Her scorpion braid swayed gently as the girl tilted her head, gleaming softly in the sunlight.
Those big, jet-black eyes blinked, filled with undisguised curiosity and a hint of eager excitement.
Dorm Seven fell silent.
Every working student's gaze shifted from Ling Feng to the petite figure in the doorway.
The girl looked only six or seven, younger than everyone present. Her rosy cheeks still carried a little baby fat, but the sparkle in her eyes was far too lively for a child.
She wore a simple pink dress and carried a small bundle. She looked neat and brisk, yet there was an indescribable wildness about her.
Ling Feng's gaze settled on her, and something unusual flickered in his eyes.
Xiao Wu.
A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit transformed into human form.
One of the Shrek Seven Devils in the original story, and Tang San's future lover.
Now she stood prettily in Dorm Seven's doorway, staring straight at him with burning eyes.
"Which of you is the boss?" Xiao Wu asked again, her voice clear and carrying an assertiveness that could not be ignored.
Wang Sheng came to his senses and instinctively glanced at Ling Feng. After a moment's hesitation, he braced himself and stepped forward. "Are you a new working student? I'm Wang Sheng, Dorm Seven's... uh..."
Halfway through, he suddenly remembered that he had just "abdicated in favor of someone more capable." His voice caught, and he shot Ling Feng another awkward glance.
Xiao Wu followed Wang Sheng's gaze to Ling Feng.
Their eyes met.
Ling Feng remained calm and said nothing.
Xiao Wu's eyes lit up, and the corners of her lips rose into a slightly mischievous smile. "Oh? So you're the boss?"
She stepped into Dorm Seven, her footsteps as light as a real rabbit's, and reached Ling Feng in just a few strides.
Only reaching his shoulder, she tilted her head back, excitement sparkling in her big eyes. "I know Dorm Seven's rules. Newcomers have to challenge the boss, right?"
Ling Feng: "..."
Before he could answer, Xiao Wu had already taken two steps back and assumed an opening stance. Her slender arms rose slightly, her seemingly casual posture concealing a methodical structure.
"Come on! Beat me, and you're the boss!" she announced eagerly, as though this were some entertaining game.
The working students in Dorm Seven exchanged looks.
Such a petite-looking girl actually wanted to challenge Ling Feng, who had just shattered a blue brick with one kick?
Wang Sheng swallowed and whispered to Ling Feng, "Boss Ling Feng, it's Dorm Seven's tradition... every newcomer has to go through this... but she's a girl, so... go easy on her..."
Ling Feng glanced at him without answering.
Of course he knew how strong Xiao Wu was. She was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast transformed into human form. Even if her Soul Power Level was low now, her physique and various soft techniques far surpassed those of ordinary people.
However, his Soul Power had already reached level 21, and his physique had been strengthened by both the Clear Sky Hammer and the system. He would not necessarily lose.
More importantly, he did not want to reveal too much of his strength before Dorm Seven's working students.
As thoughts flashed through his mind, Ling Feng reached a decision.
He shook his head slightly. "I'm not interested in being the boss. Play among yourselves."
With that, he turned toward an empty bed in the corner.
Xiao Wu froze for a moment, clearly not expecting a refusal.
She wrinkled her little nose, displeased. "Hey! Are you looking down on me?"
Before her words had faded, she suddenly moved!
Her petite figure shot across the distance between them like a streak of pink lightning, her slender hand slicing through the air straight toward Ling Feng's shoulder!
She moved so fast that the watching working students saw only an afterimage!
"Watch out!" Wang Sheng cried.
Although Ling Feng had his back to Xiao Wu, the keen senses granted by his level-21 Soul Power instantly alerted him to the movement behind him.
He stopped and shifted slightly sideways, avoiding Xiao Wu's grab by just the right margin.
Surprise flashed in Xiao Wu's eyes, but she did not pause. Turning her grab into a sweep, she whipped her arm toward Ling Feng's waist.
Ling Feng still did not turn around. He merely adjusted his footing, swaying aside to effortlessly evade the strike again.
Xiao Wu's attack missed, but she never paused. As though she had no bones, she twisted at an unbelievable angle, both legs leaving the ground as she delivered a beautiful spinning kick straight toward the center of Ling Feng's back!
The sequence flowed like drifting clouds and running water, so fast it dazzled the eyes.
