Tang Ya

Time flew by, and noon arrived. Tian Chen finished cultivating and slowly opened his unusual gold-and-red eyes, his gaze clear and profound. After a morning of cultivation, his aura had become even more restrained, as though he had blended into his surroundings.

"Most of the energy was stored in the Soul Bone, while some went into strengthening my physique. My Soul Power should have increased too, though I still don't have a Soul Ring. But my spiritual power finally broke through its bottleneck and reached Soul Sage Level," Tian Chen said, clenching his fist. He felt the tremendous power surging through him, as though the entire world lay within his grasp.

The Million-Year Soul Bone's energy was far too overwhelming for Tian Chen to absorb all at once with his current physical strength and Soul Power cultivation. Most of it therefore remained sealed within the Soul Bone, and he could absorb only a small portion for now to improve his combat strength.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the dorm room. The door swung open, and Wang Dong walked in carrying a lunch box. His eyes held a hint of apology, but also a trace of lingering displeasure at Tian Chen's earlier words.

"Here. I went to the cafeteria to eat and picked up lunch for you on my way back." Wang Dong gently set the lunch box on the table. His tone was tentative and conciliatory; he clearly wanted to ease the tension between them.

Tian Chen raised an eyebrow slightly, took the lunch box, and opened it. Inside were several dishes that looked and smelled delicious, along with a bowl of steaming soup. He nodded lightly and said, "Thank you." Then he quietly began eating.

Wang Dong breathed a sigh of relief and sat on his own bed, stealing glances at Tian Chen's expression.

After lunch, as Tian Chen stood to clear away the dishes, Wang Dong suddenly spoke. "Um... I'm sorry. I really was too arrogant and rude before, and I wasn't working hard enough. What you said made me realize my problems. I'll try to change." Shame and unease crossed his face after he finished, but there was also a measure of determination in his eyes.

Hearing Wang Dong's apology, Tian Chen slowly opened his eyes and looked at him calmly.

The corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile. His tone no longer held its earlier chill, carrying a touch of warmth instead.

Wang Dong raised his head, determination flashing in his eyes as he gritted his teeth and said, "I understand. I won't slack off like I used to. Starting today, I'll take my cultivation seriously and do my best to surpass you as soon as possible."

Tian Chen chuckled softly, wisdom glinting in his gold-and-red eyes. "Surpass me? That won't be easy. Still, if you really can keep at it, perhaps one day you'll become a worthy opponent."

Looking at Wang Dong's earnest expression, Tian Chen nodded inwardly. He knew that although Wang Dong had behaved arrogantly before, he wasn't bad at heart. Deep down, he still had a spirit that refused to accept defeat. That was precisely the kind of quality a cultivator needed.

"As long as you have that resolve. True strength never comes from talent alone, but from effort and perseverance. Since you've decided to change, I look forward to seeing a whole new you."

With that, Tian Chen headed toward the dorm room door, adding as he walked, "I'm going to look around the academy, familiarize myself with the place, and walk off lunch. If you'd like, you can stay here and work out a proper cultivation plan."

After leaving the dorm, Tian Chen walked slowly along the main road.

The school year was about to begin, and quite a few new students were strolling around the academy, hoping to get to know the grounds in advance.

After wandering around for a while, Tian Chen arrived at Shrek Academy's plaza.

Shrek Academy's central plaza was already bustling with people. Most of the new students had gathered around the noticeboard, carefully checking the class assignments and upcoming activities. Tian Chen stood at the edge of the crowd, observing his surroundings and the interactions between the new students.

But when he reached the new students' noticeboard, his expression immediately froze.

First-year Class One homeroom teacher: Zhou Yi

The first student listed below was none other than him.

"You've got to be kidding! Even my arrival couldn't change this plot?"

Tian Chen pressed a hand to his forehead, at a loss for words.

When he had read the original story in his previous life, he had already found her conduct contemptible. That old hag Zhou Yi was much like Yu Xiaogang: despite being nothing more than a lousy Soul Emperor, she strutted around as though she owned the place. Her word was law in the classroom, and anyone who dared defy her was expelled on the spot.

She didn't even show her students basic patience or offer proper guidance. All she knew was how to find excuses for pointless physical punishment. If they failed to complete it, she accused them of being disobedient and unwilling to cultivate, then claimed the moral high ground and expelled them to boost her advancement rate and satisfy her vanity.

"Ah, forget it. I'll take things as they come. If that old woman doesn't bother me, I can't be bothered with her either." As Tian Chen pondered this, a lovely, lilting voice suddenly sounded nearby and caught his attention.

"Little Yuhao, we've already paid your first year's tuition. Now let's take you out for a meal! Think of it as a celebration of you joining the Tang Sect."

Hearing those words, Tian Chen turned toward the voice.

About a hundred meters ahead stood three people, two males and a girl. The girl's long black hair was tied into a ponytail that hung down her back. Her pale blue fitted outfit outlined her budding figure, brimming with youthful vitality.

Of the two males, one looked older. He was tall and slender, standing straight as an unwavering pine. His long, dark blue hair shone like sapphire in the sunlight, as though every strand had been given life. Though his face was not exceptionally handsome, it carried a scholarly elegance, with hints of resolve and composure in his features. His bearing even shared a faint resemblance to Tian Chen's.

The other was a boy who looked eleven or twelve. Though he had yet to fully grow into himself, he already possessed a distinctive liveliness. He wore simple but clean gray clothes, with a small, neatly packed bundle on his back that had clearly been prepared with great care.

These three were the Tang Sect's remaining heirs: Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and Huo Gua.

Tian Chen stood quietly in place, his gaze flowing slowly over the three before him.

As his gaze passed over Tang Ya, the unique devouring power of his Blood Emperor Body suddenly stirred, as though it had sensed something unusual. He could distinctly feel a faint urge to devour arising from his Martial Soul. The sensation was unfamiliar yet intense, as if an invisible force were churning wildly inside him. He frowned and instinctively pressed a hand to his chest. His heartbeat quickened and his breathing grew rapid as questions echoed through his mind. What's going on? I've never deliberately tapped into the Blood Emperor Body's devouring attribute, yet now it feels like a wild beast straining to break free of its chains. Could it be...?

Then he suddenly remembered: Tang Ya's Blue Silver Grass also possessed a devouring attribute. Though latent, it would still manifest under certain conditions. The intense reaction from his own Blood Emperor Body Martial Soul was most likely caused by some kind of resonance between the two.

At that moment, the Blue Silver Grass within Tang Ya seemed to sense an invisible summons, and the devouring attribute hidden deep within it quietly awakened. Her eyes trembled slightly, as though she had noticed something amiss, and she instinctively pressed a hand to her chest. A faint but unmistakable fluctuation of energy emanated from her body.

Tang Ya lifted her beautiful eyes and scanned the area before finally fixing her gaze on Tian Chen.

Seeing Tang Ya look his way, Tian Chen thought, This is bad.

He immediately spun around like a startled duck, his legs pumping rapidly.

Though Tian Chen did hope deep down to establish some sort of connection with Tang Ya, he knew even better that, in this unstable situation, exposing his devouring attribute could very well bring a Title Douluo from Shrek Academy after him to kill him.

After all, prejudice was a mountain lodged in people's hearts.

In this era, possessing an evil Martial Soul was enough for people to all but declare you an Evil Soul Master.