Xiao Wu's Challenge

When Tang San returned, everyone in the dormitory was either practicing or, in Ao Tian's case, sleeping.

He moved gracefully and noticed the meal box placed beside his bed.

Puzzled, Tang San opened it to find a few chicken legs that still smelled delicious, though they had cooled down.

"Tang San, you're back?" Xiao Wu's voice rang out.

Tang San turned around to see that Xiao Wu had already opened her eyes.

The others in the dormitory also woke up from their practice, noticing Tang San's return.

"What's this?" Tang San asked.

Wang Sheng came down and said, "Tang San, I want to apologize for what happened at noon. Ao Tian treated us to lunch, and I packed some for you, but it's already cold."

Half a day had passed, and Tang San's anger had subsided. He said, "Let bygones be bygones."

He looked at the meal box and said, "I already had lunch with the teacher, and I'm still full."

Xiao Wu jumped off her bed, patted her stomach, and said, "I'm hungry. Wang Sheng, let's go have dinner. Since Tang San has already eaten, we shouldn't waste this food. Let's take it with us."

Wang Sheng nodded and said, "Alright."

Xiao Wu frowned as she looked at Ao Tian, who was still curled up comfortably in bed.

Ao Tian had been sleeping since he returned from lunch and hadn't been practicing.

She approached Ao Tian and gently shook him.

"Wake up, it's time to eat."

Ao Tian rolled over, grumbling, "You guys go ahead, I'm not hungry."

The food in the cafeteria looked delicious to Xiao Wu, Wang Sheng, and the others, but Ao Tian found it rather ordinary and had no appetite.

After wandering around with Bibi Dong for ten years, he had practically tasted all the delicacies on the continent, and his palate had become quite picky.

"Alright then."

Xiao Wu could only go to the cafeteria with Wang Sheng and the others.

In the dormitory, only Tang San and Ao Tian remained.

Tang San observed Ao Tian for a while, then climbed onto his bed and lay down to rest.

He had been on the road for several hours in the morning and had spent the afternoon studying with his teacher. He was exhausted.

Not long after, Tang San had fallen asleep.

Over half an hour later, Xiao Wu and the others returned.

Seeing Ao Tian still sleeping, Xiao Wu couldn't help but shake him a few times.

"Ao Tian, are you a pig? You've been sleeping from noon until now, without any cultivation."

Ao Tian, feeling helpless, sat up.

He didn't need to cultivate deliberately; the Dragon Clan's inherited techniques had been running automatically within him. Moreover, at his current level of cultivation, practicing on the Douluo Continent wouldn't yield significant results. Even draining the spiritual energy of the entire Douluo Planet wouldn't make much difference in his cultivation.

To make faster progress, he would need to go to more advanced worlds, such as the Divine Realm, or venture into space. However, after being asleep for five hundred million years, he just wanted to enjoy himself for a while. He decided to practice again when he got tired of playing, especially since there was no one here who could threaten his life.

Xiao Wu had just finished her meal and didn't want to practice immediately. Seeing Ao Tian getting up, she said, "Let's go out for a walk."

Suddenly, Ao Tian frowned. He felt a powerful Titled Doulou spiritual force approaching and enveloping Xiao Wu.

He was somewhat familiar with this spiritual force.

With a sharp gaze, Ao Tian saw through various obstacles, spotting a figure in a dark corner not far from the dormitory building, draped in a black robe.

"Tang Hao!"

'Did she notice?' Ao Tian glanced at Xiao Wu.

"Hurry, put on your shoes, and come with me outside," Xiao Wu urged.

Ao Tian smiled, "Alright."

Wang Sheng and the others looked envious. They had average talents and had to continue practicing even after eating, unlike Tang San and Xiao Wu.

Suddenly, Tang San sat up and said, "Xiao Wu, there's something I need to tell you."

Xiao Wu, who was on her way out with Ao Tian, stopped and turned to face Tang San, asking, "What is it?"

Tang San said, "My spirit power has reached level 10, and the teacher is taking me to obtain my first spirit ring tomorrow. It might take a few days."

Because Xiao Wu was the leader of Dormitory Seven, Tang San had informed her. After all, he was a work-study student, and school would start tomorrow. He needed to arrange his work since he wouldn't be at the academy.

Xiao Wu's expression was complicated as she asked, "Is the acquisition of spirit rings really that important to you all?"

Her complexity could only be understood by Ao Tian.

Tang San nodded, "Yes, only by hunting spirit beasts and obtaining spirit rings can spirit masters continue to progress."

Wang Sheng spoke up, "Tang San, are you worried about the work of the work-study students? Don't worry, we'll take care of it while you're gone."

Tang San nodded and said, "Thank you. I'll make it up to you all when I get back."

"Don't mention it; after all, you'll be the first spirit master in our dormitory," Wang Sheng said enviously.

He had been training at the Nuoding Academy for several years and still hadn't reached level ten spirit power. But Tang San, on his first day at the academy, was about to obtain his first spirit ring. How could he not be envious?

Apart from Ao Tian and Xiao Wu, everyone else was also full of envy.

Tang San looked at Ao Tian and said, "Ao Tian, the teacher asked me to ask you if you'd like to obtain your first spirit ring as well. You can join us tomorrow."

"No need," Ao Tian declined.

"Let's go," Xiao Wu said, grabbing Ao Tian's hand and leading him outside.

By now, the sky was completely dark, with only the cold moonlight and starlight providing dim illumination.

In the campus, there were hardly any teachers or students moving around.

Spirit masters usually trained at night, so the campus was quiet.

Xiao Wu led Ao Tian to the side of the sports field, where they sat on a smooth boulder.

"Ao Tian, why do humans have to hunt spirit beasts?" Xiao Wu lay on the large rock, gazing at the stars in the sky, repeating her question.

"Human cultivation relies on spirit rings; it's a natural law. No matter how much you think about it, it won't change," Ao Tian said.

He remembered that before he went to sleep, the law wasn't like this, and there were no spirit beasts that produced spirit rings upon death.

It seemed that spirit beasts had appeared later.

"Isn't it unfair to spirit beasts?" Xiao Wu looked somewhat sad.

Ao Tian reached out and pinched her cheek, saying, "Why are you thinking so much? Are you saying you're a spirit beast?"

A trace of panic flickered in Xiao Wu's big eyes. She quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense. How can I, who's so cute, be a spirit beast?"

Ao Tian smiled and didn't dwell on the question.

"You brought me out here just to talk about this?" he asked.

Xiao Wu jumped down and said, "Of course not. I brought you out here because I want to have a match with you."

"Why? Didn't I already concede during the day?" Ao Tian asked.

"Because I had no choice during the day. I want to be the leader, and if I lose to you, I won't be able to become the leader. But if you lose, I'm afraid you'll lose face. I just want to have a match with you," Xiao Wu explained.

"So, you picked a time when there's no one around at night?" Ao Tian asked.

Xiao Wu nodded and said happily, "That way, if I lose, I won't lose my position as the leader, and you won't lose face, right?"

"Come on, let me see how strong you are." Xiao Wu pulled Ao Tian off the boulder.

Ao Tian glanced at a dark corner not far away and smiled. "Alright, let's have a good spar."