Am I a mutant in soul land?

Tang Yin and the others made their way back to Lanba Academy by evening, the journey uneventful and quiet. Upon returning, he headed to his dorm—only to find an unexpected yet heartwarming sight.

Liu Erlong was inside, quietly tidying up the room, gently patting the dust off the long-abandoned bedsheets. Her sleeves were rolled up, and a faint trace of sweat glistened on her brow, giving her the appearance of a graceful yet capable housewife.

After all, Tang Yin hadn't been using this room much lately—most nights, he was either with her, or occasionally with Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, and even Meng Yiran. By now, his dorm served more as a storage compartment than an actual bedroom.

Seeing her there, moving with gentle care, stirred a warmth in his chest. Smiling, he hugged her from behind and whispered soft words into her ear.

That night, for the first time in a while, Tang Yin spent the night in his own room—with her by his side.

The Next Morning…

After breakfast, Tang Yin was just about to begin gravity training when Flender intercepted him with a smug grin plastered across his face. Something about the glint in the old owl's eyes made Tang Yin pause.

"Teacher Flender, is there something I can help you with?" he asked warily.

Flender's grin widened as he pulled out what could only be described as a fashion crime in fabric form—a horrid green outfit that looked like it had lost a fight with a swamp. He held it up proudly like it was a priceless treasure.

"This, Tang Yin, is a uniform I designed myself. Isn't it a masterpiece?" he declared with far too much enthusiasm. "Since you're one of the participants in the upcoming tournament, I wanted your opinion on it."

Tang Yin's expression twisted into one of visible discomfort. Even in his past life, he'd seen questionable designs, but this… this was a new level of ugly. In the original work, the Shrek's outfit may have been eccentric, sure—but it didn't make him feel physically ill just by looking at it.

He forced a smile and said with playful sarcasm, "I have to say, Teacher, you truly have a unique taste. It's such a great outfit. Such a shame you're not competing yourself… how about you wear this as our representative teacher instead? After all, when we win, the glory will be shared with you."

Flender's smile faltered. He knew exactly what Tang Yin was getting at. Of course, he hadn't really expected Tang Yin to wear the outfit—this was revenge, plain and simple.

Tang Yin had clearly won over Liu Erlong, and Flender, despite all his attempts to play it cool, hadn't missed the growing affection between them. Petty? Maybe. But making Tang Yin wear a hideous outfit on stage would've been a satisfying jab.

Unfortunately for him, Tang Yin wasn't so easily cornered. With a smug sneer, Tang Yin turned and walked off, leaving Flender clutching his swamp-drenched fashion disaster and biting back curses.

Liu Erlong had informed Tang Yin the day before that he had been appointed as captain of the team representing Lanba Academy in the upcoming Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament. Of course, Flender had no idea this decision had already been made.

Tang Yin knew he needed to assign roles wisely. He wouldn't favor the girls just because of his relationships with them—he didn't need to. They were genuinely strong enough to earn their spots.

After the afternoon classes, Tang Yin called the girls—Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, and Meng Yiran—to the academy grounds, along with Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar.

Once everyone gathered, Dean Liu Erlong arrived with Flender and Zhao Wuji, along with a few talented students they had handpicked from Lanba's old batch.

Clearing his throat, Tang Yin addressed the group, "Hello everyone. I'm Tang Yin. Dean Erlong has appointed me as captain to lead our team and bring glory to Lanba Academy."

He barely finished speaking when Tai Long jumped in, scowling. "What makes you the captain, huh?" His jealousy had been bubbling ever since the girls began flocking to Tang Yin.

Tang Yin didn't move a muscle. He simply released the pressure of his Level 49 Soul Ancestor cultivation. Tai Long, only at Level 38, dropped to his knees, sweating and gasping from the weight of the pressure alone.

"Anything else?" Tang Yin asked calmly.

Tai Long trembled and shook his head quickly. "N-No! Nothing!"

