Lin Xiao's Theory, Tang San's Stinging Rebuke

"I understand. Next time, I'll try it without the amplification and see how it goes."

Ning Rongrong's answer took everyone by surprise.

She looked so delicate, yet she was this strong inside?

Through the Goddess Codex, Lin Xiao knew exactly what was going through her mind.

Thinking back to Ning Rongrong's behavior early in the original story, she had been willful, doing whatever she pleased.

Why had she acted that way?

Because there had been no one at Shrek Academy she cared about.

How could she feel much attachment to people she had only just met?

So she had done as she pleased, earning the name Little Demoness.

But things were different now.

He had become someone she cared about.

What he thought could affect her feelings and her actions.

He looked forward to seeing how far she might go once her affection for him grew.

Perhaps she would hang on his every word and obey him without a second thought.

Running twenty laps took quite a while.

Even Battle Soul Masters with powerful physiques, like Xiao Wu, were breathing a little hard now.

Despite Lin Xiao's amplification, Ning Rongrong was panting too; her physical foundation was simply too weak.

Only Lin Xiao still breathed evenly, as if the run had not affected him at all.

He had not even broken a sweat.

"Lin Xiao, how... how did you run like that?"

Xiao Wu looked as though she had discovered a new world.

She was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form; her body was naturally far stronger than everyone else's.

Yet after twenty laps, she had sweated and grown tired too.

Lin Xiao, on the other hand, showed no sign of fatigue. He had not even broken a sweat.

It was astonishing.

Lin Xiao thought for a moment, then said, "Running by itself will tire you out, of course. But if you use Soul Power in time with your breathing, it becomes much easier."

"For example, channeling Soul Power into your legs can increase your speed and agility while delaying muscle soreness."

"If your control over Soul Power is good enough to allocate every bit precisely, it works even better."

His explanation left everyone's heads buzzing.

A special breathing rhythm?

They could understand using Soul Power.

Some of them already circulated Soul Power while running.

But channeling it into their legs and maintaining it while they ran was no small feat.

It would be easy to lose their balance and their control over Soul Power.

That could be extremely dangerous.

Yet Lin Xiao had done it, and he had made it look easy.

"No wonder the headmaster called you a one-in-a-million genius. That's incredible!"

Xiao Wu patted Lin Xiao on the shoulder, praising him over and over.

Even Zhu Zhuqing nodded, agreeing with her.

The sight made Tang San grind his teeth.

He had the Mysterious Heaven Skill and was already skilled at controlling Soul Power.

But compared with Lin Xiao, he seemed to fall a little short.

Could Lin Xiao's talent really defy the heavens to that extent?

He had lived two lives. Could he still not measure up?

"Lin Xiao, can you teach me how to control Soul Power?"

Ning Rongrong raised her hand.

The way Lin Xiao described it sounded complicated.

But if she could master it, her strength would surely improve a great deal.

Lin Xiao nodded in agreement.

He had no problem helping Ning Rongrong. He wanted to raise her affection for him, after all.

The sooner he maxed it out, the better.

He was looking forward to the reward for maxing out her affection.

Surely it would not disappoint him.

At this rate, it would take no more than half a year.

"Yay!"

Ning Rongrong beamed. After thinking for a while, Zhu Zhuqing asked, "Could you teach me too?"

Lin Xiao turned toward her.

Zhu Zhuqing still looked cool and distant, as though nothing mattered much to her.

But Lin Xiao knew she had vulnerable moments too.

Fate was a mountain pressing down on her.

Everything she did now was meant to change it.

Put simply, she wanted to stay alive.

Dai Mubai's behavior, however, had left her disappointed—even despairing.

There was only one way for her to change her fate now: grow stronger.

A one-in-a-million genius like Lin Xiao could certainly help her.

Even a few pointers from him might benefit her enormously.

It was strange when she thought about it.

Someone who had awakened his Martial Soul only days ago could now be the one to guide her.

It sounded unbelievable, but she had made up her mind.

"Of course. If you're willing to learn, I'm happy to teach you."

Lin Xiao smiled, then glanced at Ma Hongjun and the others.

He doubted any of them would swallow their pride and ask him.

Tang San would not. Neither would Oscar or Ma Hongjun.

And Dai Mubai, who had already gone off for treatment?

That man hated him fiercely now. There was even less chance he would ask.

Besides, even if Dai Mubai did ask, Lin Xiao would refuse.

Ever since he had been bound to the system, he had known he could never be friends with these people.

Driven by fate, they could only be enemies.

And why would he help his enemies grow stronger?

"Lin Xiao, could I—"

Xiao Wu looked at him expectantly.

Before she could finish, Tang San pulled her behind him.

"Xiao Wu, the academy has teachers to handle cultivation. They'll teach you better."

"Besides, my teacher will be here soon!"

Tang San could not hold back any longer.

If Xiao Wu got too close to Lin Xiao, he would be in trouble.

So much of her attention was already on Lin Xiao that Tang San felt a sharp sense of danger.

If he let them keep spending time together, he feared Xiao Wu might end up marrying Lin Xiao.

If that happened, he would not know what to do.

After all, he was not confident he could absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone yet.

If he wanted to obtain them, he would have to rely on a sacrifice.

But Xiao Wu's feelings for him probably had not reached the point where she would sacrifice herself willingly.

He had not even begun to put the plans in his head into motion.

He could not let anyone ruin things at such a critical moment.

Only by keeping Xiao Wu firmly at his side could he carry those plans through.

Xiao Wu looked awkward. "Brother, I only asked Lin Xiao to teach me how to control Soul Power. Why are you..."

"Teachers have more experience. You can't trust someone who learned outside the proper channels."

Tang San's words came out stiffly.

He did not expect that attitude to disappoint Xiao Wu even more.

[Ding! Xiao Wu's affection for her destined partner, Tang San, has decreased by 3. Current affection: 67!]

At the system notification, Lin Xiao's eyes lit up.

It dropped by three points just like that?

Tang San really had a knack for making things worse.

If he kept this up, he'd bring about his own downfall.

"Headmaster, we've finished our laps."

Lin Xiao did not interrupt them. Instead, he turned to Flender, who was walking over.

Flender wore a broad smile.

He had seen Lin Xiao use Full Attribute Amplification with his own eyes.

With Ning Rongrong's physique, she should never have been able to finish the run.

But she had.

That was thanks to Lin Xiao's help.

As for Oscar?

The boy had yet to finish. He was still running.

"Lin Xiao, thanks for the effort."

"I heard your theory just now. It's useful indeed."

"Old Zhao and I are rough fellows, and our control over Soul Power is rather crude. If you have time, you could teach the students."

His words were a clear endorsement of Lin Xiao's theory.

In particular, they acknowledged Lin Xiao's mastery of Soul Power.

For Tang San, though, that endorsement stung.

He had just said someone who learned outside the proper channels could not be trusted, and the headmaster had immediately endorsed Lin Xiao.

Was that not a slap in the face?