"What?!"
Hearing that, the young man and Teacher Zhao both froze.
Wait, how had that work-study student become the boss of Dorm Six?
Was that even possible?
"It's absolutely true! We even saved the best bed in the dorm for the boss!" Liu Long and Zhang Jian pointed at the bed by the window and hurriedly added.
The young man and Teacher Zhao were even more bewildered. Judging by everyone's expressions, they didn't seem to be making it up.
"Can he do magic?" Teacher Zhao turned to the young man beside him.
The young man looked both awkward and curious. "I'd like to know too."
But stormy waves surged in their hearts. Xiao Chenyu and the other children came from extraordinary backgrounds and were unruly by nature. Without genuine ability, it would have been impossible to earn their recognition. Both men were full of questions.
Meanwhile, Han Qiu strolled to the cafeteria entrance, where he happened to run into Tang San.
A pretty, lively girl stood beside Tang San. Her fair skin had a rosy tint and a healthy glow. She was dressed plainly but neatly, and her long black hair was woven into a long scorpion braid that hung down to her hips. She was speaking quietly with Tang San. Several students from Dorm Seven followed behind them.
"Han Qiu!" Tang San smiled and waved when he saw Han Qiu approaching.
His call drew the girl's gaze to Han Qiu as well.
Han Qiu looked at the lively girl before him and thought to himself that she should be Xiao Wu. She really was still very young.
He had read the original Douluo novel and watched the anime in his previous life. To be honest, he hadn't had many thoughts about Xiao Wu.
The reason was simple: he preferred the mature type. Whatever others might say about being a Cao thief, Xiao Wu wasn't his type.
Han Qiu shook his head slightly. There were plenty of other beautiful women on the Douluo Continent. He had no need to steal Little San's wife.
"You're Han Qiu?" Xiao Wu stared at Han Qiu with her big, bright eyes. "Little San mentioned you to me. He said you were from the same village. I beat him, and he said there was someone even stronger than him named Han Qiu. That must be you!"
Tang San stood to the side, embarrassment spreading across his face.
"That's me." Han Qiu nodded slightly.
"Then I want to have a match with you after we eat!" Xiao Wu lifted her little face and made the suggestion with a grin.
Han Qiu shook his head. "I don't want to fight you."
He knew Xiao Wu's true form was a Soft Bone Rabbit. The girl had always loved a fight and had often sought Tang San out to spar. But he really had no interest in indulging her.
"Why?" Xiao Wu froze, then snorted. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a girl like me?"
"I'm not afraid," Han Qiu said calmly. "It's just that you can't beat me."
Tang San hurriedly tried to persuade her. "Xiao Wu, Han Qiu really is strong. You really can't beat him."
But his words only stirred Xiao Wu's competitive spirit, making her even less willing to accept it.
"We haven't even fought yet. How can you be so sure? I don't care! I've already challenged you myself, Han Qiu. You have to fight me!"
Children were competitive by nature. Even Tang San, who had an adult soul hidden within him, was just as unwilling to admit defeat.
[Ding! Faced with a challenge from Douluo's female lead, the Choice System has activated.] [Choice one: agree to spar with Xiao Wu right now and receive the lightness skill Eight Steps to Catch a Cicada.] [Choice two: refuse to spar with Xiao Wu and loudly tell her she is not worthy. Reward: Xiao Wu's hatred buff.] [Choice three: accept Xiao Wu's challenge, but spar only after obtaining Soul Rings. Reward: the lightness skill Ripple Steps.]
Hatred buff? Heh, only a fool would want that.
As for Eight Steps to Catch a Cicada and Ripple Steps, Ripple Steps seems more handsome. It's hard to say how strong it is, but being handsome is a lifelong affair.
I choose three.
Han Qiu smiled. "All right. Once we both have Soul Rings, we'll have our match."
"It's a deal!" Xiao Wu's eyes lit up at once. She had Innate Full Soul Power, and she had heard that Han Qiu did too. Once they got their Soul Rings...
"Let's eat first." Han Qiu rubbed his stomach, interrupting her thoughts.
With the agreement settled, the group entered the cafeteria and enjoyed a fairly substantial lunch. Partway through the meal, Grandmaster came over specifically to see Tang San, drawing glances from the work-study students of Dorm Seven. Grandmaster was quite well known at Nuoding Academy.
"Tang San, did you really take Grandmaster as your teacher?" The work-study student Wang Sheng couldn't help speaking up. "You'd better think it over carefully. Grandmaster's Soul Power is only level twenty-nine, and his Martial Soul is very weak. He's nearly fifty and still hasn't managed to break through to Soul Grandmaster. I'm afraid he'll never have another chance in this life. He can only stay at the academy because of his friendship with the dean. There's no future in following him."
"Shut up!" Tang San's gaze turned cold as he looked at Wang Sheng. "If you dare slander him like that again, I won't go easy on you."
With that, Tang San stood up and left the cafeteria alone.
Han Qiu shook his head slightly at the sight. These work-study students were ordinary people, not transmigrators, and they didn't know Yu Xiaogang's true identity. It was hardly surprising that they would say such things.
Only Xiao Wu watched Tang San's retreating figure with sparkling eyes, full of anticipation.
After lunch, Han Qiu went alone to the academy library, intending to systematically consult its books and records on Soul Beasts.
He spent the entire day in the library, forgetting food and sleep as he read through the records. Nuoding Academy's collection was limited, and its accounts were brief. Naturally, it was nowhere near as thorough and extensive as Grandmaster's knowledge. There was no helping it, given Grandmaster's identity.
The young master of the Purple Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, Pope Bibi Dong's former white moonlight.
But for Han Qiu, it was enough. He didn't need to master every detail. He only needed to learn the types and habits of various Soul Beasts and their approximate age ranges to support his plan.
The night passed in the blink of an eye.
Early the next morning, Tang San left Nuoding Academy with Grandmaster.
Han Qiu knew perfectly well that the two were surely headed to the Martial Soul Forest, four hundred li northeast of Nuoding City.
It was an area where the empire kept Soul Beasts in captivity, and the best place for novice Soul Masters to obtain their First Soul Rings.
Clearly, Grandmaster intended to personally accompany Tang San to hunt a Soul Beast and help him condense the first Soul Ring of his life.
Han Qiu also had Innate Full Soul Power. He had already made plans, so he immediately set off to find Director Su.
In the academic affairs office, Director Su was bent over a student roster. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and was slightly startled to see Han Qiu enter.
"Han Qiu? What brings you here? Nothing's gone wrong over in Dorm Six, has it?" Recalling the commotion from Dorm Six yesterday, Director Su still felt a lingering apprehension. He had never expected this work-study student to bring Xiao Chenyu and the other noble children so completely to heel.
"Director Su, I'd like to apply to go to the Martial Soul Forest and hunt for my First Soul Ring," Han Qiu said, getting straight to the point.
The pen in Director Su's hand fell onto the desk with a tap. His eyes widened. "You want to go to the Martial Soul Forest? No!"
He waved his hands repeatedly and urged in a grave voice, "The Martial Soul Forest is dangerous. Even the Soul Beasts on its outskirts aren't something an ordinary child can handle. Tang San has Grandmaster accompanying him, and Grandmaster is experienced. But what about you? The academy can't arrange for a teacher to accompany you inside. Besides, you've only just awakened your Martial Soul and don't have any actual combat experience. It's too dangerous to rush into the mountains!"