Faced with this sudden kick, Gu Ling did not panic. He swiftly leaned back to one side, dodging the attack while shooting out his right hand to grab his attacker's ankle.
Only then did he see clearly who had suddenly attacked him... pink clothes, a long scorpion braid, and that fair, pretty little face—it was Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu reacted just as quickly. She twisted at the waist and used the momentum to kick Gu Ling's shoulder with her other leg.
"Coming again?"
Gu Ling raised a brow. He had just absorbed the nearly six-hundred-year Sky-Splitting Bone Leopard Soul Ring, greatly enhancing his physical abilities. Combined with the defensive boost of the Bone Dragon Martial Soul, even without releasing his Martial Soul, he was far beyond ordinary children his age.
Bang!
Gu Ling raised an arm to block the kick, then strode forward and rammed his shoulder directly into Xiao Wu.
"Ah!" Xiao Wu cried out in pain. The impact sent her staggering back several steps before she barely managed to steady herself.
She rubbed her aching shoulder, ready to flare up, but froze when she saw who it was and asked in confusion:
"Why is it you?"
Gu Ling gave her an indifferent glance, his face full of speechlessness.
"Who did you think it was?"
Xiao Wu curled her lips and replied irritably:
"I thought Xiao San had come back."
Clearly, that kick had originally been aimed at Tang San.
However, after suffering a loss, Xiao Wu did not seem inclined to keep fighting Gu Ling. She merely gave a light snort, turned around, and returned to sit beside her bed.
Gu Ling could not be bothered with her either.
But when the other work-study students in Dorm Seven saw Gu Ling return, they all crowded around him.
"Gu Ling, you're finally back!"
"How did it go?"
"Did you find your First Soul Ring?"
"Director Su took you to Soul Hunting Forest for so long. You must have found a suitable soul beast, right?"
Everyone spoke over one another.
Gu Ling did not hide it. He nodded and explained one by one:
"I've successfully absorbed my Soul Ring. It's a Hundred-Year Soul Ring."
"Really?!"
Everyone's eyes immediately lit up. For work-study students from ordinary backgrounds, being able to absorb a Hundred-Year Soul Ring as their First Soul Ring was already something immensely enviable.
"A hundred-year First Soul Ring!"
"Heavens, Gu Ling, you're a real Soul Master now."
"What's your First Soul Skill?"
"Is it powerful?"
Seeing their envious expressions, Gu Ling merely smiled and did not immediately demonstrate his Soul Skill. But at that moment, Xiao Wu, who had been lying on her bed, suddenly sat up and spoke.
"What's so impressive about a Hundred-Year Soul Ring?"
At those words, everyone turned to look at her in shock.
Xiao Wu lifted her chin.
"I'm sure Xiao San's First Soul Ring is even stronger than his."
Wang Sheng immediately laughed.
"Sister Xiao Wu, Tang San hasn't even come back yet. How do you know his Soul Ring is stronger?"
"Yeah."
"Are you just bragging for Tang San?"
Hearing everyone's teasing, Xiao Wu sat up straight.
"Who's bragging?"
"If I say Xiao San is strong, then he's definitely strong!"
"Tch—"
Laughter suddenly rang through Dorm Seven, and Xiao Wu was just about to argue back.
Creak!
Just then.
The door to Dorm Seven was suddenly pushed open from outside. A familiar figure appeared in the doorway—it was Tang San, who had just returned from Yu Xiaogang's place.
"Xiao San!"
The moment she saw Tang San, Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. She leaped off the bed and hurriedly said:
"You're finally back!"
The work-study students around them also gathered around him.
"Tang San, did you get your First Soul Ring too?"
"Show us!"
"Sister Xiao Wu was just saying your Soul Ring must be stronger than Gu Ling's!"
Hearing that last sentence, Tang San paused slightly. He subconsciously looked up, his gaze meeting Gu Ling's from a short distance away.
Gu Ling remained calm and said nothing.
Hearing this, Xiao Wu immediately jumped down from the bed and went to Tang San's side, huffing:
"I wasn't wrong. Xiao San, didn't you get your First Soul Ring too? Hurry up and release your Martial Soul so they can see!"
Tang San was somewhat helpless, but he still nodded. The next moment, a faint blue light shone from his right palm, and a stalk of Blue Silver Grass grew out.
At the same time.
A yellow Soul Ring slowly rose from beneath Tang San's feet.
"It's a Hundred-Year Soul Ring too?! Tang San became a Soul Master too!"
The people of Dorm Seven cried out in surprise again.
Xiao Wu wore a proud expression, as if she were the one who had obtained the Soul Ring.
"Well? Didn't I say Xiao San was amazing?"
Wang Sheng looked at Tang San, then at Gu Ling, and suddenly smiled.
"You both have Innate Full Soul Power, and now you've both obtained Hundred-Year First Soul Rings. Why not have a match and see who's stronger?"
"Sure!"
The others immediately became interested.
"Fight!"
"Let's see whose First Soul Skill is stronger!"
Xiao Wu's eyes lit up as well. She immediately looked at Tang San and said excitedly:
"Xiao San, fight him!"
Tang San frowned at this and remained silent for a moment before saying:
"We're all classmates. There's no need to insist on deciding who's better, is there?"
He had only just returned from Soul Hunting Forest, and Gu Ling had previously argued with his teacher. If he took the initiative to fight Gu Ling now, it would somewhat seem like he was venting his teacher's anger.
But Xiao Wu would not let it go.
"It's just a friendly spar. It's not like I'm asking you to risk your lives."
"And you've both just obtained Soul Rings. Isn't this the perfect chance to try out your First Soul Skills?"
"Yeah, Tang San!"
"Have a match!"
The people of Dorm Seven joined in the heckling, leaving Tang San somewhat helpless.
Just then, Gu Ling stood up from beside his bed and said seriously:
"I don't mind. We can treat it as a normal spar."
He had already been planning to find a chance to test his Martial Soul and Soul Skill. Although he had briefly tested his Soul Skill's effects in Soul Hunting Forest, attacking trees and fighting a Soul Master for real were ultimately two different things. Especially since the greatest advantage of his Soul Skill was its unpredictability.
Only actual combat could truly reveal its effects. Tang San had just obtained his First Soul Ring, and the difference in strength between them was not too great. He was the perfect opponent.
Seeing Gu Ling agree, Xiao Wu immediately turned to Tang San and continued egging him on.
"Xiao San, he already agreed. Don't tell me you're scared?"
Tang San's brow furrowed slightly as he said in a low voice:
"This has nothing to do with whether I'm scared."
As an adult who had already lived for over twenty years in his previous life, he naturally had no desire to fight a group of children. But seeing the expectant gazes around him, he finally nodded.
"Fine. We'll spar, but stop at the right point."
Seeing Tang San agree, Xiao Wu immediately smiled and patted his shoulder.
"That's more like it, Xiao San!"
The people of Dorm Seven erupted into cheers. The dormitory was too cramped for Soul Masters to fight, so the group left Dorm Seven in a grand procession and headed toward the academy's training field.
Not long after.
Gu Ling and Tang San stood in the middle of the training field, more than ten meters apart.
Xiao Wu, Wang Sheng, and the others stood nearby to watch.
Before you continue