Nuoding Academy was located in the western part of Nuoding City. From a distance, Zhao Liuyun spotted a magnificent arched gate.
The gate was twenty meters wide and over ten meters high, constructed entirely of hard rock, with two large iron-wrought gates below.
A large road extended from within, with tall, lush trees visible on both sides.
Leaning by the gate was a shifty-eyed man, his gaze unkind and carrying a hint of greed.
Wasn't he the unfortunate soul nearly killed by Tang San?
Zhao Liuyun merely gave him a fleeting glance, disinclined to waste words. He walked straight up, handed over the enrollment certificate issued by Su Yuntao, and stated calmly, "I'm the new work-study student."
"Work-study student?" The gatekeeper stretched out his voice, took the certificate, and said with exaggerated inflection, "What's going on today? We haven't seen work-study students in years, and now they're flocking in?"
He quickly skimmed the document, simultaneously rubbing his fingers together in a deliberate gesture, as if waiting for something.
"Let me take a good look."
He said this, but his eyes ceaselessly circled Zhao Liuyun.
This kid is fair-skinned and refined, and a work-study student to boot. He shouldn't be as aggressive as that country bumpkin, right?
Zhao Liuyun knew the man was fishing for a bribe, but he refused to indulge him.
He gave a cold snort, and his eyes suddenly sharpened. He used [Hypnosis] directly.
"This certificate was personally written by Master Su Yuntao of the Spirit Hall right in front of me!"
"I have innate level 5 Spirit Power, and you dare question it!"
The severe words evoked a trace of fear, which the hypnosis rapidly amplified. The gatekeeper's heart skipped a beat, his body stiffened, and fine sweat beaded on his forehead.
He lowered his head to look closely again and indeed saw the Level 5 Spirit Power noted. He immediately shivered and his voice became shaky:
"Y-yes, yes, yes, this lowly one was blind and offended you. Please, go right in, sir."
"Initially hostile, then respectful~ Heh." Zhao Liuyun didn't bother to acknowledge his fearful state. He only asked coldly, "Where is the Academic Affairs Office?"
"Follow the road straight ahead; it's on the first floor of the main teaching building," the gatekeeper replied, his voice still trembling slightly, but he didn't dare to delay, pointing down the main road.
He tried to follow to salvage his reputation, offering, "I can take you..."
"Enough. I don't need you. Beat it." Zhao Liuyun waved him off.
"Aye, aye, yes, yes. I'll beat it, I'll beat it."
The gatekeeper scurried back into his room fearfully.
Zhao Liuyun strode into the academy and quickly found the Academic Affairs Office. He smoothly completed his enrollment procedures and received a set of plain school uniforms.
Work-study students didn't pay tuition, and their accommodation was in Dormitory Seven, where all work-study students lived together. It was the worst-conditioned dormitory.
Of course, he didn't mind.
Tang San~ Tang San, I'm coming for you!
Zhao Liuyun felt excited. Just as he reached the entrance of Dormitory Seven, he heard bursts of fighting coming from inside.
They've started fighting?
I should get involved.
A fight is a good way to become acquainted; this is the perfect opportunity.
Zhao Liuyun knew the saying, "In conversation, there are great scholars; among visitors, there are no commoners." People generally do not associate with those whose gap in status is too large.
Regardless of future developments, showcasing his strength now would elevate his standing, making it easier to build a relationship with the aloof Tang San.
"Thump."
Just as he took two steps closer, a skinny, dark-skinned boy, slightly disheveled, came flying out and landed sprawled on his back.
The light at the doorway was blocked by Zhao Liuyun. The thin, dark-skinned boy subconsciously looked up.
His eyes were bright and piercing.
This was Zhao Liuyun's first impression of Tang San.
Fighting with a pretty girl at this time, it could be no one else—it was Tang San.
As a Transmigrator, his spirit was naturally powerful, and Tang San also trained his Spiritual Power with the Purple Demon Eye...
But no matter what, Zhao Liuyun trusted himself more. His spiritually specialized Spiritual Power must be stronger than Tang San's!
"Uh, hello, I'm the new work-study student, Zhao Liuyun."
He flashed a harmless smile, greeted everyone inside, then reached out to pull Tang San up from the ground, brushing the dust off his back.
"Thank you," Tang San said.
"What's going on here?" Zhao Liuyun pretended to be unaware.
"We're choosing the dorm boss!"
The only pretty girl in the crowd shouted loudly.
