The Cold, Aloof Heartthrob

After Wu Changkong's words fell, the Class Five classroom stayed silent for several breaths.

No one dared interrupt again.

The student struck by the chalk stub covered his mouth, his face flushed red, not even daring to cough too loudly. Wu Changkong acted as though nothing had happened and merely said coolly:

"Continue."

After Yun Xiao came Zhou Changxi.

When Zhou Changxi stood, his shoulders and back were stiff, and his voice was noticeably quieter than usual.

"Zhou Changxi, martial soul: Mighty Ape, rank eleven. I want to pursue the Power Attack System."

Wu Changkong glanced at him without offering any comment, saying only:

"Next."

After that, it was Xie Xie's turn.

Xie Xie stood, his expression as indifferent as ever, as though everything in the classroom had little to do with him.

"Xie Xie, martial soul: Light Dragon Dagger, rank eighteen. Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master."

A ripple of barely suppressed gasps immediately swept through the classroom.

Rank eighteen.

Nine years old, rank eighteen.

The moment that number came out, even the atmosphere, tense because of Wu Changkong, visibly loosened a little. Among first-year students, ranks eleven and twelve were common, while thirteen or fourteen were already considered good. Rank eighteen truly put him far ahead of the rest.

Someone couldn't help murmuring, "That high?" Others instinctively stole a couple more glances at Xie Xie.

Tang Wulin sat beside him without a word.

He had already sensed it yesterday: Xie Xie wasn't weak, and that was putting it mildly. Had they not been in the cramped dormitory, and had his opponent not suffered an unexpected blow from him first, he might not have landed that punch so cleanly in a head-on fight.

Yet Wu Changkong's expression didn't change at all.

"Next."

As though rank eighteen wasn't worth a second glance.

The remaining introductions soon continued.

Of Class Five's twenty students, most had soul power around rank eleven, and their martial souls weren't particularly outstanding either. None possessed the sort that struck people as sharp and formidable at first glance. Most had barely cleared the admission threshold, or had somewhat unconventional martial souls that were neither here nor there.

Xie Xie was the most outstanding among them.

Yun Xiao's rank twelve already placed him near the top.

As for Tang Wulin, although his Star-Sinking Hammer wasn't weak, his rank-eleven soul power was there for all to see. Even within Class Five, he still wasn't among the most eye-catching.

Once everyone had finished introducing themselves, Wu Changkong closed the roll book, his voice as calm as ever.

"Formal lessons begin tomorrow."

"My teaching methods will differ from those of the teachers you've encountered before. If you're afraid of hardship, exhaustion, or pain, you can go find someone to transfer you to another class now, or find a way to withdraw. Those who stay had better stop wasting words."

No one in the classroom answered.

Wu Changkong didn't wait for a response either. He turned and headed out.

"Class dismissed."

Only after he left did the breath held tight in the Class Five classroom finally seem to ease a little.

Conversation broke out almost immediately.

Some said Xie Xie's rank eighteen was outrageous. Others quietly discussed Wu Changkong's face and icy demeanor. A few glanced cautiously at Tang Wulin, clearly still deeply impressed by his mention of being a "Blacksmith" that morning.

"Let's go."

Xie Xie turned toward Tang Wulin, his tone cold.

"It's time to settle yesterday's score."

Tang Wulin didn't waste words with him. He stood and headed outside.

He had never intended to hide.

The moment he saw Xie Xie that morning, he had known they would have to fight again sooner or later. Since that was the case, they might as well settle it early.

The two left the classroom one after the other.

They had barely reached the corridor when a commotion noticeably louder than usual drifted in from outside. Quite a few upper-year students seemed to be crowding in the same direction, with girls' voices especially prominent. They walked along trying to contain their excitement, as though chasing after someone.

Tang Wulin was watching in bewilderment when a somewhat familiar voice suddenly sounded beside him.

"Tang Wulin?"

He turned and first caught sight of a splash of fresh blue.

Then he raised his eyes and recognized the newcomer.

"Senior."

Liu Yuxin walked up to him with a smile, her ponytail swaying lightly. She was just as brisk and friendly as she had been yesterday.

"It really is you." She looked Tang Wulin over, then glanced at the Class Five sign by the classroom door. "You were assigned to Class Five?"

"Yes." Tang Wulin nodded. "Just now."

Liu Yuxin's expression immediately turned a little peculiar.

"Then... is your homeroom teacher Teacher Wu Changkong?"

"Yes."

As soon as Tang Wulin answered, Liu Yuxin's eyes lit up. Her expression was almost identical to those of the upper-year girls in the corridor, though she kept it slightly better under control and wasn't quite so obvious.

"Wulin, I'd like to ask you a favor."

Tang Wulin froze for a moment.

"What favor?"

Liu Yuxin looked around, lowered her voice, and slipped something palm-sized into his hand.

"When you're in class, if you get a chance, take a few pictures of Teacher Wu for me."

Tang Wulin looked down. It was a small Soul Guidance Camera.

For a moment, he couldn't process it.

