Encountering Evil Soul Masters (Seeking recommendations, seeking updates, seeking follows)

Haikang Hospital inpatient building lobby, On the blue waiting chairs beside the elevator, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie sat there, a fruit basket by their feet.

"Why aren't Fang Yuan and Gu Yue here yet? We've been waiting ten minutes already."

Xie Xie leaned forward, his gaze sweeping toward the main entrance again and again, fingertips tapping his knee, too restless to sit still.

"They just sent a message saying they were picking up some fruit and gifts on the way, so they'd be delayed a little."

Tang Wulin shifted the fruit basket closer to his leg and answered honestly.

"All right..."

Xie Xie leaned back and sighed.

After two seconds of silence, he sidled closer to Tang Wulin again, bumped him with his elbow, and spoke in a lowered voice.

"By the way, Wulin, I'm telling you the truth—you'd better keep your distance from Fang Yuan and Gu Yuena."

"Otherwise, you might end up like Teacher Wu."

Tang Wulin froze for a moment, then turned to look at him, his face full of confusion.

"Why would you say that? I think classmate Fang Yuan's a pretty good person. It's just classmate Gu Yuena who's a little hard to approach."

"This... It's exactly because Gu Yuena is there that you need to stay away!"

Xie Xie waved his hands anxiously, but the words caught in his throat.

He did not have a shred of evidence. It was not as if he could just say outright that he suspected the siblings had sent someone to do the dirty work.

Even if no one believed him after he said it, if it reached Gu Yuena's ears, there was no telling whether his fate would be even worse than Wu Zhangkong's.

"You two—what are you discussing over here? Let me in on it?"

A boy's clear voice came from the entrance of the lobby.

The two abruptly looked up and saw Fang Yuan and Gu Yuena walking in side by side.

Fang Yuan carried a bag of nutritional supplements, while Gu Yuena held a fruit basket. Their pace was unhurried as they walked straight toward the elevator.

Xie Xie's heart lurched, and a smile immediately squeezed onto his face.

"Nothing, nothing! We were just wondering what to do about next week's Class Promotion Tournament without Teacher Wu's guidance."

"Just go to the ward and ask Teacher Wu, won't we?"

Fang Yuan walked up to them and switched the bag in his hand to the other side.

"Right, right. Let's go up."

Tang Wulin quickly stood and pointed toward the elevator.

"Teacher Wu is on the seventh floor, Surgical Department, Ward 13, Bed 1."

After he finished speaking, he went to the elevator and pressed the up button.

The group stood at the elevator entrance and waited for five minutes. With a ding, the elevator doors slowly opened.

It was packed with visiting family members and medical staff. The four squeezed in with the flow of people and rode upward.

The elevator stopped on the seventh floor. The moment the doors opened, a wave of noisy voices flooded in.

Family members stood on both sides of the corridor, while nurses pushed treatment carts through the crowd, hurrying along.

"There are this many people in the inpatient building at noon too?"

Tang Wulin followed behind and murmured in surprise.

"Of course. Didn't you watch the news?"

Xie Xie curled his lip and shifted aside, making room for a passing nurse.

"A few days ago, the city government was attacked by Evil Soul Masters. A lot of people died, and most of the injured were brought to this hospital."

"Then could Teacher Wu have run into Evil Soul Masters too?"

Tang Wulin answered instinctively.

"Who knows."

As Xie Xie spoke, he secretly glanced back at Gu Yuena, lowering his voice even further.

"If it really were Evil Soul Masters going for the kill, how could they have only beaten him badly? He'd have been dead already."

Gu Yuena seemed not to hear. Her gaze stayed on Fang Yuan the whole time, and her footsteps did not stop.

"We're here."

Fang Yuan stopped in front of a ward door and raised his hand to knock gently.

Wu Zhangkong was a Spirit Emperor powerhouse, so he was staying in a ward exclusively for soul masters, with a solid door that softened much of the noise outside.

"Who is it?"

Wu Zhangkong's voice came from inside the room, much weaker than usual and tinged with hoarseness.

"Teacher, it's me, Tang Wulin."

"Come in."

Tang Wulin reached out and pushed the door open, and the group filed inside one after another.

What came into view was a figure wrapped all over in bandages.

Wu Zhangkong was half-reclining on the hospital bed, his arms and legs both in casts, secured with slings, while most of his face was wrapped up as well, leaving only his eyes exposed.

"Wulin, Xie Xie, Fang Yuan, and Gu Yue."

