This Guy Really Is Something

"0174 swore that from this day forward, this life of mine belonged to my benefactor. Benefactor may command me as you please!"

After a little over an hour, the cross-legged youth slowly opened his eyes.

He rose with a delighted expression and moved his limbs a little. Then he quickly walked over to Tang Ling, knelt again, bowed, and solemnly made his oath.

Tang Ling, who had been lounging sideways in her chair and chewing dried meat, sat up straight and accepted his bow, nodding in agreement.

He truly had the fate of one destined to die young, but his luck was not bad. The pollution had caused it, so giving him a life and a future could be considered compensation.

After all, if she only saved him now, he would still die not long after leaving the forest.

Seeing that she had not moved away, the youth immediately broke into a brilliant smile. He glanced at Tang Ersui a few steps away, then lowered his head again. "Please bestow a name upon me, Benefactor."

"Do you have a name you like?" Tang Ling asked with a smile.

Among the guards at home, apart from Yi Yin and Er Sui, whose names had been given by her father, Tang Ling had let everyone else choose their own names.

"I can barely read, so there isn't any name I particularly like." The youth scratched his head with an honest smile, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

"Then you shall be called Kong. Human affairs are ever-changing; may the past become empty." Tang Ling fell silent for a moment before speaking solemnly.

Then she turned to Tang Ersui. "Ersui, how far have we gotten with those who bear our family name?"

"Up to ninth," Tang Ersui replied with a slight bow.

There were not many hidden guards at Chloe Princess Manor who bore the Tang surname. The others, like Old William, had names without surnames.

"Then you'll be Tang Jiukong. Since you said your life is mine, become a hidden guard of my Tang Clan." Tang Ling nodded in understanding and smiled at the kneeling youth.

"Tang Jiukong thanks Master for naming me." Tang Jiukong respectfully bowed and kowtowed, only standing after a long while.

"Now that the matter is settled, pack up. It's getting late, and we need to return to the academy as soon as possible." Tang Ling looked at Tang Jiukong, who stood there with reddened eyes.

She then looked around at the others, sitting or standing nearby, and gave the order. As her words fell, the silent group began to move.

Before long, everyone followed Xue Qi out of the forest.

"Third Brother, did you see that just now? It looked like someone was causing trouble at the academy gates!" Xue Qingxi withdrew his gaze from outside the carriage window and turned to Tang San.

"I saw it, but they were all students. It probably wasn't anything serious." Tang San quietly ate his pastries, thought back for a moment, and replied.

"What a pity. I need to go back and wash up first, or I would definitely go watch the excitement." Xue Qingxi looked down at his clothes, then sighed regretfully.

Tang Ling shot him a sideways glance. "I remember giving you Cleansing Talismans."

"I used them. But Teacher, after so many days without properly bathing, I still feel like I stink." Xue Qingxi rolled up his sleeve, revealing a clean arm, and looked at himself with utter disgust.

"Then let's have dinner at the cafeteria. It'll be more lively." Tang Ling looked at the two of them across from her and made the suggestion. The journey had indeed been rather dull.

Xue Qingxi nodded immediately. Tang San hesitated for a moment before agreeing as well.

Thus, when the carriage arrived at the small courtyard, Steward Roger, who had come to receive them, merely lowered his head and reported that the bathhouse was ready, without mentioning the meal at all.

By the time the three had washed away their fatigue and gotten themselves in order, the sun had already set.

"Miss." Tang Jiukong stood somewhat stiffly beside the living room sofa. Seeing them arrive, he lowered his head and called out.

"You don't need to be so nervous." Tang Ling pulled Tang San down to sit beside her and smiled at him. "Now that you bear the Tang surname, you are one of my Princess Manor's people.

Come to the cafeteria with us later. Then I'll take you to see the principal and get you a work-study student spot. Learn some knowledge first."

"Thank you, Miss!" Tang Jiukong's fingers trembled slightly as he bent over in thanks, his voice hoarse. He had never imagined that he would be sent to study.

"It's nothing. Just study hard." Tang Ling gave him a brief reminder, then leaned against Tang San and looked toward the staircase with him.

"I'm late and made Teacher wait." Xue Qingxi hurried down the stairs, fully dressed and looking apologetically at Tang Ling.

"I know you're a clean freak." Tang Ling straightened up and gave him a sidelong look before smiling. "I don't blame you. Hurry up, aren't you hungry?"

