Even Rats Have Skin, Yet Men Have No Decorum (Part 1)

Xu Sanshi forced out a smile uglier than a cry as the absurd image of the four-ringed Six-Winged Angel beating up the six-ringed Evil Fire Phoenix that night flashed through his mind.

"B-Big Brother, is there any chance this is all a misunderstanding?"

With death at his doorstep, he tried to save himself.

"Is that so?"

Ling Bai calmly snatched the grilled fish clenched tightly in the guy's hand and handed it to Han Ruoruo. After tossing a Gold Soul Coin to Huo Yuhao, he looked leisurely at Xu Sanshi.

"I'll give you three sentences to defend yourself. You'd better pray that you can convince me. Otherwise, we'll settle old and new scores together. Whatever soul skill Ma Xiaotao took from me, your chrysanthemum will take it all over again, exactly as it was."

Whenever Ling Bai remembered Xu Sanshi's earth-shaking, ghost-wailing cries in the middle of the night, his teeth itched. If not for Xu Sanshi disturbing his rest, he would never have needed to battle Ma Xiaotao through the night.

Xu Sanshi, one of the Twin Stars of the outer academy, was lifted into the air by the back of his clothes like a chick by a red-robed inner academy student who looked even younger than him—and was even threatened with having his chrysanthemum bloom.

The surrounding Shrek Outer Academy students all fell silent. They were obedient as quails, not daring to say an extra word or even breathe too loudly, afraid that Ling Bai's free left hand would seize them by the back of the neck.

As the other victim of the incident, Huo Yuhao saw Xu Sanshi's sorry state and felt a flash of satisfaction. Although Xu Sanshi had paid ten times the price, his act of forcibly taking something through sheer strength had still angered him. No matter why Ling Bai had stepped in, Huo Yuhao was sincerely grateful to him.

Han Ruoruo took small bites of the grilled fish, amusement gleaming in her lowered eyes. She knew Ling Bai had a sense of proportion and would not go too far. At the same time, she was happy for Ling Bai to teach Xu Sanshi a lesson, thoroughly preventing him from ever again committing such vile acts of bullying the weak with his strength.

Xu Sanshi froze at those words, then blurted out, "Huh? Only three sentences?"

"Now it's two."

Ling Bai smiled as he patted Xu Sanshi's head. That incomparably warm and friendly smile, however, filled Xu Sanshi with the terror of a faint ache in his chrysanthemum.

"Big Brother, I was wrong!"

In the face of danger, Xu Sanshi's brain erupted with unprecedented activity. Since he had cut in line and snatched Ling Bai's grilled fish, stubbornly refusing to admit fault would only leave him with a ruined chrysanthemum and a battered ass. He decisively chose to admit his mistake first.

"I know."

Ling Bai's expression and tone were devoid of joy or sorrow, and Xu Sanshi could not fathom what he was thinking at all.

His brain's CPU burned frantically. Xu Sanshi knew that his next sentence was his last chance. If he failed to move Ling Bai, Myriad Bladed Radiance would ensure that his backside remained permanently unobstructed!

"Big Brother, I..."

Facing Ling Bai's deep gaze, Xu Sanshi's voice trembled so badly that he could barely speak. Then, in a flash of inspiration—

"I'll compensate you!"

"Oh? With what?"

Feeling that there might still be hope, Xu Sanshi swept a hand across the Storage Soul Tool at his waist and took out a crystalline white jade bottle. Smiling ingratiatingly, he said,

"Big Brother, this is the Mystic Water Pill, an exclusive medicinal pill of our Mystic Tortoise Sect. Both that night and today were my fault. Please accept this token as a small compensation!"

Ling Bai flicked open the stopper. Inside lay a deep-blue pill the size of a cherry, its surface crisscrossed with countless white patterns. A faint layer of watery mist surrounded it, and a refreshing fragrance drifted out, soothing the heart and mind.

"Not bad. Our matter is settled."

