Chapter 6: Nobles and Work-Study Students (I)

Chapter 6: Nobles and Working Students

"Yan, are you going to become his apprentice? I believe the Grandmaster can certainly help us cultivate our martial souls!" Tang San asked after the Grandmaster had helped him up.

The Grandmaster looked at Zhong Yan with a smile as well.

"No," Zhong Yan shook his head. "The Grandmaster is formidable, but he cannot help me." If I possessed a simple martial soul, the Grandmaster's theories might have been of some use.

Although the Grandmaster felt a bit displeased at these words, he did not show it. The nomadic life he had led during the first half of his life had long taught him how to conceal his emotions.

Furthermore, this child was exceptionally intelligent and possessed a unique temperament—he did not seem like someone from a village, nor did he come from an aristocratic family. However, when it came to martial souls, it was impossible for anyone to be more knowledgeable or insightful than himself.

The Grandmaster watched Zhong Yan; the boy had his own choices, and he naturally found it difficult to say much more.

"Since you both possess innate full soul power, you will still need a mentor to help you hunt soul beasts for your first soul ring. I will be taking Tang San to acquire his; would you like to join us?"

Zhong Yan pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. After all, he could not even defeat Tang San at the moment. Tang San had been practicing his techniques for several years, while he had barely been at it for a few months. Having someone to guide him would be beneficial.

"Very well. I will handle the registration. You two may head up now. Tang San, you are in Dorm 7; Zhong Yan, you are in Dorm 6."

"I would like to stay in Dorm 7 as well."

"Hmm? Why?"

"By staying with Tang San, there will be someone to supervise me, so I won't slack off."

"As you wish." The Grandmaster nodded and then departed. It was enough to bring the two children to the dormitory building; the rest would be handled by the teachers.

As the two reached the door of Dorm 7, they heard a commotion inside. The door was open, and they looked in from the threshold.

It was a spacious room, nearly three hundred square meters, containing fifty beds. However, there were only eleven beds with bedding. At that moment, seven or eight children between the ages of eight and twelve were making a racket.

A boy, nearly two heads taller than Tang San and quite sturdy for his age, walked up to them and looked down at them. "Are you the new working students?"

Zhong Yan disliked his tone. Before Tang San could speak, he interjected, "Is there a problem?"

"You're quite arrogant, kid. My name is Wang Sheng; my martial soul is a Battle Tiger, and I am a future Battle Soul Master. I’m the boss here. What’s your name, and what is your martial soul?"

Before Zhong Yan could reply, Tang San spoke up. He realized that Zhong Yan was like a powder keg today, ready to explode at the slightest touch. A friendly smile appeared on Tang San’s face. "My name is Tang San, and my martial soul is Blue Silver Grass. This is Zhong Yan, and his martial soul is a long spear."

"It is the Primordial Jade Spear. Remember that, San, that is its name."

"Blue Silver Grass? Since when can a Blue Silver Grass martial soul cultivate?" Wang Sheng put on an expression of extreme astonishment. Most of the children in the dormitory burst into laughter, looking at Tang San as if he were an idiot.

Tang San stopped holding back and said coldly, "Can you move aside now?"

Wang Sheng ignored him. "Little San, I’m the boss here. From now on, you listen to me, understand? And you—'Primordial Jade Spear'? Who do you think you are, giving your martial soul a name like that?"

Zhong Yan spat out a cold, "Get lost!"

Wang Sheng was annoyed. "A newcomer dares to speak to me like that?" He reached out with a claw.

Zhong Yan swiped his hand away. "San, let me handle this. Don't move."

With that, he took a swift step forward, instantly reaching Wang Sheng. He bent his right arm and struck Wang Sheng in the waist with his elbow. Wang Sheng winced in pain. At the same time, Zhong Yan stepped back to dodge Wang Sheng’s incoming punch, then lashed out with his right foot, striking Wang Sheng’s waist again.

Wang Sheng rolled to the left like a ball.

Climbing back up and rubbing his waist, Wang Sheng shouted in fury, "You brat, how dare you hit me!" He lunged forward.

Seeing Wang Sheng charging and throwing a punch at his chest, Zhong Yan dropped his center of gravity, leaned back, and hooked his right foot around Wang Sheng’s ankle. Using Wang Sheng's own momentum, he flipped his body sideways and delivered a kick to Wang Sheng’s neck.

After that blow, Wang Sheng no longer had the strength to get up.

Zhong Yan stood over him and said, "Is that all?"

A low, guttural tiger roar erupted from Wang Sheng’s throat. Faint yellow light shimmered around him, and his body suddenly sprang up from the ground. Both his speed and strength were clearly far beyond what they had been before.

Wang Sheng was clearly enraged. A grimace appeared on his face as he unleashed the power of his Battle Tiger martial soul, intending to use this strength to teach the brat who had humiliated him a lesson.

Zhong Yan watched the soul power radiating from Wang Sheng. With a flick of his hand, the Primordial Jade Spear appeared. Holding the spear with one hand, he thrust forward—it was as if the air itself was being torn apart. The tip of the spear collided with the tiger claw; with a crisp sound, the energy-formed claw shattered and dissipated into the air.

Zhong Yan immediately retracted the spear.

*I didn't expect the Primordial Jade Spear to be so sharp. If I hadn't reacted quickly, Wang Sheng might have been seriously injured.*

Wang Sheng, still shaken, looked at Zhong Yan with a hint of fear. "Thank you for holding back."

"It's nothing. I just didn't like your condescending tone. We aren't enemies; there’s no need to go for the kill," Zhong Yan said, waving his hand.

Wang Sheng immediately knelt on one knee and cupped his fists.

"Boss!"

The other children in the dorm followed suit.

"Boss!"

"Boss?" Tang San did not understand how Wang Sheng, who had been so furious just a moment ago, had changed so quickly.

Wang Sheng looked up at Tang San and said, "Because he defeated me. That’s the rule: whoever has the hardest fist is the boss. You think being the boss is easy? I’m not being humble. Look." As he spoke, he pulled up the sleeves of his uniform.

Tang San was shocked to see seven or eight bruised marks on his arms.

Wang Sheng smiled bitterly at Zhong Yan. "These are from when we arrived at the academy yesterday. We working students all come from poor families, and students from other dorms often bully us. As the dorm boss, I have to stand up for my brothers. I was actually hoping to pass this responsibility on to you."

Zhong Yan looked at the injuries. "Forget about me being the boss—I can't even beat Tang San right now. But I will stand up for you all."

*School bullying? It’s probably not that simple, is it?* Zhong Yan pondered. He didn't know what to do; his knowledge of this world was too limited. Everything he knew came from a novel, while this was a real, living world.

"No way, his martial soul is just Blue Silver Grass," Wang Sheng said, confused.

"So what? What about Blue Silver Grass? I’m not lying to you; San is genuinely stronger than me right now."

Wang Sheng turned to Tang San and shouted, "Boss, you can't refuse me this time!"

Tang San looked into Wang Sheng’s eyes, feeling a bit flustered. "Alright."