You Dare Touch My Teacher?

Yu Xiaogang's lips moved before he finally spoke. "One sparring match proves nothing. Tang San and Mubai are at a disadvantage in Soul Power, and they aren't familiar with your Martial Soul."

Ling Yun clapped his hands. "I knew it."

Flender's mouth twitched. Liu Erlong was already struggling not to laugh.

Ling Yun went on. "Before the fight, you said Soul Power Level couldn't decide the winner. Now that it's over, you're saying they were at a disadvantage in Soul Power. Grandmaster, why don't you list your conditions in advance next time?"

"Better add one more: if Tang San loses, it doesn't count."

Several teachers hurriedly turned their faces away. Yu Xiaogang's expression grew uglier still.

Tang San finally got to his feet and frowned. "Ling Yun, you won. There's no need to keep going after my teacher."

Ling Yun looked at him, dropping the sarcasm for once. "Little San, how can you not tell good sense from nonsense anymore? He gets things wrong and never admits it. Can someone like that really be called Grandmaster?"

He turned back to Yu Xiaogang. "I wasn't trying to prove I'm stronger than Tang San today. I just wanted to tell you that something doesn't cease to exist because you don't know about it."

Yu Xiaogang could no longer save face. "Ling Yun, whatever else you say, I'm still your elder. What kind of behavior is this?"

"Elder? Spare me. The moment you threw me out of Nuoding Academy, you lost the right to call yourself that." Ling Yun cut him off.

The training ground fell much quieter. Liu Erlong glanced at Yu Xiaogang, disappointment filling her eyes, then looked at Ling Yun, unable to hide her approval. The boy had a sharp tongue, but she knew better than anyone what he had endured over the years. A thousand-year Soul Beast had nearly smashed his ribs during Soul Hunting, and cut fingers were routine in training.

Thirteen years old and Level 40 had never come from sitting around and waiting.

Flender watched for a while, then suddenly smiled. "Erlong, I have an idea."

Liu Erlong turned. "What?"

"Let the Little Monsters train with Ling Yun from now on."

At that, Dai Mubai and the others all looked over.

Ma Hongjun reacted most strongly. "Dean, are you serious?"

"Of course."

Flender glared at him. "Was today's loss not clear enough? Back at Shrek, you rarely met anyone your age who could truly pin you down and beat you. Now there's one right here. We'd be fools not to make use of him."

Oscar glanced at Ling Yun.

Then he looked at Dai Mubai, who was still rubbing his waist.

He had a feeling the days ahead would be rough.

Liu Erlong had no objection. "As long as you know what you're getting into."

She looked at Flender, her tone carrying a hint of glee at his expense.

"Ling Yun won't make allowances for the Shrek Seven Devils during training. Once you step onto the training ground, you take your own beatings."

Flender laughed. "That's how monsters should train."

Ling Yun couldn't help cutting in.

"Let's get one thing straight. I don't babysit."

Dai Mubai's face darkened. So did Tang San's. Hearing a thirteen-year-old say he wouldn't babysit them was infuriating, but neither dared step forward.

That evening.

Tang San walked alone along a path behind the academy.

The day's fight would not leave his mind.

Water Shadow Clone. Water Shuriken. Wave Treading.

Above all, the speed with which Ling Yun had countered Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.

Tang San had never imagined that someone his own age could keep up so easily with the movement technique he excelled at most.

"Ling Yun, next time, I'll make you pay." Tang San's eyes turned cold.

At that thought, Tang San stopped abruptly. Someone stood beneath a tree ahead. He had no idea when the person had appeared.

When those green eyes settled on him, cold sweat broke out across his back.

The newcomer was strong—absurdly strong.

Tang San shifted his sleeve, and several Hidden Weapons slipped into his palm.

The old man in green robes merely glanced at him.

"You're Tang San?"

Tang San did not answer. He activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track in an instant.

But he had barely retreated a few steps when a terrifying wave of Soul Power bore down on him.

It felt as if a huge boulder had suddenly landed on his chest.

Tang San stumbled, struggling even to breathe. How was this possible? Even the pressure Zhao Wuji had put on him had been nowhere near this terrifying.

The old man in green raised a hand. "Don't waste your strength."

Tang San gritted his teeth and flicked his hand.

Several cold flashes shot straight at the man's face, while Blue Silver Grass burst from the ground almost simultaneously. Hidden Weapons and grass struck together, yet the old man did not even release his Martial Soul. He merely swept a sleeve.

A sweep of Soul Power snapped every strand of Blue Silver Grass. The Hidden Weapons vanished to who knew where. Tang San's heart sank. A Titled Douluo!

"Come with me." Dugu Bo reached for Tang San.

Just as his hand was about to descend, a blaze of scorching fire hurtled in from the other end of the woods.

"Stop!" Liu Erlong had arrived.

With Martial Soul Possession active, she barely paused to ask what had happened. Seeing a stranger of overwhelming strength holding Tang San captive, she stepped straight in front of her student.

Dugu Bo frowned. "Someone from Blue Tyrant Academy?"

"Let him go." The flames around Liu Erlong blazed higher.

Dugu Bo only found her troublesome.

"A mere Soul Saint dares interfere in my affairs?"

One palm strike.

Green Soul Power slammed into the Fire Dragon. Liu Erlong flew backward, broke through two large trees, and crashed into the woods. Blood immediately ran from the corner of her mouth.

"Teacher Erlong!" Tang San's expression changed sharply.

Dugu Bo paid Liu Erlong no mind. He reached out again to seize Tang San.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the academy, Ling Yun sat cross-legged in cultivation with his eyes closed. Greninja, beside him, suddenly opened its eyes. Ling Yun looked up almost at the same instant.

Two surges of Soul Power came from afar. One was impossibly strong. The other was all too familiar.

That fierce, blazing energy belonged to Liu Erlong, and it was rapidly weakening.

"Someone hurt my teacher?" All trace of Ling Yun's laziness vanished. Greninja rose, Martial Soul Possession took hold, and water spread beneath Ling Yun's feet.

His third Soul Ring lit up at once.

Wave Treading!

Water erupted from the lake, and Ling Yun vanished from where he stood.

In the woods, Dugu Bo was about to take Tang San away when he suddenly raised his head. A rapid succession of sounds came from the distance, each one cutting through the air.

Fast—and growing faster.

The next instant, a blue-black figure trailing mist burst through the treetops and landed in front of Liu Erlong.

Ling Yun did not look at Tang San.

The first thing he saw was the blood at the corner of Liu Erlong's mouth.

His expression slowly turned cold.

"Teacher, who did this?"

Before Liu Erlong could answer, Dugu Bo's impatient voice came from behind him. "Another one here to die."

Ling Yun went still. He did not turn around. He simply lowered Liu Erlong gently to the ground.

As if she realized what he meant to do, Liu Erlong's expression changed drastically. "Little Yun!"

Ling Yun took a step forward. Liu Erlong cried out, "Don't go over there! He's a Titled Douluo! Run!"

Ling Yun did not stop. "A Titled Douluo?"

He raised his head and looked at Dugu Bo for the first time.

"He hurt my teacher. Titled Douluo or not, he's leaving something behind."

A chill flashed through Dugu Bo's eyes. "Arrogant."

Greninja turned at the same moment. Man and frog fixed both pairs of eyes on Dugu Bo.

Ling Yun flexed his wrist. "Arrogant? Arrogance takes ability, and I happen to have it."