Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

"Sharing the bed???"

Seeing Cheng Xiao's shocked expression, Xiao Wu couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. But thinking about how she wouldn't have a blanket to sleep with at night, she huffed and said, "I'm not scared, so what are you afraid of? What? A boy like you is this timid?"

"You..." Cheng Xiao was at a loss for words due to Xiao Wu's sharp retort. Wang Sheng and the others, watching them, looked on enviously—after all, she was the only girl in the dormitory!

"Alright, come over and help me make the bed." Before Cheng Xiao could refuse, Xiao Wu quickly pushed the two beds together. Looking at her handiwork with satisfaction, she clapped her hands and smiled sweetly, waving at Cheng Xiao.

After making the bed and seeing the two beds joined together, Cheng Xiao fell into deep thought. If Xiao Wu was going to sleep here, what about Tang San? Just then, Wang Sheng called out to the three of them, "Boss Cheng, Tang San, Sister Xiao Wu, it's lunchtime. Let's go eat."

Seeing the beds all tidied up, Wang Sheng addressed the trio.

At the mention of food, Tang San shook his head and said, "I don't have any money... I'll just eat some dry food here in the dorm. You guys go ahead."

"Huh? Money? Do you mean spirit coins?" Xiao Wu asked curiously, her eyes wide.

Her innocent question made Wang Sheng sweat. He realized that both Tang San and Xiao Wu were broke. If they weren't so strong, he would have wanted to scold them outright.

"Boss Cheng, don't tell me you don't have money either?" Wang Sheng whispered as he leaned closer to Cheng Xiao.

"I have some, but not much," Cheng Xiao replied thoughtfully.

His grandfather had given him some money before he came, enough for meals at least.

"That's good. Some is better than none!" Wang Sheng said excitedly upon hearing that Cheng Xiao had money.

Since they were all working students, Wang Sheng only had enough money to treat two people to a meal. But he couldn't just leave one person out, could he?

"You can treat Tang San and Xiao Wu," Cheng Xiao said, shaking his head. He didn't like owing people favors.

"Alright, Sister Xiao Wu, Tang San, let's go eat," Wang Sheng said boldly.

Tang San hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. His family's money had all been taken by Tang Hao to buy alcohol, leaving him utterly broke. But if someone was treating, he wouldn't refuse.

As for Xiao Wu, she blinked her large, watery eyes, and Wang Sheng's generosity made her develop a slight fondness for him. But what intrigued her more was Cheng Xiao, who, despite being a new working student like them, seemed a bit different.

A few minutes later, Wang Sheng led the group from Dorm Seven to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was large enough to accommodate six classes plus the teachers, totaling about 300 people.

As Cheng Xiao and the others entered the cafeteria, an unpleasant voice echoed through the air.

"Aren't these the poor working students? Wang Sheng, do you really think you deserve to eat in the cafeteria?"

The sudden mockery caused the newly arrived group from Dorm Seven to pause. They looked toward the source of the voice and saw a group of older students standing on the staircase between the first and second floors, looking down at them with disdain.

The one speaking was named Xiao Chenyu, a notorious bully at Nuoding Academy, largely because he had a well-connected father.

"Wang Sheng, you poor souls will only ever be able to eat on the first floor," Xiao Chenyu said smugly. As soon as he finished, the lackeys around him burst into laughter.

Hearing their jeering laughter, the working students all lowered their heads. They didn't come from prestigious backgrounds like Xiao Chenyu and his gang, and as he said, they couldn't afford the food on the second floor.

Seeing the older students taunt them, Xiao Wu was infuriated and retorted, "Who do you think you are? What's so special about the second floor?"

"Oh, what a pretty little girl. Too bad she's just a working student. Wang Sheng, I'm going to eat now, so I'll let you poor souls off this time," Xiao Chenyu laughed as he turned toward the second-floor cafeteria where meals were ordered individually.

Seeing them leave, Xiao Wu, still fuming, lifted her foot, ready to charge after them, but Tang San quickly stopped her.

"Xiao Wu, let it go. We're here to eat."

"Why are you so afraid of confrontation?" Xiao Wu glared at Tang San before turning to Cheng Xiao, who hadn't said a word. "That guy's bullying us. Am I wrong for standing up to him?"

