Is that token real?"
"Look at the engraving. It's definitely genuine. You couldn't find anything like it anywhere in all of Notting City."
Behind them, Xiao Chenyu slapped Wang Sheng on the shoulder.
"Now that's something. Money power crashes the scene and ends the whole game."
Wang Sheng nearly swallowed his whole mouthful of bun.
"If that token hits the table, Teacher Zhao won't sleep a wink tonight."
Teacher Zhao really wouldn't be sleeping.
He pushed the notice farther into his sleeve and swallowed.
"Miss Ning, since the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is willing to vouch for him, I'll have to reconsider the examination."
The color drained from Yu Xiaogang's face.
He had pushed for this examination, betting that the academy's teachers would be afraid of trouble.
But the moment the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's token appeared, the direction of their fear did a complete about-face.
Tang San smoothed his cuff again and looked at Ning Rongrong.
Before coming to Notting Academy, he had never imagined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would stand with Su Hang.
First Xiao Wu.
And now Ning Rongrong.
Every person who should have crossed paths with him had been intercepted by Su Hang.
Su Hang didn't look at Tang San. Instead, he turned to Teacher Zhao.
"Teacher Zhao, since we're investigating, let's do it thoroughly."
Teacher Zhao stared at him.
"Student Su, what do you mean?"
Su Hang pointed behind Tang San's waist.
"During a spar at the academy, he used unregistered Hidden Weapons, and the arrowheads were poisoned. He aimed at a vital spot beneath the ribs."
"Everyone on the Training Ground saw it yesterday."
"Please have Tang San hand over all the Sleeve Arrows, Fine Needles, mechanisms, and stones he's carrying for registration."
The students' whispers immediately turned in a new direction.
"That's right. That Poison Arrow yesterday nearly went into Boss Su's ribs."
"Hidden Weapons should be registered, shouldn't they?"
"Yu Xiaogang said there's no rule against tools, but he didn't say they didn't have to be registered."
Tang San's right hand hung beneath his sleeve, his fingers slowly tightening.
He'd spent half a year getting that mechanism to work just the way he wanted.
Taking it apart for registration would put all his Hidden Weapon trump cards on the academy's table.
If he used them again, everyone would know how to guard against them.
Teacher Zhao took the notice out of his sleeve and added a line at the bottom with a trembling pen.
"According to academy rules, special equipment used in a spar must indeed be registered."
"Student Tang San, please cooperate."
Yu Xiaogang tried to stop him, but Teacher Zhao had already raised a hand to silence him.
The Seven Treasures Token still gleamed in Ning Rongrong's hand. As a teacher on duty, he had no way of bearing that kind of pressure.
Tang San stood where he was, his thumb working the fastener beneath his cuff twice.
Xiao Wu stood beside Su Hang, chin raised.
"So you're fine with investigating other people, but not yourself?"
Xiao Chenyu called out from behind them.
"You can investigate a leak in Blue Silver Grass, but not a sleeve full of Hidden Weapons? That's a pretty huge double standard."
Wang Sheng swallowed the last of his bun.
"Better register them right away. If he misses again next time and hits Teacher Zhao, that'd be a real loss."
Teacher Zhao shuddered and immediately held the notice out to Tang San.
"Student Tang San, please cooperate."
Tang San took the notice, his fingers pausing at the edge of the paper.
He undid his cuff and took out a Sleeve Crossbow Mechanism, two short arrows, and a packet of Fine Needles, placing them on the wooden platform beside Teacher Zhao.
Metal clinked against wood, ringing clear and bright.
Every student watching stared at the pile.
"That's a lot."
"The arrowheads are green. They really are poisoned."
"A control-type Martial Soul under Grandmaster's tutelage, and he comes with a whole arsenal of Hidden Weapons."
Yu Xiaogang stood behind Tang San, his lips pressed into a thin line.
The examination he had pushed for had ended with Su Hang turning it right back on him—and adding Hidden Weapon registration on top.
Ning Rongrong tucked the Seven Treasures Token back at her waist and walked over to Xiao Wu.
"Is it always this lively at Notting Academy?"
Xiao Wu held on to Su Hang's sleeve and answered,
"With Brother Su Hang here, there's a show every day."
After setting down all his Fine Needles, Tang San slowly straightened up.
His gaze passed over Su Hang and Xiao Wu before settling on Ning Rongrong.
"Miss Ning, are you sure you want to vouch for him?"
Before you continue