Unasked-for favors

Classes in the inner academy soon officially began. Wang Feng happened to be in the same class as that fellow You Wulong, while Su Yang was still waiting for the outer academy to open.

Classes were terribly boring for Wang Feng, mainly because he already knew everything being taught. Apart from cultivating, he hadn't been idle these past two years; he'd buried himself in books.

So he simply slept. Unless the teacher covered something he didn't understand, in which case he listened, he slept.

In just one week, Wang Feng's name spread throughout the inner academy. Everyone knew there was someone who slept in class.

"Wang Feng, get the hell out!" The slightly plump, bespectacled middle-aged teacher at the lectern suddenly flew into a rage at the sleeping Wang Feng, leaving the entire class baffled.

Everyone was used to Wang Feng sleeping, so why had the teacher suddenly done this today?

Startled, Wang Feng sat up straight. He really had been asleep! Looking at the teacher in frustration, he said, "Teacher, I already know everything you're teaching. Why should I listen?"

"Just because you know it, you think you don't have to listen?"

"Why would I?"

"Get out!"

"...Fine!" Wang Feng spread his hands helplessly, got up, and went straight out the back door.

"Bastard! Why isn't trash like that expelled? What's he still doing at the academy?" The teacher angrily pounded the desk, making the students tremble with fear.

After leaving the classroom, Wang Feng wandered around downstairs in the teaching building and happened to see the dean coming down. After hesitating for some time, Wang Feng decided to greet him.

Wang Feng approached. Just as Yu Xiaogang came down the stairs, Wang Feng hurriedly said, "Hello, Dean."

Yu Xiaogang raised his head. His expression had been pleasant enough, but it changed when he saw Wang Feng. Still, as the dean, he nodded.

Wang Feng frowned but paid it no mind. After all, he'd left a bad impression on the man! He went on, "Dean, I heard from a teacher that you're also an elder of our Spirit Hall?"

Yu Xiaogang stopped in his tracks and frowned at Wang Feng. "Hmph! Don't try to curry favor with me here. I don't care about that sort of thing."

Wang Feng was stunned and a little confused.

I'm trying to curry favor with you? Damn it, you're an elder, and I'm the Pope's disciple. Why would I need to curry favor with you?

Wang Feng almost laughed. If he hadn't thought his Soul Power was rising too slowly and wanted to ask about it, he couldn't have been bothered with the man. Yet somehow it had become an attempt to curry favor.

Wang Feng smiled and bowed. "Take care, Dean."

Hm? Now it was Yu Xiaogang's turn to be confused. He stared at Wang Feng with a frown, unable to understand what he meant for a moment.

But he couldn't be bothered to guess. He snorted and said, "Trash is trash. Instead of studying properly, you think you can become a Titled Douluo by making a few connections? Dream on!"

Wang Feng opened his mouth, only to find he didn't know what to say. He really wanted to release his three Martial Souls and two Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings and make this fellow open his eyes wide and take a good look. Those words really hurt!

"Forget it. Why get into a spat with a Soul Grandmaster who's not even level thirty?" Wang Feng smiled and shook his head. Putting it out of his mind, he turned and headed for the arena.

The arena was a dedicated venue the academy had set aside for practical classes and for students to train their strength in their spare time. Challenges for the Holy Ranking were also held there.

When Wang Feng arrived, he was surprised to find that the special class was already having a practical lesson in the arena. Qian Renxue and Hu Liena were among them.

That startled Wang Feng a little, and he suddenly understood why so many people wanted to enter the special class. The regular classes had to wait until the second half of the semester for practical lessons, while the special class already had them. That was the difference!

A lesson was underway in the arena, and the student taking part happened to be Tang San.

Wang Feng found a spot in a corner and sat down, watching the platform.

On the platform, Tang San clenched his fist and attacked the teacher. There were no tricks, just a simple punch, but it stirred the flow of Soul Power across the platform. Although Soul Power was invisible to the naked eye, Wang Feng's perception was different from that of ordinary people. Though it was only a trace, he caught it.

That was enough to show that both the power and speed of Tang San's punch had reached their peak.

"Very good!" A glimmer flashed in the teacher's eyes. As he spoke, he stepped forward, choosing to meet the blow head-on rather than dodge.

With a bang, their fists collided. Tang San was knocked backward, while the teacher stood as steady as a rock.

Their strength was mismatched, after all, but the look in the teacher's eyes was enough to show how pleased he was with Tang San's punch.

"Still, keep attacking. Everyone, remember: when facing a powerful enemy, if there is no way out, then your only way out is to defeat him! To be strong, you must have the heart of a strong person."

As soon as the teacher finished speaking, Tang San attacked again, and the teacher once more met him head-on. This might seem like it would only discourage Tang San, given the huge difference in their strength, but if Tang San's heart was as the teacher had said, it would only excite him more.

