The Gathering Storm

The Cafeteria was especially lively that morning.

As usual, An Chen and the other two walked into the Cafeteria. The moment they stepped inside, the murmuring died down by half.

An Chen found a seat and began eating his rice porridge.

Shitou nudged him from beside him. "Brother Pot, they're all talking about Wu Lei apologizing."

"I heard them. It's nothing much," An Chen said with feigned modesty.

"Hehe, who would dare look down on us Working Students now?" Shitou nudged Qian Yiming, who was bent over his food beside him. "Don't you think so, tsundere?"

Qian Yiming suddenly raised his head, his cheeks flushed red. "Who are you calling a tsundere?"

"Hehe, not you," Shitou replied with a grin.

"What does defeating Wu Lei amount to?" a voice came from the doorway just then.

The voice was not loud, but everyone nearby heard it clearly.

"Wu Lei has a cousin. He is the most outstanding of our Wu Family's generation." Dressed in a crimson brocade robe with the Wu Family emblem pinned to his collar, the person spoke to his companion as he headed toward the stairs.

He was a member of the Wu Family.

Upon hearing that, the people in the Cafeteria began discussing it again.

"Isn't Wu Lei the strongest in the Wu Family?"

"I heard Wu Lei's cousin is very protective of his own."

"Really? If so, those Working Students are in for it."

"..."

At that moment, people in the Cafeteria deliberately or unconsciously cast glances toward An Chen's group.

"Brother Pot... this..." Shitou looked at An Chen as well.

Qian Yiming also looked at An Chen with a worried expression.

"People live by food. Don't bother with that nonsense." An Chen did not stop eating or moving his hands. "Hurry up and eat. It'll get cold soon."

"Don't know what's good for you. Just wait for Brother Wu Ming to deal with you." Seeing that An Chen's group remained unmoved, the Wu Family disciple spat out those words before heading to the Cafeteria's second floor.

After finishing the last mouthful of porridge, An Chen ignored him. "Why is the first-floor Cafeteria always serving rice porridge? Can't they change things up?"

"Brother Pot... he..." Shitou tightly gripped the spoon in his hand.

"Ignore him. Hmm... one day, we should go upstairs and see what good food they have." An Chen glanced at the stairway.

Shitou gritted his teeth, grabbed a steamed bun, and took two fierce bites. He choked so badly that his eyes rolled upward.

Qian Yiming said nothing, quietly tearing the steamed bun in his bowl into small pieces and stuffing them into his mouth.

After the three of them finished eating, An Chen bid them farewell and headed toward Elder Chen's residence.

As usual, An Chen entered the courtyard and called out, "Teacher, I'm here."

Just then, a small yellow bird flew in through the gate.

An Chen watched it circle twice above the courtyard before landing on the hand of Elder Chen, who had just come out.

"Teacher," An Chen said.

An Chen had formally become Elder Chen's disciple two months ago.

"You're here." Elder Chen nodded and brought the yellow bird close to his ear. It chirped away as though it were telling him something.

Then the yellow bird dissipated in midair, as though it had never been there.

"Teacher... this..." An Chen asked hesitantly.

"This is a century-old Hibiscus Bird from my Wuhun. It helps me deliver messages." As Elder Chen spoke, he sat down beside the tea table and gestured for An Chen to sit.

After sitting down, An Chen opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

"Haha, you guessed right." Elder Chen's white beard trembled. "It was the one you saw at the back mountain yesterday."

An Chen suddenly understood.

When he had gambled in battle against Wu Lei at the back mountain yesterday, he had seen a little yellow bird perched on the flagpole. After Zhao Qinian left at the end, the bird had vanished as well.

When An Chen saw it just now, he had thought it looked somewhat familiar.

"So... you knew everything?" An Chen asked.

"Mm. Let me analyze it for you." Elder Chen began making tea.

As tea poured into the cup, a wisp of white steam rose.

"You fought well yesterday." Elder Chen pushed a teacup in front of An Chen. "But there are several things I need to tell you."