The watching working students were dumbstruck, their mouths wide enough to fit eggs.
How was this some delicate little girl? Her fighting skills were ten times better than even Wang Sheng's, the best fighter among them!
Faced with this fierce strike, Ling Feng finally turned around.
He still did not use Soul Power, merely raising his arm to block in front of him.
Thud!
Xiao Wu's ankle struck Ling Feng's arm squarely, producing a dull impact.
Ling Feng did not budge.
Using the recoil, Xiao Wu flipped lightly backward and landed, the surprise in her eyes deepening.
"Huh?" She tilted her head, looking Ling Feng up and down. "You're really strong!"
"Likewise," Ling Feng said evenly.
An unwillingness to lose flashed in Xiao Wu's eyes, but her lips curved with excitement. "Interesting! Again!"
She charged once more, moving faster this time, her attacks even trickier.
Ling Feng remained where he was, neutralizing every attack through physical reactions and simple blocks and dodges alone.
They exchanged moves in the open space at the center of Dorm Seven, trading over a dozen in the blink of an eye.
The longer Xiao Wu fought, the more astonished she became.
Her soft techniques were almost unstoppable in close combat, yet the boy before her always broke through her moves in the simplest, most direct way, as though he knew her attack patterns like the back of his hand.
What alarmed her even more was that he had never attacked first from beginning to end. He had barely even moved his feet, receiving all her attacks while standing in place.
His strength... was unfathomable!
Dorm Seven's working students were already stupefied.
They had thought Ling Feng's feat of shattering a blue brick with one kick was impressive enough. They had never imagined this new little girl would be even more terrifying. Her fighting skills hardly seemed human!
And more terrifying still, Ling Feng could handle her attacks so effortlessly!
Sweat broke out on Wang Sheng's forehead. He secretly rejoiced that he had not actually fought Ling Feng earlier, or he would probably be bedridden by now.
After a few more exchanges, Xiao Wu suddenly leaped backward, putting some distance between them.
Her little face was flushed, fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and her breathing was slightly hurried, but the excitement in her eyes had only grown.
"That's enough, that's enough!" She waved her hands. There was not the slightest defeat in her voice, only a measure of admiration. "You're good! I admit defeat!"
Ling Feng nodded, his expression still calm, as though their exchange had been no more than a casual effort.
Xiao Wu's eyes darted, and she suddenly stepped closer, asking curiously, "Hey, what's your name? What level is your Soul Power? What's your Martial Soul?"
The questions burst out like a barrage of cannon fire.
Ling Feng glanced at her and answered briefly, "Ling Feng."
He revealed nothing about his Soul Power or Martial Soul.
Xiao Wu did not mind and said with a grin, "I'm Xiao Wu, Wu as in dancing. From now on, you're Dorm Seven's boss!"
Ling Feng shook his head. "I told you, I'm not interested in being the boss."
Xiao Wu blinked. "Then... I'm second-in-command?"
Ling Feng: "..."
How did this girl's mind work in such peculiar ways?
Before he could answer, Xiao Wu had turned and announced to the other working students, "From today onward, Ling Feng is the boss, and I'm second-in-command! Anyone have a problem with that?"
The working students shook their heads in unison, their movements so coordinated they seemed rehearsed.
What a joke. Who would dare object to these two monsters?
Wang Sheng was even more relieved and hurried to agree. "No objections! Absolutely none!"
Xiao Wu nodded in satisfaction, then turned toward Ling Feng as though she had suddenly remembered something. "Right, Boss Ling Feng, isn't Dorm Seven's boss supposed to protect the underlings?"
Ling Feng frowned slightly, vaguely guessing her intention.
Sure enough, Xiao Wu's next words were, "When I came over just now, I saw some older students bullying a working student. Should we go teach them a lesson?"
Wang Sheng's expression changed. "Was it Xiao Chenyu's gang?"
Xiao Wu nodded. "I think he was called Xiao... something. He had a few lackeys with him. They were really arrogant!"
Wang Sheng exchanged looks with several veteran working students, their faces showing both resentment and helplessness.
"Xiao Chenyu is the city lord's son. He relies on his status and strength to bully us working students all the time," Wang Sheng explained quietly. "He's already a level-12 Soul Master, and his Martial Soul is a wolf. We... we can't beat him."
