Xiao Wu's Furious Battle with Xiao Chenyu: Double-Talisman Enchantment!

The next morning's class was as dull as ever.

The teacher spent the entire morning reading out classifications of Soul Beasts, from the differences between ten-year and thousand-year beasts to their distinguishing traits. Even he sounded ready to fall asleep.

Lin Xuan leaned back in his chair, his mind fixed on a second use for the Fire-Controlling Talisman.

Enchantment.

How much would it boost Xiao Wu's attacks if he placed one on her?

How long would the flames last?

Would they burn the person using it?

There was no way to know without trying.

The dismissal bell rang.

Xiao Wu sprang up before anyone else, tossed her book onto the desk, and ran straight to Lin Xuan.

"Come on, come on! You promised yesterday!"

"After we eat."

"Then hurry up!"

Xiao Wu grabbed Lin Xuan's sleeve and dragged him toward the cafeteria.

Tang San followed at an easy pace.

The cafeteria was crowded, with separate dining areas on the first and second floors.

Most Work-Study Students ate on the first floor. The food was plain, but it filled their stomachs.

Lin Xuan carried a bowl of coarse-grain porridge and two steamed buns to a seat in the corner.

Xiao Wu ate at breakneck speed, emptied her bowl in a few bites, and set down her chopsticks.

"Done!"

Lin Xuan took a bite of his bun and glanced at her.

"Doesn't eating that fast make you choke?"

"Nope. Hurry up!"

Tang San quietly drank his porridge beside them without rushing Lin Xuan.

But his attention remained on Lin Xuan.

The night before, Lin Xuan had said they would test the enchantment effect of a fire-attribute talisman today.

Tang San also wanted to see what happened when the Fire-Controlling Talisman was placed on someone else.

Lin Xuan had barely stuffed the last bite of bun into his mouth when Xiao Wu stood up.

"Let's go!"

The three left the cafeteria. Just as they rounded the corner, they saw Wang Sheng coming from the other end.

No, he wasn't running.

He was limping toward them.

Wang Sheng's clothes were rumpled, mud stained his left sleeve, and blood still seeped from a split at the corner of his mouth.

"Boss!" Wang Sheng stopped in front of Lin Xuan, panting. "Something happened!"

Lin Xuan frowned. "Who hit you?"

Wang Sheng braced his hands on his knees and took a few breaths before he could speak.

"Xiao Chenyu! The sixth-year student!"

"Xiao Chenyu?" Xiao Wu tilted her head. "Who's that?"

Wang Sheng wiped the blood from his mouth. "The son of Notting City's lord. He's the top student in sixth year, a level-eleven Battle Soul Master. He has a Soul Ring!"

Tang San set down the bowl in his hand. "Why did he hit you?"

"I was sweeping near the back gate. He came over with two lackeys and insisted I was blocking his way. I moved, but he still kicked me down."

Wang Sheng gritted his teeth. "He said Work-Study Students are beneath everyone else, and that failing to kneel when we see noble students shows we don't know our place."

"So what if he has a Soul Ring? I have one too." Xiao Wu clenched her fists. "Where is he?"

"Over by the square. He's still cornering two other Work-Study Students."

Xiao Wu turned to Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan wiped his hands on his clothes, brushing off the bun crumbs.

"Then let's go. This needs to be settled."

Tang San straightened. "Let's go."

Wang Sheng limped along behind them as they headed toward the square.

A dozen or so students had formed a circle in the square.

In the middle, two Work-Study Students crouched on the ground. Both had palm prints on their faces, and one had a bloody nose.

Xiao Chenyu stood at the center with his arms folded.

He was a head taller than his peers and looked eleven or twelve, with fair skin and a well-tailored blue school uniform.

Two lackeys stood on either side of him like a pair of dogs.

"What? Not happy about it?"

Xiao Chenyu looked down at the crouching Work-Study Students.

"Then get up and fight me. Useless trash. All you can do is curl up and take a beating."

The noble students watching laughed and jeered.

Lin Xuan and the others pushed through the crowd and stepped into the circle.

Xiao Chenyu's attention was still on the two students on the ground. He looked up only when he heard footsteps.

He saw Tang San first and showed no reaction.

Then he saw Lin Xuan and frowned.

Finally, his gaze landed on Xiao Wu.

Xiao Chenyu's expression changed.

Xiao Wu was six and not very tall, but she had delicate features, a long braid that fell to her waist, and a pink short dress. She looked neat and clean, nothing like the dusty Work-Study Students around her.

Xiao Chenyu stared at Xiao Wu for several seconds.

"This little girl's rather pretty."

He muttered something to the lackey beside him, then smiled.

"What class are you in? How come I've never seen you?"

Xiao Wu ignored him completely. She walked straight to the two Work-Study Students crouching on the ground and helped them up.

"Are you all right?"

They shook their heads and retreated behind the crowd.

Ignored, Xiao Chenyu's face darkened.

"Hey, I'm talking to you."

Xiao Wu straightened and finally looked him in the eye.

"You can talk all you want. Whether I listen is up to me."

Liu Long, the lackey beside Xiao Chenyu, immediately jumped forward.

"How dare you! Do you know who he is? This is Young Master Xiao Chenyu, son of the lord of Notting City!"

Xiao Wu rolled her eyes.

"So what if he's the lord's son? He bullies people weaker than himself, and you still have the nerve to boast about who he is?"

Instead of getting angry, Xiao Chenyu laughed.

"Interesting." He looked Xiao Wu up and down. "It's a waste for a girl like you to stay among Work-Study Students. How about this..."

He jerked his chin toward Lin Xuan and Tang San.

"You three fight me. Win, and we'll forget what happened today. Lose..."

Xiao Chenyu pointed at Xiao Wu. "She becomes my maid."

The square fell silent for a moment. Then the noble students erupted into hoots and jeers.

Xiao Wu's face flushed red.

"What did you say?"

"Maid," Xiao Chenyu repeated with a smug smile. "Bring me tea, wait on me, follow me around. It's a respectable position."

Xiao Wu trembled with anger. Even her braid shook.

"Who do you think you are?"

She turned to Lin Xuan and clapped her hands together.

"Lin Xuan! Let me try your soul skill! Right now! I'm going to pound his face into the ground!"

Lin Xuan had been waiting for those words.

He stepped forward and opened his right hand. A pale-yellow sheet of Talisman Paper appeared in his palm.

His first Soul Ring lit up, surrounding him with yellow light.

Everyone nearby saw it.

"He... he has a Soul Ring too? And his first Soul Ring is a hundred-year one!"

"There's a Soul Master among the Work-Study Students?"

Lin Xuan ignored their chatter.

Soul Power gathered at his fingertip, and cyan patterns rapidly took shape on the first sheet of Talisman Paper.

Clear Mind Talisman, complete.

A second sheet of Talisman Paper emerged.

This time, the patterns trailing from his fingertip were fiery red. A circular design spread swiftly across the paper, and the swirling flame pattern at its center flickered.

Fire-Controlling Talisman, complete.

The whole process took less than ten seconds.

Lin Xuan flicked his hand, sending both talismans flying. They landed squarely on Xiao Wu's back.

The instant the talismans touched her body, two lights flared at once.

Cyan light sank into her brow, while firelight wrapped around her.

A thin layer of flame rose over Xiao Wu's body.

The flames clung close to her skin without burning her, yet they gave off a faint hiss in the air.

They were intensely hot.