Lian Jiayi replied "He's-"
The light brown haired guy interrupted and sat beside Tang Xilong "I'll introduce myself, my name is Su Zhuqu, you must have heard about me. You're a handsome guy but not as good looking as me. I challenge you to a duel to see who is more sophisticated"
Tang Xilong sneered "Piss off"
Su Zhuqu grinned "I will not be pissing off. until you answer to me"
Tang Xilong turned his back to him "I decline"
Xia Qianyu quickly pulled Su Zhuqu sleeve "I'll duel!"
Su Zhuqu snatched his sleeves back and dusted it "Who are you? How dare you touch me?"
Xia Qianyu blinked his eyes severally in surprise "Whaa?"
Lian Jiayi chuckled and said "He is a side branch of the Hong noble family so he thinks he is nobility and acts eccentric. He is a narcissist too"
Xia Qianyu nodded "Just a weirdo"
Su Zhuqu stood up and pointed at him "What did you just call me?"
Lian Jiayi smirked "Zhuqu, be careful. He is the last born of the Xia noble family"
Su Zhuqu immediately sat down and said "I-i .. well, whatever, I won't apologize"
Xia Qianyu scoffed "Never needed it"
Su Zhuqu humphed then faced Tang Xilong who was staring at him with squinted eyes and he proudly raised his head "You finally acknowledged my good looks"
Tang Xilong was about to speak when Ning Caiyu came out with his bag and locked his door then Su Zhuqu stood up and rolled his eyes "Ugh, the talentless prince is here again."
And he went to his room and shut the door
Tang Xiaomi said exasperatedly "He finally left. He's been so talkative about himself since this morning that if Xi Jie hadn't held me down, I'd have beaten him already"
Ning Caiyu came over and rubbed her head then said "I have to go to self practice now"
Tang Xilong asked "Why must you do self practice in the class?"
Ning Caiyu replied "It's in the class building courtyard. And we do it there so the teacher can give us pointers"
Tang Xilong stood up "I'm going with you"
Ning Caiyu gave a wry smile "But you mustn't make any trouble please"
Tang Xilong shrugged "When have I ever made trouble?"
Then Ning Caiyu asked "Have you guys gone to collect your skill books yet?"
Tang Xi'an replied "We'll all go together when you two get back?"
Ning Caiyu said worriedly "But all the good ones will be gone when we go in the evening"
*{System: I can make an entirely new book from two different books}
Tang Xilong was calm so the other three Tangs didn't fret but Xia Qianyu immediately stood up "That's true.. who will go with me? I have to go before the good books run out. I'm not talented so I won't be able to make do with any"
Ning Caiyu said as he and Tang Xilong left "Jiayu, go with Qianyu, he doesn't know the way"
Lian Jiayi stood up "Fine I'll go with you, Qianyu"
Xia Qianyu turned to look at Tang Xie'er throw a jujube into his mouth and immediately looked away then Xia Qianyu pouted "Fine, me and Jiayi will go"
Then they left and it was the three siblings alone in the courtyard
Tang Xiaomi went to the room to go and sleep so it was only Tang Xi'an and Tang Xie'er at the stone table
Tang Xi'an went to tend to the flowers while Tang Xie'er continued eating the remaining jujubes
Tang Xilong and Ning Caiyu got to the class building pretty early and the teacher was not around so they sat on one of the benches while no one bothered with them
Tang Xilong asked "Is this how it is for you? Being ignored?"
Ning Caiyu smiled "I'm used to it, it's been a year already. I have no hope of anything changing now."
Tang Xilong nodded "You guys are supports but without anyone to support. How do you practice your skills?"
Ning Caiyu explained "There are two types of supports. Healing support and Attack support. Healing supports are immortals, beastkins who have light and water elements also devilkins who have the darkness element because apparently the element heals devilkins. Attack support are those who support the Attackers in a fight from the side. You can tell that I am the second type since I'm a mortal"
Ning Caiyu continued "Healing supports don't have to come to self practice class since they are usually at Medicine Hall or out on mission with other groups"
Tang Xilong asked "What's your skill?"
Ning Caiyu replied "Sword Movement. It's a movement skill and an attack-support skill. I was able to get it cause I was one of the first to enter the skill hall on my second day. I needed a sword but didn't have enough money for it so I got a dagger which brought down my ability in learning the skill essentially. However, you gave me your sword so I have something to use but what will you use in attack class?"
*{System: That's right, you won't be able to use the Zichao in front of others except Xi'an and Xiaomi. The Zichao and I are secrets not a soul must know of}
Tang Xilong nodded and answered Ning Caiyu "I have my own weapon and when I can't use it, I've got my own skills to cover up for that"
Ning Caiyu was about to ask what it was when the teacher arrived so he left his bag with Tang Xilong and went to practice
When Ning Caiyu brought the long sword from his waist, the others glanced over at him and one of them reported to the teacher "Elder Guo, the prince secretly got some help from the palace or else how could he get such a good sword with his weak ability"
The person who spoke was Xian Mumei and Tang Xilong stared her down. She flinched but the teacher heard her already and walked towards Ning Caiyu
Guo Zizhe squinted his eyes as he asked Ning Caiyu "Is that true?"
