But then again, we were all only six years old. There was nothing wrong with sleeping together.
It would also let us experience the best Mimicry Cultivation Environment up close, wouldn't it?
Jiang Jiu eventually agreed to Xiao Wu's proposal.
He couldn't help it. She was offering too much.
In Nuoding City, the best Soul Master teacher was Tang Hao. Several tiers below him, you eventually reached Yu Xiaogang's domain.
But neither of them thought much of Jiang Jiu.
Putting everything else aside, Yu Xiaogang had valuable knowledge about identifying Soul Beasts and techniques for circulating Soul Power.
As for Tang San, there were the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the other secret techniques of the Tang Sect. But when it came to Soul Masters, Tang San himself was completely clueless.
After thinking it over, Xiao Wu really was the best teacher for Jiang Jiu.
Xiao Wu's knowledge of Soul Beasts was definitely sufficient, and her Soft Technique was a fighting style tailor-made for the Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul.
He had to seize this opportunity to build a solid foundation. Without strong fundamentals, he'd suffer in close combat later.
He also needed to make up for some shortcomings in his stats, and he had a few ideas of his own.
In Dorm Seven, Xiao Wu cheerfully moved her bed over too, specifically to use as a place to put her things.
"I'm only telling you this," Xiao Wu said. She looked at the bedding she'd laid out, thought for a moment, then leaned close to Jiang Jiu's ear and whispered, "Actually, there's quite a bit in my Soft Technique that isn't suitable to show in public. It's better for teaching if we sleep together. I really am not lying to you."
Xiao Wu kept sweetening the deal.
"I've agreed. I won't go back on my word."
Jiang Jiu thought of grappling on the bed.
Xiao Wu's Soft Technique was quite similar to the judo he knew, or maybe even more advanced. After all, it was a fighting style that perfectly combined the use of Soul Power.
Was she going to demonstrate all kinds of joint locks on the bed?
He could already feel phantom pain in his neck and joints.
"Fine, then it's a deal!"
Seeing that things were more or less settled with Xiao Wu, Wang Sheng called everyone over to go have lunch. It was on him.
On the way to the cafeteria, Jiang Jiu watched Tang San trailing behind Wang Sheng, then Xiao Wu circling around him, chattering away as she tried to learn everything about him.
Originally, Tang San had been Jiang Jiu's primary target, but the main battlefield wasn't here anyway.
At the cafeteria, Tang San and Wang Sheng got into an argument over Yu Xiaogang. Tang San decided to eat the dry rations he'd brought by himself outside the cafeteria.
Xiao Wu seemed rather confused, but she still managed to glean something from it.
"Teacher? Oh, right, Xiao Jiu, shouldn't you call me Teacher too? Teacher Xiao Wu? Hehe!" As she spoke, Xiao Wu started laughing at her own joke.
"Mm-hmm, Teacher Xiao Wu," Jiang Jiu said perfunctorily as he ate.
He still needed to earn some money. Malnutrition could really affect his growth and training.
Rice and flour alone weren't enough. He needed to eat more meat, eggs, and dairy—and Soul Beast meat would be even better.
"You don't sound sincere at all." Xiao Wu tapped her bowl with her chopsticks.
"But the lessons haven't started yet." Jiang Jiu finished every last grain of rice in his bowl.
"You said it yourself. I'll start teaching you right now."
Xiao Wu grabbed Jiang Jiu by the hand and dragged him out of the cafeteria, leaving behind a somewhat crestfallen Wang Sheng.
Tang San alone had already left him completely bewildered. Their new boss was pretty good—strong in both ability and personality—but this was clearly a case of "being obsessed with handsome men." What kind of leader was that?
Still, with those three around, the work-study students would at least have their safety and status guaranteed in the future. That was enough.
Back in Dorm Seven, Xiao Wu told Jiang Jiu to change into something that wouldn't show dirt easily, preferably clothes he wouldn't mind ruining.
The Patchwork Robe made its appearance, though not at the moment Jiang Jiu had expected.
"Did you wear clothes like this before?" Xiao Wu's eyes grew misty.
A Patchwork Robe was, as the name suggested, a garment sewn together from scraps of all kinds of cloth. Wearing one probably meant he'd grown up relying on charity from many households.
"It's fine... I'll change into something else."
Although the robe seemed to be getting quite a reaction out of Xiao Wu, Jiang Jiu noticed a problem.
He was too handsome. His skin was naturally so fair it seemed to glow, and he made the clothes look good just by wearing them. Even the Patchwork Robe looked like fashionable attire on him, which wasn't a good thing.
Tang San, on the other hand, might actually be able to convince a worldly adult that he'd grown up wearing his Patchwork Robe.
Still, that at least ruled out one bad option.
As for the other one, learning to work as a blacksmith couldn't hurt.
After changing into a set of dark gray clothes, Xiao Wu began her lesson.
"Soft Technique uses the body's flexibility and resilience to execute skills..." Xiao Wu began explaining in a soft voice.
As Jiang Jiu listened to Xiao Wu's "introduction to the subject," he wondered where she'd learned such a well-organized curriculum.
This Soft Technique was clearly well suited to the human body. Its assumed opponents were mostly humanoid, and it was much less effective against many Soul Beasts.
Could Soul Beast Transformation automatically generate a set of human-form fighting techniques suited to their lives as Soul Masters?
"To learn Soft Technique well, the first step is learning how to fall properly."
As she spoke, Xiao Wu gradually got to the point.
"Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."
Jiang Jiu: "?"
Xiao Wu made it sound easy, but she threw him around without the slightest hesitation.
She made up for all the throws missing from the earlier "bullying" in one go.
Shoulder throws, over-the-shoulder throws, leg grabs, waist holds, twisting throws, bridging throws...
Xiao Wu's techniques were comprehensive and steady. With Soul Power supporting her, she tossed Jiang Jiu around with ease, carefully controlling the pace so he wouldn't actually get hurt.
"Do you feel it?"
Jiang Jiu was a little dazed. Everything spun around him, and he couldn't even tell who he was or where he was.
"Seems like you don't yet."
Xiao Wu started trying out new variations. She cycled through all kinds of different throws, but since the point was to teach him, she eventually settled into the safest, most controllable routine.
"Do you feel it?"
This time, Xiao Wu gave Jiang Jiu a little longer to answer.
"...I haven't even finished digesting lunch..."
"I couldn't quite hear you. But you're very talented, Xiao Jiu. Your body is adapting incredibly quickly, and you're making good use of Soul Power to protect yourself. Just what I'd expect from a Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Master."
"..."
Jiang Jiu really didn't want to say anything more. He wasn't seriously hurt, but his butt, back, shoulders, and even his sides were all sore.
"Do you feel it?" After another round, Xiao Wu asked again, tirelessly.
Jiang Jiu lay on the ground, gasping for breath, and immediately raised his hand. Being thrown around again and again had sent his heart rate soaring.
"Whew, good, you feel it." Xiao Wu was exhausted too, and damp patches had appeared on her clothes.
Jiang Jiu only had to get thrown around. Xiao Wu had to think about a lot more.
"Other Soul Masters probably don't have so many ways to throw people, right?"
"Probably not," Xiao Wu said uncertainly.
"So, learning how to fall?"
"We'll have lots of real combat lessons in the future. We can't keep playing around like this." Xiao Wu's face blossomed into a sweet smile.
"..."
Before you continue