When he saw them, his gaze softened a little, and his voice sounded muffled.

"I'm very glad you all came to visit your teacher."

"Teacher Wu! Who on earth beat you up like this?"

Tang Wulin's pupils shrank abruptly. He took a step forward, his mouth slightly open, his face full of shock.

"I don't know."

Wu Zhangkong gently shook his head. The movement was very slight, as if it had tugged at his wounds, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"I went out for a stroll last night. After I turned into an alley, the back of my neck went numb, then everything went black, and I knew nothing after that. When I woke up, I was already here."

With his perception as a six-ring Spirit Emperor, it should have been impossible for someone to get close without him noticing at all.

The city guards had investigated for an entire day and failed to find the slightest clue. The surveillance on the stretch where it happened just so happened to be broken, too.

It seemed that from now on, he really had to rein in his temper and be more amiable in how he dealt with people.

Otherwise, who knew if one day he might suffer another inexplicable ambush.

"Teacher, it's good enough that you're still alive."

Tang Wulin's nose stung a little as he gently set the fruit basket in his hands on the bedside cabinet.

Seeing this, Fang Yuan and Gu Yuena also placed the things they were carrying beside it.

"Thank you for bringing things over."

Wu Zhangkong sighed, a trace of helplessness in his tone.

"With these injuries of mine, I'm afraid I still won't be fully recovered by next month."

"The Class Promotion Tournament is just around the corner, and I won't be able to organize your extra evening training."

He moved his uninjured hand slightly, gesturing toward the drawer of the bedside cabinet.

"There's a sheet of paper inside. It's the training plan I arranged for you."

"Tang Wulin, you'll be the one to organize everyone's training."

"Huh? Me?"

Tang Wulin was startled and waved his hands repeatedly.

"Teacher, how can that work? I'm the weakest in the team in both cultivation and aptitude. How could I convince anyone?"

"Silly boy."

Wu Zhangkong looked at him, his tone serious.

"Cultivation can be trained up slowly. Character is what's truly rare. Aside from Student Fang Yuan, you're the steadiest in temperament and the most hardworking on the team."

"Thank you for cultivating me, Teacher!"

Tang Wulin clenched his fists and nodded hard, his eyes reddening a little.

Fang Yuan stood by the bed and swept a glance over Wu Zhangkong's injuries.

Seeing that Di Tian had neither beaten him into a vegetative state nor left him missing any arms or legs, the last of his worries vanished completely, and he turned to leave.

"Teacher Wu, rest well and recover. Gu Yue and I will be going first."

"Student Fang Yuan, you're leaving already?"

Wu Zhangkong froze for a moment, then hurriedly spoke to keep him there.

"Won't you sit down and talk about the tactical arrangements for the Class Promotion Tournament?"

"With Brother Wulin here for the Class Promotion Tournament, that's enough. I'll listen to whatever he arranges."

Fang Yuan answered casually.

"That won't do."

Wu Zhangkong shook his head in disapproval.

"In the Class Promotion Tournament, you're the most important part of the team. All the tactics have to be built around you."

"Stay and listen to the tactics I've planned for you. It won't take long."

"There's only so much time for lunch break. I don't think it's necessary."

Fang Yuan's tone was flat. "You can just leave the whole thing to student Wulin."

"But..."

Wu Zhangkong still wanted to persuade him.

"Teacher Wu."

Gu Yuena suddenly spoke, her voice cool and clear.

"Little brother Fang Yuan is only six. This is exactly when he's growing. If he doesn't nap at noon, what if he ends up short?"

Wu Zhangkong choked for a moment and could no longer insist.

His sister had already put it that way. He couldn't very well force a six-year-old child to skip his lunch break to talk tactics.

"All right."

He could only give up, then changed the subject.

"Student Fang Yuan, you're still not proficient in using the Titan Giant Ape. I hope you'll train more with student Xie Xie in your free time and work on your coordination in actual combat."

"I understand, Teacher Wu."

Fang Yuan nodded in agreement.

"Let's go, little Fang Yuan."

Gu Yuena tugged at his wrist and turned toward the door.

"Okay."

Fang Yuan followed.

Just as the group reached the ward door, the corridor outside suddenly erupted into chaos.

Shrill screams mingled with the sound of panicked running, and someone was shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Oh no! An Evil Soul Master has broken in!"

"Everyone, run!"

The group exchanged a glance, and all their expressions changed.

Fang Yuan paused, immediately retreated back inside, and with a backhand motion locked the door with a click.

"Is some big shot being treated here or something?"

