The Glory of the Sun and Moon in the Peerless Tang Sect

"If I hadn't held back, Huo Yuhao would be dead."

Xu Zihuang silently complained in his heart, but on the surface he smiled and agreed with Tang Ya.

To be honest, he also really enjoyed spending time with Tang Ya, this kind-hearted and guileless senior. This made him, who had always been putting on a different facade, feel a rare sense of relaxation.

How much more hatred and pressure did he bear than Huo Yuhao?

Huo Yuhao was facing the White Tiger Duke of the Star Luo Empire, while his enemy was the entire Sun Moon Empire under the command of Xu Tianran.

The two chatted all the way and soon arrived at Huo Yuhao's room.

Bei Bei was sitting on the edge of the bed talking to Huo Yuhao when she saw Xu Zihuang walking in from the door behind Tang Ya. She gave him a gentle nod.

Teacher Lü just explained Huo Yuhao's situation in front of the three of them. Not only Bei Bei, but even Huo Yuhao himself knew that Yu Tianhuang had gone easy on him during the morning's assessment.

Huo Yuhao, who was sizing up Xu Zihuang, subconsciously glanced at Bei Bei beside him, recalling the advice Bei Bei had given him before.

"Yuhao, if my deduction is correct, Tianhuang's martial soul should also be a spirit-attribute physical martial soul. Building a good relationship with him will definitely benefit you greatly. You might even be able to learn the method for the second awakening of a physical martial soul."

"Senior Brother, what is the second awakening of the original martial soul?"

"The reason why the original spirit is included among the top-tier spirits is because of the huge advantage of being able to awaken a second time. I don't know the specifics, but if your spirit eye spirit can complete a second awakening, your talent will be greatly enhanced. This will give you the possibility of becoming a top-tier powerhouse."

Becoming a top-tier expert—that was his goal when he left the White Tiger Duke's mansion. Only by becoming a top-tier expert would he have the right to take revenge on the White Tiger Duke.

To the White Tiger Duke's mansion, he was nothing more than an ant that could be crushed at will. All he needed to do now was become stronger, stronger still. The White Tiger Duke lineage would continue, for ten, twenty, even thirty or fifty years, until one day he would extinguish it.

In that instant, Huo Yuhao's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and his pupils even turned red because of that deep-seated hatred.

Although Huo Yuhao's eyes were obscured by the hair on his forehead, and the red light only lasted for a moment, Xu Zihuang still keenly noticed it.

Xu Zihuang frowned slightly, while Huo Yuhao seemed to have calmed down as well, his eyes regaining their peace, and he sincerely thanked Xu Zihuang.

"Yu Tianhuang, thank you for going easy on me during this morning's assessment. May I treat you, Senior Brother, and Teacher Xiaoya to some grilled fish this afternoon?"

"Grilled fish? Great! It's been so long since I've had grilled fish made by you, Yuhao." Tang Ya's eyes lit up when she heard Huo Yuhao's words.

His attention was completely focused on the grilled fish, and he didn't notice Huo Yuhao's change at all.

Because of the angle, Bei Bei also didn't notice. And since this was originally his suggestion to Huo Yuhao, he was naturally happy to accept it.

"We're free this afternoon. But Yuhao, are you alright right now?"

"Don't worry, Senior Brother, I'll be fine." Huo Yuhao shook his head, looking at Xu Zihuang with some trepidation.

Although Xu Zihuang seemed very approachable, this was the first time he had approached someone with a specific purpose in mind, and he always felt a sense of uncertainty.

"It must have been Bei Bei's idea," Xu Zihuang thought to himself, having witnessed Huo Yuhao's earlier actions.

He didn't know what Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao had talked about, nor what they were planning. But there was no need to deliberately refuse them right now.

He was very displeased with Beibei's behavior, and always felt like he had been tricked.

"Since both Senior Sister Xiaoya and Senior Brother Bei are going, I can't very well refuse," Xu Zihuang said with a hearty laugh.

Upon receiving Xu Zihuang's affirmative reply, Tang Ya waved excitedly.

"Then it's settled. Let's go to the river outside the academy. The environment there is nice, and we can catch fish right there in the river."

Huo Yuhao and Bei Bei had no objections.

And so, while the elimination rounds for the freshmen assessment were in full swing, Xu Zihuang and his group of four quietly passed through the east gate of Shrek Academy and arrived at a wide river embankment.

Under a clear blue sky and gentle breeze, the lush aquatic plants that grow in late spring ripple like green waves.

Xu Zihuang lay flat on the soft green grass, letting his body completely relax and enjoying the lazy afternoon sun.

He felt a tingling sensation in his ears and nose, and reluctantly opened his eyes.

What came into view was Tang Ya, who was half-squatting with her hands wrapped around her knees, teasing him with fluffy foxtail grass.

"Senior Xiaoya?"

Tang Ya gave Xu Zihuang a coquettish glare, then smiled sweetly and sat down beside him.

"Tianhuang, just relax and have fun when you're out having fun."

"How did you know I wasn't happy, Senior Xiaoya?"

Xu Zihuang's words caused Tang Ya to fall silent, a rare occurrence. A hint of sadness flashed deep in her eyes.

Although she seems carefree, she is exceptionally sensitive in certain aspects.

Perhaps it was a woman's intuition, but she always felt that she saw a reflection of herself in Yu Tianhuang.

They may appear approachable and polite to everyone, but their outward appearance may not be entirely genuine.

Back then, when their sect's residence was seized and their parents died, didn't she always keep that hatred buried deep in her heart?

However, she quickly returned to her previous optimistic demeanor, glanced at Xu Zihuang and noticed the oil stains on the shoulders of his white school uniform, then sweetly changed the subject.