"You're not wrong. It's just not the right time," Cheng Xiao said calmly, glancing at Xiao Chenyu and his gang. "We'll get our chance to teach them a lesson, don't you think?"

"Hmm…" Xiao Wu thought for a moment. "You might have a point."

Hearing this, Tang San couldn't help but regard Cheng Xiao with more respect. He wasn't wrong. But from Tang San's perspective, as someone with the mentality of an adult, this was just child's play. He didn't feel the need to explain further to Xiao Wu.

Even so, Tang San silently recited the Tang Sect's rules in his mind.

Just then, Tang San spotted someone familiar and quickly walked over. "Teacher, are you here to eat too?"

"Yes, Xiao San. Since you're here, why don't you join me on the second floor?" The Grandmaster affectionately patted Tang San's head.

"The second floor..." Tang San glanced toward the second floor, remembering Xiao Chenyu's mocking words. He looked at his dorm mates, who were lining up for food, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Teacher, I think I'll stay here and eat with my dorm mates."

"Alright then. Wait for me at the cafeteria entrance when you're done," the Grandmaster said as he headed up to the second floor.

Seeing this, Wang Sheng nudged Cheng Xiao, who was ahead in the food line, and whispered, "Boss Cheng, does Tang San know the Grandmaster?"

Cheng Xiao nodded slightly. "Tang San became the Grandmaster's apprentice."

"What? Tang San apprenticed under the Grandmaster!" Wang Sheng exclaimed, just as Tang San, who had come to line up for food, overheard him.

"Wang Sheng, is there something wrong with me becoming the Grandmaster's apprentice?" Tang San asked, frowning.

"Uh, Tang San..." Wang Sheng hesitated, looking a bit awkward. He finally said, "The Grandmaster's abilities aren't that impressive. They say he's only kept at the academy because of his relationship with the principal. To put it bluntly, he's living off others. He's over fifty and hasn't even reached level 29. I suggest you find a better teacher."

Tang San's expression grew serious. Staring directly at Wang Sheng, he said, "If you don't want me to knock you down again, don't speak ill of my teacher behind his back."

"This is the first and the last time. I don't need you to treat me anymore."

With that, Tang San turned and headed to the second floor. At first, he had worried that eating with the Grandmaster would upset his dorm mates, but now, he didn't care anymore.

Wang Sheng hadn't expected Tang San to react so strongly and stood frozen in place. Xiao Wu and the other students lining up were equally baffled by his behavior.

Wang Sheng had been genuinely trying to warn Tang San. After all, they'd been at Nuoding Academy for years; it wasn't like they would deceive a new working student, right? "Cheng Xiao, is Tang San always like this?" Xiao Wu asked, confused.

"I don't know. I'm not that close with him. We just happened to meet during enrollment," Cheng Xiao replied, shaking his head.

"Boss Cheng, you said you and Tang San enrolled together." Wang Sheng suddenly seemed to realize something. "He apprenticed under the Grandmaster... Don't tell me you also became his student?"

As soon as he said this, everyone, including Xiao Wu, looked toward Cheng Xiao.

"No, I didn't," Cheng Xiao said indifferently. He then shared the story of how the Grandmaster had tried to take him as a disciple during enrollment.

After hearing Cheng Xiao's story, the working students of Dorm Seven got their food and sat together, quietly discussing the Grandmaster's actions.

"Damn, Boss Cheng, good thing you weren't interested in spirit theory," Wang Sheng said, biting into a steamed bun. "All that so-called spirit theory the Grandmaster talks about, the teachers cover it in class anyway. Sure, it's not as detailed as the Grandmaster, but it's still good enough."

"Exactly! Spirit theory is just basic stuff. The teachers teach it in class. Why would anyone need to apprentice under someone just to learn theory? Otherwise, why even go to school?"

"Boss Cheng, Sister Xiao Wu, you're both innately gifted with full spirit power. Don't let the Grandmaster fool you. We have a library here at Nuoding Academy, and if you don't understand something, you can always ask the teachers in class. There's no need to become someone's apprentice just to learn theory."

The working students from Dorm Seven chatted excitedly over their simple meal of buns and soup.

Sitting next to Cheng Xiao, Xiao Wu listened to their chatter, seemingly deep in thought.