Tang San's Change

Meanwhile, at the entrance of Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy.

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

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

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

Though Old Jack had grown accustomed to hardship and could now be considered one of Nuoding City's wealthiest men, he remained very frugal, dressed only in plain, simple clothes.

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

"Ah, 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 that he'll definitely make something of himself."

While the two were talking, a gatekeeper walked over with a disdainful expression.

"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 afford to take responsibility if you delay the enrollment of the future Lord Soul Masters?"

With that, he reached out to snatch the cloth pouch from Old Jack's hand.

"I'll teach you a lesson."

The moment the gatekeeper began speaking rudely, Tang San had already secretly readied a Hidden Weapon in his right hand. Unlike in the Original Work, after six years of Xia Tianling's influence, he had no intention of taking the gatekeeper's life. He merely wanted to teach him a lesson—perhaps by piercing his hand.

"How dare you!"

At that moment, the two guards following Old Jack from a distance released their Martial Souls and rushed over. One of them, a Soul Grandmaster whose Martial Soul was a monkey, slammed the gatekeeper to the ground with a single blow.

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 viciously at the gatekeeper pinned to the ground. The other gatekeeper, who had been preparing to watch the show from behind, was already trembling with fear.

Clad in Spirit Hall uniforms, their four Soul Rings—two white and two yellow—floated in the air.

T-Two Soul Grandmasters!

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

Especially Battle Spirit Masters from Spirit Hall!

"Lord Soul Master, Lord Soul Master, we were blind and failed to recognize greatness. My brother and I were blind fools who looked down on others. I beg your forgiveness!" The gatekeeper who had been watching immediately dropped to his knees, tears and snot streaming down his face as he repeatedly kowtowed to Old Jack. "Old sir, please be merciful and spare my brother and me 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.

"Old 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 accepted the 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 Grandmasters, snorted heavily before releasing the gatekeeper they had pinned down. By then, the man had been frightened into losing control of his bladder and bowels and had fainted.

"Thank you for sparing my life, old sir. Thank you, Grand Master, for pleading for me."

"Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and get this disgraceful thing out of here! He doesn't need to come back tomorrow!"

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

"Old sir, thank you for your generosity." The Grand Master cupped his hands. "This child is also here to enroll as a new student, correct? Could you let me see the certificate issued by Spirit Hall?"

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

Having once been a village chief, he could naturally tell that this middle-aged man held no small position in the academy. Besides, the gatekeepers had called him Grand Master.

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

"The certificate is genuine. Old sir, I apologize again for what happened just now. Leave this child to me."

"It's nothing, it's nothing. Then, Grand Master, I'll trouble you with this child. Little San, go in with the Grand Master. Make sure you study diligently."

Er Lang promptly handed Tang San the luggage he had set aside earlier, but the Grand Master took it from him in one swift 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 he climbed into the carriage Hou San had driven over.

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

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

It was truly gratifying. 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?" Tang San asked the Grand Master on the way to the Teaching Office.

"Teacher? I am not a teacher at this academy." The Grand Master lowered his head and glanced at Tang San, speaking calmly.

"Not a teacher? Didn't you just say that you represented the academy?"

"I am merely a resident who freeloads off the academy for food and lodging. Like everyone else, call me Grand Master. Everyone addresses me that way. I have 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. Do not confuse them in the future, unless—"

He stopped there, a fervent light flashing in his eyes. "Unless you truly wish for me to be your teacher."

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

"Then are you willing?" The Grand Master stopped walking and faced Tang San.

Tang San stopped as well. He did not answer, instead thinking the matter over continuously.

Xia Tianling had once told him to think more when faced with problems and consider matters from the other person's perspective. In most cases, goodwill did not come without reason. Why would someone who was neither family nor friend help him upon their first meeting?

What exactly does this man want? We have only just met, yet he is 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 consider it carefully."