"Pictures... of the teacher?"

"Right." Liu Yuxin smiled a little sheepishly, but there was no hiding the excitement in her eyes. "You probably don't know yet, but Teacher Wu is famous in the academy. Who knows how many upper-year girls like him? Even some of the young female teachers sneak looks at him. In private, everyone calls him the 'Cold, Aloof Heartthrob.'"

Xie Xie, who had been standing beside them looking impatient, didn't leave immediately upon hearing this. Instead, he stopped.

Apparently, he wasn't entirely uninterested in matters concerning their homeroom teacher.

Liu Yuxin continued:

"Teacher Wu mainly taught in the Senior Division before, but later, for some reason, he was transferred to the Intermediate Division. A lot of the older girls were really upset. They thought the academy was wasting his talents. Now you happen to be his students. What a rare opportunity!"

Holding the Soul Guidance Camera, Tang Wulin felt as though it were burning his hand.

"Senior, this doesn't seem right..."

"There's nothing wrong with it." Liu Yuxin smiled brightly. "I won't ask you to help for nothing. If there's anything you want to know, I can tell you a little, too."

At that, she leaned closer and lowered her voice even further.

"Teacher Wu is strong. Really strong. People in the Senior Division used to say privately that he might be one of the academy's strongest teachers in a fight. Once, I saw him release his martial soul from a distance. I think he had six rings."

Six rings.

A Soul Emperor.

Tang Wulin's grip on the Soul Guidance Camera tightened involuntarily.

To him as he was now, that level was far too distant. So distant that even if he tried seriously to imagine it, he could only picture a vague outline.

Yet precisely because it was so distant, it carried an instinctive weight.

Someone like Wu Changkong already seemed cold and sharp simply standing at the lectern. What would he be like if he truly unleashed his six rings?

Seeing his silence, Liu Yuxin assumed he was tempted and immediately added:

"Just hold on to it for me first. You can take the pictures little by little later. Don't worry, your efforts won't go unrewarded."

After saying that, she turned and ran off without waiting for Tang Wulin to refuse again.

"Senior—"

Tang Wulin called out instinctively, but Liu Yuxin had already slipped into the crowd on the other side of the corridor, following the direction Wu Changkong had taken.

He looked down at the Soul Guidance Camera in his hand, feeling rather helpless.

"You'd better put it away first," Xie Xie said coldly beside him. "Once we start fighting, you won't be able to afford replacing it if it breaks."

Tang Wulin glanced at him without arguing.

That was true enough.

He carefully stowed the Soul Guidance Camera in his backpack, then tightened the straps again before saying:

"Let's go."

Xie Xie turned and headed outside.

"We're going to Eastsea Park."

Tang Wulin followed.

"Fewer people there?"

"Enough room for you to lie down." Xie Xie didn't look back.

Tang Wulin couldn't be bothered to trade barbs with him and merely replied evenly:

"We'll see after the fight."

He wasn't actually opposed to this fight.

Yesterday's battle in the dormitory had been too chaotic. His victory hadn't depended entirely on strength; there had been plenty of unexpected factors as well. Yet precisely because they had fought, he had realized more clearly that although he could forge and had sufficient strength, he was still painfully inexperienced at actually fighting with his martial soul.

How he should bear down with the Star-Sinking Hammer, when he should unleash his First Soul Skill, and how his physical strength should follow through—he hadn't truly mastered any of these things yet.

Another fight with Xie Xie would actually be good for him.

The two headed downstairs one after the other.

Sunlight shone brightly over the campus, and the wind was fairly strong. Eastsea Academy had many trees, and their leaves rustled softly whenever the wind passed through. People glanced their way along the path, probably noticing the bruising on Xie Xie's face that hadn't completely faded. Others recognized Tang Wulin and watched him curiously.

But neither of them paid anyone any attention.

After they left the teaching building and continued outward, the sounds of the campus gradually grew fainter.

Xie Xie walked quickly, clearly unwilling to put off the fight for long. Tang Wulin kept up, his steps steady, his shoulders and back naturally relaxed. He didn't look tense at all. Instead, there was a sense that he had settled into stillness.

Only when they reached the academy gates did Xie Xie turn to glance at him.

"I won't hold back later."

"I wasn't planning on asking you to," Tang Wulin replied.

Xie Xie snorted coldly and said nothing more.

Eastsea Park wasn't far from the academy.

Along the way, Tang Wulin didn't speak again. Neither did Xie Xie. Both had their minds on the coming fight, and neither had any interest in unnecessary conversation.

Meanwhile, Tang Wulin had already begun replaying yesterday's fight over and over in his mind.

Xie Xie was fast.

Very fast.

So fast that even in the cramped dormitory, he had still managed such clean dodges and counterattacks. In a more open space, he would only be more troublesome.

Yet the more Tang Wulin considered this, the more firmly his desire to fight took root.

Because only an opponent like this could force his weaknesses into the open.

And only an opponent like this was worth fighting seriously.

So he merely repeated one thought silently to himself—

The facts would prove everything.