Close Quarters Combat Subdues Xiao Wu, Tang San: Could This Be Daoist Sect Talismans?

Just as Lin Xuan finished tidying his bed, another person walked in through the doorway.

Tang San carried a bundle on his back, and a new belt was fastened around his waist. He saw Lin Xuan first, then noticed Wang Sheng and the others gathered in a circle.

"Lin Xuan, you have already arrived."

"Just got here a moment ago."

Wang Sheng took the initiative to walk over.

"Are you also a newly arrived work-study student?"

Tang San nodded.

"Tang San, from Holy Soul Village."

"That works out well, you are from the same village as Lin Xuan."

Wang Sheng raised a hand and pointed at Lin Xuan.

"Dorm Seven has a rule that newcomers must exchange a few blows with the boss. Win and you become the boss, lose and you—"

"There is no need."

Tang San interrupted him.

"Whoever becomes the boss, I do not care."

Wang Sheng's words stuck halfway out.

"You are not going to fight?"

"Not fighting."

Tang San placed his bundle on another empty bed with very crisp and efficient movements.

"As long as everyone can live together, that is enough."

Wang Sheng had not expected to encounter two oddballs in a row today.

One pushed the position of the boss away.

The other did not even bother to contend for it.

"Are all you people from Holy Soul Village so easy to talk to?"

Lin Xuan leaned against the edge of the bed and casually chimed in.

"Perhaps the village is a small place without so many rules."

Tang San nodded toward him.

In Tang San's view, Lin Xuan temporarily failing to acknowledge Yu Xiaogang was not a big deal.

His teacher had studied martial souls for decades and could even deduce the secret of his own twin martial souls. Lin Xuan's Paper Martial Soul also possessed Innate Full Soul Power, so his second martial soul must be hidden very deeply.

Once Lin Xuan witnessed the teacher's abilities, he would naturally understand the teacher's value.

Tang San already had arrangements in mind.

If the Tang Sect wanted to re-establish itself on this continent, relying on him alone was not enough. Lin Xuan originated from Holy Soul Village and possessed Innate Full Soul Power, so he could become an asset in the future.

There was no rush right now.

He would first let Lin Xuan adapt to the academy, and then slowly pull the person to his side.

Lin Xuan was unaware that Tang San had already counted him onto the Tang Sect's roster.

He only felt that Tang San was being overly low-key today.

Originally, he expected Tang San to fight Wang Sheng for the position of Dorm Seven boss. After all, Tang San was not someone who swallowed his anger when they were in Holy Soul Village.

Yet now he conceded the position so cleanly.

Lin Xuan did not dwell on the details.

Tang San had taken Yu Xiaogang as his master, and their paths were already different.

Just as the dormitory quieted down, footsteps came from outside the door once more.

A little girl in pink clothes stood at the doorway. She wore a long braid, and upon entering, she first swept her gaze across the bed spaces.

"Is this Dorm Seven?"

Wang Sheng subconsciously nodded.

"Yes."

The little girl dropped her bundle onto the floor.

"My name is Xiao Wu, Wu as in dancing."

Lin Xuan raised his head.

Xiao Wu.

Pink clothes, long braid, work-study student.

A hundred-thousand-year soft bone rabbit in human form.

At that moment, Wang Sheng took two steps forward and pointed at Lin Xuan.

"Xiao Wu, there's a rule in Dorm Seven: newcomers have to fight the dorm leader."

Xiao Wu set her bundle down by the door and put her hands on her hips.

"Sure! I love fighting! If I win, you all have to call me Big Sister!"

Wang Sheng cleared his throat twice.

"Lin Xuan is the dorm leader now."

Xiao Wu turned around and stood in front of Lin Xuan.

"You?"

Lin Xuan stood up from the side of the bed.

"Rules are just rules. If you don't want to fight, you don't have to."

"How could I not?"

Xiao Wu rolled her wrists a few times, her long braid swaying behind her.

"I just walked in, so I should at least introduce myself. If you win, I'll listen to you. If I win, I'll be in charge of Dorm Seven from now on."

Wang Sheng added from the side,

"Xiao Wu, be careful. Lin Xuan just threw me to the ground."

"You look so burly, but it doesn't do you much good, does it?"

Xiao Wu couldn't help laughing.

Wang Sheng's face fell, and he said nothing more.

Xiao Wu ignored him and beckoned to Lin Xuan.

"Come on, Dorm Leader Lin."

Tang San stood beside his bed without saying anything.

He'd thought Lin Xuan would refuse.

Lin Xuan didn't like to draw attention to himself. He hadn't even wanted to take the position of Dorm Seven's leader earlier.

But Xiao Wu had already thrown down the gauntlet. If he kept backing away, Wang Sheng and the others would think he was afraid.

Lin Xuan took a sheet of Talisman Paper from inside his collar.

It was the Clear Mind Talisman he'd drawn that morning.

The pale yellow paper bore blue-green patterns, and the lines were much smoother than those on his first batch.

Xiao Wu stared at the talisman.

"You need paper to fight?"

"Just a habit."

Lin Xuan channeled Soul Power through his fingertip.

