Trouble Comes Knocking

Nuoding City, Nuoding Academy.

Today was the first official day of classes at Nuoding Academy, but during class, Lu Yang was nearly lulled to sleep by the teacher's lecture.

He had originally been quite interested in the theory behind Soul Masters, but it turned out he had overestimated himself. Even after crossing over to the Douluo Continent, the habits he had formed in his previous life remained unchanged.

"Looks like classrooms and I still don't mix in this life," Lu Yang murmured.

"What are you muttering to yourself about?" Xiao Wu asked curiously as she walked beside him.

"Nothing. The lesson just left me all groggy. I felt like falling asleep," Lu Yang said.

"Huh? You too? Me too, me too! The teacher was so boring. They might as well let us play by ourselves," Xiao Wu complained.

Hearing that, Lu Yang and the others smiled helplessly. Although they had not known one another for long, they could already tell that Xiao Wu was not the sort to sit quietly. She had innate full soul power, but she put no effort into cultivating. At least, whenever Lu Yang, Wang Sheng, and the others meditated to cultivate, Xiao Wu was always thinking about where to go play instead of cultivating at all.

After classes began, however, work-study students like Lu Yang had to perform chores around the academy to offset their tuition. Even Lu Yang and Xiao Wu, the two work-study students with innate full soul power, were no exception.

Yet just as Lu Yang and the others were pulling weeds on the field under the blazing sun, a dozen or so upper-year students gathered around them. They kicked the neatly piled weeds in every direction, clearly looking for trouble.

Their actions enraged Xiao Wu, the hot-tempered rabbit. With one hand on her hip, she pointed at the noble students and gave them a fierce tongue-lashing. The noble students remained unmoved, merely watching her with sleazy grins.

"She's pretty cute, and her temper's as fiery as a little chili pepper. Interesting."

Once Xiao Wu fell silent, one of the noble students stepped forward and offered his assessment of her.

"Little girl, I hear your martial soul is a rabbit. How about becoming this young master's pet bunny? If you agree, I'll cover all your tuition at Nuoding Academy from now on, and I'll take you to the cafeteria's second floor for delicious food every day. What do you say?"

The speaker was Xiao Chenyu, the son of Nuoding City's city lord. He had obtained his first soul ring during the holidays and was now a One-Ring Soul Master.

"What did you say?!"

Enraged by Xiao Chenyu's words, Xiao Wu rolled up her sleeves and was about to attack him, but Wang Sheng and the others held her back.

Just then, Xiao Chenyu activated his martial soul. His martial soul was a wolf, and after Martial Soul Possession, he did look somewhat imposing.

A flicker of surprise crossed the eyes of Wang Sheng and the others when they saw the white soul ring rising from beneath Xiao Chenyu's feet. For them, reaching level ten and obtaining their first soul ring before graduation would already be quite an achievement.

"Hmph, you're just a One-Ring Soul Master. Sister Xiao Wu isn't afraid of you!" Xiao Wu, that little hooligan rabbit, was not afraid of Xiao Chenyu in the slightest. In fact, seeing him activate his martial soul only made her itch to try her hand against him.

Yet Lu Yang stepped forward at that moment. He did not want to invite trouble, but now that trouble had come knocking, what was the point of cultivating if he still hid behind everyone else?

"Hmm? Someone else wants to stand up for her? A new face, too. A new work-study student?" Xiao Chenyu asked his followers.

"Boss Xiao, we haven't really seen him before either, so he's probably new. But that little girl was the only one who fought us before. We don't know what his deal is," one of Xiao Chenyu's followers said.

"He's just a kid who's only recently awakened his martial soul. What could he possibly..." Xiao Chenyu said contemptuously, only to stop halfway through, stunned by the sight before him.

Lu Yang had activated his martial soul as well. Golden armor covered his limbs, and a purple soul ring slowly rose from beneath his feet.

That purple soul ring frightened Xiao Chenyu and the others into silence.

These noble students had studied at Nuoding Academy for several years and knew something about Soul Masters. They had seen Soul Masters whose sole ring was white, and they would not have been surprised to see someone talented and well-off obtain a hundred-year soul ring.

But this was their first time seeing someone with a purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring as his first soul ring.

"Aren't you only supposed to get a hundred-year soul ring for your first soul ring? Why is his purple?!" Xiao Chenyu asked, trembling.

However, the followers beside him were already scared out of their wits, and not one answered him.

"Are we fighting? If we are, hurry up. We still have work to do afterward," Lu Yang said calmly.

"Hmph, you're just putting on a show! Liu Long, Ling Feng, both of you go together and teach him a lesson!"

The two whose names Xiao Chenyu called were also trembling inwardly at the sight of Lu Yang's Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Still, they dared not disobey Xiao Chenyu and could only steel themselves and step forward. Exchanging a glance, they summoned their martial souls and attacked Lu Yang.

Unfortunately, fear made their movements stiff, and their joint attack lacked coordination. Lu Yang easily spotted an opening and rewarded each of them with a kick, sending both sprawling to the ground.

Seeing Lu Yang dispatch Liu Long and Ling Feng so easily, Xiao Chenyu's expression grew tense. He had thought that even with a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, Lu Yang could not possibly take on two opponents.

Yet Lu Yang had dealt with his two followers cleanly and decisively, making him feel that things might not be as simple as he had imagined.

Frightened though he was, Xiao Chenyu had no intention of fleeing before the battle. He had brought people here to stir up trouble. If he slunk away now with his tail between his legs, how could he keep his standing as Boss Xiao in the academy?

"Xiao Chenyu, sixth year. Martial soul: wolf. Level eleven, One-Ring Battle Soul Master. Please instruct me."

Facing Lu Yang, Xiao Chenyu still adopted the proper attitude for soul fighting between Soul Masters. He also did it to bolster his own courage.

"Lu Yang, first year. Martial soul: light ball. Level fourteen, One-Ring Battle Soul Master." Lu Yang likewise announced his martial soul and soul power level.

"Wait, what level did you say you were?!" Xiao Chenyu asked in shock upon hearing Lu Yang's words.

"Fourteen. What, are you scared?" Lu Yang countered.

"Who's scared?!" Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Xiao Chenyu snapped back, then charged at Lu Yang.

As he rushed forward, the white soul ring beneath his feet flashed. "First Soul Skill, Wolf Claw Assault!"

Watching Xiao Chenyu's wolf claw swing toward him, Lu Yang simply raised a hand and caught his wrist. Then, twisting powerfully through his waist and abdomen, he hurled Xiao Chenyu straight into the crowd of noble students.