15+ chapters P^^^on
After collecting his soul master stipend, Ning Tian returned to the dormitory.
Ning Tian meditated cross-legged on his bed, letting a faint, knowing smile creep onto his face. He opened his eyes to see the work-study students, including Tang San and Xiao Wu, filing back in from their classes.
Spotting Ning Tian, Xiao Wu's face lit up with excitement. "Ning Tian, I heard you went to get a soul ring a few days ago, is that true?"
"Yeah," Ning Tian replied, his tone clipped.
"Really? Come on, spar with me! I want to see your soul skill in action."
"No thanks."
"Why not?"
The other residents of Dorm Seven barely batted an eye at this exchange. Ever since Ning Tian had given Xiao Wu a blanket, she'd been practically attached to him.
"Xiao Wu, vacation starts tomorrow. Are you heading home?" Tang San asked, casting a sidelong glance at Ning Tian who was pointedly ignoring Xiao Wu while packing his belongings.
The fallout from the loan scandal and Tang San's public killing had made him a pariah at Nuoding Academy. Most students kept their distance. Having lived two lives starved of affection, Tang San yearned for connection. Xiao Wu, alongside Yu Xiaogang and his father, was one of the rare few who didn't regard him with suspicion or fear.
Over the past year, he'd gone out of his way to grow closer to her. Though they hadn't reached the sibling like intimacy of the original story, his soul beast bloodline's natural affinity had forged a friendship. He doted on her tirelessly whenever she exhausted her stipend, he'd dip into his own funds or blacksmith earnings to fulfill her every desire.
But appearances played a cruel role. Another year of Ning Tian's relentless 'meddling' had left Tang San darker and less appealing, his height barely inching up since his first soul ring. He stood half a head shorter than Ning Tian and noticeably below Xiao Wu's frame.
As a result, Xiao Wu's affection for him remained lukewarm, only a shade stronger than her feelings for Wang Sheng or the others, and that was mostly thanks to his soul beast bloodline.
In stark contrast, she was drawn to Ning Tian—pale, handsome, and the one who'd once gifted her that blanket. Though he continued to brush her off, she leapt to his defense whenever Tang San spoke ill of him in private, as if she held him in high regard.
Just days ago, Yu Xiaogang had suggested Ning Tian must've used some dubious, side effect laden drug to hit Level 10 so fast. Tang San passed this theory on to Xiao Wu, warning her to steer clear of him. Instead, she turned on Yu Xiaogang, branding him a fraud. Tang San, eager to avenge his mentor by confronting Ning Tian, hesitated, too afraid of upsetting Xiao Wu to act.
Leaning against her bed, Xiao Wu's eyes dimmed with a touch of melancholy. "I'm not going home."
She turned to Ning Tian. "What about you?"
"I am going."
Her subtle shift didn't escape him, but Ning Tian's response remained icy and curt—a single word, as always.
He had no choice. Tang Hao was watching from the shadows, and Ning Tian still relied on him as a 'power source.' Pushing too far wasn't an option.
So, he kept Xiao Wu at arm's length. Xiao Wu's gaze brightened. "Your home's not far from the academy, right? Can I come with you? Wang Sheng and the others graduated, and Little Blackie's heading back too. I'll be all alone."
"No," Ning Tian shot down without hesitation.
"Why not?" Xiao Wu pouted, undeterred by his usual frostiness. She turned to Tang San. "Little Blackie, how far's your place?"
Tang San's heart skipped at the thought of Xiao Wu visiting him. He'd grown fond of the nickname 'Little Blackie,' seeing it as a mark of their closeness, something only she could call him.
He flashed a warm smile. "Not far, just half a day's trip. But my home's humble, nothing fancy to offer."
"I'm asking if it's close to Ning Tian's so I can visit him." Xiao Wu clarified.
Tang San's face fell, a shadow crossing his features. So, visiting him was just a pit stop to see Ning Tian.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to lie. "It's only an hour away."
Xiao Wu clapped her hands in delight, but Tang San inwardly recoiled at the thought of her chasing after Ning Tian. He scrambled for a way to divert her attention.
Watching Tang San's strained expression, Ning Tian smirked to himself. 'Our dear Tang had clearly fallen head over heels.'
The next morning, before the first light of dawn, Ning Tian slipped out of Nuoding City, heading for Emperor Soul Village. Only Tang San, up early honing his Purple Demon Eye, noticed his departure.
Unburdened by concerns of soul power or stamina, Ning Tian sprinted the half-day journey in under an hour.
"Look, it's Little Six!"
"Little Six is back! He's shot up so tall and handsome in just a year."
The villagers greeted him with open arms, and Ning Tian returned their warmth with nods and smiles.
Soon, he spotted Old Tom and his five 'older siblings.' In this world, commoners wed young, while soul masters delayed. Lacking soul power, they'd all married in their teens.
When they learned he had become a soul master, their joy was palpable, especially Old Tom's, his stooped frame straightening with pride.
Ning Tian hadn't forgotten their past kindness. He handed out gifts to everyone who had supported him and poured funds into a road linking the village to the main highway, plus new homes for those who had stood by him—Old Tom and his 'siblings' chief among them.
He basked in the glow of a triumphant homecoming, though the money wasn't his own, so it cost him nothing to spend.
Three days later, with preparations wrapped up and the village's 'new rural revival' underway, Ning Tian was set to depart.
That's when Tang San, worn down by Xiao Wu's relentless pestering, brought her to Emperor Soul Village.
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