"You didn't even realize your clothes were dirty. Take them off and I'll wash them for you."

Without waiting for Xu Zihuang's response, she started peeling the cloth.

Seeing that Tang Ya had demonstrated her determination through her actions, Xu Zihuang could no longer refuse.

Sitting up and watching Tang Ya diligently washing her school uniform by the river, Xu Zihuang admitted that he was indeed touched.

From childhood to adulthood, he has truly experienced the full spectrum of human nature. From the powerful only son of a prince to an exiled prisoner, and now to regaining his freedom.

Tang Ya was the first person I'd known for a short time who treated me unconditionally well. Perhaps it was because of the pure kindness in her heart.

Chapter 96 Sixteen to Eight

The four of them grilled fish and had a picnic by the riverbank, as if they had returned to the journey they took three months ago from the Star Dou Great Forest to Shrek Academy.

The four of them didn't leave until the afternoon when the sky was filled with stars.

However, what puzzled Xu Zihuang was that neither Bei Bei nor Huo Yuhao showed any obvious intentions today.

Huo Yuhao is alright, but Bei Bei, although he looks gentle and refined, actually has a lot of hidden thoughts in his heart.

Beibei's behavior today, in particular, has left a knot in his heart.

After those three years of imprisonment, he became particularly sensitive. Perhaps Bebe didn't have any bad intentions, but he had to be wary.

In his opinion, Bei Bei was definitely closer to Huo Yuhao, who was also a disciple of the Tang Sect.

With a newfound sense of caution, Xu Zihuang's interest naturally waned.

Of course, he wouldn't show any of this.

Even if Huo Yuhao wanted to take the initiative to build a good relationship with Xu Zihuang, it wouldn't be so easy to become familiar with him after not seeing each other more than a few times in three months.

They certainly didn't have anything in common.

After returning to the freshman dormitory, the two greeted each other and then went back to their respective dormitories.

The soul-guided lamps on the dormitory ceiling emitted a soft, warm light, illuminating the small dormitory room thoroughly.

Tuoba Yu lay on his bed, reading a book while shaking his legs.

Clearly, they did not truly calm their minds and immerse themselves in the activity.

Hearing the dormitory door open, he subconsciously looked at Xu Zihuang who was walking into the dormitory, and then took a sniff.

"What smells so good? What have you been doing today?" he said, a lewd smile spreading across his face.

Its true nature was revealed.

"Could he have gone on a secret rendezvous with some senior student?"

"You noticed that?" Xu Zihuang feigned surprise and nodded in deep agreement.

"Indeed, dating four or five beautiful female seniors in a row is quite tiring."

Compared to the insecure and sensitive Huo Yuhao, he still felt more relaxed getting along with Tuoba Yu, who had a similar temperament.

Tuoba Yu's expression froze. He knew he was asking a question and was only asking for trouble.

Because regardless of whether it's true or not, if Xu Zihuang had that idea, he could actually do it.

Each day features a different dish.

Finally, he could only utter a quiet remark.

Take care of yourself.

Xu Zihuang shook his head speechlessly, took off his white freshman uniform and put it in the wardrobe.

Tuoba Yu didn't smell grilled fish, but rather the lingering fragrance of something Tang Ya used when washing his school uniform. It was somewhat like a fresh, natural plant scent, but distinctly different from the fragrance of the Mo Xue Ji flower on the dormitory balcony.

By the time Xu Zihuang finished washing up and returned to the dormitory, Tuoba Yu had already begun his cultivation with a resentful heart.

Having spent so much time with Xu Zihuang, I've developed a certain level of resilience. Fortunately, whenever I'm provoked by Xu Zihuang, I channel my grief and anger into motivation for cultivation.

Xu Zihuang also tacitly hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign outside the door and sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate.

The elimination rounds had only been going on for a day, yet they had already eliminated most of the freshmen. Those who remained to continue competing on the second day were the top sixteen teams from this year's freshman assessment, a total of forty-eight freshmen. They were all among the best of the freshmen, arguably among the most outstanding Soul Masters of their age across the entire continent.

When the round of 16 began on the morning of the second day, the assessment area was much quieter than the day before.

It was obvious that the older students had gone to class and many new teams had been eliminated. However, the number of teachers in the stands remained almost unchanged.

The lottery ceremony was once again conducted by Du Weilun, the Dean of Studies of the Martial Soul Department's Outer Court.

The competition area expanded once again, with eight spacious fields starting simultaneously. However, Xu Zihuang's opponents today did not concede defeat outright like the three freshmen from Class 8 yesterday.

The three men opposite them were all dashing male students, and what surprised Xu Zihuang and Tuoba Yu the most was that they had seen these three before. They were the three freshmen who had walked in front of them and talked about the rumors of the duel between Xu Zihuang and Wu Feng.

The reason why the rumors about Xu Zihuang later became so outrageous is probably inseparable from these three guys.

Tuoba Yu whispered in Xu Zihuang's ear.

"How about I ask you to handle them by yourself, so you can at least vent your anger?"

"Forget it. Let's stick to what we agreed before. You and Yoona should try your best to show your strength and strive to become core disciples. My main role in this match is to control the situation and assist you." Xu Zihuang shook his head indifferently, while looking at Nanmen Yoona, who rarely spoke beside him.

"Yoona, you don't have any objections, do you?"

"Mm." Nanmen Yun'er nodded in response.

To be honest, because Xu Zihuang's individual strength is too outstanding, their team has actually not cooperated much since the first day of the freshman assessment.

But both Tuoba Yu and Nanmen Yun'er remained calm. Because no matter what, Xu Zihuang could always cover for them.