To join the Tang Sect or not-that was the question.
Xue Chen had no fondness whatsoever for the Tang Sect, an organization founded by God King Tang.
But in the era of the Peerless Tang Sect, the entire continent was under God King Tang's control.
Although he did not know whether God King Tang had noticed a transmigrator like him, joining the Tang Sect was undoubtedly an excellent means of self-preservation.
If he joined the Tang Sect, surely God King Tang could not attack him anymore?
As for how to turn the Tang Sect into his own organization afterward, he would have to put some serious work into Tang Ya.
If necessary, a handsome-man stratagem was not out of the question.
"I'm asking you a question!"
Seeing Xue Chen merely standing there in a daze, Wang Dong reached out and pushed him, a fierce expression on her face.
"Are you joining the Tang Sect or not?"
"Since you've joined, I'll join the Tang Sect too."
Having made his decision, Xue Chen nodded and agreed without hesitation.
"What does my joining have to do with you?"
Wang Dong huffed, but inwardly, she felt rather pleased.
"Junior Xue Chen, you're willing to join the Tang Sect too?"
Tang Ya strode to Xue Chen's side and gripped both his hands tightly.
Her hands were warm and soft, with a slight tremble and a clamminess from sweat.
"Senior Tang Ya, I grew up listening to stories about the Tang Sect too. I'm willing to do my part for it."
Xue Chen clasped Tang Ya's hands in return, putting on a look of righteous indignation.
"That Iron Blood Sect? Once I'm stronger, I'll personally wipe out that entire sect for its outrageous audacity and avenge the Tang Sect disciples who died at its hands!"
"Junior Xue Chen!"
A flicker of emotion crossed Tang Ya's eyes, and an immense fondness suddenly welled up in her heart for this exceptionally handsome junior before her.
Even Bei Bei had never made her such a promise.
Watching their tightly clasped hands from the side, Bei Bei's expression grew increasingly unpleasant, and he could not help speaking up:
"Even if the Iron Blood Sect is guilty, only its sect master and a few elders are guilty... wouldn't wiping out the whole sect be going a little too far?"
What a great, glorious, and righteous eldest senior brother Bei Bei was. For an instant, Xue Chen almost thought God King Tang had descended into the world.
"Senior Bei Bei, weren't the Tang Sect disciples who died at the Iron Blood Sect's hands innocent?"
Xue Chen shook his head.
"No matter what, this blood debt falls on the entire Iron Blood Sect."
"But..."
Bei Bei wanted to say more, but Tang Chen suddenly spoke up and interrupted him.
"It's still a little early to discuss these matters. Let's not talk about this today. Let's just welcome our two juniors, Xue Chen and Wang Dong, into the Tang Sect!"
Tang Ya had a blood feud with the Iron Blood Sect for wiping out her sect, so naturally, she had no desire to hear Bei Bei's bullshit about innocent ordinary disciples.
Bei Bei's expression was rather unpleasant, but he said nothing more.
[Congratulations to the host for successfully registering and activating A-rank goddess: Tang Ya!] [Congratulations to the host for obtaining the activation reward: Severed Contract Talisman!] [Severed Contract Talisman: Write the names of two Soul Masters using spiritual power. Thereafter, the two will no longer be able to perform any two-person Martial Soul Fusion Skills or resonate their Soul Power.]
This thing is a bit of a chicken rib!
Hearing the long-absent system notifications in his mind, Xue Chen immediately turned his gaze to Wang Dong beside him.
Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao were not sharing a dorm room now, so the two had not had much intimate contact as they had in the original story.
Naturally, they did not know that they possessed numerous Martial Soul Fusion Skills, or even that their Soul Power could merge.
Looks like this thing was prepared specifically for Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
A strange grin appeared on Xue Chen's face.
Without his Martial Soul Fusion Skills with Wang Dong, whether Huo Yuhao could make a stunning debut in the freshman assessment three months later was truly hard to say.
"The grilled fish is ready. Help yourselves, everyone!"
Just then, Huo Yuhao finally finished grilling several black carp and brought them to the table.
"Yuhao, Juniors Xue Chen and Wang Dong have both joined the Tang Sect. From now on, they're members of the Tang Sect just like you."
Seeing Huo Yuhao approach, Tang Ya introduced them with a smile.
"Huh?"
Huo Yuhao froze for a moment, then forced a strained smile onto his face.
"Welcome to the Tang Sect, Wang Dong and Xue Chen..."
"We're all Tang Sect members now. I'll have your back in Class One!"
Wang Dong patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder and spoke with the air of an old hand.
Huo Yuhao nodded, but a trace of complicated emotion welled up within him.
Compared with Wang Dong and Xue Chen's strength and exceptional talent, he seemed to be nothing more than the Tang Sect's cook.
"Give it a try, everyone. Yuhao's grilled fish is delicious."
Tang Ya clapped her hands and addressed them.
Wang Dong did not stand on ceremony. She reached out, picked up a skewer of grilled fish, blew on it twice, and began taking small bites.
"The taste... munch, munch... it's pretty good... munch, munch."
A trace of surprise appeared on Wang Dong's face. Then she looked at Xue Chen and mumbled:
"But... munch, munch... when it comes to grilling, it still can't compare to that bastard Xue Chen... munch, munch."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, Tang Ya glanced at Xue Chen in surprise.
"Junior Xue Chen, you know how to grill too?"
Before Xue Chen could speak, Wang Dong swallowed the grilled fish in her mouth and answered first:
"Although he's an irredeemable bastard, his grilling skills really are beyond reproach."
As she spoke, Wang Dong seemed to recall the barbecue that day and could not help swallowing.
"I'm so sorry for being such a bastard!"
Xue Chen glared at Wang Dong and said irritably:
"Even food can't plug your mouth!"
"Junior Xue Chen, why don't you show us what you can do too?"
Tang Ya's eyes instantly lit up, and anticipation appeared on her face.
"Everything's ready anyway. Why not let us try your cooking too?"
Tang Ya had few hobbies; she simply loved good food.
Otherwise, she would not have taken Huo Yuhao into the Tang Sect over a serving of grilled fish.
Xue Chen did not answer immediately, instead glancing at Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao stood beside the grill, still clutching the tongs, his expression a little stiff.
Tang Ya had asked someone else to take over right in front of him. Anyone would have felt uncomfortable about that.
Looking somewhat troubled, Xue Chen said:
"That wouldn't be very appropriate, would it? This place was prepared for Yuhao, after all."
"It's fine, it's fine!"
Tang Ya waved her hand enthusiastically.
"Yuhao, let Junior Xue Chen give it a try?"
"We're all Tang Sect members anyway. Just think of it as comparing cooking skills."
The corner of Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched, but he still stepped aside.
"Then you do it."
Seeing this, Xue Chen could only walk up to the grill. He reached out and hefted one of the black carp Huo Yuhao had already prepared, inwardly nodding.
Leaving his cooking skills aside, Huo Yuhao had cleaned these black carp quite thoroughly.
"Excuse me..."
Just as Xue Chen was about to begin, a gentle voice suddenly sounded in front of the barbecue stall.
"Is this grilled fish for sale?"