Little San, Want to Spar?

"Want to spar?" The moment those words left Ling Yun's mouth, the atmosphere in the office changed.

Tang San did not answer at once. He studied the boy from his village whom he had not seen in seven years. Ling Yun was only thirteen, yet standing there, he gave off more pressure than many older students.

What concerned Tang San even more was the level Ling Yun had just named: Level 40.

Tang San was now Level 33. Seven levels was no small gap, but he did not believe Soul Power Level alone decided a fight. The Mysterious Heaven Skill, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, and Blue Silver Grass's ability to restrain opponents were things ordinary Soul Masters could not understand.

Besides, his opponent's Martial Soul was merely that strange frog from years ago.

Tang San was about to speak when Yu Xiaogang's face darkened. "Ling Yun, reaching Level 40 in seven years is indeed beyond my expectations. But a Soul Master's battle has never been decided by level alone. You don't even have your fourth Soul Ring yet. Confidence is a good thing in a young man. Too much pride will only make you suffer."

Ling Yun laughed. "Grandmaster is still Grandmaster. Seven years ago, you said my Martial Soul wasn't worth cultivating. Now that I'm Level 40, I'm too proud."

He patted the tongue scarf hanging beside Greninja's shoulder, his tone unhurried. "So if the result doesn't match your judgment, I must be the problem. Right?"

Flender sensed something was wrong and instinctively looked at Yu Xiaogang. Liu Erlong frowned too. She knew Ling Yun and Yu Xiaogang were acquainted, but she had not known there was old bad blood between them.

Yu Xiaogang's expression soured. "I made my judgment based on your Martial Soul's traits. Every theory rests on existing information. A Martial Soul like yours had never appeared before, so an error in judgment was only natural."

"Sure, getting it wrong is natural. But I talked back to you a few times, and the next day I lost my work-study place. Was that Martial Soul Theory too?" Ling Yun shot back angrily.

The office fell silent. Liu Erlong whipped her head around. "What does that mean?"

Ling Yun looked at Yu Xiaogang and answered for him. "Nothing much. Seven years ago, Grandmaster decided my Martial Soul had no future. I quoted his line about there being no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters. We argued that day, and the next day the academy told me to pack up and leave."

Tang San stepped forward. "Ling Yun, you were the one who mocked my teacher first. He gave you a chance to apologize. You refused."

Ling Yun turned to him. "Little San, you haven't changed a bit."

Tang San frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The moment anyone says a word against your teacher, you don't even bother checking whether they're right. You just jump in to defend him."

Tang San's expression cooled. "A teacher for a day is a father for life. He has taught me for years. Of course I won't let anyone insult him at will."

"Got it. You handle the filial devotion, I handle the beating. Nice, clear division of labor." Ling Yun nodded solemnly.

Oscar nearly burst out laughing. He had barely coughed when Dai Mubai elbowed him into silence.

Tang San's face darkened completely.

Ling Yun acted as though he had not noticed and tipped his chin toward the door. "It's been seven years. I'm curious what kind of fighter Grandmaster has made of you. Let's not argue in an office. Too much trouble. Meet me at the training ground. Whoever loses shuts up. Simple."

Tang San did not hesitate for long. "Fine."

Yu Xiaogang turned to him. "Little San, be careful."

"Teacher, I know what I'm doing. Besides, I want to see what he's learned all these years." Tang San quickly regained his composure.

Ling Yun grinned. "Perfect. I'll get to see what sort of genius the great Grandmaster has trained."

With that, he headed for the door. At the threshold, he seemed to remember something and looked back at Tang San.

"Oh, and Little San, let me make one thing clear. When you lose, don't blame the difference in levels."

Tang San's gaze sharpened. Ling Yun patted Greninja beside him.

"I haven't hunted my fourth Soul Ring yet, so I can't use a fourth Soul Skill anyway. In other words, we each have three Soul Skills."

As he spoke, he deliberately shifted his gaze from Tang San to Yu Xiaogang. "That's fair enough, isn't it, Grandmaster?"

Dai Mubai and the others understood then. Ling Yun was not merely challenging Tang San to a spar. He meant to use Tang San to teach Yu Xiaogang a lesson.

Yu Xiaogang understood too. "I hope your strength lives up to your arrogance."

Ling Yun waved a hand. "Arrogance takes ability. Luckily, I have plenty."

The door closed behind him. The office remained silent for several seconds.

Oscar finally could not hold back. "Little San, what exactly happened between you two? Sounds like things got pretty ugly back then."

Tang San did not hide it. He gave a rough account of how they had awakened their Martial Souls together in Holy Soul Village, entered Nuoding Academy at the same time, and come into conflict over Yu Xiaogang.

To Tang San, the matter was not complicated. Young and hotheaded, Ling Yun had used his teacher's own theory to mock him to his face. He had then refused to back down, and the two sides had parted on bad terms.

Ma Hongjun winced. "So he's held on to it for seven whole years?"

Tang San shook his head. "Once he makes up his mind about something, hardly anyone can talk him out of it."

Yu Xiaogang snorted. "That isn't strength of character. It's thinking too highly of himself. Reaching Level 40 proves that mutated frog Martial Soul had more potential than I judged at the time. But it has no special abilities. The farther he goes, the more it will fall behind."

"I'm afraid I know Ling Yun better than you do," Liu Erlong said suddenly.

Yu Xiaogang froze. Liu Erlong stood with her arms crossed, her expression far from pleased. "Ling Yun has spent seven years with me. I know every bit of his rotten temper. He has a sharp tongue, holds grudges, and often goes too far in fights. I'll grant you all of that."

She glanced at Yu Xiaogang. "But he isn't someone who would hate a man for seven years just because that man refused to take him as a disciple."

Yu Xiaogang said nothing. Liu Erlong did not press him further about the past.

There was still one thing she had to say. "Xiaogang, I don't think you know how much practical combat experience Ling Yun has."

Flender grew interested. "What do you mean? How good is he in a fight?"

Some of the displeasure faded from Liu Erlong's face. "That boy isn't the boss at Blue Tyrant Academy because the other students are doing me, the headmistress, a favor."

Dai Mubai raised an eyebrow. "Not even anyone in the Advanced Class can beat him?"

Liu Erlong thought for a moment. "Some could before."

Ma Hongjun blinked. "Before?"

"Then he beat them until they acknowledged him." The room fell silent.

Flender pushed up his glasses. When he looked toward the door again, his eyes had changed completely. "Thirteen, Level 40, and he fought his way from the beginner classes to the Advanced Class? Erlong, where did you find this monster?"

Liu Erlong gave a snort. "Now do you understand why he dared say Blue Tyrant Academy shouldn't change its name?"

Flender looked embarrassed. Dai Mubai, who had been somewhat unconvinced moments ago, now had a spark of interest in his eyes. Shrek accepted only monsters, yet on their first day at Blue Tyrant Academy, they had met someone who had beaten the entire academy into submission. That was intriguing.

Tang San stood. There was no point continuing to argue over who had been right or wrong back then. He also wanted to know what that strange frog Martial Soul, whose path of development even his teacher had been unable to judge seven years ago, had become.

Seeing him rise, Liu Erlong stood as well. "Let's go. Whoever loses, don't come complaining to me afterward."

Ma Hongjun hurried after her. "No telling who'll be the one complaining. Little San has plenty of tricks."

Liu Erlong merely smiled at that.

Plenty of tricks? Good. What Ling Yun loved most was taking apart the tricks other people prided themselves on, one by one.