"Another newcomer?"
The crowd gathered around Yang Yunhai's bed all turned their heads. Wang Sheng even stood up and strode toward the door.
It had been years since Dorm Seven received a new working student. Now, suddenly two arrived this year, it felt suspicious. He was worried that maybe a noble soul master came to stir up trouble. As the dorm leader, he felt responsible for stepping up to protect his brothers.
Before he reached the door, Tang San appeared in view.
Wang Sheng glanced at Tang San's attire and immediately felt relieved. He asked, "You're the new working student?"
"Hello, I'm a working student from Saint Soul Village," Tang San replied with a smile.
"I'm Wang Sheng, Martial Soul: Battle Tiger. Future Battle Soul Master and the boss around here." Seeing Tang San hadn't offered his name or martial soul, Wang Sheng briefly introduced himself and then asked, "Kid, what's your name? What's your martial soul?"
"And your innate soul power level?" Remembering how Yang Yunhai previously mentioned his own soul power, Wang Sheng added another question.
Compared to martial souls, innate soul power was a better indicator of a soul master's talent and potential.
"I'm Tang San. My martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, and my innate soul power is level 10." Tang San's brow furrowed slightly, but he answered truthfully.
He wasn't a fan of such direct and probing introductions.
"Innate soul power level 10?!" Wang Sheng was shocked, and then his expression turned serious. "Tang San, you've got full innate soul power, higher than mine. You must be strong. We need to fight, to decide who's the dorm leader."
Of course, just a bunch of kids. The moment they hear he has full soul power, they want to fight. Competitive and foolish. Tang San's expression cooled slightly. "Sorry, I'm here to study. I'm not interested in fighting or being the dorm leader. Please move."
Wang Sheng didn't move, instead replying solemnly, "Tang San, if you don't want to be the boss, then you'll have to follow my lead from now on."
What nonsense. Tang San's face showed impatience. He raised his foot, ready to walk around him.
Seeing this, Wang Sheng instinctively reached out toward Tang San's shoulder, intending to stop him and explain the dorm rules.
Though Tang San's martial soul, Blue Silver Grass, was seen as a useless one, he had full innate soul power. Wang Sheng didn't want to offend him but also didn't want to break tradition. He was actually hoping Tang San would win and take over as dorm leader.
Working students were always bullied at the academy. They truly needed someone strong to protect them.
So it's a show of dominance, huh? Tang San frowned. His body instinctively reacted, he sank his waist slightly and tilted his upper body to one side, dodging Wang Sheng's hand. Then he twisted his waist, thrust his shoulder forward, and his elbow struck Wang Sheng in the waist. Next, he stepped forward, grabbed Wang Sheng's arm, and pulled. Wang Sheng lost his balance and stumbled forward.
Bang! He crashed into the door and finally stopped.
"Boss!" the dormmates cried out in alarm. They looked at Tang San with mixed feelings, some wary, some already fearful.
"I'm fine!" Wang Sheng quickly called out to stop his dormmates from rushing in.
He supported himself with the door and stood upright, looking at Tang San with surprise. "Tang San, did you just use a soul skill?"
"Soul skill?" Tang San looked puzzled. He'd heard the term before.
"What's a soul skill?" he asked.
"It's a technique used with your martial soul and soul power," Wang Sheng replied, scratching his head as he walked over. "Tang San, sorry. I think you misunderstood me earlier. I didn't mean to stop you. It's just that"
He trailed off and gave a bitter smile.
Then he rolled up his sleeves, revealing multiple dark bruises on his arms, seven or eight of them.
"What's this?" Tang San looked surprised.
He had used some strength earlier, and Wang Sheng had taken a hit, but these bruises clearly weren't from that alone.
"These were from yesterday, on the way to school, done by students from other dorms," Wang Sheng said, sounding slightly aggrieved. "We working students come from poor families. We have no power, no background, and our talent tends to be low. So we're constantly bullied by the other dorms. That's why we in Dorm Seven stick together, and we choose the strongest among us to be the boss, to protect the rest."
"Tang San, you're much stronger than me. I'd like you to take over as dorm leader."
A sense of justice is at the core of every warrior. Protecting the weak is what every righteous person should do. Tang San's expression softened, and he nodded slightly. "I understand. Don't worry. I won't stand by while our dormmates are bullied."
"That's great to hear!" Wang Sheng was overjoyed.
At that moment"Is this Dorm Seven?" a clear voice called from outside.
Everyone turned their heads. Several boys immediately stared in awe.
Standing at the doorway was an incredibly cute little girl. Her long black hair was tied into a scorpion braid that reached her hips. Her cheeks were pink, and her big pink eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked around. She was adorable.
Xiao Wu? Not sure if Tang Hao is spying from outside right now... She does look sweet and makes people instinctively want to protect her. But Yang Yunhai was more tempted to see her reveal her true form, then braise and stir-fry her, and take her soul bone while he's at it.
Her soul ring might not suit him, but that soul bone, now that's tempting. Two skills: teleportation and invincible golden body. Definitely top-tier.
In the world of soul masters, strength is the key to survival. A soul beast is still a soul beast, he didn't care if it looked human.
Besides, he never really liked Xiao Wu in the original story.
Too obsessed with romance. Temper too bad.
As a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast carrying the burden of her mother's murder, she came to the human world not to train, but to play around. She had more time than Tang San, who even worked part-time at the forge, yet they graduated with the same soul power level.
Later, she got the divine herb Yearning Heartbroken Red and didn't even use it, just kept it as a keepsake. Ridiculous!
As for her temper, she showed it clearly during the match at the Great Soul Arena in Soto City.
When Tang San got hurt fighting the Tie brothers, she lost it and used silent sleeve darts. She almost killed the already-poisoned brothers right then and there. Terrifying.
So it's fine for others to get hit, but not her?
On top of that, she had a foul mouth. If she didn't like someone, she'd start cursing, calling others brothel girls or weirdos. Completely out of line.
Anyway, when he first read the original story, she left a bad impression. Re-reading it only made it worse.
But fiction is fiction, reality is different. Seeing her now, he didn't hold a grudge. Wanting her dead was only because her true form was a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast. Absorbing her soul bone would boost his strength.
Too bad... I'm still weak now. No way I can beat her. Plus, Tang Hao is lurking outside. No chance anytime soon.
With that thought, he subtly shifted his position, hiding his small body behind the crowd.
Until he grew stronger, he figured it was best to stay low.
"Can boys and girls share a dorm here?" a sudden question broke the silence.
It came from Tang San.
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