Chapter 167: Husband Provoked, a Shining Green Hat over Tang San
The next day, at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
Heaven Dou Imperial Academy had six classes in total, divided according to different spirit power levels. As soon as one's level was high enough, one could move up without needing to pass an exam. Only at graduation would there be two exams: a practical combat test and a graduation assignment.
Of course, that was the official regulation. Whether those aristocratic students took it seriously was another matter. Admittance to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was far broader than Yuexuan's standards. As long as one had noble status and financial resources, they could enroll; whether they got a diploma or not wasn't considered important. Nobles tended not to care about it anyway.
That was precisely why the Academy was known for using the best resources to teach some of the worst students. Its reputation was loud and impressive, but top-level students from the Four Element Academies generally looked down on it.
Dai Mubai, Oscar, Tang San, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing all wore Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's fine uniforms and entered their classroom. Though their ages differed, each of them was above rank 30. The seven members of the Emperor Team were there, too.
From the moment they stepped inside, the classroom atmosphere grew somewhat strange. Nearly all the noble students, male and female alike, turned their eyes on them—some with fiery excitement, some with envy or jealousy. Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing were such rare beauties that the moment they arrived, they overshadowed Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling to become the Academy's new campus queens.
Who wouldn't want to revel in their charms? Who wouldn't want a face like that, to bask in universal admiration? Human jealousy works exactly that way.
The Shrek Seven, however, paid no mind. Reborn once over, they had often felt this kind of gaze. Tang San and Xiao Wu chose a seat in the back by the wall.
Xiao Wu grumbled, "Big Brother, Uncle Tang Hao is too much of a devil—he's worse than the old master. He gave us such a monstrous training schedule! Even when I got up this morning, my whole body was still numb."
Tang San, knowing the ins and outs, bore no complaints. His face showed a hint of anger but he gently consoled her. "Xiao Wu, with no immortal herbs left, Father is only doing this for our sake."
"Big Brother, rub my legs for me, would you?"
"Xiao Wu, we're in class right now."
Tang San looked at Xiao Wu's legs, wrapped in white stockings that set off their perfect shape. He swallowed nervously. Xiao Wu's legs were the most flawless in the world—no matter how many years he enjoyed them, he never tired of them.
"What are you afraid of? It's just a little leg massage. Let them be envious if they want."
Xiao Wu was perfectly nonchalant. She swung her leg over Tang San's knee. He was about to place his hands on her thigh when three sharp knocks sounded.
Clang, clang, clang!
"You—go sit in the back."
Tang San looked up to see Gu Chen's cold face.
"Gu Chen, you—!"
"What do you want, you ugly freak? I told you already, I only like Big Brother!"
Tang San stood, bristling with anger. Xiao Wu also leaped up to scold him.
"This is between men—no business of a woman. It's the agreement between me and Tang San!" Gu Chen threw a chilly glance at Xiao Wu, then turned to Tang San again. "Your father was the one who made that agreement with me. Don't tell me you've already forgotten? You're not allowed to lay a finger on Xiao Wu. If you want to break your promise, I'm only too happy."
"Big Brother didn't break the promise! I wanted him to touch me!"
"I don't care about that. All I know is that in our agreement, he's forbidden from touching you at all!"
The Shrek Seven trembled with fury. Ning Rongrong stood in awkward silence, unable to sway Gu Chen's decision. From childhood, she knew how severe his domineering streak was: his word was law. Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he was even more favored than she was.
The male students in the Academy looked at Gu Chen with admiration. That was a real man—tyrannical to the core! The female students eyed Xiao Wu with envy and resentment. Why did she get such treatment? All just because she was a little prettier?
Those girls would give anything to have Gu Chen treat them like that. They didn't mind that he was ugly—after all, he was a top-class genius backed by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Turn off the lights, face away; who cared what he looked like? The only things that mattered were size, vigor, and endurance.
"Gu Chen, you're going too far!"
"Too far? You made the agreement, you tried to break it, and now I'm the villain?"
With a sneer, Gu Chen grabbed Tang San by the collar and flung him backward. The wall behind them let out a moderate crash. Tang San landed on the floor with a cough, eyes bloodshot and seething with murderous rage. He stared at Gu Chen in shock and fury. Just how strong was this guy anyway? Yesterday's fight might not even have forced Gu Chen to show half his strength!
"Big Brother!"
Xiao Wu tried to run toward Tang San, but Gu Chen's hand clamped tightly onto her shoulder.
"Tang San, this is my first warning, and it's your last. If you dare break our agreement again, don't blame me for not keeping my end!"
Gu Chen cast a sidelong glance at Tang San, then turned to Xiao Wu, whose eyes were red and glaring at him. Inside, he felt resentful—what was so good about Tang San? Besides being marginally more handsome, he lost to Gu Chen in every way.
"Sit down!"
"I won't! Let me go!"
"If you refuse, I'll beat Tang San again!"
At that, Xiao Wu's shoulders slumped. She could bear her own suffering, but she couldn't let her most beloved Big Brother be harmed.
Seeing her give in, Gu Chen realized this was how to handle her. He pressed her shoulder to make her sit, then sat down right in Tang San's previous seat. His large frame squeezed next to Xiao Wu, shoulder to shoulder, but he made no further move. As long as Xiao Wu behaved, Gu Chen would treat her with care.
Yesterday, after Bone Douluo brought him back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he'd hoped Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo would talk some sense into him, telling him that with the two great empires' noblewomen, he needn't fixate on a single tree—especially one that was a transformed soul beast.
But Ning Fengzhi had not raged like Bone Douluo. Instead, he asked gently if Gu Chen truly cared for Xiao Wu. On hearing Gu Chen's certain reply, Ning Fengzhi directly encouraged him to pursue her, recounting the stories of Qian Xunji, Tang Hao, Tang Xiao, and Ah Yin. He included his own commentary to say that, in this world, raw power was law and feelings developed over time. Licking up to others? Nonsense!
Tang San watched Gu Chen sit close to Xiao Wu, her shoulders tilted forward and sometimes trembling, forced to suffer for his sake. The sight of it infuriated him, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. His rage and intent to kill roared inside him, pushing him to unleash every Tang Sect hidden weapon and end Gu Chen on the spot.
"Take it easy, calm down!"
Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and the others quietly tried to soothe Tang San. He was a peerless genius with twin spirits who would achieve godhood one day. Once his power caught up, he could repay every bit of humiliation he and Xiao Wu were enduring and hand it right back to Gu Chen.
Tang San finally sat back, yet his eyes remained bloodshot and his breathing labored. Ning Rongrong, seeing all this, knew this was no time to propose any deals about buying Tang Sect hidden weapons.
If she did, Tang San would surely curse her inside, thinking, "Sell to whom? I'm not short on money, and I'm itching for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to lose as many people as possible in their hunts. After all, in the future, the only ones who'll truly matter are Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Ning Fengzhi, and Ning Rongrong."
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