Hearing that hoarse voice, Li Luo couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
He had thought that once he'd dealt with the gatekeeper's harassment, Yu Xiaogang would have no reason to approach them.
But he hadn't expected Yu Xiaogang to be like a dog that had caught the scent of meat, snapping at them the moment an opportunity arose.
Just as Li Luo had expected, the voice belonged to a scruffy middle-aged man with unshaven stubble and an unwashed face. He wore a tattered scholar's robe and had a short, flat haircut.
This man was Yu Xiaogang. He was thin and gaunt, his face haggard, with deep dark circles beneath his eyes.
Yu Xiaogang hurried toward Li Luo and Tang San. Seeing the strange man approach, Tang San grabbed Li Luo and took a big step back, dodging Yu Xiaogang's lunge and making sure he didn't touch either of them.
At the same time, a Sleeve Arrow sprang from his right sleeve. If Yu Xiaogang tried anything untoward, Tang San would judge that he deserved to die.
Yu Xiaogang realized that his behavior had been too abrupt, so he steadied himself and straightened his collar, putting on an affectedly apologetic expression. But he made no effort to hide the urgency in his voice, while still striking the pose of a gentleman.
He looked more like a beast in fine clothes.
"I'm very sorry that the gatekeeper at Notting Academy caused you trouble. I'll deal with him."
"If you can't do your job, then get lost! If I catch you throwing your weight around and bullying students again, you'll be packing your bags!"
Yu Xiaogang relied on his connection to the headmaster of Notting Academy, and usually looked down on everyone at the academy. When it came to a mere gatekeeper, he didn't even bother pretending, showing off his smug, petty nature to the fullest.
But the gatekeeper didn't dare talk back to Yu Xiaogang. He'd claimed earlier that he had someone backing him, but all that really meant was that his father handled logistics. Facing Yu Xiaogang, who had the headmaster's backing, he had no confidence at all and could only swallow his anger.
Even a bully had someone who could bully him.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang stand up for him and Li Luo, Tang San's impression of the scruffy middle-aged man improved a little.
"You two are the students enrolling today, right? Come with me. I'll take you to the academic affairs office to register."
With his hands behind his back, Yu Xiaogang strode ahead and motioned for Tang San and Li Luo to follow.
Tang San was about to go after him, but when he saw that Li Luo hadn't moved, he stayed put as well.
Seeing that Li Luo and Tang San didn't trust him, Yu Xiaogang affected a mysterious air and said, "As expected of geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power. This kind of composure really sets you apart from ordinary students."
As it turned out, Yu Xiaogang had been there the whole time, watching the gatekeeper bully the three of them. He'd also learned from their conversation that Li Luo and Tang San both had Innate Full Soul Power.
But he hadn't stopped the gatekeeper right away. Instead, he'd stood by and waited for the two sides to clash, planning to swoop in at just the right moment and leave Li Luo and Tang San with the impression that he was an upright, righteous gentleman.
Then, as a specially appointed academy teacher and a master of Martial Soul Theory, he would take the two students with Innate Full Soul Power as his disciples.
But before he could step in, Li Luo had already made the gatekeeper submit and completed his enrollment.
The roasted duck was about to fly right out of his mouth. How could he allow that? Why would two students with Innate Full Soul Power handle their enrollment on their own?
He had to be the Martial Soul Theory "master" "recognized" by Spirit Hall, grandly escorting his two promising disciples with Innate Full Soul Power through enrollment so the whole academy would hear about it.
So Yu Xiaogang couldn't hold back any longer and decided to take the initiative.
But things got off to a bad start. Li Luo and Tang San hadn't come to trust him; if anything, he'd made them wary.
Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang decided to use his trump card. He turned his back to Tang San and Li Luo, clasped his hands behind him, and struck the pose of a lofty expert.
"Tang San, Blue Silver Grass, Innate Full Soul Power. According to my theory, you should have Twin Martial Souls!"
Yu Xiaogang's words were startling. He no longer cared whether the gatekeeper heard. All he could think about was Tang San hearing him expose his secret, looking at him with admiration, then dropping to his knees and bowing his head to become his disciple.
"Thud! Please accept me as your disciple, Grandmaster!"
"Knock, knock, knock!" Then came three kowtows.
Of course, that was all in Yu Xiaogang's imagination.
Hearing Yu Xiaogang reveal the secret that, besides Li Luo and Tang Hao, Tang San couldn't tell anyone, his first impulse was to kill him and silence him.
A Silent Sleeve Arrow appeared in Tang San's right hand, aimed at the back of Yu Xiaogang's head. In the next moment, he would take Yu Xiaogang out.
Li Luo noticed Tang San's movement and raised a hand to stop him.
Yu Xiaogang couldn't die here in broad daylight. If Tang San killed him, not only would the two of them be unable to enroll, but they'd also be branded as murderers.
Worse still, if Yu Xiaogang died in Nuoding City and the Spirit Hall Pope, Bibi Dong—that madwoman—found out, Li Luo and Tang San wouldn't be able to develop in peace and make it through the early stages in Nuoding City.
That was why Li Luo stopped Tang San.
When Tang San didn't respond, Yu Xiaogang continued showing off his theories.
"I am Yu Xiaogang, master of Martial Soul Theory. According to my Ten Great Theories of Martial Souls... blah, blah, blah, on and on."
Yu Xiaogang was in full flow, but when he saw that Li Luo and Tang San weren't responding, he assumed his invincible theories had left them too stunned to speak.
So Yu Xiaogang turned around, wanting to see the admiration in Li Luo and Tang San's eyes.
But the spot where Li Luo and Tang San had been standing was empty.
"Where are they? Where did my two wonderful disciples go?"
Li Luo had no interest in listening to Yu Xiaogang ramble on about his garbage theories, so he quietly led Tang San away. They asked for directions around the academy and found the office of Director Su, the head of academic affairs.
"Blue Silver Grass, Unknown Colorful Spherical Martial Soul, Innate Full Soul Power?"
Director Su stared at the two Martial Soul certificates in his hands, momentarily unable to process what he was seeing.
"What is happening to this world? How can a Martial Soul that's universally recognized as trash, like Blue Silver Grass, have Soul Power? And not just any Soul Power, but Innate Full Soul Power!"
"And what in the world is an Unknown Colorful Spherical Martial Soul? It also has Innate Full Soul Power!"
Work-study students were already in short supply, and two had shown up in one day—both with Innate Full Soul Power.
Director Su didn't understand what was going on, but he still accepted the certificates issued by Spirit Hall. He didn't ask questions and processed Li Luo and Tang San's enrollment as required.
Li Luo and Tang San took the student records they'd been assigned and prepared to leave.
Just then, Director Su suddenly called out to them.
"Wait."
Li Luo and Tang San turned around to look at Director Su.
Tang San thought Director Su might be like the strange man they'd encountered at the entrance.
"When you enrolled, you didn't run into a scruffy middle-aged man with unshaven stubble, an unwashed face, a tattered scholar's robe, and a short, flat haircut, did you? He calls himself a Martial Soul Theory 'master.'"
"If you haven't met him, remember to keep your distance from him in the future."
"Although he's a strange man, his background is extraordinary. Remember not to get into a conflict with him."
But Director Su only cautioned them to watch out for Yu Xiaogang, then indicated that Li Luo and Tang San could leave.
He hadn't badmouthed Yu Xiaogang or his relationship with the headmaster. As the head of academic affairs at Notting Academy, he wasn't about to antagonize the headmaster.
Li Luo and Tang San didn't tell Director Su that they'd already met Yu Xiaogang.