"Xiao Hao, you're still too young!" Ning Rongrong warned fiercely, then actually grabbed Zhu Zhuqing and ran off.
"?" Ning Yuhao slowly produced a question mark.
"Wait... it's one thing for you to leave, but why drag Zhu Zhuqing away too?" Ning Yuhao was somewhat speechless, but he could hardly call out to stop them. After all, Ning Rongrong had yet to finish venting her anger, and he might end up drawing the fire onto himself.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji called after the two girls, "Girls, don't forget to come to tonight's welcome banquet!"
Zhao Wuji clapped his hands. "All right, welcome once again to Shrek Academy! Tonight, we'll go have a proper feast-a welcome banquet."
"Oscar!" At Zhao Wuji's shout, the little cart and the bearded young man slowly made their way over.
"Teacher Zhao, what is it?"
"They all passed the test, so you'll be classmates from now on. Take them to get some rest. There'll be a welcome party tonight."
"A welcome party?!" Oscar's voice seemed to warp with surprise, turning somewhat shrill. "The sun must be rising in the west! Since when do we have welcome parties?!"
Zhao Wuji looked at Oscar with some amusement. "Look at you. We have a student with twin martial souls this year. What's wrong with throwing a welcome party? Never mind that the dean isn't here-even if he were, he'd agree to hold it."
With Oscar leading the way, they headed to the dormitories to rest first. As they left, a shadowy figure hid in a corner where no one could see him, muttering to himself, "Twin martial souls again. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Hopefully those two won't come over, or Xiao San's soul ring and soul bone will probably go up in smoke."
Along the way, Tang San kept his brows tightly furrowed, glancing at his hands from time to time. Of course he knew how rare twin martial souls were. He had never expected to encounter another soul master with twin martial souls today. He watched Ning Yuhao receive all kinds of goodwill and preferential treatment because of his twin martial souls, everyone's attention gathering on Ning Yuhao.
Tang San was also wondering whether he should reveal that he, too, had twin martial souls.
Naturally, Xiao Wu could also tell that something was weighing on Tang San's mind. Once they reached the dormitory, she shut the door and asked worriedly, "Brother, what's wrong? Are you unhappy? We passed the test."
Tang San opened his mouth to say something, but then shook his head. "It's nothing."
Concern filled Xiao Wu's face as she stepped forward and hugged Tang San. "Brother, your brows are pinched tight enough to crush a fly, and you're still saying it's nothing."
Xiao Wu's remark made Tang San laugh too. He hugged her back and said into her ear, "It's really nothing. I just didn't expect that person to have twin martial souls too."
Although Xiao Wu was a little foolish, what little intelligence she had was all spent on Tang San, so she understood what was going on. "Oh, come on! Brother, don't you have twin martial souls too? And you have innate full soul power. You're definitely stronger than him! Don't worry!"
Despite Xiao Wu's rather clumsy attempts at comfort, warmth still filled Tang San's heart. After all, Xiao Wu was the only person in this world who treated him with complete sincerity.
Actually, Yu Xiaogang had originally counted too, but Ning Yuhao's soul ring configuration had planted a sliver of doubt about Yu Xiaogang in his mind, so he had tossed him out.
"It's all right. I'm different from him. Father told me that I have to hide the fact that I have twin martial souls." Tang San had already come to terms with it somewhat. He would remain in the shadows, work hard in secret, then amaze everyone.
That evening's welcome banquet was held at the largest restaurant in White Tiger Village. They booked two private rooms outright, which were connected in the middle. Zhao Wuji and the other teachers sat in one, while Ning Yuhao and the other students sat in the other.
Li Yusong, the old man who had handled registration at the entrance, now held a small wine cup in one hand and picked up steaming meat dishes with the other, his face flushed red from drinking. "Hahaha! To think that after all these years, I'd still get to eat such a fine meal on the academy's tab!"
Zhao Wuji's face was also slightly flushed from drinking, but his mind remained quite clear. "Hehehe, we've recruited quite a few 'little monsters' this year. Even if Flender came over, he'd have to celebrate properly with us."
By comparison, the atmosphere at Ning Yuhao's table was not quite so lively. After all, none of them drank, so naturally, their conversation remained fairly proper, and their dining fairly refined.
Only one person was different. After they had introduced themselves and taken their seats, he had practically not said a word, simply maintaining his cool as he devoured the food. A great many empty plates had already piled up beside him, and Dai Mubai had ordered more dishes twice.
Eventually, Dai Mubai could no longer stand it and gave him a pat. "Fatty, mind yourself. Don't act like you've never eaten before."
Then he apologized to the others, looking somewhat embarrassed. "That's just how Fatty is. His martial soul is a little unusual. It's called the Evil Fire Phoenix, and eating can ease his evil fire a little."
Ning Yuhao waved a hand. "It's fine. If it's not enough, just order more. The academy's paying anyway, isn't it? Of course we should eat well."
Then Ning Yuhao called loudly, "Waiter, bring us two more pork knuckles!" Since he was not spending his own Gold Soul Coins, Ning Yuhao did not feel the slightest pang.
"Here, Xiao Hao, have some of this." Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong sat on either side of Ning Yuhao. A faint smile now lingered on Zhu Zhuqing's normally cool face, and she kept putting food on his plate from time to time. If Ning Yuhao did not eat it, she would stare at him until he did, only then nodding in satisfaction.
Ning Rongrong, meanwhile, occasionally snatched food straight from Ning Yuhao's plate, saying, "Oh, Xiao Hao's had enough already. I'll have some too."
Fortunately, Ning Yuhao had powerful spiritual power and remained as unmoving as a mountain.
But as they continued eating, Ning Rongrong noticed something amiss. "Xiao Hao, what's wrong? Why do you keep holding your stomach with your left hand?"
Hearing this, Ning Yuhao gave a start and drew his hand back a little. He brought his left hand onto the table and waved it. "Nothing, nothing. I just had it resting there."
Seeing Ning Yuhao looking so flustered made Ning Rongrong even more suspicious, but Zhu Zhuqing let out a soft laugh instead. Previously, she had only been using her right hand to put food on Ning Yuhao's plate; now, she brought both hands out, and even insisted on feeding him.
Ning Rongrong tilted her head to look at Ning Yuhao and Zhu Zhuqing. "I keep feeling like you two are hiding something from me."
"We're not!" Ning Yuhao replied.
Zhu Zhuqing merely smiled without speaking.
Meanwhile, Tang San had been enduring Xiao Wu's assault on the flesh at his waist. Her eyes shone as she stared at Ning Yuhao and the two girls. Watching Zhu Zhuqing's movements beside him, she occasionally muttered things like, "How nice," and, "Look at them," leaving Tang San somewhat at a loss as well.
Tang San: You haven't put any food on my plate either!
Xiao Wu: Then can't you feed me?!