Wang Sheng pulled aside a student from the bed and, without standing on ceremony, sat down next to Tang San. "Tang San, you beat me. From now on, you're the boss of Dormitory Seven."
Tang San quickly waved his hands. "I'm here to study."
Wang Sheng straightened his expression. "That's the rule. Whoever has the hardest fist is the boss. You think being boss is easy? I'm not being humble. Look." As he spoke, he rolled up both sleeves of his uniform.
Tang San looked in surprise and saw that there were fully seven or eight bruised, purplish-blue marks on his arms.
Wang Sheng gave a bitter smile. "I got these just yesterday when we arrived at the Academy. All of us Work-study Students come from poor families. Students from other dormitories are always picking on our Dormitory Seven people. As the dorm boss, you have to stand up for your brothers. I've been dying to pass this responsibility on to you."
The other students all nodded, looking at Tang San with a glimmer of hope in their eyes.
A sense of justice was a fundamental quality of any hero. Protecting the weak naturally fell under that umbrella. The education Tang San had received at the Tang Sect on this front was immeasurable. Hearing all this, he stopped declining. "Alright then. I won't stand by and watch my dorm-mates get bullied."
Just then, a clear voice drifted in from outside. "Is this Dormitory Seven?"
Everyone turned toward the doorway at the same time, and their eyes went a little slack.
A pretty little girl stood at the entrance. She looked about the same age as Tang San and was nearly the same height. Her lovely little face was rosy-white, as soft and pink as a ripe peach—making one feel an irresistible urge to take a bite. Though her clothes were very plain, they looked remarkably neat and tidy.
Her long black hair was braided into a scorpion tail that hung down past her hips. A pair of bright, dewy eyes sparkled with curiosity. In her hands she also held a brand-new set of uniform clothes.
The dormitory was filled with boys. The sudden appearance of such a beautiful little girl left every one of them gaping.
Tang San couldn't help but whisper to Wang Sheng, "Are boys and girls allowed to share a dorm here?"
Wang Sheng nodded and likewise lowered his voice. "We're all still kids. The school doesn't separate the dormitories by gender. Apparently, they start doing that at the intermediate Soul Master Academy. Strange, though—last year there wasn't a single Work-study Student, and this year two show up. Boss, go on. Give her a proper introduction."
"Uh… I don't think that's necessary." Tang San hadn't expected that the moment he became the so-called boss of Dormitory Seven, he'd be faced with a dilemma. Bully a girl? He simply couldn't bring himself to do it.
The girl at the door blinked her big eyes, looked inside to find no one acknowledging her, then glanced up at the Dormitory Seven plaque above the frame. A sweet smile spread across her face. "Hello, everyone. My name is Xiao Wu—as in dance."
Wang Sheng poked Tang San repeatedly in the back, signaling that he couldn't go breaking the dorm's rules.
With no other choice, Tang San stood up and walked over to the girl. "Hello, I'm Tang San. I'm, uh, the…" The word "boss" stuck in his throat. An idea struck him. "I'm the dorm leader. Just call me by my name. May I ask—what is your Martial Soul?"
Xiao Wu blinked her big eyes and replied with a smile, "My Martial Soul is a rabbit. The really cute kind of little white rabbit. And yours?" When she smiled, two adorable little dimples appeared on her face, impossibly charming.
Tang San said, "Then aren't you my natural counter? My Martial Soul is your Martial Soul's food—Blue Silver Grass." He had no experience talking to girls. Back at the Tang Sect, he had spent every day immersed in Hidden Weapons, and now he found himself somewhat nervous.
Xiao Wu burst out laughing. "You're a real character. Are you going to let me in or not?"
"Well… the thing is, Dormitory Seven has a rule. New Work-study Students have to demonstrate their Martial Soul's ability. So I'd like to spar with you."
Tang San silently consoled himself—spar, not bully. He'd just be careful not to hurt her. That way he'd be keeping the dorm's tradition alive.
Xiao Wu looked at Tang San with a slightly odd expression. "Are you sure?"
Tang San nodded. "I'm sure."
Xiao Wu set her uniform clothes aside, a few sparks of excitement lighting up her face. "Alright then, come on."
Before Tang San could even react, she had already raised her right knee, her toes snapping out in a snap-kick straight toward his chin. It didn't look like much force, but the speed was startling—Tang San was caught off guard.
His body flashed to the left, dodging the incoming foot, while his right hand grabbed for Xiao Wu's ankle. Right foot stepping forward out of habit, he drove his shoulder toward her chest—a textbook Iron Mountain Lean. Under normal circumstances, with Xiao Wu balanced on one leg, if Tang San connected with that shoulder check, she would definitely go flying backward.
Of course, Tang San was being very measured. He had already planned it out—as soon as Xiao Wu lost her balance, with his speed he would absolutely have time to catch her, and his shoulder check wasn't using much force anyway. As long as the spar counted, they'd be good.
The other students were watching Tang San and Xiao Wu's exchange with rapt attention. Wang Sheng, watching Tang San's movements, flashed with excitement in his eyes, committing everything to memory. He noticed that though Tang San's motions were very simple, they were extremely effective.
But things were not playing out according to Tang San's script.
The instant Tang San's right hand closed around Xiao Wu's ankle, he suddenly felt it slip. A sure grab slipped right off. In the next moment, Xiao Wu's kicking leg swung sideways and hooked over his shoulder. Facing the right shoulder driving toward her, her hands lightly deflected it. Right foot bracing against his shoulder, her other leg rose as well, hooking onto his opposite shoulder in one fluid motion.
(End of Chapter)