Tang San's Change

Meanwhile, outside Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy.

Thanks to the large sum of money Ghost Douluo had sent earlier, Su Yuntao had bought Old Jack a very elegant house in Nuoding City. At Su Yuntao's urging, Old Jack had also resigned from his position as Holy Soul Village's village chief and moved to Nuoding City to settle down.

However, he had not forgotten that today was the day new students enrolled. Yesterday, he had arranged for the guards Spirit Hall had assigned him to drive a carriage and bring Tang San straight to his home for the night. He had even bought him new clothes and bedding for school.

The two standing at the entrance now were Old Jack and Tang San.

Though Old Jack, having lived through hard times, could now be considered one of Nuoding City's wealthiest men, he remained extremely frugal, dressed only in plain, simple clothes.

"Little San, Grandpa will only see you this far. Once you're in the academy, study hard. Strive to become a powerful Soul Master someday and Stand Out." Old Jack rubbed Tang San's head, then pulled out a small cloth pouch and handed it to him.

"Sigh, I wonder whether Tianling is doing well at Spirit Hall. Little San, take this. You're still growing, so buy yourself something good to eat."

"No, no, Grandpa Jack, I can't take this." Tang San hurriedly declined. "Don't worry, Grandpa Jack. Brother Ling is so capable—he'll definitely make something of himself."

Just as the two were speaking, a gatekeeper walked over with a look of utter disdain.

"Where did these country bumpkins come from? Pushing money back and forth over a few copper coins. Get lost already! This is a Soul Master Academy. Can you bear the responsibility if you delay the future Lord Soul Masters from enrolling?!"

As he spoke, he reached for the cloth pouch in Old Jack's hand.

"I'll teach you a lesson."

The moment the gatekeeper had spoken disrespectfully, Tang San had secretly readied a concealed weapon in his right hand. Unlike in the Original Work, after six years under Xia Tianling's influence, he had no intention of taking the gatekeeper's life. He merely wanted to teach him a lesson—such as piercing his hand.

"Impudent!"

At that moment, the two guards following Old Jack from a short distance away released their martial souls and darted over. One of them, a Soul Grandmaster whose martial soul was a monkey, slapped the gatekeeper to the ground.

The other Soul Grandmaster, whose martial soul was a wolf, aimed his claws at the gatekeeper's face.

"Open your dog eyes and take a good look! Is this old gentleman someone a lowly gatekeeper like you can touch?"

The two guards glared fiercely at the gatekeeper pinned to the ground. The other gatekeeper, who had been standing behind them and waiting to enjoy the show, was already trembling in terror.

Dressed in Spirit Hall uniforms, they had four soul rings floating in the air—two white and two yellow.

T-two Soul Grand Masters!

On Douluo Continent, even an ordinary one-ring Soul Master was a "Lord Soul Master" whom commoners could only look up to. Who would have imagined that such an ordinary old man would have two Soul Grandmaster guards from Spirit Hall following him?

Not to mention that they were Battle Spirit Masters from Spirit Hall!

"Lord Soul Masters, Lord Soul Masters, we were blind! We brothers were looking down on you with dog eyes! Please forgive us!" The gatekeeper who had been watching immediately dropped to his knees, tears and snot streaming down his face as he repeatedly kowtowed before Old Jack. "Sir, you're a man of great magnanimity. Please spare us brothers this once!"

"Someone should have taught you two arrogant fools a lesson long ago." A calm voice sounded.

The newcomer was a middle-aged man of average height, somewhat thin, with short hair. He was the Grand Master from the Original Work—Yu Xiaogang.

"Sir, I apologize to you on behalf of the academy." The Grand Master gave Old Jack a slight bow. "I also ask that you show mercy and spare their lives."

Old Jack was an exceptionally kind man to begin with and had never intended to kill them. He quickly took the offered way out. "Hou San, Er Lang, let him go. His companion has already knelt and apologized to us."

Hou San and Er Lang—the two Soul Grand Masters—snorted heavily before releasing the gatekeeper they had restrained. By then, he had been so frightened that he had lost control of his bowels and passed out.

"Thank you for sparing my life, sir. Thank you, Grand Master, for pleading on my behalf."

"Why aren't you dragging this disgrace away and getting lost? He doesn't need to come back tomorrow!"

The gatekeeper kowtowed again, then hurriedly dragged away his unconscious companion without looking back.

"Sir, thank you for your generosity." The Grand Master clasped his hands in salute. "This child is here to enroll as a new student as well, correct? Could you let me see the certificate issued by Spirit Hall?"

"Of course." Old Jack took the certificate from his robes and handed it to the Grand Master.

As someone who had once been a village chief, he could easily tell that this middle-aged man held no small position within the academy. Besides, the gatekeepers had called him Grand Master.

The Grand Master examined the certificate, then shifted his gaze to Tang San and looked him over from head to toe.

"The certificate is genuine. Sir, I apologize once more for what happened earlier. Leave this child to me."

"It's fine, it's fine. Then, Grand Master, I'll leave this child in your care. Little San, go in with this Grand Master. Make sure you study hard."

Er Lang promptly handed Tang San the luggage he had set aside earlier, but the Grand Master took it from him in one motion.

Just as the Grand Master was about to lead Tang San away, Old Jack hurried over and stuffed the little cloth pouch—the source of all the trouble—into Tang San's clothes, then climbed into the carriage Hou San had just driven over.

"Little San, this is a small token from Grandpa. It isn't much, so don't refuse it."

Old Jack's voice faded as the carriage drove away. Tang San touched the heavy pouch in his clothes and thought of the support Xia Tianling and Old Jack had given him over the past six years. He silently swore that he would repay this kindness someday.

A cause for celebration: after six years of positive guidance, the selfish Tang San from the Original Work had finally begun to understand gratitude and repayment.

"Teacher, may I ask what you teach?" On the way to the Teaching Office, Tang San asked the Grand Master.

"Teacher? I'm not a teacher at the academy." The Grand Master looked down at Tang San and spoke calmly.

"Not a teacher? But didn't you just say you represented the academy?"

"I'm merely a resident who freeloads food and lodging at the academy. Like everyone else, call me Grand Master. Everyone calls me that. I've even forgotten my own name. The certificate says your name is Tang San, correct? Tang San, you must understand that Grand Master and teacher are worlds apart. Don't call me that again in the future, unless—"

At this point, he paused, fervent light gleaming in his eyes. "Unless you truly wish to take me as your teacher."

"You want to accept me as your disciple?" Tang San asked.

"Then are you willing?" The Grand Master stopped and turned to face Tang San.

Tang San stopped as well. He did not answer, only continued thinking to himself.

Xia Tianling had once told him to think more whenever something happened and consider matters from the other person's perspective. Most goodwill did not come without reason. If someone had no relation to you, why would they help you the moment they met you?

What exactly is this man's intention? We've only just met, yet he's so eager to take me as his disciple? There must be something suspicious about this.

Seeing Tang San remain silent, the Grand Master was about to begin explaining his theory.

"Sorry, Grand Master. Please allow me to think it over."