Chapter 44: Zhou Qing vs. Xiao Wu

Xiao Wu returned to Dorm Seven with a brand new pink quilt in her arms. After greeting everyone, she spread the quilt neatly over her bed.

Once she was done tidying up, she noticed that two of the working students had also changed to new bedding. Narrowing her eyes, she questioned them with mock sternness, "Oh? So you two dared to lie to Sister Xiao Wu? You had new quilts and didn't bring them out?"

"It's not like that!"

The two students quickly explained their situation.

After listening, Xiao Wu squinted at Zhou Qing and Tang San, eyes flicking back and forth between them. "Innate full soul power, huh? You two have pretty decent talent. Come on, let's have a little spar!"

As the boss of the Star Dou Great Forest, guarded by both the Sky Blue Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape, she had always been fearless. At least, until soul beasts with cultivation over 100,000 years began showing up—her status took a noticeable dive after that…

Now that she was in the human world, others couldn't be casually beaten up, but these two with innate full soul power looked like they could take a beating.

"Alright," Zhou Qing agreed.

Tang San looked at him with a confused expression—Isn't this asking for trouble?

But Zhou Qing understood Xiao Wu's personality well. With someone like her, if they didn't agree after revealing their strength, she'd likely keep coming to bother them.

They made their way to the back of the academy.

There was an open field covered in Blue Silver Grass.

Xiao Wu rolled her wrists, grinning as she looked at the two boys. "So, who's going first? Or are you both coming at me together?"

"I'll go."

Zhou Qing stepped forward first, his expression solemn.

"Then let's do this," Xiao Wu replied.

Without activating her Martial Soul, she dashed forward like a rabbit, each stride covering three to five meters. In just three steps, she crossed fifteen meters and appeared before Zhou Qing.

So fast!

Zhou Qing was secretly startled and reached out to grab her shoulder.

But Xiao Wu was clearly prepared. With a cheeky grin, she suddenly stopped, using the momentum of her dash to spin her body on her left leg. Her right leg lashed out like a whip, kicking straight for Zhou Qing's waist.

Smack!

A solid hit.

Zhou Qing gritted his teeth against the pain, stood firm, and grabbed hold of Xiao Wu's right ankle. Then, he began to spin.

"Great Windmill!"

Though Zhou Qing didn't have much combat experience, being a boy, his physical strength was naturally superior. Combined with ten levels of soul power, his strength outmatched Xiao Wu by quite a bit. With her leg caught, he began twirling her around.

Xiao Wu, suspended in the air, couldn't stabilize herself. Her other leg was also caught at Zhou Qing's waist, turning her into a human spinning top, rotating faster and faster.

Her feet felt like they were clamped by iron. She couldn't break free. Being swung around like that made it impossible to gather any strength.

Luckily, she practiced soft techniques and possibly already had her first soul skill—Waist Bow. Her reflexes were sharp, and she hadn't yet blacked out.

But if this continued, she would definitely faint.

Zhou Qing, on the other hand, was in better condition. Cultivating his innate meridian diagram refined his mind, spirit, and energy. Even with limited soul power, he could stay mentally clear.

This guy's got strength and stamina... I can't let this go on!

Cursing Zhou Qing as a brute inwardly, Xiao Wu made her move. She twisted her head sharply, and her long scorpion braid wrapped around Zhou Qing's neck.

Then—

Xiao Wu gave a sharp tug!

Thud!

The momentum from spinning caused the scorpion braid to wind tightly around Zhou Qing's neck. Xiao Wu's upper body, pulled by the braid, arched backward and slammed her head into the back of Zhou Qing's skull. The two crashed to the ground together.

At this point, Xiao Wu's legs were still clamped around Zhou Qing's waist, but her upper body had curved beneath him. Their heads pressed against each other, forming a shape like the Chinese character "几".

Xiao Wu was on the bottom, supporting Zhou Qing's body above her with her flexible waist.

The watching working students were all dumbfounded.

No one expected a simple spar to end with the two tangled up like this—and in such a bizarre pose, no less.

Smack!

In the end, Zhou Qing was forced to let go. The scorpion braid had choked him to the point of breathlessness. As he released his grip, Xiao Wu's legs dropped down, and he collapsed on top of her back.

Xiao Wu's face was flushed bright red.

Not out of embarrassment—but because her blood flow was restricted.

Her flexibility made such an extreme backward bend manageable. But with her legs locked by Zhou Qing and her braid choking him, she had to support both his weight and the strain from the position. It was so intense she almost passed out.

Now that Zhou Qing had let go, she was too weak to move and simply lay there with him leaning on her.

Tang San quickly ran over, pushed Zhou Qing off, and untangled the scorpion braid from around his neck. "You okay? I told you to learn Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track."

To Tang San, if Zhou Qing knew that movement technique, he wouldn't have been so passive.

"I'm fine," Zhou Qing replied, realizing just how lacking his combat experience was.

Meanwhile, Xiao Wu rolled over and sat up, her face looking much better. She shouted, "Doesn't count! You were cheating!"

"How about we call it a draw?" Zhou Qing didn't want to keep arguing. "We can spar again later and improve together. Sound good?"

In terms of actual combat...

Xiao Wu's experience might not translate to human duels, but she was still a 100,000-year soul beast in human form. Her martial prowess was clearly above his. Sparring with her often could only benefit him.

"Deal!" Xiao Wu leapt up, then turned to Tang San and beckoned. "Your turn, Little San."

Zhou Qing gave Tang San a gentle push.

Tang San shot him a resentful look before stepping forward. "You're a bit worn out, right? I don't want to take advantage of that. Let's just call it a draw."

"A draw without even fighting? That doesn't count! The world doesn't offer that much fairness. Come on, let's fight!"

Zhou Qing was surprised Xiao Wu could say something so philosophical.

No—

He quickly realized the reason.

Though Xiao Wu had the protection of the Sky Blue Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape, she lived in the Star Dou Great Forest, where low-level soul beasts fought and killed each other constantly.

To her, these words weren't just theory they reflected the survival-of-the-fittest reality she had lived in every day.

"All right then," Tang San nodded, taking her seriously.