Sure enough, faced with one failure after another, Tang San struck faster and faster, varying his attacks more, yet every move was very simple and had a clear purpose.

Before long, Tang San was drenched in sweat, but he could hardly hide the joy on his face. Clearly, he had gained a great deal.

"Go and rest! Think carefully about what you've gained. Next!"

"Thank you, Teacher." Tang San bowed respectfully to the teacher, then jumped down from the platform.

The one who jumped onto the platform next was Hu Liena.

The girl's attacks were fierce, even more direct than Tang San's, probably the result of a year's training on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

She clearly couldn't compare with Tang San in strength and speed, but she still earned the teacher's approval.

"Teacher, when can we use our Martial Souls and Soul Skills? Training like this is so boring," Hu Liena suddenly asked, sounding a little eager. As far as she was concerned, she really didn't need this kind of training anymore.

The teacher smiled. "Not for a while yet. It'll be another half semester before you can use Soul Skills and Martial Souls. For now, hone your skills first. That's what's most important."

"Got it." Hu Liena nodded and jumped off the platform, but just then, she caught sight of Wang Feng sitting in the corner.

"Ah! Senior Brother, you're here!"

Hu Liena gave an excited shout, jumped straight off the platform, and ran toward Wang Feng.

Wang Feng felt a headache coming on. I'm sitting all the way over here, and you still spotted me? Did you have to give me away?

Wang Feng stood up helplessly. It looked like he couldn't stay here. After all, this was the special class's lesson, and as a regular-class student, he wasn't allowed to be here.

Hu Liena rushed over in high spirits, stretched out both arms, and threw herself into Wang Feng's embrace.

"Heavens! What's going on? Who is that? Hu Liena actually hugged him!"

"Damn it, who the hell is that guy?"

"No way! Has one of our special class's five beauties found someone she loves?"

"I heard her call him Senior Brother. What does that mean? Isn't Hu Liena a disciple of Her Holiness the Pope of Spirit Hall? Could that guy be one too?"

"Impossible. If he were Her Holiness's disciple, how could he have failed to get into the special class?"

The students began talking among themselves. Some of the male students even looked at Wang Feng with hatred in their eyes.

In Wang Feng's eyes, Hu Liena's looks were nothing special. After all, he only had eyes for his teacher. But in the special class, and even throughout the entire inner academy, Hu Liena was recognized as one of the five beauties.

The five beauties were the five best-looking female students in the academy.

"Holy Maiden, is that kid from your Spirit Hall too?" someone asked Qian Renxue. Since Qian Renxue was Bibi Dong's daughter, she was naturally Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden. Quite a few people didn't dare call Qian Renxue by name, so they addressed her as Holy Maiden.

Qian Renxue frowned and said coldly, "I don't know. I've never met him."

"Then who on earth is he?"

Quite a few people frowned, but no one knew which faction Wang Feng belonged to.

At the back of the crowd, Tang San stared at Wang Feng with a deep frown, astonished. Wasn't he killed by Father? How could he be here?

Tang San was thoroughly puzzled. What was going on? Had Father lied to him back then?

Just then, Wang Feng happened to look over, and their eyes met.

Tang San looked away, perhaps unsure how to face Wang Feng because of what had happened in Holy Soul Village.

Wang Feng smiled slightly and pulled Hu Liena away. A little exasperated, he said, "Can you stop getting so excited every time? Look, those guys are staring at me like they want to eat me alive."

"Hmph! What's wrong with that? You're my senior brother. Can't I give you a hug?"

"No."

"Hmph, stingy!"

"All right, all right, I have to go, or I'll get reported to the dean's office again." Wang Feng swept a meaningful glance over the crowd and smiled.

"Let's see who dares report you! Hmph!" Hu Liena snorted and looked at the crowd. At once, those who had been glaring at Wang Feng with hostility all put on smiling faces.

"Student, what's your name?" As Wang Feng was walking out, the teacher stepped out from behind the crowd and asked him.

Wang Feng stopped, looked at the teacher, and smiled. "Wang Feng."

"Wang Feng, so you're Wang Feng! I heard you've already mastered everything in the theory classes and don't want to attend them. It seems that wasn't a lie. Since you're here, stay and come up on the platform for a try."

"Hm?" Wang Feng was taken aback. Wasn't the teacher going to report him? This came as a surprise.

"Thank you, Teacher, but I'm not a special-class student. I should still follow the rules."

"It's fine. I don't fuss over such things in my class. It's all for the sake of training you students. If you're really not suited to staying in theory classes all the time, we can't let you waste your time there."

The teacher smiled and walked toward Wang Feng, even making a gesture to invite him over.

Wang Feng was surprised, and at the same time, he felt something wasn't quite right.

Unasked-for favors mean a villain is at the door!