Farewell to Nuoding, Bound for Spirit City [6000]

"Wulin!"

"What was it you wanted to tell me?"

Su Yuntao froze, suddenly remembering that Wulin had wanted to speak to him. He hurried to the entrance of the Martial Soul Sub-Hall, where Tang Wulin was waiting for him.

"It's nothing much, really."

"I'm willing to join Spirit Hall. I just don't know whether your promise to take me to Spirit City and have me become an elder's disciple..."

"Does it still stand?"

Tang Wulin asked with a smile.

"..."

"Ah! It does, of course it does!"

"Would tomorrow be all right?"

Su Yuntao's eyes lit up. That meant Wulin had agreed to join Spirit Hall!

"Of course. I still have to say goodbye to my grandpa. I'll go home this afternoon and talk to him, but before that, I need to say goodbye to my friends too."

Tang Wulin smiled faintly. His grandfather came to mind first, followed by his companions in Dorm Seven over the past few days. Finally, Xiao Wu's figure also flickered faintly through his mind.

Now that he thought about it, strange as it was, the heroine of the original story, a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit in human form, was his first friend of the same age.

"..."

"Boss, you're back! Huh, didn't Tang San come with you? Still, it's not a big problem..."

At Nuoding Academy, Tang Wulin made his way to Dorm Seven with practiced ease. Hearing the noise, Wang Sheng sat up excitedly.

"Mm, looks like you've been cultivating diligently. You're getting closer and closer to level ten. But your Sister Xiao Wu hasn't come back yet?"

Tang Wulin answered with a smile, then looked toward a certain little rabbit's empty bed and asked.

"Yeah. Didn't Sister Xiao Wu say a Spirit Hall deacon was taking her to hunt for a Soul Ring? Maybe they haven't found one yet."

Wang Sheng spoke earnestly. He was almost level ten himself, and he had learned from the academy teachers how difficult it was to absorb a Soul Ring. It wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight.

"That's true. But it looks like I won't be able to say goodbye to her in person this time."

Tang Wulin nodded helplessly. As if that silly little rabbit would really go to the Soul Beast forest. She was probably eating at some restaurant in Nuoding City right now.

"Huh? Boss, you're leaving?"

Wang Sheng was visibly stunned, his eyes widening.

"Yes. I've become a powerful expert's disciple, and I'm going somewhere far away. But before I leave...

"Wang Sheng, these are some little gifts I'm leaving everyone before I go. I won't say any more goodbyes. I hope everyone breaks through to become Soul Masters soon. See you next time."

Tang Wulin didn't stay long. After one last look at his companions in Dorm Seven, he turned around and soon left Nuoding Academy, heading for Holy Soul Village.

Although he had also been told that Tang Hao wasn't in Holy Soul Village, he had deliberately avoided bringing Su Yuntao along. Otherwise, if a certain Tang Hao learned of this, he didn't dare gamble that the man wouldn't make a move against Grandpa.

"Grandpa, I'm home."

"Oh, Wulin?"

As soon as Tang Wulin reached the door and called out, a surprised Old Jack came out on his cane, delighted to see him.

"Shouldn't you be in class at this hour?"

Old Jack asked with a kindly smile.

"Grandpa, I became a teacher's disciple today. He's taking me to another city early tomorrow morning, so I won't be in Nuoding City after that. Would you like to come with me?"

Tang Wulin shook his head and asked tentatively.

"Ah, such good fortune! Then when will you be able to come home for a visit? I won't go with you.

"I'm an old man. I've been a farmer in this little village all my life, and I wouldn't be comfortable in a big city. They say fallen leaves return to their roots, so I won't go with you."

Old Jack's face lit up with delight. A powerful expert had taken his boy as a disciple; that was wonderful news!

As he spoke, he declined the invitation. It wasn't just that he didn't want to leave; he also didn't want to hold Tang Wulin back.

"My teacher said the place we're going is very far away. I might not come back for the next two or three years."

Tang Wulin took a deep breath and lied.

If he put down roots in Spirit City over the next few years, it would be difficult for him to come back easily.

After all, even in the best-case scenario, if Bibi Dong valued him, the strongest person protecting him would be Chrysanthemum Douluo or Ghost Douluo. If they ran into Tang Hao, they'd be on their knees in an instant!

"That long..."

"Can you write to Grandpa, then?"

Old Jack asked, reluctance in his eyes.

"Yes! I definitely can."

"Oh, right, Grandpa. My teacher told me to bring these back for you. He said Gold Soul Coins don't circulate here, so he gave me a hundred Silver Soul Coins and ten Gold Soul Coins for you..."

