The morning mist had yet to disperse, but people were already coming and going outside the bronze gates of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
It was the start of another school year. With the month-long holiday over, the academy had regained its usual bustle.
"Class monitor!"
"Class monitor!"
After Kong Xuan entered the dormitory building, calls like these rose one after another, different voices mingling in the corridor.
Kong Xuan nodded instinctively in acknowledgment.
Over the course of a semester, Kong Xuan had won over every student in his class with his strength and personal charisma.
Every call of "class monitor" contained not a trace of empty flattery, only heartfelt respect.
When he reached the door marked 1006, he found it ajar, with the sound of someone rummaging through chests and cupboards coming from inside.
He pushed open the door to find Xu Wei sticking his backside out as he searched for something.
Hearing the door open, Xu Wei looked toward the entrance, excitement spreading across his face. "Brother Xuan, you're finally back!"
Xu Wei spread his arms and dashed toward Kong Xuan.
He was still wearing his academy uniform, with a few strands of hair clinging to the sweat at his temples, and was about to crash into Kong Xuan's arms.
Almost reflexively, Kong Xuan extended an arm and planted his palm firmly against Xu Wei's chest, his fingertips feeling the rise and fall of Xu Wei's excited breathing.
He was not used to hugging other men.
Seeing that Kong Xuan had no intention of getting "close," Xu Wei stopped trying and immediately lowered his hands.
With the "danger" averted, Kong Xuan looked at him and asked, "How was your holiday?"
Xu Wei stepped aside to let Kong Xuan in, then went over to sit on his bed. "Brother Xuan, let me tell you, staying at the academy was the right choice. Teacher stayed here the whole time too."
Kong Xuan knew that the teacher he meant was their homeroom teacher, Ren Jun.
As a teacher recruited from Shrek to Sun Moon, Ren Jun had no family here. If he did not stay at the academy, it really was hard to imagine where else he could go.
Xu Wei continued, "After the holiday started, I noticed that several of our classmates were still at the academy, so I got them together and we went to see Teacher."
"Teacher didn't let me down either. He agreed to our request right away and promised to guide our cultivation over the holiday."
"So this past month was practically another month of classes for me."
A confident smile appeared on Xu Wei's face, and his eyes seemed full of anticipation for the future.
"Now I feel terrifyingly strong. When I run into Old Xu, I'm definitely going to give him a thrashing this time!"
Kong Xuan offered little comment on Xu Wei's bold declaration. He merely felt that he would have a good show to watch later.
There were not many people in the cafeteria at noon, and the four sat around a square metal table in a corner.
Although they had not agreed on when to return, all four members of their team had arrived that morning, so they had arranged to have lunch together.
Steam rose from the blazing spirit rhinoceros beef soup in a golden haze, while the rich flavor of hundred-year earth dragon tendon filled their mouths...
Of course, a meal still needed a balance of meat and vegetables, and the refreshing spirit plant herb medley was enough to cut through the richness.
It was just as well that the Soul Master class had its own cafeteria. Had they shared one with the Soul Tool Department, those Soul Engineers might have died of envy and jealousy.
The dishes in the Soul Master class's cafeteria were far from cheap. Every one of them was highly nourishing.
Even if the students did not cultivate seriously, simply eating these things every day might have been enough to raise their Soul Power by one rank in a semester.
"Brother Xu, that older brother of yours didn't give you any trouble over the holiday, did he?"
Xu Wei set down his chopsticks and took a sip of soup.
Xu Tianyi still wore that same icy, lifeless expression. After a moment's thought, he said, "He wanted to spar with me, but I refused."
Bang!
Xu Wei slapped the table and said to Xu Tianyi, "That's the way! He's older than you, and his cultivation is higher too. What's there to spar about? I think he just wanted to use sparring as an excuse to hurt you."
Xu Tianyi shook his head. "He wouldn't dare go too far at home."
"Even if he wouldn't dare hit you too hard, he could still beat you up, couldn't he?"
Xu Tianyi said nothing more to that, tacitly agreeing.
It was only because Kong Xuan's influence had changed him somewhat. With his previous personality, he would never have refused his older brother's "challenge." After all, things like that had happened plenty of times before.
Xu Wei drained his bowl of soup and let out a satisfied burp. "If you ask me, sparring should be between people with similar strength, like us."
As he spoke, he stared at Xu Tianyi, his eyes gleaming with eagerness.
"What do you say, Brother Xu? Now that our holiday cultivation is over, shall we test the results?"
Xu Tianyi said expressionlessly, "You seem very confident."
"Of course!" With a hint of provocation in his eyes, Xu Wei said, "Just tell me whether you dare!"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Xu Tianyi had never backed down from a fight!
Besides, he also wanted to see just how much Xu Wei's strength had improved over the holiday.
Kong Ling had finished eating by then too, and chimed in, "Count me in! Count me in!"
Kong Xuan looked at them and smiled. "Since everyone wants to test their strength, let's head straight to the Soul Fighting Arena."
After lunch, all four headed to the Soul Fighting Arena.
With exactly the right number of people, they easily secured the use of a small fighting arena.
Inside the Soul Fighting Arena, Xu Wei rubbed his fists and flexed his hands as he looked at Xu Tianyi.
In his eyes, Xu Tianyi was his only opponent.
Xu Wei was certain that he could never beat their class monitor, Kong Xuan. As for Kong Ling, although her Soul Power was higher, he still had some confidence. After all, she did not counter him as thoroughly as Xu Tianyi did, and her close-combat ability was not as strong, though her defense was just as high.
It was just that Xu Wei felt a little awkward about attacking a girl, and he was also afraid that beating up the younger sister would bring the older brother down on him.
Xu Tianyi loosened up his limbs. He naturally knew how troublesome Xu Wei was to deal with, but he had also thought of many ways to counter him. This was the perfect chance to test them.
Kong Xuan stood to one side, looking ready to enjoy the show.
Just as the two were about to agree to begin, Kong Ling suddenly spoke.
"Hold on, you two!"
Xu Tianyi and Xu Wei both turned toward Kong Ling, their gazes questioning.
Kong Ling lifted her little head, looking at the two with a mysterious air.
Only when the two could no longer resist wanting to ask did Kong Ling finally speak. "I'm already a two-ring Soul Grandmaster!"
Kong Ling had thought that, once she said this, Xu Tianyi and Xu Wei would at least look shocked.
Unexpectedly, neither of their expressions changed much, as though they had known about it all along.
Thoroughly dissatisfied with their reactions, Kong Ling immediately said, "Hey! What's with you two? Aren't you surprised at all?"
Xu Wei spread his hands. "What's so surprising about that? Sister Ling, your Soul Power was already at rank twenty when the holiday started. It's perfectly normal for you to have obtained a Soul Ring over the holiday."
Xu Tianyi nodded, expressing his agreement with Xu Wei.
Children Kong Ling's age were inevitably a little competitive and vain.
Her thinking was simple. As the second person in their team to become a Soul Grandmaster, she would have been satisfied just to see her friends' surprised expressions.
She had never expected that even such a "small request" would go unfulfilled!
"Hmph!"
Kong Ling snorted. "I'm a Soul Grandmaster now, so my strength has improved the most."
"Next, let's have a fight. Both of you, come at me together!"