When he felt Ling Bai's grip begin to loosen, Xu Sanshi heaved a sigh of relief. But before he could rejoice for more than a few seconds, Ling Bai suddenly changed the subject.

"But you disturbed my Senior Sister's mood. Sigh..."

His voice abruptly stopped as Ling Bai revealed just the right amount of difficulty.

"Senior Sister?!"

Xu Sanshi glanced from the corner of his eye at Han Ruoruo, who was focused on savoring Little Huo Grilled Fish. His facial muscles twitched slightly, and he gritted his teeth as he respectfully offered up another Mystic Water Pill with both hands.

"You've really spent a lot."

Having extorted two Mystic Water Pills, Ling Bai smiled in satisfaction. Not only did he put Xu Sanshi down, he even thoughtfully brushed the dust from his shoulder.

"Oh, come on, how could your little brother possibly deserve this!"

Xu Sanshi demonstrated a man's ability to bend and stretch. On the surface, he lowered his brows and smiled ingratiatingly. "Big Brother saved me from disaster that night. Two Mystic Water Pills are nothing worth mentioning. Big Brother and Senior Sister, please take care!"

Inwardly, though, he cursed: Just my damn luck. Better lose some money than suffer a disaster!

"And how many Mystic Water Pills should you compensate for bullying my little junior brother/my little disciple?"

Just as Ling Bai and Han Ruoruo were preparing to leave, two furious voices suddenly joined in. A man and a woman pushed through the crowd. Frost and anger covered both their faces—it was Bei Bei and Tang Ya.

Bei Bei went straight to the point. "Xu Sanshi, you bullied my little junior brother. You must give me an explanation!"

Xu Sanshi frowned slightly and pointed at Huo Yuhao. "This kid is from your Tang Sect?"

"My newly accepted little disciple!"

Tang Ya had always been protective of her own. She sneered, "Xu Sanshi, forcibly taking things in broad daylight—how could you do something so shameless?"

"I paid for it!" Xu Sanshi retorted.

Bei Bei gave a scornful laugh. "Enough nonsense. Hand over a Mystic Water Pill, or we'll settle this in the Soul Arena!"

Xu Sanshi curled his lip. "Fine, let's go!"

He had seen Ling Bai's terrifying strength and had been forced to yield, but he and Bei Bei were both known as the Twin Stars of the outer academy. He was not afraid of Bei Bei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!

After saying that, Xu Sanshi walked over to Jiang Nannan, who had remained silent the entire time. Every expression on his face turned into water-like tenderness as he said, "Nannan, I'm going to the Soul Arena with Bei Bei. Come cheer for me, okay?"

"Why should I?"

Jiang Nannan took a step back, her icy tone enough to freeze someone into a statue. Yet Xu Sanshi continued pressing his warm face against her cold backside, moving closer with a wronged expression.

"I did it all for you, Nannan! I bought grilled fish and got cheated out of two Mystic Water Pills, and now I'm about to fight Bei Bei tooth and nail. Nannan, can you really bear it?"

"You deserve it. Stop bothering me!"

Jiang Nannan showed no mercy. With a toss of her long hair, she left Xu Sanshi only her graceful retreating figure.

"Nannan, no!!!"

Xu Sanshi threw back his head and roared, as though snowflakes were falling all around him.

"You're so dramatic. Hurry up and move!"

Bei Bei grabbed Xu Sanshi and forcibly dragged him toward the Soul Arena.

Behind them, Tang Ya brought Huo Yuhao over to thank Ling Bai. "Ling Bai, if you and Senior Sister hadn't stood up for justice today, Yuhao's grilled fish would have been forcibly snatched by that Xu Sanshi!"

Huo Yuhao tightly twisted his hands together and stammered, "Th-thank you, B-Brother Ling."

He had always been wary of Ling Bai. Even on the journey to Shrek Academy together, he had deliberately avoided him. He had never expected Ling Bai to be willing to help when he was in danger.

Ling Bai and Han Ruoruo exchanged a smile. "It was nothing. No need to be so polite. Come along. Let's go watch the two of them fight."