As Tang San and Xiao Wu walked together off the field, now chatting with ease, Director Su stood at a distance, sighing with satisfaction.
"Geniuses always attract each other," he muttered. "Looks like our Nuoding Academy will be making waves among the primary soul master academies soon."
The Principal of Nuoding Academy smiled as well. "Yes, when they graduate, we might even run a campaign using them. Expand the school. Raise enrollment. Maybe even build a new dormitory."
The school leaders laughed heartily as they turned away and left.
The work-study students, too, dispersed one by one.
The match was over. They still had work to do—none of them were rich. And besides, anyone with sense could tell that Xiao Wu clearly wanted to talk privately with Tang San. Sticking around would just be awkward.
Poor children had pride, yes, but they also knew how to read the room.
They wouldn't go where they didn't belong.
—
As they strolled across the grass, Xiao Wu gave Tang San a sideways glance.
"I won't call you Xiao San," she grumbled. "So what am I supposed to call you?"
"Just call me by my name."
Tang San thought for a moment. "Actually, speaking of names… what's your full name? Don't tell me 'Xiao' is your surname?"
Xiao Wu snorted. "It is my surname."
"Oh?"
Tang San smiled. "Then I guess I get to call you by your full name for free."
"You're annoying." Xiao Wu glared at him but didn't walk away.
In fact, she decided right then to tag along with him for a while.
This genius boy in front of her wasn't actually that annoying.
And following someone so sharp and observant might help her avoid drawing attention from powerful humans.
—
"Is the Wind Listening Rabbit really the best choice for my second soul ring?" she asked, her voice turning serious.
"Absolutely," Tang San nodded. "You're a rabbit-type soul beast. If you keep focusing on pure strength, you're wasting your natural advantage in agility."
"But why can't rabbits be strength attackers?" Xiao Wu frowned. "It's not like I'm weak. I like fighting head-on."
"It's not that they can't, but rather that they shouldn't," Tang San explained. "Martial souls aren't just animals. They're representations of talent and potential. You're rebellious—fighting-style suits you. But without a proper team or protection, that path will be much harder in the early stages."
He paused, then smirked.
"Ah, right. I forgot. You're a rich girl who ran away from home. You've probably got a powerful clan backing you. Maybe none of that matters to you."
"Just pretend I didn't say anything."
Xiao Wu clenched her teeth. Her jaw clicked with irritation. But she took a breath and let it go.
Then, quietly:
"Can't we be friends?"
Tang San looked at her, calm and clear.
"Don't be naive. Being friends means understanding each other. And right now, I don't think you understand me at all."
"Not yet," Xiao Wu said, smiling despite his words. "But we've got six years ahead as desk mates."
"Not necessarily," Tang San replied. "I'm planning to ask Teacher Mo Hen if I can study independently in the library. And as for you…"
He gave her a teasing look.
"You haven't even finished recognizing the 500 basic characters."
Xiao Wu's face twitched.
Tang San continued ruthlessly, "Aside from your combat talent, you're pretty useless. Even if someone wants to befriend you, it's probably just for your innate full soul power. But hey—talent is capital."
He added with a faint smirk, "But honestly, you look a bit silly. You're the type to be sold off and still help count the money."
"I'm not that stupid!" Xiao Wu protested.
Tang San raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not. Rabbits are clever. But clever doesn't mean wise. Sometimes, a little cleverness can bring big trouble."
The clarity in Tang San's gaze made Xiao Wu's scalp tingle—as if he could see straight through her.
"…Where did your first soul ring come from?" she asked quickly, changing the subject.
"Thousand Root Banyan," Tang San replied.
"What's that?"
Tang San didn't hide it. "It's a kind of banyan tree. Even at ten thousand years, it doesn't gain wisdom. But it spreads endlessly—one tree becomes a forest. That's how I developed the Endless Grass Field from my first soul skill."
"But the main attribute it gave me was recovery. My Blue Silver Grass has strong life force. I'm pretty sure…"
He paused, thoughtful.
"At the Titled Douluo level, I might be able to reach the point of reviving flesh from bone. Maybe even the living dead."
"…Resurrection?!"
Xiao Wu's eyes widened. A thousand thoughts raced behind them.
"Can you really… bring someone back to life?" she asked breathlessly.
"I'm not sure yet," Tang San said cautiously. "But there's potential."
He saw the glimmer in her eyes and softened his tone.
"I didn't want to give you false hope. But I believe it's possible."
"Blue Silver Grass is one of the most tenacious plants. Burn it, bury it—it still grows back. My soul path is rooted in life. My first soul skill can restore someone to peak condition. Who knows how far it can go in the future?"
He smiled wryly.
"Sometimes, I'm honestly a little afraid of my own talent."
Xiao Wu didn't answer right away. The fire in her eyes dimmed, then steadied into something colder, stronger.
"…If it's possible," she said quietly, "Can you help me revive someone?"
"Your mother?"
Tang San had already guessed.
"Yeah." Xiao Wu hesitated, then asked, "If there's no corpse left… can she still be resurrected?"
"What is a person made of?" Tang San said, gazing into the distance. "Body. Soul. Soul power. That's it. If the body's gone, then what about the soul?"
"My mother was hunted down," Xiao Wu whispered. "Her body was taken away. I only managed to collect a bit of fur. Later I gathered some of her blood."
"As for her soul—it's in her soul ring and soul bone. If I find the one who killed her… I can get it back. But only if I'm stronger than them."
Tang San didn't say anything for a while.
Then:
"If there's blood left," he said slowly, "it's possible."
"Have you ever heard of cloning?"
Xiao Wu blinked. "No. What's that?"
Tang San explained simply, "It's a process that copies life. Every living cell contains the full genetic blueprint of that being. If even one cell remains, someone can extract and replicate its blueprint."
"With the right knowledge and energy, they can recreate a living creature from just that."
"…It's forbidden knowledge. A technique of life manipulation. But I've chosen the path of life. I'll touch that boundary eventually."
"You can believe me—but don't believe me completely," he added. "Even I don't know how far I can go."
"I believe you," Xiao Wu said quietly.
"After all… no one else nags me like a grumpy old mother."
Tang San: "…"