As Tang Wulin spoke, he took out a small bundle full of money and carefully placed it on the old man's bed, speaking frankly.

"I can't take that! Keep it and spend it yourself..."

"Be good. When would Grandpa ever spend this much money? Keep it and buy yourself something to eat."

Old Jack looked at him gravely. He couldn't let people think Wulin's grandfather was a greedy man. He might have no money, but he held his back straight!

"..."

Tang Wulin sighed. He had known this would happen!

"..."

Early the next morning, the sky had only just begun to brighten.

After secretly putting the coins in the wooden chest in the hole where Grandpa kept his money, Tang Wulin took a photograph of the two of them and headed for the door. Su Yuntao had already been waiting for some time.

"Wulin, are you really not taking your grandpa with you?"

"Life in Spirit City is much better than it is here."

Su Yuntao looked at him and asked softly. With Wulin's talent, he would surely be able to give Old Jack a good life.

"Grandpa still doesn't want to leave Holy Soul Village. After all, this is the home where he's lived his whole life..."

"Of course, in a few years at most, I'll definitely come back for him."

Tang Wulin took one last look at Holy Soul Village, then climbed into Su Yuntao's carriage. The story in Nuoding City had come to an end for now!

"..."

On the day Tang Wulin left, Tang San came to Dorm Seven at Nuoding Academy in high spirits.

After Tang Wulin had left the Soul Hunting Forest, he had stayed there with his teacher for another day or so. In the end, he hadn't disappointed everyone's expectations: he had encountered a three-hundred-year-old green snake.

Although it wasn't a Mandala Snake, it still gave him a top-tier Soul Ring suited to him. He had also obtained his first Soul Skill—

Blue Silver Entanglement, which made Blue Silver Grass tough and used it to bind opponents.

Although it hadn't fused with poison as he had hoped, this powerful binding Soul Skill was still very good!

"And when I think about how Tang Wulin won't be in Dorm Seven anymore, and it'll just be Xiao Wu and me..."

At that thought, Tang San quickened his pace.

But when he entered the dormitory, he found Xiao Wu sitting on her bed, her eyes red from crying. He didn't know what she was thinking about; her expression was blank.

"Xiao Wu, why were you crying?"

Tang San froze and hurried over. Though Xiao Wu was the one with tears on her face, he was the one whose heart ached!

Who was it!

Who had bullied Xiao Wu!

"..."

"Get lost!"

Xiao Wu glared at him, making Tang San swallow his words of concern. At the same time, he pondered what was going on.

"Tang San, stay away from Sister Xiao Wu. Boss has left, and Sister Xiao Wu is very sad. Don't make things worse for her."

Wang Sheng spoke up.

"Ah, Xiao Wu..."

Tang San was stunned. He hadn't even told them Tang Wulin might have died yet, and Xiao Wu and the others already knew?

"Xiao Wu, respect the dead."

"I know you're hurting, but the dead can't come back to life. Tang Wulin surely wouldn't want you to be so sad..."

"Slap—"

Tang San was about to comfort her, but before he could finish, Xiao Wu slapped him across the face.

"Wulin just found a teacher of his own and went to study at another academy. What do you mean, he died!"

"Tang San, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"What?"

"..."

"What?"

"You said he survived! Who told you that?"

A short while later, Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San in bewilderment and couldn't help asking.

"Yes! I heard it from Xiao Wu. Apparently, Tang Wulin showed up yesterday. She was out hunting for a Soul Ring at the time, but Wang Sheng was there. They say he even gave them some good things."

Tang San stammered, his face swollen.

"..."

"This is bad. This is really bad!"

Yu Xiaogang's expression darkened. Tang Wulin was still alive!

The good news now was that, since he had left so quietly, Spirit Hall could be ruled out first. Otherwise, the sky really would fall. After all, Xiao San's father already had a grudge against Spirit Hall, and with this added to it...

"Xiao San, although I didn't intend to abandon him then, he certainly won't care about either of us."

"The next time you meet, I expect you'll be mortal enemies. Do you understand what I mean?"

Yu Xiaogang spoke warily.

"Teacher, I understand."

Tang San nodded, his eyes equally cold. His teacher didn't even need to say it. Tang Wulin...

Had long since found a way to court death!

"Achoo—"

Meanwhile, Tang Wulin had only just left Nuoding City with Su Yuntao when he suddenly sneezed, a bewildered look on his face.

"Looks like..."

"Some little mud loach is talking about me."

Tang Wulin wore a faint smile as he thought.

"..."

PS: Most of this chapter was transitional. Family ties certainly can't be left out, and everyone needn't worry about the plot. We're going to Spirit City tomorrow!

Oh, right, 6,000 characters updated today!