The morning class hummed with excitement as Master Yu Xiaogang stood before the students, arms clasped behind his back, eyes sharp as a blade.
"Today," he began, "we dive into one of the cornerstones of your growth—soul beasts, their nature, and the compatibility of their rings."
The chalk danced on the blackboard. Circles became layers, diagrams of beast types, and soul ring resonance patterns. Most students were either lost or mesmerized.
Tang San sat upright, eyes laser-focused. Tang Yan? He reclined, chewing on a leaf stem like he was sunbathing in a spiritual lecture hall.
System:"Host's learning posture: 3% attentive, 97% provocateur."
Tianmeng Bug:"But still absorbing knowledge like a sponge in overdrive."
Yu Xiaogang glanced at him. "Tang Yan, do you have something to add?"
"Yes," Tang Yan said instantly, straightening. "If I marry a 10,000-year-old turtle-type soul beast, will I inherit its defensive properties via soul bond?"
Several students snorted. A noble girl gagged into her sleeve.
"What kind of question is that?!" barked a noble youth in the front row.
"An important one," Tang Yan shot back. "You nobles inherit titles. I'm trying to inherit armour."
System:"Spiritual defense: +100. Noble pride: -999."
Yu Xiaogang sighed but continued. "We'll explore that... next life."
The Brewing Storm
At the break, a small circle of nobles gathered behind the training shed. Disdain clung to their words like poison to fangs.
"That commoner trash made a fool of us again."
"Tang San and that loudmouth brother. Always showing off. If the teachers won't discipline them… we will."
Their leader, Shen Lin—a second-year noble with a Minor Spirit Clan background—whispered the plan. "During tomorrow's soul energy perception drill… we'll make it look like an accident."
No one objected.
Into the Spirit Forest
The next day, students trekked under instructor supervision into the academy's spiritual training grove—an environment dense with low-level spirit essence, perfect for meditation.
"Find a quiet spot. Clear your thoughts. Reach out with your soul," Master Yu instructed.
Tang San settled near an old pine, closing his eyes, and letting his senses stretch. Soon, he could hear the rustle of ants, and the pulse of roots.
Nearby, Xiao Wu fidgeted. "Why is meditation so boring?!"
Tang Yan leaned against a tree, not even pretending to meditate.
Tianmeng:"Aren't you supposed to cultivate?"
Tang Yan: "I'm cultivating my prank sense. It's tingling."
That's when he noticed movement.
The Trap
A flurry of sound—crackling leaves, muttered incantations—and suddenly, vines shot up from the ground. Binding-type soul skills erupted as Shen Lin and three nobles ambushed Tang San and Xiao Wu.
"You dared humiliate us in front of everyone," Shen Lin snarled.
Tang San ducked a strike, using Verdant Pulse Vein to break a binding, but they had numbers. Xiao Wu rolled into a tree, stunned.
"Too bad," Shen Lin said, raising his soul tool.
"Too loud," came a lazy voice from behind.
They turned just in time to see Tang Yan striding out from the mist, expression unreadable.
"You ambushed my brother," he said. "At least bring flowers next time."
"You—!"
"Shut up."
Tang Yan's soul ring flared—golden, brilliant, ancient. His Trident appeared in a streak of light. With shocking speed, he launched into a combination movement—Trident sweep, forced knockback, life-suppression pulse, his custom blend of skill and technique.
Two nobles dropped like sacks of grain. The third tried to flee—Tang Yan's ring pulsed, and with surgical precision, Golden Spear Rain fell around him, pinning him to the ground.
System:"Host's battle mode: Brutal. Stylish. Legal."
Tianmeng:"Plot armor activated. Nobles terminated."
Tang San joined the fray, now standing back-to-back with his brother, deflecting attacks with precision.
It ended in under a minute.
The Aftermath
Yu Xiaogang and two instructors arrived, alerted by the spiritual fluctuations.
They took one look at the fallen nobles and Tang Yan sitting on a tree stump tossing a fruit in the air.
"Ambush. Probably not part of your curriculum, Master," Tang Yan said calmly.
The instructors were furious. Shen Lin tried to stammer excuses—but the evidence was clear.
The nobles were severely punished, demoted, and had credits stripped.
Yu Xiaogang later approached the twins privately.
"Well done. But next time… try not to make it look like a military-grade assault."
Tang Yan grinned. "No promises."
Late Night Reflections
That night, in Dorm 7, Xiao Wu sulked.
"I could've handled them!"
Tang Yan raised an eyebrow. "Yes, with your forehead."
System:"Roasted. Again."
Tang San looked up. "Thank you. For watching my back."
Tang Yan smirked. "That's the job. Big Brother gets the spotlight. I cover the blind spots."
End of Chapter 63