One evening, Xiao Wu's patience finally broke.
"Tang San," she said, her voice carrying a harder edge than usual. "Let's spar. You, me, and your companion. Three-way match."
Tang San frowned. "There's no need—"
"What, are you scared?" Xiao Wu's tone was challenging. "Or are you afraid your little companion will get hurt?"
Luna stood up, her ruby eyes flashing. "I can handle myself."
"Then let's go to the training ground," Xiao Wu said with a sharp smile.
On the training ground, the three of them faced each other. Several other working students had come to watch.
"Ready?" Xiao Wu called out, already bouncing on her toes.
Before anyone could respond, she attacked—not Tang San, but Luna.
Xiao Wu moved with devastating speed, her rabbit spirit giving her explosive leg power. She feinted toward Tang San, then pivoted mid-leap toward Luna.
But Luna was a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast. Her combat instincts were formidable. She dodged the initial strike with fluid grace, her nine tails whipping around to create distance.
"Not bad," Xiao Wu said, her smile turning predatory. "But let's see how you handle this!"
She unleashed a flurry of attacks—kicks, grabs, her scorpion braid whipping like a weapon. Luna defended skillfully, but Xiao Wu was relentless, using techniques that Luna wasn't familiar with in this human body.
Tang San moved to intervene, but Xiao Wu positioned herself so that if he attacked, he risked hitting Luna.
The fight intensified. Luna's spiritual energy began to glow around her as she got more serious. Xiao Wu responded by activating her own spirit power, pale light surrounding her.
Then Xiao Wu saw an opening. Luna's defense shifted slightly, and Xiao Wu executed her signature move—the Rabbit Kicking Eagle.
She feinted left, drew Luna's response, then twisted impossibly fast. Both legs shot out, kicking Luna hard in the ribs with spirit-enhanced force.
The impact sent Luna flying several meters. She hit the ground hard, crying out in pain.
"LUNA!" Tang San's vision went red with fury.
He moved faster than he ever had before, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track carrying him across the field in a blur. His hand shot out with Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, catching Xiao Wu's arm in an iron grip.
"The match is OVER!" His voice was cold, dangerous.
"But I was just—" Xiao Wu started.
"I said STOP!" Tang San's grip tightened—not enough to seriously injure, but enough to make his point crystal clear. "You went too far!"
He released her and immediately turned to Luna, who was struggling to sit up, clutching her side. He could see tears in her eyes from the pain.
Tang San knelt beside her, his hands gentle as he checked her injury. "Where does it hurt?"
"My ribs," Luna gasped. "I think... I think one might be cracked."
Tang San's face went pale. Then he looked at Xiao Wu, and his expression was colder than anyone had ever seen.
"I know you like to fight," he said, his voice quiet but intense. "Fine. Fight with me. Test your skills against mine. But why did you have to involve Luna? She was defending herself, not trying to hurt you. You deliberately targeted her to get at me. You went overboard, Xiao Wu."
Xiao Wu's face had gone pale. "I... I didn't mean to hurt her that badly. I just wanted to—"
"To what? Prove you're stronger? Congratulations." Tang San's tone was scathing. "You've proven you can seriously injure someone who wasn't even attacking at full power."
He turned away from her, carefully scooping Luna into his arms in a princess carry. Despite her being the same apparent age as him, his spirit-enhanced strength made it possible.
"Tang San," Luna protested weakly, "I can walk—"
"No," he said firmly. "You're hurt. I'm taking you to get medical attention."
He carried her toward the dormitory, leaving a shocked audience behind. Wang Sheng stepped forward toward Xiao Wu.
"That was really too much," he said quietly.
Xiao Wu stared at Tang San's retreating back, her confident facade completely shattered. For the first time since arriving at the academy, she'd badly miscalculated.
In the dormitory, Tang San carefully laid Luna on his bed. The other students gave them space, sensing the tension.
"Let me look at your injury," Tang San said softly, his anger giving way to concern and guilt. "I should have stopped the fight sooner. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," Luna said, wincing as she moved. "I agreed to the match."
"But I knew she was targeting you. I should have..." He trailed off, frustrated with himself.
He retrieved Grandmaster's medical kit and carefully helped Luna remove her outer shirt so he could examine the injury. There was already bruising forming along her ribs—dark purple marks that made Tang San's hands clench with renewed anger.
"This is going to hurt," he warned, gently pressing to check if any ribs were broken.
Luna hissed in pain but didn't pull away. "I don't think anything's broken," she managed. "Just badly bruised."
Tang San carefully applied medicinal salve to the injury, his touch as gentle as possible. "This should help with the pain and reduce the bruising. Teacher gave it to me—it's high quality."
As he worked, Luna watched his face. The concern there, the careful attention, the barely suppressed fury at seeing her hurt—it made her heart swell with emotion.
"Thank you for protecting me," she said softly.
Tang San looked up, meeting her eyes. "Of course. You're important to me, Luna. I won't let anyone hurt you."
After treating her injury, he helped her lie back down, making sure she was comfortable. Then he sat beside her, holding her hand.
"Rest now," he murmured. "Tomorrow Grandmaster and I are going to hunt for my spirit ring. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Luna's eyes widened. "You're leaving tomorrow? But I'm injured—I can't go with you."
"I know. That's why I'm even more worried." He squeezed her hand. "But this is important. Once I have my first spirit ring, I'll be stronger. Strong enough to protect you better."
Luna wanted to protest, to beg him not to leave while she was hurt, but she knew this was necessary. The spirit ring hunt was a crucial step in his development.
"Be careful," she whispered. "Promise me you'll be careful."
"I promise." Tang San leaned down and gently pressed his forehead to hers. "And you rest and heal. When I get back, I want to see you smiling again."
Despite her injury and worry, Luna woke the next morning to find she'd done something while half-asleep.
On the table beside the bed was a bowl of congee—but not simple congee. This was rich with meat and vegetables, aromatic and steaming.
Tang San emerged from the washroom area and stopped, staring at the bowl.
"Luna? Did you make this? You should be resting!"
Luna looked at the congee, then at her hands. She'd apparently woken in the night and used her spiritual energy to cook for him, driven by the desire to give him strength for his journey. She didn't even fully remember doing it.
"I wanted you to have a good meal before you left," she said.
Tang San's expression softened with affection. He sat beside her and took a spoonful. His eyes widened.
"This is incredible. Luna, how did you learn to cook like this?"
From my previous life, Luna thought but didn't say. Instead, she just smiled. "I wanted it to be good."
Tang San finished the entire bowl, savoring every bite. When he was done, he pulled Luna into a careful hug, mindful of her injury.
"Thank you. For everything. I'll be back as soon as I can."
As he prepared to leave with Grandmaster, Luna watched from the dormitory window. Across the room, Xiao Wu sat on her bed, looking uncertain and regretful.
Luna met her eyes. The message was clear: He chose me. Remember that.