Zhu Wu remained silent.
Then he noticed Tang San glance at him, nod slightly, and quickly look away as his furrowed brow relaxed.
Forget it, Tang San thought to himself. It was nothing more than a few basic combat techniques commonly seen among martial artists. Besides, I benefited from this too. Zhu Wu took the risk, acted decisively, and even turned the situation to secure benefits for his peers—that shows some spirit of chivalry. As for Xiao Chenyu, he was the one who stirred up trouble first and then bullied the weak. That was truly disgraceful.
Faced with an obviously stronger opponent, Zhu Wu had fought back with wit and courage, using the combat tricks he had witnessed Tang San use. Tang San felt it was understandable.
What's more, Zhu Wu's actions had ended up benefiting him as well. It was something worthy of praise.
All in all, the merits canceled out the faults. If Tang San were to hold a grudge over such a small matter, it would make him seem petty.
Hmm… no more afternoon cleaning duty. I could finally find a job at the blacksmith shop, he mused.
"Not bad, Xiao Zhu. Well done!" Xiao Wu lifted her chin proudly as she casually took the food from Wang Sheng. "Hmph, too bad I wasn't there. Otherwise, I would've beaten that Xiao Chenyu so hard he'd be picking his teeth off the ground. Don't worry—from now on, you've got Sister Xiao Wu watching your backs!"
"Then I'll gladly accept that." Tang San smiled and took the food as well. After all, Zhu Wu had defeated Xiao Chenyu using combat techniques he'd learned by watching Tang San.
So, in essence, the credit for the benefits Zhu Wu had won largely belonged to Tang San.
That made accepting this food feel perfectly justified.
Plus, he really was hungry.
Earlier at dinner, Xiao Wu had taken a fair share of the coarse grain, and he'd only eaten half his fill.
"Tang San, Sister Xiao Wu, um…" Wang Sheng rubbed his hands together hopefully and looked at the two of them.
"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't have time to teach you," Tang San said, shaking his head. "Before I came to the academy, my father had already told me to find blacksmith work in Nuoding City. So unless something changes, I'll be away from campus every afternoon."
"And at night, I'll be cultivating."
They weren't family, sect members, or close friends, and Tang San had limited time. He wasn't about to waste it teaching a group of kids. In his past life, none of them would have even qualified to be outer disciples of the Tang Sect, let alone be taught its techniques.
Tang Sect skills were never to be passed on lightly—that was the rule!
Oh, but you have time for Xiao Wu, huh? Zhu Wu pulled a disappointed expression, though he said nothing out loud.
"It's okay! I'll teach you," Xiao Wu said, clenching her fists with a look of excitement.
"Thank you, Sister Xiao Wu!" Wang Sheng was overjoyed and quickly expressed his gratitude. The others behind him followed suit.
More like you want to find punching bags to play with, Zhu Wu thought, twitching at the corner of his mouth but didn't call her out on it.
"I won't join," he added half-seriously. "It's spring—weather's not too hot or cold, perfect for training. I want to run more, build some muscle, and get a bit of a tan. I don't want to be mistaken for a girl again like today. Plus, I want to spend more time cultivating soul power and aim to reach Level 10 soon so I can get my first soul ring and officially become a soul master."
"All you think about is training. How boring!" Xiao Wu gave a little shiver, then nodded. "But still, I hope your wish comes true!"
"Yeah. I'll stick with it," Zhu Wu said, eyes full of resolve.
Tang San gave a slight nod, acknowledging Zhu Wu's determination.
Then Zhu Wu continued, "Since there's nothing else, I'm heading out for a night run. I'll train my soul power after I get back."
"Yeah, yeah, go ahead," Xiao Wu said casually, waving her hand as she carried her food back to her bed.
"Tang San, why are you still standing there like a dummy? Eat up before it gets cold!" she called over her shoulder.
"Coming," Tang San replied, quickly following her.
