Grass Sea's Control and Xiao Wu's Lucky Break

But Huo Yuhao and the two girls had barely stepped onto the field when someone blocked their path.

Seven or eight students in school uniforms stood in the middle of the path, arms folded, sneering at them.

Their leader was a tall, burly boy who looked about eleven or twelve. Beneath his foot lay a work-study student with a bruised, swollen face.

"Well, well. If it isn't that useless young master with only one level of Innate Soul Power, and his two pretty little maids?"

The burly boy kicked the work-study student aside and swaggered forward with his group, surrounding them.

"Who are you?"

Xiao Wu frowned, a flash of irritation in her big pink eyes.

"I'm Liu Long! Sixth year! Xiao Chenyu's my big brother!"

Liu Long glared at Tang Sanmei.

"A few days ago in the cafeteria, you little brat caught my big brother off guard and injured him! Today I'm here to settle the score for Boss Xiao! If you know what's good for you, kneel and kowtow three times. Otherwise..."

Liu Long sneered. Soul Power erupted from his body, a long, thick staff appeared in his hand, and a white Soul Ring lit up beneath his feet.

"A level-eleven Soul Master with a weapon Martial Soul! Today I'll show you dirt-poor work-study students who really calls the shots at Notting Academy!"

The work-study students watching nearby trembled at Liu Long's arrogance.

Huo Yuhao, however, did not even spare him a proper glance.

"Sanmei."

"Yes, Sect Master!"

No further words were needed. Tang Sanmei's petite figure stepped forward in a flash, placing herself between Huo Yuhao and Liu Long.

A cold glint crossed her clear eyes. Though Liu Long stood half a head taller and held a weapon, she did not even take a defensive stance.

"You little brat, you're asking for a beating!"

Furious, Liu Long swung his staff down at Tang Sanmei's shoulder with a whistling rush of air!

Just as the staff was about to strike, Tang Sanmei slammed both hands onto the ground.

"First Soul Skill: Everlasting Life!"

A bright yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring rose from beneath Tang Sanmei's feet!

"What? A Hundred-Year Soul Ring!"

Liu Long's face went pale with shock, but he could no longer stop his forward charge.

The next instant, a deep-blue tide burst from the gaps between the flagstones beneath his feet, enough to make anyone's scalp tingle!

Countless strands of Blue Silver Grass, each as fine as a hair, surged up in dense masses like a fountain.

The ground seemed to give way beneath Liu Long. He lost his balance in an instant, and his staff struck empty air.

"What kind of lousy grass is this? Break!"

Liu Long roared and swept his staff wildly around his feet.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The Blue Silver Grass was pitifully fragile. Under his sweeping staff, it snapped in swathes like paper.

At that, Liu Long burst out laughing.

"And here I thought a Hundred-Year Soul Skill would be something impressive. It's just a pile of weeds that break at a touch! A useless Martial Soul is still useless!"

"Is that so?"

Tang Sanmei stood motionless, a faint sneer on her lips.

Before Liu Long's triumphant laughter had died away, his expression suddenly froze.

The moment he broke the Blue Silver Grass, three times—no, five times—as many fresh blades shot straight up from underground!

In just a few seconds, Liu Long discovered to his horror that the sea of grass had not thinned at all. Instead, it spread like taffy growing wild, swallowing his legs all the way to his thighs!

"What kind of lousy grass is this? Get off me!"

Liu Long and his lackeys struggled desperately in the thigh-deep sea of Blue Silver Grass, swinging their staffs in a frenzy.

But for every ten strands they cut, thirty more sprang from the ground. They might as well have been trapped in a swamp, and soon they were panting for breath.

"Wow! Sanmei, that move of yours locks them down so well! My turn!"

At the sight of those helpless targets, Xiao Wu's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Martial Soul, possess me!"

At Xiao Wu's cry, a faint pink glow poured from her body.

The rabbit-ear headband that had been nothing more than a decoration atop her head turned into real, furry ears that stood upright. Her eyes became an alluring rosy red.

Then a bright yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring rose from beneath her feet!

"What? Another Hundred-Year Soul Ring!"

Every student watching sucked in a sharp breath.

Two first-year work-study students who had only just enrolled were both Soul Masters with Hundred-Year Soul Rings!

Had the world gone mad?

Xiao Wu gave them no time to marvel. She pushed off hard and shot straight into the sea of grass like a pink cannonball!

"First Soul Skill: Waist Bow!"

The Hundred-Year Soul Ring beneath Xiao Wu's feet blazed. Terrifying strength and flexibility surged through her slender waist. She planted a foot squarely on Liu Long's swinging staff and used it to launch herself into the air!

"Off you go!"

Xiao Wu snapped her waist backward in midair.

Enhanced by Waist Bow, she hurled a lackey more than twice her weight away before he could put up any resistance. He traced a graceful arc through the air and slammed hard into the muddy ground!

"Yes! Again!"

Caught up in the fight, Xiao Wu darted left and right through the sea of grass.

Once she got close, no one could escape the brutal close-quarters power of Waist Bow. One after another, they went flying.

Tang Sanmei stood behind her, focused on keeping the sea of grass growing. She timed its movements to Xiao Wu's, binding anyone who tried to surround her.

The two pretty little girls worked in perfect sync—one locking down the whole group, the other unleashing explosive power up close—and left the seven or eight boys howling.

Huo Yuhao stood behind them with his hands in his pockets. Watching Xiao Wu leap about while Tang Sanmei concentrated on her task, he could not help smiling.

With Waist Bow backing her up, that silly rabbit really is a menace in a fight. Crowd control paired with explosive close-quarters power... interesting.

Huo Yuhao let his guard down, ready to head back to bed once every last opponent was on the ground.

Then something unexpected happened!

A tall, thin boy who had been hiding at the back of the group slipped a paper packet from his sleeve.

He waited until Xiao Wu had just used Waist Bow to fling someone away. Her momentum was spent, and she was still in midair with nothing to push against. His eyes hardened, and he hurled the packet at the back of her head!

It was lime mixed with Chili Powder!

The dirtiest of tricks in fights between commoners and low-level Soul Masters!

"Xiao Wu, watch out behind you!"

Tang Sanmei had spotted it, but she was too far away. There was no time to pull the sea of grass together to block it!

Xiao Wu heard the warning and caught sight of the cloud of white powder coming at her from the corner of her eye. Her little face went deathly pale. Suspended in midair, she had nothing to push off to dodge.

At that critical instant!

"You're dead."

A cold voice rang out across the field.

The laziness in Huo Yuhao's eyes vanished, replaced by a flash of pale gold!

A white Soul Ring rose beneath his feet!