Lu Mang’s single sentence left the Martial Arts Class students utterly humiliated.

Inevitably, a few of them piped up to argue and make excuses.

"He’s looking for the best, and you guys are from the Soul Class, aren’t you?"

"That’s right, that’s right, it says so in the rankings. Aren’t you guys ranked super high?"

"What’s wrong? You’re Soul Class students, but now you’ve chickened out? Too scared to even admit it?"

As their voices rang out one after another, Lu Mang’s contempt only grew.

However, the first-year student leading the group extended a hand to Rong Taotao, who was standing outside the doorway. "A pleasure to meet you. I’m Zhao Tang."

This first-year student, Zhao Tang, had strong brows and large eyes—a truly handsome and imposing figure.

Rong Taotao looked a little surprised. He had assumed the guy was here to cause trouble, but... ’Huh, he’s actually pretty polite?’

He looked at Zhao Tang’s outstretched hand, hesitated for a moment, then shook it.

But to his surprise, once their hands met, the other student didn’t let go. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Zhao Tang’s eyes burned with intensity. He looked down at Rong Taotao and said, "So you’re the number one in the Junior Class?"

"Uh..." Rong Taotao scratched his head. "No, the top student is a girl. She’s in Building 11. Go look for her in the girls’ dorm."

Zhao Tang: ???

The moment Rong Taotao said this, the tables turned. A second ago, Lu Mang had been looking down on the boys from the Martial Arts Class. Now, with a great roar of laughter, every last one of them started jeering at Rong Taotao...

"Worthy of a big shot from the Soul Class! What a man, pushing a woman forward to take the heat for him!"

"He chickened out! Haha, he chickened out!!!"

"Bro, quiet down a little. Do you even know who Rong Taotao is? The truth would scare you to death. Do you know about his family...?"

Hearing that, Rong Taotao abruptly tilted his head. His gaze shot past the first-year student’s shoulder and landed on the Martial Arts Class boy with the mocking expression and the passive-aggressive tone.

Rong Taotao’s gaze instantly turned ice-cold. The look he gave the Martial Arts Class boy was identical to the one he’d had half a month ago when he fought the poachers.

This was no longer the look of someone ready for a simple brawl or a sparring match...

Not many students in the Junior Class had a look like that. The Shi Family Sisters did, and so did Xu Taiping. As for the rest, despite having been in numerous fights, they were still just "flowers in a greenhouse."

The Martial Arts Class boy’s face froze. He immediately shut his mouth, lowered his head, and retreated back into the crowd to hide.

Just a moment ago, he had been comfortably slinging insults from the safety of the crowd. But Rong Taotao had singled him out, his gaze locking on. In an instant, he’d gone from ’anonymous’ to ’exposed.’ Recalling what he’d just said, the Martial Arts Class boy felt a surge of panic.

Zhao Tang was also taken aback, unsure which comment from the gawking crowd had struck a nerve with Rong Taotao. But regardless, with an aura like that... Rong Taotao definitely seemed worthy of the title of the Junior Class’s top student.

Zhao Tang’s desire for a fight grew even stronger. "So, how about it? A friendly spar?"

Rong Taotao withdrew his gaze and shook his head. "Not interested."

Zhao Tang: "What? Chickening out? You don’t seem like the type."

Rong Taotao looked up at the battle junkie and said, "I’m worried that if you lose to someone with three years less training, you’ll be too embarrassed to show your face at school ever again."

Savage.

Absolutely savage.

His words left everyone stunned. ’Is... is he really that confident?’

"Haha!" Zhao Tang’s eyes blazed. Even though Rong Taotao was dissing him, he seemed to absolutely love the attitude. His face flushed with excitement. "If I were afraid of losing, I wouldn’t be a Martial Artist!"

With that, Rong Taotao finally understood.

This Zhao Tang before him was a true Warrior; the ghouls and goblins heckling from behind were the real villains.

After just a few exchanges, the hostility in Lu Mang’s heart subsided considerably. He looked at the first-year student itching for a fight and said, "Private duels aren’t allowed on campus."

Zhao Tang: "So? The Martial Arts Arena?"

’He’s pretty persistent, isn’t he?’

It seemed the title of "Top Student of the Songjiang Soul Martial University Junior Class" really carried a lot of weight.

After all, these kids really were the top-tier geniuses scouted from all over Huaxia. Zhao Tang had likely come with the genuine intention of "seeking guidance," not to "put him in his place."

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A sudden banging sound came from the glass door of a fire hydrant cabinet.

Everyone turned to look and saw the dorm mother, one hand on her hip and the other holding a broom. "What do you think you’re doing? Causing a scene? You all want to get expelled?"

The Martial Arts Class boys scattered in an instant. When it came to their own skin, none of them were idiots.

The handful of first-year students, however, were dumbstruck. There was only one way out, and the dorm mother was blocking the middle of the hallway with her broom, exuding the aura of an army of one holding a narrow pass!

The Martial Arts Class students had all scurried back to their rooms, but where were these first-years supposed to go?

"You lot look a bit old to be in the Junior Class, don’t you?" ’This dorm mother’s presence... it’s terrifying. Was she a homeroom teacher in a past life or something?’

Jiao Tengda squeezed out of his dorm room, smiling and nodding at the dorm mother. "Ah, Ma’am, it’s all a misunderstanding! This is my older brother. He just came to help me make my bed and drop off some stuff!"

The dorm mother banged her broom on the fire hydrant cabinet again, her eyebrows shooting up. "Get a move on, then! Making your bed? How old are you?"

Seeing his chance, one of the other first-years took the out Jiao Tengda had provided. He slung an arm around Zhao Tang’s shoulders. "Tang, let’s go. Your little brother’s a big boy now; he doesn’t need us looking after him."

Zhao Tang hesitated for a moment, nodded gratefully at Jiao Tengda, and turned to leave.

The dorm mother held her broom, watching the group with a severe expression.