You carry the burden of your mother's death and come to the human world seeking vengeance, yet you call all this training boring? Xiao Wu, I've got to hand it to you... Zhu Wu gave her a glance and turned to leave the dorm.
He jogged down the academy path toward the back mountain and called out to Xiao Bai from a shadowy spot, tucking it into his collar.
"Xiao Bai, if anyone gets close, give me a heads-up, okay?"
He didn't want to risk practicing the Longevity Technique under the eyes of people like Tang Hao. To train in secret, he had to sneak out.
Maybe I should apply for early graduation after getting my first soul ring? That way I won't risk being found out. The thought crossed his mind.
With that, he quickened his pace and ran a lap around the academy before heading into a quiet grove of trees.
Under the moonlight, he began practicing the Longevity Technique. Only when the internal chill built to an almost unbearable level did he stop.
Not wanting to linger and raise suspicion, he turned and jogged back toward the dorm.
Honestly, the limited time I have each day to practice the technique has become a blessing in disguise. If I returned too late, it'd definitely look suspicious. After all, how far can a little kid run at night, even with good stamina?
Thinking this, Zhu Wu tiptoed into the bathroom and enjoyed a refreshing cold-water shower.
Compared to the chill brought on by the Longevity Technique, a bit of cold water didn't faze him at all.
Afterward, he sat at the head of his bed and began meditating using a standard soul power cultivation method.
Time passed. As midnight approached, the others gradually awoke from meditation and went to sleep. Zhu Wu was the last to lie down.
The next day, long before dawn, Zhu Wu's internal clock woke him. For three months before coming to the academy, he had trained in the Diamond Body Technique at sunrise and occasionally had to rush into the mountains for herbs. He had long since become an early riser.
Rustling into his uniform, he climbed out of bed and headed into the bathroom to wash up.
Just as he stepped out, he bumped into Tang San, who had also just gotten up.
Clearly, Tang San was up early to catch the best time to practice the Purple Demon Eye technique.
"Morning," Zhu Wu greeted with a smile.
"Morning," Tang San replied coolly, giving a slight nod.
"I'm heading out for a run," Zhu Wu said, nodding back and heading out the door.
Can hard work really change destiny? Watching him leave, Tang San couldn't help thinking of his own past.
In his previous life, he had worked hard and stayed loyal, yet still failed to gain access to the inner sect to learn the Tang Sect's secret techniques.
Left with no choice, he had to take matters into his own hands.
Hard work was important, yes—but sometimes, you also needed the wisdom to adapt.
He shook his head slightly and walked into the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Zhu Wu stepped out into the morning mist and began running.
After a while, he reached a remote grove and, bathed in the early sunlight, began practicing the Diamond Body Technique. Only when the sun rose high and the opening ceremony was about to begin did he stop and jog back toward the academy square.
"Xiao Zhu, over here!" Wang Sheng waved from afar.
Zhu Wu ran over quickly, his oval face flushed and glowing from the exercise. Several nearby boys, unaware of who he was, blushed at the sight.
At six years old, male features were still not very prominent. Adam's apples usually didn't develop until around age ten. So unless someone took off their pants, it was genuinely hard to tell based on looks alone.
Especially when the person had delicate features and fair skin.
So it's my fault I was born with a pretty face? Zhu Wu sighed inwardly and pretended not to notice.
Looks like Tang San and Yu Xiaogang went off to get his soul ring, he thought, scanning the crowd and noticing their absence.
After standing in line quietly for a bit, the headmaster took the stage and gave a brief speech.
Unlike the long-winded ceremonies he'd endured in his past life, this principal got to the point quickly—just a few words of encouragement before stepping down. Zhu Wu appreciated that.
The ceremony ended shortly after, and the students dispersed in an orderly
fashion.
Then, in the distance, Zhu Wu spotted Xiao Chenyu approaching with a group of followers—book in hand.
(End of Chapter)
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