Tang Hao's Surprise

With the diligent efforts of two workers, the capitalist Lu Xian successfully raised his cultivation to level 22.

Even his spirit rings had transformed into two century-level yellow spirit rings.

He had already grasped the principle of his martial soul: every time he reached a ten-level bottleneck, the first object he touched while releasing his martial soul would be converted into a spirit skill.

Initially, his spirit rings had been nothing more than ten-year rings, so white they were nearly transparent.

Moving forward, he did not intend to continue lingering at the academy.

This was because he knew Tang Hao was hiding in the dark corners of Nuoding City, observing Tang San at every moment.

With his son's behavior being so abnormal, Tang Hao would surely look for the cause among those around Tang San.

Although he had never interacted with Tang San, his own cultivation, which was rising like a rocket, would sooner or later attract the other man's attention.

After much deliberation, Lu Xian decided that leaving Notting Academy early would be for the best.

In any case, relying on the Magic Broom, he could issue assessment tasks to Tang San remotely.

He could also receive the feedback from Tang San's cultivation, as well as the rewards issued by the system upon the completion of those assessments.

There was absolutely no need for him to stay by the boy's side every single moment.

The countdown to Lu Xian's final year at the academy began; a student with his level of talent would never attract the school's attention.

If he were willing to stay at the school to handle miscellaneous chores, that would be fine, but if he were unwilling, Lu Xian would simply have nothing more to do with the academy.

He finished his graduation procedures ahead of schedule.

Without a shred of nostalgia, Lu Xian left the town where he had lived for six years.

He set off in the direction of Suotuo City.

After walking several dozen kilometers out of the city, Lu Xian finally confirmed that no one was following him.

"First Spirit Skill: Magic Broom."

Lu Xian placed the broom horizontally beneath his crotch, then controlled it to fly toward the Bala Kingdom.

The broom was not only the vessel for Tang San's divine trials but also his own first spirit skill; Lu Xian took a moment to experience the thrill of being Harry Potter.

"Riding my beloved little broom, it will never get stuck in traffic!"

Lu Xian's departure did not cause the slightest ripple at Notting Academy.

As the first academic year's courses concluded, many work-study students planned to return home for the summer break.

Tang San, burdened with his divine trials, was no exception; the devoted son, concerned for Tang Hao, also planned to go home for a visit.

He only hoped that no assessments would be triggered during this period, otherwise, the villagers of Holy Soul Village would surely suffer.

Beside him, the little rabbit watched Tang San packing his luggage with a look of joy on her face.

The entire bed could finally be occupied by her, Sister Xiao Wu, alone.

A year of sharing the bed had led the little rabbit to strongly suspect that Tang San often kicked her in the backside after she fell asleep.

Otherwise, there was no way she would have fallen out of bed dozens of times in her sleep over the past year, landing face-first on the floor.

Yet, during afternoon naps when Tang San wasn't around, such incidents never occurred.

Although the little rabbit was certain Tang San was up to no good, she couldn't produce any evidence.

Now that this god of misfortune was going home for a few months, she could finally enjoy some peace and quiet.

"Xiao Wu, aren't you going home?"

"Me? I don't have a home to return to, so I'll just stay at the academy. I'll leave the cleaning duties for these two months to Sister Xiao Wu, and you can continue cleaning for another year when you get back."

Hearing the little rabbit say she was homeless, a flicker of sympathy crossed Tang San's eyes.

Then, perhaps due to some lapse in judgment, he actually spoke up and invited her:

"Why don't you come back to Holy Soul Village with me?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Tang San immediately regretted them, cursing himself inwardly for having so much useless sympathy.

Fortunately, the little rabbit shook her head like a rattle-drum; having finally managed to get rid of the god of misfortune for a while, she wasn't about to follow him and get tricked again!

"No, no, no, there's no need! Staying at the academy is fine for Sister Xiao Wu. You go and come back early, goodbye!"

After saying this, the little rabbit ran out of the dormitory in a flash, as if afraid Tang San might change his mind.

Tang San watched the little rabbit's retreating figure, feeling a sense of relief while simultaneously, for some unknown reason, feeling a bit lost.

Shaking his head, Tang San picked up his packed bundle and walked out of the academy.

In the evening, inside the faculty dormitory.

Gangzi was still studying the god-mark of the plague god on his forehead.

He failed to notice that a figure shrouded in a black robe had already appeared in the room.

It wasn't until his peripheral vision swept across the mirror that Yu Xiaogang turned around in terror.

"You... who are you?"

"Come to think of it, it must have been over twenty years since we last met, Grandmaster."

As Tang Hao spoke, he pulled down the brim of his hat, revealing a face weathered by the passage of time.

Yu Xiaogang's pupils constricted; although he had long guessed that Tang San's identity was linked to Tang Hao, his heart still instinctively raced when Tang Hao truly appeared before him.

"You are Haotian..."

"Enough, let us not speak of the past."

"I have come this time not only to entrust San to you, but also to ask you one thing."

Yu Xiaogang swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue, then cupped his hands in a salute.

"Your Excellency, please ask."

A trace of worry flashed across Tang Hao's face before his cracked lips parted slightly.

"Why has San's... behavior been so strange lately?"

Hearing this, a flash of realization crossed Yu Xiaogang's eyes; he had likely guessed why his disciple was acting so differently from before.

The black broom-shaped mark on the boy's forehead was proof of this.

"Your Excellency, have you ever heard of the gods?"

At the mention of "gods," Tang Hao immediately clenched his fists; how could he not know of their existence?

"Hmph, they are merely humans who have grown stronger, fellows who possess power but lack any true divinity."

Martial Soul Hall stood behind the Angel God, so Tang Hao held no fondness for the gods whatsoever.

However, the situation Yu Xiaogang described next left Tang Hao completely agitated.

"Alas, I suspect San has been chosen by a god, and those strange actions must be related to his trials."

"What did you say?"

Tang Hao's figure vanished instantly, reappearing before Yu Xiaogang in the next second, his hand gripping Gangzi's shoulder and trembling uncontrollably.

The pain in his shoulder made Yu Xiaogang knit his brows; he was only a newly promoted Soul Elder, how could he withstand such torment?

"Yo... Your Excellency."

Tang Hao seemed to realize his grip was too tight and loosened it slightly.

"Do you know what you are saying?"

"Your Excellency, the reason I say this is because I, too, have been chosen by a god."

"Have you not observed that my recent behavior has also been quite strange?"

Upon hearing that Yu Xiaogang had also been chosen, the prestige of the gods in Tang Hao's mind plummeted to rock bottom.

What kind of decent god would choose a specimen like this?

But soon, this impression was overturned once more.

"Your Excellency, try probing my cultivation."

Watching Yu Xiaogang's proud expression, Tang Hao frowned slightly and extended his spiritual power to envelop him.

"Hm? You've broken through to level 30?"

It was an indisputable fact that Yu Xiaogang could never break through level 29; when Tang San first became his apprentice, he had checked, and it was indeed level 29.

But now, he had actually broken through to level 30 and become a Soul Elder.

"It is related to the gods?"

Yu Xiaogang smiled and pointed to the purple-green cloud pattern on his forehead.

"That is correct, Your Excellency; this is the mark of a god's trial."

"Upon completing the trials, both soul power and the age of one's soul rings are enhanced."

"The fact that San was able to raise his cultivation to level 16 within a year is undoubtedly due to the god's trials as well."