Tianyu stood tall, facing the crowd of senior students surrounding him. The atmosphere in the academy corridor suddenly turned tense.
Dai Huabin stepped forward, his eyes narrowing with hatred. "You think that little victory in the placement test makes you cocky, Long Tianyu?" His voice trembled with restrained anger. "Or maybe you think Xu Jiujiu's protection makes you untouchable in this academy?"
One of the sixth-year students stepped forward, a yellow spirit ring gleaming around his body. "We're just waiting for Young Master Dai's command," he said, clenching his fists. "Shall we break your arm now?"
Tianyu calmly observed the situation. Five senior students had already unleashed their martial souls—four with yellow spirit rings, three with white. His breath remained steady, though his heart pounded hard.
"P-Please… don't…"
The soft voice came from the girl behind Tianyu. Her face was still covered in dust, but her eyes now showed determination. "I… I'm fine. Please don't let a fight break out because of me."
Dai Huabin sneered. "Hear that? Even this trash knows her place better than you do, Tianyu."
Tianyu ignored the insult. He turned to the girl, his voice gentle but firm. "This isn't just about you. They need to learn that treating others like this is wrong."
The largest senior student couldn't hold back anymore. "Enough with the talk!"
With a swift motion, he activated his martial soul, Ironclad Bear. A half-meter-long metallic claw emerged from his hand, slicing through the air with terrifying speed toward Tianyu.
"Hmph!"
Tianyu didn't move to dodge. His right arm snapped up like lightning, blocking the strike directly with his forearm.
CLANG! The clang of metal echoed through the corridor.
The senior student's eyes widened. My attack… was blocked just like that?!
Not giving him a moment to recover, Tianyu spun gracefully. His hand grabbed the opponent's wrist and then—
"AAARGH!"
With a flawlessly simple throw, the senior student's body was hurled three meters and crashed to the ground hard.
Dai Huabin frowned. Even though that senior was only level 19—one level below Tianyu—he shouldn't have been defeated that easily.
Tianyu gave them no time to think. His spirit energy surged, a faint golden aura beginning to radiate from his pores.
"Who's next?" he challenged, his eyes gleaming like drawn blades.
The senior students looked at each other uncertainly. There was something unusual about this newcomer...
But Dai Huabin refused to back down. "You're afraid of one kid?!" he shouted, breaking the silence. "ATTACK TOGETHER—"
"STOP!"
Teacher Lin stood at the end of the corridor, his face stern.
His voice boomed like thunder, instantly freezing the entire hallway. All the students who had been ready to attack Tianyu quickly backed down, their faces pale with fear.
Dai Huabin swiftly changed his expression to one of innocence, bowing respectfully in false humility. "Teacher Lin, we were just… having a discussion."
Teacher Lin's sharp gaze swept across each student before stopping on Tianyu, who was still standing protectively in front of the small girl.
"Discussion?" Teacher Lin's voice was icy. "By ganging up on a junior? By activating Martial Souls in a non-training zone?" He pointed to the senior still sprawled on the floor. "And by injuring your own schoolmate?"
Dai Huabin broke into a cold sweat. "That was just a small accident, Teacher. Senior Li got a bit too excited—"
"ENOUGH!" Teacher Lin cut him off. "Dai Huabin, all of you will face punishment tomorrow morning. Main field. Before sunrise." He turned to Tianyu. "And you—come with me."
Tianyu nodded obediently, but before leaving, he turned to the small girl. "Are you okay?"
She nodded quickly, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. "I… I'm Huo Yunxi. Thank you."
"Long Tianyu," he replied with a warm smile, completely unlike the fierce figure who had just stood up to the seniors.
Teacher Lin watched this interaction with an unreadable look before leading Tianyu away. As they walked down the corridor, Teacher Lin's voice was low but clear:
"You're brave, Tianyu. But also foolish. Do you know that Dai Huabin is the son of the White Tiger Duke?"
Tianyu nodded. "I know, Teacher."
"And you still chose to stand against him?"
"Injustice should be resisted, no matter who commits it."
Teacher Lin let out a long sigh. "Be cautious from now on. Dai Huabin isn't the type to forget a grudge."
When they reached the school courtyard, Tianyu parted ways with Teacher Lin and headed back to the pavilion. He wasn't with Xu Jiujiu, as she had told him she had other matters to attend to after school. She had offered to let her attendants send him home in a carriage, but Tianyu, still unused to such treatment, chose to walk.
The evening sky had turned a warm orange hue as Tianyu walked along the path toward the pavilion. The fresh air helped ease the weariness from the long day. Tree shadows stretched across the ground, swaying gently in the evening breeze.
His thoughts drifted back to what had happened earlier.
"Huo Yunxi…"
So that was the little girl's name. Her appearance reminded him of his adopted younger sister, Na'er.
Tianyu sighed. "I hope she's okay after all that."
Then his thoughts shifted to Ning Xue.
"She deliberately kept her distance during the commotion."
Tianyu wasn't naive. Though he had only known Ning Xue for a short while, he could sense something insincere in her behavior.
"Did she approach me because of Xu Jiujiu?"
He recalled their conversation in the cafeteria. Every time Ning Xue mentioned Xu Jiujiu, her eyes would gleam—not with genuine admiration, but something more… restless. Like someone who had spotted a golden opportunity.
Tianyu frowned. "I need to be more cautious."
Still, beneath his suspicion, a subtle loneliness stirred within him.
"I just want a sincere friendship…"
When he arrived at the pavilion gate, he was surprised to see a servant already waiting for him.
"Young Master," the servant bowed respectfully. "Lady Jiujiu asked me to inform you that she will be returning late tonight. Dinner will be prepared, and we'll notify you when it's ready."
Tianyu nodded. "Thank you."
He stepped into his room and gently closed the door behind him. Standing by the window, he looked out at the garden slowly being embraced by dusk.
'Maybe I'll train a bit before dinner.'
Tianyu changed out of his uniform—he would still need it for tomorrow—before heading out to repeat the same training he had done earlier that morning. He trained until a servant came to call him for dinner.
After a satisfying meal, Tianyu returned to his room.