"Thank you, Teacher!" Xue Qingxi hurried forward with a grin and followed beside Tang San toward the door. "I've been hungry for ages, but I kept feeling dirty. I washed three times."

"I'll prepare some Fragrance Pills for you next time." After hearing his complaint, Tang San thought over the pill formulas he had and replied with a smile.

"Ah, then thank you, Third Brother!" Xue Qingxi looked at him with shining eyes, his tone excited.

Tang San smiled and nodded, then said nothing more as he sank his consciousness into his space and searched through those long-forgotten pill formulas. Xue Qingxi also fell silent, afraid of disturbing him.

Thus, the group of five headed silently toward the cafeteria.

"Let's eat on the second floor. There are way too many people here." Standing at the cafeteria entrance, Xue Qingxi looked at the sea of people inside, then toward the somewhat quieter second floor.

"Sure. We haven't tried the food upstairs yet anyway." Tang Ling nodded in agreement, grabbed Tang San, and headed toward the staircase with Xue Qingxi.

Tang Ersui and Tang Jiukong quickly followed.

Once upstairs, the five easily found a quiet corner. After Tang Ling and the other two sat down, Tang Ersui took Tang Jiukong to get food.

"It tastes about the same as the food downstairs. The dining environment is just slightly better." Xue Qingxi swallowed his mouthful of food and gave his assessment with a serious expression.

"Then it seems the first floor is still more economical." Tang San looked at the smaller portions of food on his plate, which tasted no different, and gave his own comment.

"Then we'll go downstairs next time. If we come outside mealtime, there won't be so many people, after all..." Tang Ling looked at the two serious boys and smiled. Before she could finish, however, an abrupt voice interrupted her.

"If you can't afford it, don't come to the second floor. This isn't somewhere poor work-study students like you can afford to eat!"

The grating voice came with heavy footsteps, and the newcomer stopped beside their table.

"Who are you? Mind your own business!" Xue Qingxi looked up at the newcomer displeased. He had never encountered someone so lacking in judgment.

"Who am I? I'm a noble you could never hope to reach!" the newcomer said arrogantly. Then he looked toward the staircase. "Who let these poor students up here?

Don't you know I hate the sour stench of poverty most? If you ruin this young master's fortune, you'll pay for it!"

The two youths guarding the staircase hurried over, trembling, and quickly bowed in apology. "Please calm down, Young Master Zhao. We weren't here just now, so we didn't know they had come upstairs."

Then they turned toward Tang San's group and shouted harshly, "Why aren't you leaving yet? Your poor stench has disturbed Young Master Zhao!"

Tang San exchanged a glance with Xue Qingxi, rose to his feet, and looked at Young Master Zhao. "Does the academy have a rule stating that work-study students cannot eat on the second floor?"

"Everyone knows that's an unspoken rule. You're freshmen, aren't you?" The youth who had just shouted immediately stepped in front of Young Master Zhao, speaking with disdain.

"Then there is no rule, which means you have no right to drive us away." Xue Qingxi stood as well, speaking with a grin.

"My rule is the rule. If you don't want to leave, then roll downstairs!" Young Master Zhao glared at the two who had challenged his authority, panting angrily as he swiftly summoned his Martial Soul.

"Ah, it's a bull. No wonder you're so easily enraged and crazed." Xue Qingxi casually swayed his red clothes and leaned against Tang San with a grin.

"Y-you stop talking! Hurry and go! Get away!" The two youths, who had just looked fierce, now stared at Young Master Zhao in panic as they shouted and backed away.

"Trying to run? No chance! If Zhao Qian doesn't throw you down today, then I won't be surnamed Zhao!" Zhao Qian shouted furiously as he entered Martial Soul Possession.

"So it's him." Hearing his introduction, Tang Ling raised an amused brow. This guy really was something, provoking both the Daughter of the Heavenly Dao and the Son of the Heavenly Dao one after another.

"Since he doesn't want to be surnamed Zhao, let's grant his wish." Tang Ling looked at the eager Tang San and Xue Qingxi with a smile, then reminded them, "This is the cafeteria. Go easy."

"Understood, Senior Sister." Tang San chuckled and nodded.

"Teacher's command shall be obeyed!" Xue Qingxi agreed with a grin.

The two turned around and stood shoulder to shoulder, calmly watching the frenzied person opposite them.

Battle was on the verge of breaking out.