An Chen accepted the cup with both hands and sat up straight. "Please speak, Teacher."

"You handled the first battle very well. There's nothing much to say about it." Elder Chen took a sip of tea. "The main issue was in the second battle."

He set down his teacup, his gaze turning stern.

"How did you manage to predict your opponent's moves during battle?"

An Chen's eyelids twitched slightly.

Elder Chen paused. "That is not an ability someone your age should possess."

An Chen fell silent.

"I... watch the subtle changes in their bodies." An Chen chose his words carefully. "For example, the tilt of their shoulders, the muscles in their arms, the direction in which they exert force with their feet... there are signs before they actually move. I observe those things to make my judgment."

Spirit Vision determined things by watching the direction in which the colors of one's aura gathered, but some Soul Masters did indeed predict attacks by observing the signs preceding an opponent's movements.

It was only that An Chen could do so more accurately and earlier than ordinary Soul Masters.

"Observing the signs before a movement?" Elder Chen frowned slightly. "That is a technique only Soul Masters with extensive combat experience can use. You can already do it to this extent?"

"I usually pay attention to such things and deliberately practice them," An Chen said.

Elder Chen stared at him for a while.

"Forget it. I'll take it as you say." Elder Chen shook his head.

An Chen let out a breath of relief.

"But there is one thing you must remember." Elder Chen's tone turned serious again. "This ability is not invincible. Even that boy from the Wu Family could see through it, so others can as well."

An Chen looked at his reflection in the teacup without speaking.

Elder Chen's voice was steady and firm. "Your fast reactions are a good thing. But if you encounter someone who knows how to put on an act, this method will fail. This time, it was your calf that got hurt. Next time, it might be your head."

"...This student understands." An Chen slowly nodded.

"But there was one thing you did very well." Elder Chen's tone softened. "After being tricked once, you immediately changed your fighting style. You didn't panic or rush, and slowly looked for an opportunity. Many Soul Masters cannot manage that kind of adaptability in battle."

An Chen raised his head, somewhat surprised.

"Don't get smug." Elder Chen's beard trembled. "Your physical condition is still lacking. You need to strengthen it, so don't slack off."

"Yes."

Elder Chen rose to his feet, walked to the window, and looked at the sky outside.

"Your Wuhun is not that simple. An ordinary Iron Pot Wuhun could never have Innate Full Soul Power." He sounded as though he were speaking to himself, his voice light and drifting. "You need to pay more attention to it in the future. It may mutate, just like my Book Wuhun. But it may also be a malignant mutation."

"...Yes."

"That's all for the matter of battle." Elder Chen turned around, his expression becoming grave. "Things outside Tieyan City have been unsettled lately. There are signs that Evil Soul Masters have appeared. Try not to go out."

"Alright." An Chen nodded.

Elder Chen continued, "You don't need to fear the Wu Family. As long as you don't provoke trouble first, it'll be fine. If they come looking for trouble, come find me anytime."

"...Thank you, Teacher."

"Alright, that's enough for today." Elder Chen waved his hand. "Go back and recover properly. In a few days, I'll pick out several Combat Insights for you."

An Chen rose and respectfully bowed. "This student will take his leave."

An Chen left the courtyard and headed toward the dormitory.

As he walked, he was still thinking about Elder Chen's words.

Evil Soul Masters? In the Douluo world, they generally increase their strength rapidly by devouring the Soul Power, flesh, blood, and even souls of others.

Why would there be signs of Evil Soul Masters in a small city like Tieyan City?

Just as An Chen was thinking, the ground beneath his feet shook.

He stopped short. Before he could react, a deafening boom came from the north, making his eardrums ring.

"What was that?"

He looked up and saw wisps of black smoke drifting through the northern sky, darkening that part of the heavens.

At the same time, outside Elder Chen's courtyard, a middle-aged Soul Master rushed into the yard in a panic and shouted, "Elder Chen, something terrible has happened!"