He leaned against the door panel and looked up at Wu Zhangkong, his tone still relatively calm.

"I'm not sure."

Wu Zhangkong's expression grew grave. He braced himself, trying to sit up straighter, but pulled at his wound and sucked in a breath of cold air.

"None of you go outside. Stay in the room quietly and wait until this blows over."

"Teacher Wu, I just saw on the news that the deputy mayor who was attacked a few days ago is in critical condition. It seems he's recuperating in the ICU on this floor."

Xie Xie pulled out his Spirit Guidance Terminal, swiped quickly a couple of times, then looked up and said, "Teacher Wu, how about we escape through the window? Can you still mobilize your soul power right now?"

Tang Wulin walked to the window and glanced down, then hurriedly stepped back and asked anxiously.

"My injuries are too severe. My soul power isn't circulating smoothly."

Wu Zhangkong closed his eyes, spreading his senses outward.

"I can roughly only use strength at the early Spirit King level."

"There's one Spirit King outside, and four Great Spirit Masters."

He also felt somewhat puzzled.

This group of Evil Soul Masters had clearly come for the deputy mayor, but they didn't know the exact ward, and were searching room by room with a huge commotion.

It was practically insane.

This was the city-center hospital. It wouldn't be long before the city defense force and the Spirit Master Association arrived.

"The seventh floor... jumping down would be certain death."

Xie Xie pulled a long face and grumbled.

As soon as he finished speaking, movement came from the corridor outside the room.

First came the sound of a door being kicked violently, followed by agonized wails, which soon cut off abruptly.

"Who are you? What are you doing!"

"It's not him. Kill him."

"No—please..."

The screams came in broken, intermittent bursts.

One room, then another.

The dull thud of doors being kicked open drew closer and closer to this ward.

"Gu Yue, let's jump out the window.

"I'll transform into the bird-type soul beast, the Golden Jade Bird. I should be able to fly."

Fang Yuan thought for a moment, then turned to look at Gu Yuena.

"Little Fang Yuan, the juvenile form of a Golden Jade Bird can't fly."

Gu Yuena looked at him, the corner of her mouth curving into a faint smile.

"Ah... I forgot."

Fang Yuan slapped his forehead, feeling a little helpless.

He had been so focused on thinking of a bird-type soul beast that he had forgotten he could only transform into juvenile forms right now. His feathers had not even grown in yet—how was he supposed to fly?

Looked like when it really mattered, he still had to rely on his mother.

"Little Fang Yuan, don't be afraid."

Gu Yuena reached out and rubbed his hair, her tone calm.

"If it really comes to a fight, I'll use my full strength."

"Mother, if you use your true strength, do we have to kill them all?"

Fang Yuan leaned close to her ear and asked in a low, hushed voice.

"Little Fang Yuan, you really do understand me!" Gu Yue gave a slight nod.

"Uh..."

Fang Yuan froze for a moment.

Although his mother could kill Wu Zhangkong and Xie Xie, she could not kill Tang Wulin, who had the Sea God Mark!

Maybe they should throw Tang Wulin outside and make him activate the Sea God Mark?

"All of you, hide under my bed."

Wu Zhangkong suddenly spoke in a low voice, his tone carrying unquestionable firmness.

"If they really break in, I'll risk worsening my injuries and carve out a path for you."

"No, Teacher! You can't sacrifice yourself for us!"

Tang Wulin's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling in them, and even his voice carried a sob.

"I am your teacher. It is only right for me to stand up for my students."

Wu Zhangkong looked at him, his gaze calm.

"Shh, stop talking. What are you doing, putting on some tearjerker drama? Shut up."

Gu Yuena cut him off with a frown, her tone full of impatience.

"Everyone hide behind the door, turn off the lights, and pretend there's no one in the room. Bet that they won't search every room carefully."

"But Teacher Wu is still injured! How can he leave the sickbed?"

Xie Xie was so anxious he spun in circles, immediately arguing back.

"Then do whatever you want."

Gu Yuena curled her lip and pulled Fang Yuan toward the window.

"I can't just sit here quietly and wait to die. Little Fang Yuan, transform into the Titan Giant Ape and climb down the outer wall."

"Then Student Fang Yuan, take us with you too!"

Xie Xie's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly shouted.

"The Titan Giant Ape's juvenile form can't carry that many people."

Fang Yuan shook his head.

Just as the group kept arguing with no end in sight, the footsteps in the corridor were already getting closer and closer.

"Only five rooms left. Search them carefully!"