Early the next morning, Xiao Yan opened his eyes. A glimmer seemed to flash through them, and he looked much more refreshed.
Xiao Yan turned around and saw Oscar still sleeping in. Rather than disturb him, he opened the door and stepped outside.
"Little San, I knew you'd be up early."
After stepping outside, Xiao Yan spotted Tang San beneath a large tree not far away. He had already finished cultivating.
Having spent six years together day and night, Xiao Yan knew that Tang San got up early to cultivate every morning. It seemed to have something to do with the eye technique he cultivated.
"Senior Brother."
A hint of purple flashed through Tang San's eyes. He stood and nodded to Xiao Yan.
"I've just finished cultivating too. I was planning to retrieve the hidden weapons I fired yesterday first."
"Perfect. I've got nothing to do right now, so I'll come with you," Xiao Yan said. The two went to the grounds where they had fought Zhao Wuji the day before and recovered Tang San's hidden weapons one by one.
To Tang San, these hidden weapons were the entirety of what he had painstakingly accumulated over six years. Xiao Yan and the others had even accompanied him when he obtained many of the materials.
Fortunately, both had excellent memories, and with the traces the hidden weapons had left around the grounds to guide them, they managed to retrieve nearly all of them.
"Your hidden weapon techniques truly defy the understanding of gods and ghosts."
Xiao Yan handed the hidden weapons he had collected to Tang San and spoke in admiration.
"Your use of Soul Power is just as unique, Senior Brother," Tang San said with a soft laugh. He was referring to the Dou Techniques Xiao Yan had always used, though here in the Douluo World, everyone merely assumed they were a special application of Soul Power.
After collecting the hidden weapons, the two planned to call Xiao Wu and go out for something to eat together.
When they reached the girls' dormitory area, Tang San could not be as casual as he was when it was just the two of them, since Xiao Wu shared a room with Ning Rongrong. He could only call for Xiao Wu carefully from outside.
Fortunately, it was not long before Xiao Wu opened the door and came out. Her complexion had more or less returned to normal.
"Brother, Senior Brother!"
Xiao Wu smiled at them, and the three were just about to leave when a door opened nearby, drawing their attention. Zhu Zhuqing, dressed in black, stood inside her room and looked at them in surprise.
Zhu Zhuqing had not expected Xiao Yan and the other two to be nearby either.
"We're just going out to find somewhere to eat. Want to come?"
Xiao Yan thought about how they had entered the academy together and, what was more, had shared hardship fighting Zhao Wuji the previous day. He could not help asking.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated, then nodded gently without another word.
None of them knew where to eat, so they could only wander around the village at random. Before they knew it, they had left the academy grounds and arrived in the village proper.
Suddenly, the sound of a quarrel came from not far ahead.
"Cuihua, why are you breaking up with me?"
"Hongjun, let's break up. I... I really can't take you anymore..."
A man and a woman were pulling at each other on the road ahead of the four.
The young man was somewhat plump, with short red hair. Most striking were the two little tufts of mustache above his lips, which looked rather like a rat's whiskers. Together with his small eyes, they gave him a rather sleazy appearance.
As the woman kept pulling away, he clung to her, holding her and refusing to let go.
"Ma Hongjun, I really can't take you anymore..." The woman called Cuihua looked about seventeen or eighteen. She kept shoving Ma Hongjun as she spoke:
"Let's break up..."
"No!" Cuihua had rejected Ma Hongjun's attempts to embrace her several times. A flicker of anger rose in his eyes, and he seized one of her hands, refusing to let go. Finally, he said outright:
"Even if we're breaking up, you have to do it with me one more time!"
A lecherous gleam flashed in Ma Hongjun's eyes as he prepared to scoop Cuihua up.
"Let her go!"
The four had originally only been passing by and watching the scene, but seeing Ma Hongjun's behavior and hearing his words as he harassed and forced himself on a woman enraged Xiao Wu, a woman herself.
As soon as she spoke, she kicked a stone off the ground, sending it flying toward Ma Hongjun's wrist.
"Hm?"
Sensing Xiao Wu's attack, Ma Hongjun dodged and turned around, surprise flashing in his eyes. When his gaze fell on Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, a lustful gleam flashed in them, as if they might spurt fire:
"Haha, little beauty, do you want to be Master Ma's girlfriend? Sure, I agree. Come on!"
With that, Ma Hongjun released Cuihua and lunged to embrace Xiao Wu.
A woman of such beauty brought out the beast in Ma Hongjun, and he stared fixedly at Xiao Wu.
Seeing Ma Hongjun like that, Tang San's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness. Before Xiao Wu could act, he stepped forward, pulled her back, and said:
"Xiao Wu, get back. Let me handle him."
Tang San narrowed his eyes and fixed them on Ma Hongjun.
"Where did this little brat come from, daring to stick his nose in my business?"
Seeing Tang San step forward, Ma Hongjun's expression darkened, and he cursed at him.
"Looks like you're asking for a beating!"
Hearing the other man refer to himself as Tang San's father sent anger surging through Tang San, who had not seen his own father for years. Blue Silver Grass appeared in his hand and instantly turned into vines that wound toward Ma Hongjun.
"Phoenix Possession!"
Sensing Tang San's Soul Power, Ma Hongjun gave an angry shout, making Xiao Yan and the other two's expressions change at once.
The Phoenix Martial Soul was an exceptionally powerful Beast Martial Soul. They had not expected this rather sleazy-looking fatty to possess such a terrifying Martial Soul.
But as Ma Hongjun's shout rang out, a pair of wings appeared behind him, while the short red hair atop his head slowly drew together, looking like a cockscomb growing from his crown.
His somewhat plump body grew a little taller, and his face became considerably more handsome.
"Hahaha..."
Seeing what his so-called Phoenix Martial Soul possession looked like, Xiao Wu burst out laughing and mocked him:
"What phoenix? Isn't that just a barnyard chicken?"
Even the ever-aloof Zhu Zhuqing's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Hahaha."
Hearing Xiao Wu's description, Xiao Yan looked Ma Hongjun over and thought she was right. Rather than a phoenix, a barnyard chicken was a more fitting description of him.
"Shut up!"
Ma Hongjun, on the other hand, looked terribly grim at Xiao Wu's teasing. With an angry roar, he sent a purplish-red flame howling from his mouth, burning Tang San's Blue Silver Grass to ashes.
"Hm?"
Tang San was somewhat surprised to see this.
Watching from the side, Xiao Yan could also see that Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul was a fairly effective counter to Tang San's.
Although Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had grown much tougher thanks to the enhancement of his Soul Rings, it was still countered by this strange flame.
After all, very few plant Martial Souls could withstand fire.
"Little San, let me!"
Xiao Wu spoke and, before Tang San could stop her, charged straight at Ma Hongjun.
"Boom! Let's see Master Ma burn you to death!"
Despite his words, Ma Hongjun held back a little when he saw Xiao Wu's beautiful face. He was still dreaming that showing mercy would make her fall in love with him.