Tang Yin nodded, satisfied. At least the musclehead had helped show who was in charge. From the corner, Jiang Zhu stared at him, starry-eyed. But Tang Yin paid her no mind. He wasn't here to collect girls like trophies—he only cared for those who truly won his heart. A harem full of drama was the last thing he wanted.

Turning back to the crowd, he continued, "Before we start, I'll explain the tournament rules, and then we'll select our main team and reserves based on your performance."

"This tournament is jointly hosted by the Tian Dou Empire, Xin Luo Empire, and the Martial Soul Hall. It's the most prestigious youth competition in the continent. All participants must be under twenty-five. Each team will have seven members, and no deaths are allowed. No external tools or supplements—only food-type and healing spirit branches are permitted. Weapons are banned unless part of your martial soul. Break the rules, and you're disqualified. Understood?"

Everyone nodded quietly in acknowledgment

"Understood," they replied in unison.

He clapped his hands. "Alright, let's begin."

Tang Yin first separated combat-type and auxiliary-type soul masters, then commanded, "Everyone—release your martial spirits and soul rings!"

The field erupted with brilliant lights and powerful auras. Flender was speechless—the girls were all Soul Ancestors, and one of them was even a Soul King! Zhao Wuji grinned, proud of the year of hard training he had supervised. Both teachers were ecstatic. For the first time, they truly believed they had a shot at the championship.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun stood frozen, jaws on the floor. Just a year ago, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong had been around their level—now, the gap between them felt like a canyon.

Dai Mubai was the most shocked of all. "She was Level 27 when she joined… now she's already a Soul Ancestor? Is this even logical—or am I hallucinating?!"

Tang Yin continued smoothly, "We'll begin by selecting the highest-level members first. Anyone with a lower soul level can challenge for a spot if they feel confident."

No one objected. Strength spoke louder than words here.

After careful observation, Tang Yin selected the following six members: Dugu Yan, Meng Yiran, Ye Lingling, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and of course, himself.

That left one spot open. Both Tai Long and Dai Mubai had similar soul levels, so Tang Yin had them face off for the final position.

The result? Predictable.

Dai Mubai pummeled Tai Long black and blue within moments. Tang Yin felt a pang of sympathy—not for Tai Long, but for Dai Mubai. In the original story, Tai Long's father and grandfather were known to be petty and troublesome. Without Tang San's protagonist halo, things were likely to go poorly for Dai Mubai in the days ahead.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun didn't even try to challenge anyone. Not only were the girls too strong, they were all connected to Tang Yin, and they weren't suicidal.

With the team formed, Tang Yin wrapped up for the day. Over the following weeks, he focused on training the team's synergy, especially Dai Mubai's coordination with the girls. Surprisingly, things went smoothly—thanks, in part, to Tang Yin's subtle telepathy-based emotional regulation on Dai Mubai. It was only temporary, but it did the job.

When it was time to get tournament-ready, Tang Yin took the team to Tian Dou City to commission custom uniforms. He paid for everything himself—after all, it wasn't just about team spirit. He wanted to make a bold, stylish impression in front of thousands.

They visited the most exclusive royal tailor shop, one that catered to nobles. With a little mental nudging using his telepathy, Tang Yin subtly influenced the tailors' design choices, spending a good chunk of gold—but he wasn't worried. He could always rob some stuck-up nobles later to replenish his funds.

Two Weeks Later…

The Seven Dragons of Lanba gathered outside the grand tournament arena, greeted by thunderous cheers echoing all around. Each wore a majestic, custom-made uniform. Dai Mubai, wisely, had chosen to wear a full-face mask to hide his identity.

Just as Tang Yin predicted, Tai Long's father came charging into the Academy, blaming Dai Mubai for bullying his son. Before anyone could react, the man beat Dai Mubai black and blue, leaving him nearly unrecognizable.

Tang Yin sighed. Yeah... should've seen that coming.