"So, can someone explain?"
Lin Yang's voice echoed through Dorm Seven. Wang Sheng shrank back. Even without those eyes, Lin Yang could still wipe the floor with him.
Tang San lowered his eyes, replaying the fight in his mind-a battle that had lasted only a few seconds yet involved several exchanges.
If he had been ambushed without warning, he probably couldn't have managed that much.
Xiao Wu's movements looked gentle but carried tremendous force, and she could use momentum to change her moves at any moment. There was no guarding against her.
Lin Yang's Sharingan was exceptionally good at tracking movement, and his physical fitness and reflexes were just as formidable. He was a troublesome opponent.
"Hi, I'm Xiao Wu! The Wu means dance. Since I beat you, I'm the boss of Dorm Seven now."
Xiao Wu hopped over to Lin Yang, planted her hands on her hips, and looked immensely pleased with herself.
"Oh, sure. You're the boss, then."
Lin Yang didn't argue. He brushed the dust off his clothes and sat on a nearby bed.
"Hey, your eyes are really interesting. Are they your Martial Soul?"
Xiao Wu came over and sat beside him, casually setting her luggage and uniform aside.
"Your reflexes are really fast. What level is your Soul Power?"
Tang San sat on a neighboring bed and answered her question.
"He and I both have innate full Soul Power."
"Innate full Soul Power?!" The others gasped.
Xiao Wu blinked, but didn't react much. She muttered something under her breath.
"Are there new work-study students here? Stand up for a moment."
Just then, a teacher with pale green hair entered through the doorway, carrying a very large set of bedding.
The three stood up from their beds, and the teacher glanced at them.
"Which of you are Lin Yang and Tang San?"
Lin Yang's gaze fell on the bedding in his arms, but he didn't move. Tang San could only step forward.
"Teacher, I'm Tang San."
The teacher nodded and handed over the bedding.
"My name is Mo Hen. You can call me Teacher Mo. Grandmaster asked me to bring this. We've had quite a few new students lately, and there isn't enough single-bed bedding, so you'll have to make do."
"Ah, all right, Teacher Mo."
Tang San dazedly accepted the bedding, which was half as thick as he was tall. Clearly, his mind hadn't caught up yet.
"Tang San, you, Lin Yang, and Xiao Wu are all first-year work-study students. From now on, you'll be responsible for cleaning the garden south of the sports field. You'll get ten Copper Soul Coins a day."
Teacher Mo gave them a few more reminders about the start of school, then turned and left.
Tang San held the bedding, looking awkward.
Lin Yang looked at the bedding and thought that Grandmaster probably assumed they would both become his disciples, so he was trying to help them bond ahead of time.
Tang San's face alternated between pale and red. Clearly, he had thought of it too.
"Bedding? That does seem to be a problem."
Xiao Wu looked at the bedding in Tang San's arms, hesitation and embarrassment flickering in her eyes.
"Boss, use mine."
"Don't call me boss. It makes me sound old. Call me Sister Xiao Wu from now on."
Several students immediately offered their own quilts, but Xiao Wu rejected them after a single glance and continued gazing longingly at the one Tang San held.
"How about we work something out?"
"Work what out?"
Tang San paused, then immediately understood what she meant. He wasn't stingy, but... he turned to look at Lin Yang.
"Your bedding is so big. How about this? We push the beds together, and then we can all use it!"
Xiao Wu blinked, dropping that startling suggestion.
"Share it? Boys and girls shouldn't have such close contact. Isn't that inappropriate?" Tang San frantically signaled Lin Yang with his eyes.
Lin Yang noticed Tang San's gaze, but his expression remained perfectly calm.
"You two decide. I'm fine either way."
Although Xiao Wu was cute, she was far too young for him to feel anything. Besides, he figured Tang San and Xiao Wu would probably still sleep together, and he could just sleep on the edge.
"Hmph, see? He didn't object. Besides, if I don't mind, what are you afraid of?" Xiao Wu's eyes lit up.
"Uh..."
"Uh, what? Hurry up and pull the beds over."