Her black hair was braided into a scorpion braid that hung past her hips. Her eyes were sparkling, and her beautiful face was rosy and fair, looking like a ripe, plump peach, inciting an urge to take a bite.
Even after being exposed to enhanced beauty standards in his past life, Zhao Liuyun had to admit she was genuinely good-looking.
Pure, natural, and unadorned—Douluo Dalu truly was a fantasy world.
"I won, so I'm the dorm boss now." Xiao Wu lifted her chin, looking very proud.
"You're new. According to dorm rules, you have to fight me."
"If you win, I'll let you be the boss!"
Zhao Liuyun put down his uniform.
"I don't want to be the boss, but since you put it that way, bring it on!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Wu excitedly raised her foot and charged.
She bent her knee and lifted her leg, her toes shooting out like a released arrow, incredibly fast, carrying a wisp of breeze directly towards Zhao Liuyun's face!
Zhao Liuyun's pupils contracted quickly. A thief's training didn't involve direct confrontation, making it hard to counter such a direct, strong attack.
If it were before, he would have decisively admitted defeat.
But now, he had become the [Thief]—
[Extreme Reflex]!
Activate!
The eyes follow the heart, and the heart follows the will, but none of it is faster than the body's most primitive instinct.
Zhao Liuyun's feigned forward charge suddenly paused, and he retreated directly.
Raising the foot abruptly during combat is a dangerous move. It's fine if the kick connects, but if it misses, it exposes a flaw and compromises the lower body's balance.
She must have a follow-up move.
He remained vigilant in his heart.
Is this rabbit trying to slam me like she slammed Tang San?
Then I'll first avoid her edge.
Sure enough, Xiao Wu's attack missed. She could only use the momentum to spin and dissipate the force, forcing her slender white leg to be retracted.
"He actually dodged it?" Tang San watched the scene, recalling his own instant defeat earlier, and felt a little sour.
"I was just careless, and besides, why haggle with a girl?"
He tried to find an excuse for himself mentally.
"Why are you dodging!"
Muttering a few words, Xiao Wu pushed off with her left foot and pressed forward again.
She still used her feet. This must be related to her inherent habits; after all, rabbits don't have hands, only forepaws and hind paws.
However, Zhao Liuyun could only retreat this one time.
Dormitory Seven was three hundred square meters, which sounded big, but fifty beds took up a lot of space.
Any more retreat, and he would be cornered.
He surged forward. His left hand shot out like lightning, accurately grasping Xiao Wu's ankle, while his right hand pushed forward, pressing against her sternum.
The agility granted by [Agility] was utilized to the maximum; his movements were fluid and seamless.
He thought that with her hand unable to be a fulcrum, he could successfully block Xiao Wu's scissor kick. Yet, a rabbit was a rabbit, incredibly agile—
She suddenly snapped her head back, and her long braid wrapped around Zhao Liuyun's neck like a slithering snake!
As she exerted force with her neck, Zhao Liuyun's breathing tightened. His hands instinctively reached to untangle it, but Xiao Wu's now-unobstructed hand pressed onto his shoulder.
The hair naturally unwound. She used the borrowed force to exert her own, duplicating the previous move, and swung Zhao Liuyun's entire body into the air, tracing an arc.
"You lose!"
Xiao Wu played with her braid, her voice exceptionally clear.
Wang Sheng and the others nearby were stunned.
It wasn't enough that a formidable Tang San had arrived; now there was also a beautiful girl, Xiao Wu, who defeated him in one strike, and another who could exchange two moves with Xiao Wu.
Why are this year's work-study students so powerful?
Flipping in mid-air to land steadily, Zhao Liuyun disabled his skill and clapped his hands, conceding, "You're impressive."
He only had two hands. How could he possibly block Xiao Wu's extra braid?
But he hadn't intended to win in the first place, just to demonstrate his ability.
There was no bad blood, and Xiao Wu had held back, so there was no need for him to be aggressive.
Hypnosis was even less mentionable; he couldn't afford to expose it, not even a tiny flaw!
He would still rely on her and Tang San to deal with the Spirit Masters in the academy.
Zhao Liuyun asked, "You're the boss here, but I still don't know your name?"
The little rabbit lifted her head slightly: "My name is Xiao Wu."
"Then should I call you Boss Xiao Wu?"
"Pah! Shut up! That sounds terrible!" Xiao Wu spat, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "Let me think..."
A moment later, her eyes lit up, and she announced with a haughty air, "You should all call me Sister Xiao Wu from now on!"