Xiao Wu's Challenge (Requesting Recommendation Tickets)

When Tang San returned, everyone in the dormitory except Ao Tian, who was asleep, was cultivating.

His footsteps were light. When he reached his bed, he noticed a meal box beside it.

Tang San opened it curiously. Inside were several chicken drumsticks, fragrant but already cold.

"Tang San, you're back?" Xiao Wu's voice rang out.

Tang San turned around and saw that Xiao Wu had already opened her eyes.

The others in the dormitory also woke from their cultivation and only then noticed Tang San.

"What is this..." Tang San asked.

Wang Sheng climbed down and said, "Tang San, I apologize for what happened at noon. Ao Tian treated us to lunch, and I packed this up for you. Too bad it's gone cold."

Half a day had passed, and Tang San's anger had mostly subsided. "Let bygones be bygones."

He looked at the meal box. "I already ate with Teacher just now, so I'm still full."

Xiao Wu jumped down from her bed and rubbed her stomach. "I'm hungry. Wang Sheng, let's go eat. Since Tang San has already eaten, we shouldn't waste this food. Let's take it with us and eat it there."

Wang Sheng nodded. "All right."

Xiao Wu looked at Ao Tian, who was still curled up comfortably on his bed, and frowned slightly.

Ao Tian had been sleeping ever since returning from lunch, without cultivating at all.

She walked over and gently shook him.

"Get up and eat."

Ao Tian rolled over and mumbled, "You go ahead. I'm not hungry."

The food in the canteen seemed delicious to Xiao Wu, Wang Sheng, and the others, but Ao Tian found it rather ordinary and had no appetite for it.

He had wandered with Bibi Dong for ten years and had sampled nearly all the delicacies across the continent. His palate had become extremely picky.

"Fine, then."

Xiao Wu could only go to the canteen with Wang Sheng and the others.

Only Tang San and Ao Tian remained in the dormitory.

Tang San watched Ao Tian for a while before climbing onto his bed and lying down to rest.

He had traveled for several hours that morning, then studied with Grandmaster for several more in the afternoon. He had long since become exhausted.

Before long, Tang San fell asleep.

More than half an hour later, Xiao Wu and the others returned.

Seeing that Ao Tian was still asleep, Xiao Wu could not help shaking him a few more times. "Ao Tian, is your Martial Soul a pig? You've slept from day to night, and I haven't seen you cultivate once."

Ao Tian sat up helplessly.

He did not need to cultivate deliberately. The Dragon Race's inherited Cultivation Method was constantly circulating within his body on its own.

Besides, at his level, cultivating on Douluo Continent was practically useless.

Even if he drained all the spiritual energy from the entire Douluo Star, it would not improve his cultivation by much.

If he wanted to advance faster, he could only go to a higher-level world, such as the God Realm, or venture through the universe.

But after sleeping for five hundred million years, all he wanted now was to enjoy himself properly. He had decided to resume cultivating once he grew tired of playing around. In any case, no one here could threaten his life.

Xiao Wu had just finished eating and did not want to cultivate right away. Seeing Ao Tian awake, she said, "Let's go out for a walk."

Ao Tian suddenly frowned. He sensed Titled Douluo-level Mental Power coming from outside, enveloping Xiao Wu.

The fluctuation of that Mental Power felt somewhat familiar.

Xiao Wu and the others could not detect it due to their lack of strength, but it could not escape Ao Tian.

His gaze sharpened, piercing through layer after layer of obstacles. In a dark corner not far from the Dormitory Building, he saw a figure clad in a black robe standing there.

Tang Hao!

Has he discovered her? Ao Tian glanced at Xiao Wu.

"Hurry up and put on your shoes. Come outside with me for a walk," Xiao Wu urged.

Ao Tian smiled. "All right."

Wang Sheng and the others looked envious. Their talents were average, and after eating, they still had to cultivate diligently. They did not have so much time to play.

