A Match Against Xiao Wu

"What are you doing here?"

Once Tang San reached Chu Heng, he asked curiously. He had asked the Grandmaster about Spirit Hall before, and knew its students only had free time on Sundays.

"Oh, I had some time, so I came to see you. Look, I brought you a pastry. Try it."

Chu Heng did not explain why he had come today. Instead, he changed the subject.

Tang San assumed Chu Heng had some free time. He took the pastry Chu Heng offered and bit into it.

"This is really good, Chu Heng."

The flavor bloomed on Tang San's tongue, and his eyes lit up. He had no strict demands when it came to material comforts, but of course he preferred having something nice.

"Thank you, Chu Heng."

Chu Heng waved it off, then chatted with Tang San about what they had been up to lately. When recounting his own experiences, he deliberately left Su Xianling out, saying only that he had an excellent teacher at Spirit Hall.

As they talked, Tang San's roommates returned one after another and met Chu Heng. As the dorm leader, Tang San enthusiastically introduced him to them. Once they learned Chu Heng studied at Spirit Hall, they all treated him warmly and grew even more impressed with Tang San.

Even as he chatted, Chu Heng kept an eye on the time. When the moment the system had indicated finally arrived, a figure dressed in pink appeared at the entrance to the dormitory area.

She surveyed the area, found the dorm she wanted, and walked toward the two boys at its door.

Chu Heng pretended to glance over casually. She was a little girl about Tang San's age, slender, with black hair tied in a simple braid, lively eyes, and exceptionally soft, fair skin.

She was Xiao Wu.

"Is this Dorm Seven?"

Xiao Wu stopped in front of Chu Heng and Tang San and spoke softly.

Chu Heng looked at Tang San, who nodded. The others inside heard a girl's voice and came out one after another.

"Hello. I'm Xiao Wu. Wu as in dancing."

At that moment, Tang San's roommate Wang Sheng hurried over and prodded Tang San in the back.

"What's going on, Tang San?" Chu Heng asked when he saw Wang Sheng's reaction.

Tang San smiled sheepishly, pulled Chu Heng closer, and lowered his voice.

"Our dorm has a rule. Whenever someone new joins, they have to fight the dorm leader to decide who'll be the new leader."

Tang San paused, then went on.

"I'm the current leader of Dorm Seven."

With that, Tang San stepped back and looked at Xiao Wu, his expression troubled.

After a few polite exchanges, though, Tang San explained the rule and said he wanted to spar with Xiao Wu.

Watching Tang San's wooden delivery, Chu Heng felt a little anxious. But all he had to do was watch from the sidelines to earn his reward, so he did not mind enjoying the spectacle a while longer.

The instant Tang San issued his challenge, however, a system notification sounded.

[Reminder: The host's reward is tied to participation in the plot. Please take an active role.]

Apart from issuing quests, this was the first thing the system had ever said to Chu Heng.

Chu Heng stared at the blue screen, then smiled to himself. Looks like this system's worried I won't use my cheat!

His mind made up, Chu Heng rose while Xiao Wu was still wavering in confusion.

"Tang San, you two will be living in the same dorm. Sparring now might make things awkward. How about I fight Xiao Wu in your place?"

Tang San immediately asked, "Would that be all right?"

He glanced back at his roommates. None of them said anything.

"Then sorry for the trouble."

Tang San did not want to fight either. For one thing, he did not want to reveal too much of his strength. For another, fighting a little girl felt like bullying. Chu Heng offering to step in was the best outcome he could have hoped for.

"Sure. Come on, then."

Xiao Wu set the school uniform she had been issued aside, excitement showing on her face.

Before anyone else could react, she bent her right knee and drove it toward Chu Heng's chin.

Even prepared, Chu Heng could only twist aside from the lightning-fast strike. Her high-heeled shoe brushed past his collar, whipping up a gust of wind.

After dodging, Chu Heng tried to counter with a punch, but Xiao Wu reacted. She turned her wrist, caught his forearm, and drove forward with her shoulder.

A tremendous force surged through Chu Heng. His arm went numb, his whole body was dragged off balance, and he stumbled, nearly falling.

Sensing trouble, Chu Heng gritted his teeth, wrenched his waist around, and pulled his arm free. He retreated two quick steps to regain his footing.

No wonder she's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. I'm no match for her strength!

Chu Heng thought this to himself, then met Xiao Wu's next attack with even greater care.

The hand-to-hand techniques he had practiced over the past two weeks barely let him fend off Xiao Wu's assault. At last he found an opening and threw a straight punch, but she bent lightly at the waist and slipped past it. Her feet carried her around to his side, and her elbow shot toward his ribs.

Thud!

Unable to react, Chu Heng was knocked back by the blow.

Xiao Wu gave him no chance to recover. She pressed the attack, spotted an opening, and darted in. One hand seized his wrist while the other pinned his shoulder. She hooked his ankle with her foot, then used her momentum and a deft pull to bring him down.

This is bad!

Chu Heng tried to wrench himself free, but his body was already out of his control. He fell hard, slamming into the ground.

Dizzy from the impact, Chu Heng had only just come to his senses when Xiao Wu crouched beside him and patted his face, her eyes sparkling.

"You're pretty good, but I won!"

"Ah..."

Chu Heng shook his head helplessly, spread his hands, and looked at Tang San.

"Sorry. I couldn't beat her..."

"Are you all right?"

Tang San did not care which of them had won. He stepped forward and offered Chu Heng a hand. Chu Heng took it and let Tang San pull him up, then brushed the dust from his clothes.

"Xiao Wu, you're amazing!"

Chu Heng could accept losing. More importantly, he needed to get along with these two. After all, he planned to keep showing up around them so they would remember him.

Xiao Wu gave Chu Heng's shoulder a confident pat.

"What's your name? From now on, I, Xiao Wu, have your back!"

Chu Heng scratched his head and grinned.

"Xiao Wu, I don't study here. I came to visit Tang San today."

Chu Heng did not mention that he was from Spirit Hall. Xiao Wu's family had been harmed by Spirit Hall, and revealing that now would likely make her distance herself from him. He could tell her after they had built a close friendship.

But...

Chu Heng glanced at Tang San and tried to signal him with his eyes.

Since he had lost to Xiao Wu, did that mean she would become the leader of Dorm Seven? That was not how the original plot went...

Tang San caught Chu Heng's look, smiled faintly, and was about to speak.

Oh no!

Seeing that Tang San was about to give up the position, Chu Heng hurried to speak first.

"Xiao Wu, you beat me, but Tang San is much stronger than I am. If you want to lead the dorm, you'll still have to spar with him."

He could not let Tang San hand over the position. Who knew how much the later plot might change if he did?

Tang San clearly had not expected Chu Heng to say that. He froze, then started to explain.

But Xiao Wu turned her gaze to the blue-haired boy. Her eyes shifted, and she said, "Forget it. That's too much trouble. I don't need to be the leader."