As he spoke, he and the other working students instinctively looked toward Ling Feng, hope in their eyes.
Clearly, they had pinned their hopes on this new boss.
Ling Feng's gaze flickered.
Xiao Chenyu, one of Tang San and Xiao Wu's early opponents in the original story, had later been subdued and become an underling.
According to the overarching outline, he did indeed need to "shake Nuoding with his hammer and begin making a name for himself," so making an example of Xiao Chenyu was a good choice.
Moreover, this was also an opportunity to check in at Nuoding Academy.
At that thought, Ling Feng nodded. "Lead the way."
Wang Sheng and the others immediately brightened, while Xiao Wu jumped up excitedly. "Great! Let's go beat them up!"
The group marched out of Dorm Seven in force and headed toward the academy's rear athletic field, led by Wang Sheng.
On the way, Ling Feng silently recited, System, scan my current location. Can I check in?
[Ding! Host detected within "Nuoding Academy campus," not a special check-in location. Check-in rewards will be greatly reduced. Check in?]
"Check in."
[Ding! Check-in successful! Reward: slight stamina recovery.]
Even a mosquito's leg was meat.
Ling Feng was not disappointed. His real goal was to check in at the possible site of the upcoming battle.
Soon, they reached the rear athletic field.
From a distance, they saw several well-dressed boys gathered around someone. In their midst, a student who looked like a working student seemed to be getting shoved around.
Wang Sheng pointed at the boy leading them. "That's Xiao Chenyu!"
Ling Feng's gaze sharpened.
Xiao Chenyu looked twelve or thirteen, considerably older than them. Tall and broad, with an arrogant expression, he was saying something smugly.
The working student surrounded by them wore a look of humiliation but did not dare resist.
Unable to hold back any longer, Xiao Wu dashed forward. "Hey! Why are you bullying him!"
Her clear voice immediately drew the group's attention.
Xiao Chenyu turned around. Seeing a petite girl, he first froze, then gave a contemptuous smile. "Oh, another working student who doesn't know how high heaven is or how deep the earth goes? What, you want to meddle?"
His lackeys burst out laughing as well, paying Xiao Wu no regard whatsoever.
Although Wang Sheng and the others followed behind, they still shrank back before Xiao Chenyu, not daring to step forward.
Only Ling Feng walked slowly at the rear, his expression unchanged.
Xiao Chenyu looked past Xiao Wu and saw Wang Sheng and the others behind her. His contempt deepened. "Wang Sheng? What, brought reinforcements? You bunch of trash?"
Wang Sheng flushed crimson, but remembering Ling Feng behind him gave him confidence. "Xiao Chenyu, you... don't go too far! Our boss is here today!"
"Boss?" Xiao Chenyu roared with laughter, as though he had heard a joke. "What decent boss could a bunch of working students like you possibly have? Don't tell me it's this little girl who still smells of milk?"
His lackeys joined in the jeering laughter.
Xiao Wu's little face reddened with anger. Just as she was about to erupt, something suddenly occurred to her. Her eyes darted, and she looked back at Ling Feng. "Boss, they're insulting you!"
That call of "boss" rang out crisp and loud. Everyone followed her gaze toward Ling Feng, who was slowly approaching.
Xiao Chenyu looked Ling Feng up and down. Seeing that he was young and ordinarily dressed, with nothing particularly remarkable about him aside from a somewhat composed bearing, he sneered. "This is your boss? He doesn't look like much!"
Ling Feng ignored his mockery and simply asked calmly, "You're Xiao Chenyu?"
Xiao Chenyu raised his head proudly. "That's right! The city lord's son, a sixth-year at Nuoding Academy, and a level-12, one-ring Battle Soul Master! What, scared?"
As he spoke, he deliberately released his Soul Power. A white Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet, and with Martial Soul Possession, his hands transformed into wolf claws, his presence aggressive.
The watching working students paled and instinctively retreated several steps.
Xiao Wu merely curled her lips and muttered, "Only level 12. What's he so arrogant about..."
Watching Xiao Chenyu swagger and flaunt his power, Ling Feng sighed softly.
He had not wanted to bully a child, but since the other party had provoked him first...
"One move," he suddenly said.
Xiao Chenyu froze. "What?"
Ling Feng said evenly, "One move is all I need to deal with you."