After some bustling about, one large bed took shape.
At noon, the others went to eat, while Lin Yang stayed in the dorm. Xiao Wu brought a meal back for him.
That night, Lin Yang lay silently, looking at Xiao Wu on his left and then Tang San on his right, utterly exasperated.
Xiao Wu said she couldn't sleep in the middle because she was a girl, and Tang San had awkwardly refused to sleep in the middle too.
Fortunately, the quilt was indeed large enough, leaving at least half a meter between each of them.
"Grandmaster said he'll take us to the Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow to hunt for our first Soul Rings."
In the darkness, Tang San suddenly spoke in a low voice.
"What? If you two leave, what about our work-study duties?"
Before Lin Yang could answer, Xiao Wu spoke up. Under the quilt, she moved closer, bracing both hands on Lin Yang's arm.
"You crossed the line," Lin Yang said flatly.
"Oh, come on, I'm a girl. You should give way to me, right? Of course, you're absolutely not allowed to cross the line."
Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue and backed away a little.
"How about this? Sorry for the trouble, but could you work a little harder these next few days? Once we get back, we'll take care of all the work for the rest of the semester, and you'll still get your share of the pay. How does that sound?"
"Don't say 'we.' You're the one making that promise. It has nothing to do with me," Lin Yang interjected.
"Sure! It's settled, then."
Before Tang San could say anything, Xiao Wu unilaterally sealed the agreement and moved back. After that, none of them spoke for the rest of the night.
The next day, in the Soul Hunting Forest.
An enormous Mandala Snake crashed to the ground, the terror in its eyes yet to fade.
Lin Yang deactivated his Sharingan and looked at Grandmaster and Tang San, who was holding a small knife and itching to act. Still the same as the original story?
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Yes. Grandmaster really does have a point. Perhaps absorbing it will bring about a qualitative change in my Martial Soul."
Tang San's eyes were filled with resolve. His knife rose and fell, and a bright yellow Soul Ring slowly rose into the air. He hurriedly sat down and began absorbing it.
"Stay here and guard him. I'll go find a Soul Beast myself."
Lin Yang turned and left. Grandmaster wanted to say something, but looking at Tang San sitting cross-legged and absorbing the Soul Ring, he sighed.
"All right. Just don't go too deep. Your Martial Soul is unusual, so don't act recklessly."
Across a wilderness stretching as far as the eye could see, a Blazing Fire Ape several meters tall ran desperately. The flames that had once blazed over its body had dwindled to flickers, and heavy breaths burst from its nostrils.
Behind it floated countless enormous scarlet eyeballs. A closer look revealed a single black tomoe on each one.
As the Blazing Fire Ape ran and ran, it found itself still in the same endless wilderness. At some point, those scarlet eyeballs had surrounded it on every side.
With nowhere left to turn, it roared in fury and spat out a jet of flame. A vast swath of eyeballs instantly turned to ash, but soon they all reformed.
Up in a tree, Lin Yang's scarlet eyes quietly watched the Blazing Fire Ape circling below. A while later, the ape finally collapsed from exhaustion.
A knife appeared in his hand. He leaped down, and his blade rose and fell. The Blazing Fire Ape breathed its last, and a deep yellow Soul Ring rose from its body.
"Not quite a thousand years. Oh well, I probably couldn't absorb anything older anyway."
Lin Yang muttered to himself, sat down cross-legged, and began absorbing the Soul Ring.
The Soul Ring turned into golden motes of light and entered his eyes. The next second, it felt as though molten lava had poured into them, and a fierce burning sensation surged from inside his skull.
Lin Yang clutched his head with both hands, his eyes wide open and bloodshot. Within his scarlet Sharingan, the tomoe spun rapidly, almost joining into a single line.
[Minimum unlocking requirement not met: roleplay progress 10, ocular technique unlock failed] [Unlocked: first Soul Skill: Fire Release (Uchiha Clan)]
After an unknown stretch of time, the burning sensation gradually faded, and his Sharingan slowly settled down.
Within his scarlet eyes, two black tomoe sat symmetrically opposite each other.
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