Tang San suddenly sat up. "Xiao Wu, there's something I need to tell you."

Xiao Wu, who had been heading out with Ao Tian, stopped and turned to look at Tang San. "What is it?"

Tang San said, "My Soul Power has reached level ten. Teacher is taking me to obtain my first Soul Ring tomorrow, and we may be gone for several days."

Since Xiao Wu was the boss of Dormitory Seven, Tang San had come to let her know.

After all, he was a Work-Study Student. School would begin tomorrow, and he would need to work. Since he would not be at the academy, someone had to arrange his share of the work.

Xiao Wu's expression became somewhat complicated. "Are Soul Rings really that important to you humans?"

Only Ao Tian could understand the complexity in her expression.

Tang San nodded. "Yes. Only by hunting Soul Beasts and obtaining Soul Rings can Soul Masters continue cultivating."

Wang Sheng spoke up. "Tang San, you're worried about your Work-Study Student duties, right? Don't worry. Leave them to me while you're gone."

Tang San nodded. "Thank you. When I return, I'll help you make up for it."

"Don't mention it. After all, you're the first Soul Master in our dormitory," Wang Sheng said enviously.

He had cultivated at Nuoding Academy for several years already, yet he had not reached level ten Soul Power.

Tang San had only entered the academy today, yet he was already going to obtain his first Soul Ring. How could Wang Sheng not envy him?

Aside from Ao Tian and Xiao Wu, everyone else was equally envious.

Tang San looked at Ao Tian. "Ao Tian, Teacher asked me to ask you whether you want to obtain your first Soul Ring too. If you do, you can come with us tomorrow."

"No need," Ao Tian refused.

"Let's go." In a bad mood, Xiao Wu pulled Ao Tian outside.

By then, night had fully fallen. Only the cold moonlight and starlight cast faint illumination across the ground.

There were already very few teachers or students moving about the campus.

Soul Masters generally cultivated at night, so the academy was somewhat deserted.

Xiao Wu pulled Ao Tian all the way to the side of the training field and sat down on a smooth boulder.

"Ao Tian, why do people have to hunt Soul Beasts?"

Lying on the boulder and looking up at the stars, Xiao Wu asked the question again.

"Human cultivation cannot do without Soul Rings. That is a law of nature. There's no use thinking about it so much," Ao Tian said.

He remembered that before he entered slumber, the laws had not been like this. There had been no Soul Beasts on Douluo Star that produced Soul Rings after death.

Soul Beasts must have appeared later.

"Then nature really is unfair to Soul Beasts." Xiao Wu looked somewhat sorrowful.

Ao Tian reached out and pinched her cheek. "Why think so much about it? Don't tell me you're a Soul Beast?"

A flicker of panic flashed through Xiao Wu's large eyes. She hurriedly said, "Nonsense! I'm so cute. How could I possibly be a Soul Beast?"

Ao Tian smiled and did not pursue the matter.

"You dragged me out here just to talk about this?" he asked.

Xiao Wu jumped down. "Of course not. I brought you out because I want to fight you."

"Why? Didn't I already admit defeat?" Ao Tian asked.

Xiao Wu said, "That was because I had no choice during the day. I wanted to be the boss, and if I lost to you, I wouldn't get to be one. But if you lost, I was afraid you'd lose face. I just wanted to fight you."

"So you picked nighttime, when no one would be around?"

Xiao Wu nodded happily. "That way, if I lose, I won't lose my position as boss. And if you lose, you won't lose face either, right?"

"Come on, let me see how strong you really are." Xiao Wu pulled Ao Tian down from the boulder.

Ao Tian glanced at the dark corner in the distance and smiled. "All right, then. Let's have a proper spar."

I'll post one chapter first. The rest isn't finished yet. There'll be more updates at noon and tonight. This is currently in the free-page PK recommendation stage, so if you have Recommendation Tickets, please cast a few. Thanks.