The patterns on the talisman glowed for a moment. The paper came apart, turning into specks of blue-green light that sank into his brow.

The open ground outside the dormitory wasn't large, but all the work-study students had run out to watch.

Once the Clear Mind Talisman took effect, the noise in his mind quieted.

He could clearly distinguish the soft scuff of shoes on dirt, the rustle of clothing, and even whatever Wang Sheng was muttering behind him.

Xiao Wu didn't assume a fighting stance.

She took one step forward, already sweeping her right leg toward Lin Xuan's shin.

She was fast.

Lin Xuan shifted half a step aside and dodged the kick.

Xiao Wu didn't pull her leg back. With a twist of her waist, she sent her other leg toward his side.

Lin Xuan raised an arm to block it.

His arm went numb.

Xiao Wu was even stronger than Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng stood nearby with his mouth hanging open.

"She's so small. Where does she get all that strength?"

Xiao Wu landed and didn't stop. Leaning forward, she reached for Lin Xuan's shoulder with her left hand, while her right hand moved to grab his arm.

Lin Xuan retreated.

Xiao Wu pressed forward.

Her movements flowed together, her legs, waist, and arms linking up in quick succession. It was clear she'd fought people before.

Lin Xuan didn't meet her head-on.

He moved around the open ground, avoiding a direct clash and waiting for her to leave an opening.

Xiao Wu chased him for a few steps, growing impatient.

"Why do you keep running?"

"Catch me first."

"Fine. You asked for it."

Xiao Wu pushed off with her feet, closing the distance.

Lin Xuan heard her soles sink into the mud and shifted his body slightly to the right.

Xiao Wu's right hand grazed past his shoulder.

Rather than retreating after missing her grab, she immediately reached for Lin Xuan's wrist.

Lin Xuan started to pull his hand away, but Xiao Wu had already spun halfway around, ready to use his wrist to throw him.

This move was far more troublesome than Wang Sheng's straightforward punches and kicks.

Lin Xuan relaxed his arm instead of pulling hard against her force.

Xiao Wu tugged, but couldn't move him.

Lin Xuan stepped straight forward, closing the gap between them.

Xiao Wu froze for a moment.

Her technique relied on pulling to borrow momentum.

Once Lin Xuan was close, he slipped his right arm under hers and locked her shoulder in place, while his left hand held her around the waist.

Xiao Wu reacted quickly, raising her knee to strike him.

Lin Xuan blocked it with his leg before she could land the blow.

The two were pressed close together. Xiao Wu tried to turn around, but Lin Xuan held down her shoulder and back, leaving her unable to put any strength into her waist.

"What kind of fighting style is that?"

"Whatever it takes to win."

Lin Xuan kept pressing forward.

Forced back two steps, Xiao Wu's rear foot landed on a raised stone, and she fell backward onto the ground.

Lin Xuan didn't let go.

He lowered his center of gravity, trapped the leg Xiao Wu was trying to raise, and pinned her wrists with both hands, putting all his weight through his forearms and shoulders.

Xiao Wu struggled twice.

She couldn't turn him over.

Her grappling was indeed impressive, but her hands and feet were all restrained. Lin Xuan was also taller and heavier than her, so there was no way she could pry him off by sheer force—not in a short time.

Wang Sheng watched, his scalp prickling.

"You can fight like that?"

A Work-Study Student beside him muttered,

"Boss Lin Xuan's really fighting dirty."

Wang Sheng immediately retorted, "If you don't know what you're talking about, keep quiet. It's a tactic!"

The boy promptly fell silent.

Xiao Wu twisted a couple more times and realized Lin Xuan had her firmly pinned.

With the two of them pressed so close, Xiao Wu's face reddened. Annoyed and embarrassed, she said, "Y-you can let go now. I admit defeat."

Lin Xuan immediately got up and stepped back twice.

Xiao Wu sat on the ground, dusted the mud off her skirt, and looked up at Lin Xuan.

"You jerk! I'm a girl, you know. Couldn't you have gone a little easier on me? Hmph!"

Lin Xuan pursed his lips. He hadn't expected this little rabbit to say something like that.

Still, her grappling techniques were impressive. If Lin Xuan hadn't had the Clear Mind Talisman's help, he wouldn't have been able to defeat Xiao Wu.

Seeing Lin Xuan say nothing, Xiao Wu frowned and asked again,

"By the way, what was that piece of paper you used just now?"

Wang Sheng chimed in too,

"Yeah, Boss Lin Xuan, what was that paper? You used it when you fought me just now, too, right?"

Tang San approached from behind and stopped a few steps away. He had watched the fight from beginning to end. Lin Xuan's perfectly timed dodges and precision in targeting Xiao Wu's openings had made Tang San see him in a new light.

He approved of Lin Xuan even more now. Thinking that Lin Xuan would become his junior martial brother, and that he could then bring Lin Xuan into the Tang Sect, he wondered how the Tang Sect could possibly fail to prosper.

Tang San was also curious about the paper Lin Xuan had used. The more he looked at it, the more Lin Xuan's technique reminded him of the Talismans of the Daoist Sect from his previous life.

Could Lin Xuan's Martial Soul be Talismans?