Ning Caiyu shook his head and was about to speak when another person shouted "Liar! This kind of sword costs four hundred contribution points in the sect's trade hall. You can only get that amount from ten f-grade mission or twenty f-grade missions. Could you complete that in less than two weeks! You were absent from class for more than a week and now you're flaunting your new sword in front of everyone after getting it from the palace! You despicable-"
*{System: What a bitchy girl. If I had a body, I would just beat her up!}
Tang Xilong was about to attack when Guo Zizhe shouted "Mu Yunkai! Shut up! And you, Xian Mumei, framing a royal earns you fifty lashes in the disciplinary hall. Although we support equality here but framing others without any evidence is wrong. Do you support your claim?"
Xian Mumei was scared of Tang Xilong's glare but still replied "T-the fact that no one saw him for over a week is my evidence"
Guo Zizhe looked at Tang Xilong and asked "You seem to want to speak up for him, let me hear you"
*{System: Host, the sword is a spiritual weapon, just stretch out your hand and everything will be solved}
Tang Xilong didn't say anything but opened his hand and the sword flew from Ning Caiyu and into his palm on its own
Guo Zizhe widened his eyes "A spiritual weapon? That means the sword is yours. Are you a new disciple? You gave him the sword, am I right?"
Tang Xilong nodded as he gave it back to Ning Caiyu then Guo Zizhe said "Two disciples should take Xian Mumei to the disciplinary hall for punishment!"
Xian Mumei struggled as two other disciples grabbed her and dragged her out "No! This is wrong! Why would anyone give that weakling anything! This isn't right at all!!"
*{System: Haha, it's fun. I miss having a body}
Tang Xilong rolled his eyes when he heard that 'System, you had a body before?'
*{System: That's a long story, forget about it. Even I don't remember much anymore}
Guo Zizhe clapped as he went back to the front "Okay enough looking. Continue practicing"
Ning Caiyu smiled at Tang Xilong as he sat down 'Xilong Ge, thank you'
Xia Qianyu and Lian Jiayi arrived first then Tang Xiaomi came out "Finally got your skill book?"
Xia Qianyu nodded happily and placed it on the table as he and Jiayi sat down "I got a pretty good one too. It's called Iron Wall"
Tang Xie'er jested "The name's pretty simple. I thought you would go for something flashy"
Xia Qianyu scrunched up his face "Well I didn't. Those flashy names are too creepy"
Tang Xiaomi chuckled "Your name is flashy though"
Xia Qianyu replied with his head held high "Qianyu means Caring for others"
Tang Xie'er smirked "Oh we thought Qian meant coin and Yu meant bug"
Then everyone bursted into laughter and Xia Qianyu pouted then recalled something "Ehh, Xiaomi, you said before that if Xi'an hadn't held you. You would have beaten that Zhuqu, can you beat him?"
Tang Xiaomi thought about it and asked "Yi Ge, what's his cultivation level?"
Lian Jiayi replied "True Disciple late stage. Apparently, he arrived here a year before us and was in Beyond Mortal late stage at that time. So he went up a whole level within two years and that's already pretty talented cause the average person takes three years to go up in the lower three cultivation levels"
Tang Xiaomi placed both hands on her waist "Then Xie Gege can beat him for me"
Tang Xilong and Ning Caiyu got back from self practice. Ning Caiyu was in big smiles when he sat down beside Lian Jiayi and Tang Xilong went to sit beside Tang Xiaomi who told him about what they were talking about
Lian Jiayi nudged Ning Caiyu and asked "You seem to be in a jolly mood, mind telling us what happened?"
Ning Caiyu raised his head to see everyone looking at him except Tang Xilong and Tang Xiaomi who was gisting him on the side
Ning Caiyu took a jujube into his mouth before telling them everything that happened
When he finished, Xia Qianyu scoffed "I knew that plain looking girl would be trouble. Jiayi, why did you even bring her yesterday?"
Ning Caiyu looked surprised as he turned to Lian Jiayi then asked with a raised eyebrow "You brought her here yesterday? Why?"
Lian Jiayi cleared his throat as he said "I thought she could help but she was rude to Xiaomi and Xilong made me kick her out"
Tang Xiaomi heard her name and said "Yes that creepy face dared call me names so I called Xi Gege to kick her out! Yu Gege, I was good, right?"
