My System Lives in the Future! (Soul Land Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: The Narcissistic Yu Xiaogang—"I can make an exception and accept you as a disciple in name!"

On the academy lawn, Xiao Tian removed his shirt, revealing his well-defined muscles as he picked up his iron sword and began practicing with full concentration.

"Ah! Why did you suddenly take off your clothes!?"

Xiao Wu exclaimed in shock, her face turning slightly red. She covered her eyes with her delicate hands but couldn't help peeking through the gaps between her fingers out of curiosity.

Xiao Tian smiled and replied, "Xiao Wu, haven't you ever heard the saying, 'sweating like rain'? Taking off my shirt makes it easier to practice my sword arts."

He smirked slightly and added, "Or could it be that your little head is filled with some... improper thoughts?"

"Who—who's having improper thoughts?! I'm only six years old! What nonsense are you talking about?" Xiao Wu stammered, clearly flustered.

Despite her retort, she couldn't help but notice how Xiao Tian's slender figure transformed into a powerful physique when undressed. His muscular build was hard to ignore, especially for someone who was technically not human but a soul beast in disguise.

Xiao Tian chuckled inwardly. A six-year-old girl? Who was she trying to fool? Xiao Wu might appear naive, but as a Soft Bone Rabbit who had cultivated for tens of thousands of years, she wasn't as innocent as she pretended to be.

Although her understanding of human behavior might be as limited as her appearance age due to her time in the Star Dou Great Forest, she certainly wasn't a stranger to basic instincts.

As Xiao Tian continued his sword practice, Xiao Wu decided not to be outdone. She sat down nearby, channeling her soul power discreetly. While she couldn't openly reveal her cultivation, she could still make progress in her own way.

The afternoon passed, and the sky was soon painted with hues of a glowing sunset.

Grumble, grumble-

The sound of Xiao Wu's stomach broke the serene atmosphere. Opening her eyes, Xiao Wu was surprised to find Xiao Tian in a different stance, but swinging his sword all the same as before tirelessly. His upper body glistened with sweat, illuminated by the warm glow of the setting sun.

His sweat-trickled face with some hair sticking to it and slightly labored breath giving him a dreamy look. Xiao Wu's eyes glued to his figure for some time… until their eyes met. Being caught staring so intently, she couldn't help breaking their eye contact and blushed shyly.

"Cough! Xiao Tian, have you been swinging your sword like this all afternoon? How long has it been?" she asked, feigning calm while feeling flustered inside.

Xiao Tian wiped his brow and offered a light smile. "Yeah, that's normal for me to go on even for a whole day. Ever since I can remember, I've been practicing with a wooden sword every day. I even sleep with it and dream of practicing swordsmanship."

Xiao Wu felt astonished when she heard that. 'That must be why Xiao Tian has such a good upper body lines… Uh, she mean, he really has such an excellent swordsmanship.'

He grabbed a towel to wipe off his sweat and put on his shirt, much to Xiao Wu's slight disappointment.

"Come on," he teased. "Your stomach's already protesting. Let's get something to eat before it's too late."

"Your stomach isn't any quieter," Xiao Wu muttered as she followed him.

---

On the way to the cafeteria, they unfortunately ran into Tang San and Yu Xiaogang.

As usual, the system warned Xiao Tian of Tang San's presence but remained indifferent toward Yu Xiaogang.

"Hey, Tang San. What a coincidence," Xiao Tian greeted casually and prepared to walk past.

But Yu Xiaogang had other plans.

"Wait, your name is Xiao Tian, right?" Yu Xiaogang interrupted, stepping forward. "Tang San mentioned that your martial soul has spirituality. Can you show it to me?"

Xiao Tian paused and looked at him calmly. "And how exactly are we acquainted?"

Yu Xiaogang's smile faltered slightly, but Tang San immediately stepped in. "Xiao Tian, watch your tone. That's my teacher you're talking to."

Satisfied by Tang San's defense, Yu Xiaogang adjusted his expression and continued with a self-important smile. "It's fine. Let me introduce myself—I'm Yu Xiaogang, the continent's foremost theoretical master. Your martial soul is fascinating to me. If it truly has spirituality, I could make an exception and accept you as a nominal disciple. Currently, Tang San is my only closed disciple, and I intend for him to remain so."

Xiao Tian blinked.

Did this guy think he was doing him a favor?

"Yeah, whatever," Xiao Tian replied nonchalantly, brushing past Yu Xiaogang and heading straight toward the cafeteria.

Hunger trumped everything else. After practicing all afternoon, the thought of missing dinner was unbearable.

Xiao Wu glanced at the two of them indifferently, and quickly followed Xiao Tian's footsteps. She could more or less understand why Xiao Tian had that attitude, because she was hungry too! And these nosy master-disciple duo were holding them up from actually filling their stomachs.

Yu Xiaogang's face turned stiff, his self-proclaimed aura of superiority cracking.

"Stop! Xiao Tian, what's with your attitude?" Tang San demanded, his tone icy.

[Ding! Warning! You have incurred the irk of the Sea God and Asura God King, Tang San, please don't do anything excessive, keep a low profile! Keep a low profile! I don't want to change hosts so quickly, it will affect my performance!]

Xiao Tian stopped, exhaling a helpless sigh. He had been trying to keep a low profile to avoid unnecessary dramas, but they just wouldn't let him be.

His eyes drooped, and his body emanated a faint sword intent.

Seeing the change in his aura, Tang San immediately looked at Xiao Tian warily and took a defensive stance.

[Ding! Warning! God of Slaughter and the Lord of the Douluo Star Plane, Tang Hao is nearby! The system advices the host to just teleport away and never appear ever again!]

"Hey!" Xiao Wu erupted angrily. "Do you even know what time it is? We're heading to the cafeteria, and if we're late, the food will be gone! Why bother us now?!"

Not waiting for a response, she grabbed Xiao Tian's hand and bolted toward the cafeteria.

Xiao Tian allowed himself to be pulled along, his amusement evident. After a short distance, he teased, "Hey, Xiao Wu, aren't you supposed to be angry with me? Yet here you are standing up for me."

Xiao Wu released his hand, her face tinged with a faint blush. She steadied her breathing before responding, "When did I ever say I'm angry with you?"

Xiao Tian blinked in mild surprise. "Huh? Just a feeling. Think about it—today, I not only beat you in a fight but also said a lot of things that went against your views, like my take on the Spirit Hall."

Xiao Wu paused for a moment, her expression thoughtful before replying, "You're not wrong. But first of all, you won that fight fair and square—though I'll admit, you were a bit shameless midway through."

Her lips curved into a slight smile as she continued, "And as for what you said... after thinking it over, I realized you made some valid points. We should focus on cultivating and not get distracted by trivial matters. As for the Spirit Hall, I'll reserve my judgment for now."

Then, with a playful glint in her eyes, Xiao Wu's tone shifted. "But, Xiao Tian, I'm not too concerned about those so-called 'trivial matters.' What I care about most is being the big sister! Of course, I can see now that you're much stronger than that Xiao Chenyu, even if your soul power isn't as high as mine."

Her sly smile widened as she proposed, "How about this? You can't just keep swinging your sword all day—why not train with me in actual combat occasionally? If I win, you'll have to call me 'Sister Xiao Wu.' What do you think?"

Xiao Tian chuckled, his eyes glinting with humor. "And if you lose?"

Xiao Wu tilted her head confidently, her ponytail swaying, as she said, "Lose? Nah, I'd win!"