First Meeting with Master

Old Jack hurriedly forced a smile. "Sir, we're from Holy Soul Village. This child is the work-study student our village sent this year. What procedures do we need to complete?"

The gatekeeper frowned, his tone strangely mocking. "Can a golden phoenix really come from a grass nest? Someone from a tiny village has Soul Power? The academy hasn't had a work-study student in years. You aren't impostors, are you?"

A flicker of anger passed through Old Jack's eyes, but he swallowed it and took out the certificate Su Yuntao, the Spirit Hall deacon, had issued last time. He handed it to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper took the certificate and looked it over. "Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, and Innate Full Soul Power? What a joke. This is utterly ridiculous. I've been a gatekeeper at this academy for four years, and I've never heard of a student with Innate Full Soul Power. This brat's Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, and he can still have full Soul Power? This Spirit Hall certificate must be forged by you."

"You—" Even with Jack's good temper, he was reaching the end of his patience. "You're deliberately making things difficult. Fine, just wait. I'll go find the deacon at the Spirit Hall branch. Little San, let's go." With that, Jack took Tang San and turned toward the city.

Naturally, a certificate from the Spirit Hall branch could not be fake. The gatekeeper knew that too. But those who came to enroll new students would usually offer a little something, especially families of commoners. It was just as the saying went: the King of Hell was easy to deal with, but his underlings were hard to handle.

Old Jack came from the countryside. Though he was a village chief, how could he understand such tricks?

The gatekeeper felt somewhat uneasy. If people from Spirit Hall really came, it would not be something he could bear the consequences of. Still, he believed that Spirit Hall would never come to the academy to question them over two country bumpkins.

Feeling frustrated, his words naturally did not sound pleasant. "Holy Soul Village? Beggar Village would be more like it."

"What did you say?" Old Jack suddenly turned around. The gatekeeper's words had struck the deepest part of his heart. Back then, he had been willing to fall out with Tang Hao over this; now, this gatekeeper was an outsider insulting his village, making it even more unbearable. He strode back in a few steps and glared furiously at the gatekeeper.

Old Jack's aggressive manner startled the gatekeeper, making him take an involuntary step back. But he quickly recovered and cursed himself inwardly. He was just an old man. What was there to fear?

"What, not convinced? I said you came from Beggar Village. Was I wrong? Look at this little pauper—his clothes are covered in patches. I think you'd better go find somewhere to beg. Nuoding Academy isn't a charity hall. Get lost, get lost."

As he spoke, the gatekeeper raised his left hand and shoved toward Jack's chest, intending to drive the two away.

Just as Old Jack's anger surged, a small, thin figure suddenly appeared between them. Raising his left arm as well, his delicate little hand barely reached the gatekeeper's hand. He forcefully pushed his left hand to the right, knocking the gatekeeper's left hand aside. At the same time, the small figure quickly stepped forward with his right foot, planting it directly behind the gatekeeper's left foot. His right hand rose, and together with his left, it clamped onto the gatekeeper's hand and pulled downward.

Originally, this strike should have chopped into the crook of the opponent's left arm, preventing him from exerting force. But the one performing it was simply too short, so he could only seize the gatekeeper's wrist. His movements were extremely quick. As his body leaned forward, he flung aside the gatekeeper's left hand and pushed both hands forward, striking directly against the gatekeeper's lower abdomen.

With another foot behind his left foot, though it was not large, it was enough to achieve its intended effect. With force hitting his lower abdomen and his footing obstructed, there was a thump as the gatekeeper fell onto the ground.

"Little San, you..." Jack stared wide-eyed at the person standing in front of him.

The one who had acted was Tang San. The move he used was not even a secret art of the Tang Sect. It was merely one of the simplest martial arts techniques from his original world, Push Open the Window to View the Moon. Of course, performed with his small stature, it had naturally been altered. He could not strike the crook of the opponent's arm, and the hands that should have pushed against the opponent's chest instead hit his lower abdomen. Still, the result was the same.

Though Tang San was small, he was by no means weak. He had not swung that hammer for the past several months for nothing. Even without using the Mysterious Heaven Skill, he had still knocked the gatekeeper down in a single move.

"You little brat, you're courting death!" How humiliating it was to be pushed down by a child. Furious and embarrassed, the gatekeeper climbed to his feet and charged at Tang San.

"That's enough. Stop." At that moment, a somewhat hoarse voice rang out, halting the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper froze for a moment. Then, the rage on his face instantly turned into fawning flattery, the change so swift it was hard to imagine. He bowed and scraped before the newcomer. "Master, you've returned."

Tang San turned his head and saw that a medium-built, somewhat thin man had appeared beside them at some point. He looked to be around forty or fifty years old, with short black hair parted seven to three. His appearance was ordinary, and his hands were clasped behind his back, yet he possessed a peculiar air. There was a trace of laziness and despondency in his half-lidded eyes.

Master merely cast the gatekeeper a sidelong glance and ignored him. He turned to Old Jack. "Sir, may I see the Spirit Hall certificate?"

After all, Old Jack had been a village chief. He knew how to read people. From the gatekeeper's expression alone, he could tell that this middle-aged man held no low status at the academy, not to mention the title of Master. He hurriedly handed over the certificate in his hand.

Master examined the certificate, then shifted his gaze to Tang San and sized him up several times. For some reason, though Master's gaze was not sharp, Tang San felt as though he had been seen through completely.

"The certificate is genuine. Sir, on behalf of the academy, I apologize for what happened just now. Leave this child to me."