Ning Caiyu nodded with a smile "Yes, Xiaomi was a good girl"
Tang Xiaomi felt proud of herself and Tang Xilong knocked her head "What are you feeling proud for? That kind of person is like a moth. You should only feel proud of getting rid of a behemoth"
Tang Xiaomi rubbed her head and pouted "Xi Gege, you're right but don't knock my head yet. It isn't fully formed"
Three of them started chuckling while Xia Qianyu and Lian Jiayi wondered what was funny and Tang Xiaomi scrunched up her nose as she held her head "I'm not lying. What are you three laughing for?"
Ning Caiyu went to drop his bag in his room then came back out and said "So Xilong Ge, Xie'er, Xi'an and Xiaomi. Let's go get your skill books"
Then the four of them stood up and Xia Qianyu asked "Can I come with?"
Tang Xie'er replied "You already picked a skill book, what are you coming along for?"
Xia Qianyu pouted and said "I'm just used to going everywhere with you guys, that's all. Xilong, I can come right?"
*{System: Don't take him along, he'll stick to you and you won't be to merge anything}
Tang Xilong replied "We'll be back soon"
Xia Qianyu reluctantly sat back down as Ning Caiyu patted his shoulder and left with the others while saying "Don't worry, Jiayi will keep you company"
Lian Jiayi nudged Xia Qianyu "Come on, tell about how you guys met and your journey here must have been perilous"
Xia Qianyu waved his hand "Nah, we didn't actually come here together, we met here"
Lian Jiayi was curious and Xia Qianyu started explaining everything to him
They got to the building in a short while and Ning Caiyu followed them in. The elder who was sitting by the entrance said "Are you all new disciples here to get your skill books?"
The four of them nodded and Ning Caiyu said "You have to show him your badge so he can direct you where to go"
The elder said "Attack skills are on the first floor, Support skills on the second floor, Defend skills on the third floor, Attack-Defend skills are on the fourth floor, Attack-Defend-Support skills are on the fifth floor"
Tang Xilong told the other three something through their spiritual link then Tang Xi'an said to Ning Caiyu "Yu Gege, since you're also a support class, could you please help me in choosing a skill?"
Ning Caiyu looked at Tang Xilong then nodded "Alright, let's go. These three can fend for themselves"
When Tang Xilong made sure that Ning Caiyu and Tang Xi'an had gone up. He and the other two moved deeper between the shelves then he asked system "How long does it take for you to merge the skills?"
*{System: I already looked over every book here and I found the ones suitable for you three. These books are nothing, it'll take me an instant to merge them into something new}
Tang Xilong nodded and asked "Okay tell us where to go"
Tang Xiaomi said "Xi Jie said she can only distract Yu Gege for six minutes tops"
*{System: That would be more than enough. Host, go to fifth shelf second row eighth book and first shelf last row last book. Zichao, go to your floor fifth shelf first row third book and fifth shelf second to last row first book. Xiaomi, go to the last shelf first row first book and second shelf fourth row fourth book also tell Xi'an to go to eighth shelf eighth row eighth book and third shelf third row third book}
The three split up and Tang Xie'er quickly went to the third floor. Tang Xiaomi also told Tang Xi'an where to go through the spiritual link
Four minutes tops, they were back and Tang Xilong used the system power to merge the books
Tang Xilong first merged Tang Xiaomi's books "Wind Slash and D-delightful skip? Is the second one even an attack skill?"
*{System: Just merge the damn books, I know what I picked}
Tang Xilong shrugged and placed the two books onto each then white light emitted from his hands and the two skill books integrated into one then Tang Xiaomi happily took the book when she saw the name
Tang Xilong raised an eyebrow at the name "System, seriously, Delightful Slash? You couldn't find a better name?"
*{System: I made the name cause it's for a beast baby who isn't even two weeks old, uh hello she loves it}
Tang Xilong looked at Tang Xiaomi who was jumping excitedly then he collected Tang Xie'er's books "Force Shield and Black Tortoise Rebound.. err plain and silly names"
*{System: Could you stop commenting on the skills I chose, I picked the ones most suitable for you guys, alright?}
Tang Xilong said as he merged the books "Haha, I haven't even seen the names of mine"
Tang Xie'er read out the name of the book that appeared afterwards "Black Tortoise Defense, sounds cool"
Tang Xilong pursed his lips and said "I won't say anything, nothing at all"
*{System: Why are you suddenly so talkative again? When Caiyu or those other friends of yours are around, you keep quiet and act cool. Are you being talkative to tease me again?}
Tang Xilong scoffed "No I don't, I don't at all"
*{System: Oh you do bruh you do, just cause I am napping doesn't mean I am not aware}
Tang Xilong scrunched his nose and didn't answer the system as he brought out his own books "Fiery Blast and Poison Needle ehnn wait I already know how to make a poison needle, just condense the poison and straighten then you have a poison needle. People even have to learn that?"