Not as good as me

Hundreds of gazes shifted in unison from Tang San to the corner.

Li Hao felt his scalp tingling.

He just wanted to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

He wished he could use the fishing rod in his hand to fish himself all the way back to Holy Soul Village.

Xiao Wu, nestled in his arms, was still smacking her lips as she licked her candied hawthorn, completely unaware of the hornet's nest she had just poked.

"Ahem."

Master Ma Xiunuo, who was in charge of the registration, was the first to break the silence.

He looked toward Li Hao, his previously amiable face now etched with displeasure.

"This parent, the child is young, so it is understandable that she speaks without thinking."

"But a parent cannot lack upbringing."

"The Martial Soul is the foundation of a Soul Master; how can you allow it to be belittled so casually?"

Li Hao felt his head spinning.

So, you all just accepted the setting that I'm her parent?

This system is truly thorough in every aspect; I thank you so much.

As for upbringing?

I can barely support myself, let alone teach anyone else!

He was just about to squeeze out a smile uglier than a cry, offer an apology, and then quickly drag Xiao Wu away.

But another gaze made him swallow the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

It was Tang San.

The little boy with black hair slowly turned his head.

He didn't look at Xiao Wu, who had spoken so recklessly, but locked his eyes directly onto Li Hao, who was holding her.

That expressionless little face was now icy cold.

There was no anger, no reprimand, only a condescending scrutiny and a trace of thinly veiled annoyance.

That look seemed to be saying: If you don't keep your people in check, it's your fault.

Li Hao was speechless.

An adult, stooping to the level of a little brat?

Brother, your dedication to this soul transmigration is truly impressive.

Time to bail.

Ignoring the crowd, he hugged Xiao Wu tighter and prepared to turn and slip through the gaps in the crowd.

However, the moment he took a step, the little one in his arms refused to cooperate.

Xiao Wu struggled out of Li Hao's embrace, slid down, and stood firmly on the ground.

She put her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks, and glared angrily at Tang San.

"It's just ugly!"

"And your power is so weak, not even as strong as me!"

BOOM!

If the previous comment about him being ugly had only lit the fuse, this remark about not being as strong as her had directly detonated the entire powder keg!

The crowd was briefly stunned, followed by an eruption of uproarious laughter.

"Hahahaha! What did I just hear? This little girl says she's stronger than someone with Innate Full Soul Power?"

"Is she crazy? This kid must have something wrong with her brain!"

"How did this father raise her? He's a loser himself, and the daughter he raised is a braggart!"

Many in the crowd had already recognized Li Hao.

There was no helping it; he was the rare "genius" that Holy Soul Village hadn't seen in a hundred years.

"A father with Innate Half Soul Power raising a daughter who talks big—what strict family values!"

All sorts of mockery and ridicule surged toward Li Hao like a tidal wave.

Li Hao's face was hot enough to fry an egg.

He rubbed Xiao Wu's head.

Little ancestor, please, stop talking!

Your father's salted-fish life cannot handle this level of intensity!

"Silence!"

Grand Master Ma Xiunuo slammed his hand onto the table, a wave of pressure belonging to a Soul Grand Master radiating outward, instantly silencing the noisy crowd.

He glared at Xiao Wu and barked, "Little girl! You can eat whatever you want, but you cannot just say whatever you please!"

"Soul Power is the foundation of a soul master's cultivation. Is it something to be compared so casually?"

"Innate Full Soul Power—do you even know what those five words represent? That is a talent countless soul masters fail to reach in their entire lives!"

Old Jack grew anxious and hurriedly bowed to Ma Xiunuo to apologize.

"Grand Master, please don't be angry. Children speak without thinking, please, children speak without thinking!"

"The child is young and ignorant. Please, as a magnanimous man, forgive her just this once!"

As he spoke, he turned his head and urgently signaled Li Hao with his eyes, his voice dropping to a low, desperate hiss: "Li Hao! What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and make your kid apologize to Tang San and the Grand Master!"

Li Hao felt a massive headache coming on.

Apologize?

How could he apologize?

Say sorry, my rabbit hasn't seen the world and thinks your grass is inferior to the foxtail grass growing by our front door?

Wouldn't that just be a second round of damage?

Just as the tension reached a breaking point, Tang San spoke up at the perfect moment.

He bowed slightly to Ma Xiunuo and Old Jack, his face displaying a maturity and magnanimity far beyond his years.

"Grand Master Ma Xiunuo, Grandpa Jack, there is no need for this."

"She is still young and doesn't understand these things. Children speak without thinking; let's just leave this matter at that."

His words were decent and composed, instantly winning a chorus of praise from the surrounding parents.

"Look at that child; he truly is a genius. Such a broad mind!"

"Indeed, to be insulted like that and not even get angry—he is destined for greatness!"

"And look at that lazy man's kid; she has absolutely no upbringing!"

Li Hao rolled his eyes internally.

Keep pretending. Keep it up.

You might be able to fool these locals with your little schemes, but can you fool me, someone who has read the script?

However, since a way out had been offered, he might as well take it.

He patted Xiao Wu on the back, preparing to say a few polite words to smooth things over.

However, Xiao Wu in his arms refused to have it.

The little one struggled to poke her head out from his embrace, her face flushed red, her cheeks puffed out as she pointed at Tang San and retorted in a milky but incredibly firm voice: "No!"

"We aren't apologizing! You are the ones who should be apologizing!"

"You are clearly weaker than me!"

BOOM!

If the previous comment about being ugly was a pebble tossed into a lake, this claim of being "weaker" was a stick of dynamite thrown straight into a deep fryer!

The entire room fell into a deathly silence.

A second later, the room erupted in laughter.

"Hahahaha! What did I just hear? This little girl says she's stronger than a genius with Innate Full Soul Power?"

"She's gone mad! Is there something wrong with this child's brain?"

"Li Hao, you'd better take your daughter to see a doctor; don't ruin her future!"

Jeers and mockery surged toward Li Hao and his daughter like a tidal wave.

Old Jack's face turned the color of liver, his entire body trembling with rage as he pointed at Li Hao, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

Even Tang San's mask of magnanimity finally began to slip.

A sense of humiliation, being provoked by an ant, caused the Mysterious Heaven Skill within him to circulate a few notches faster.

Li Hao felt the intense, unyielding emotional fluctuations coming from Xiao Wu in his arms and sighed helplessly.

He finally understood.

This little ancestor was a classic case of someone who had to be handled with care.

If you spoke to her nicely, she was a sweet, thoughtful little angel.

But if you questioned her—especially her strength...

Then sorry, she would poke a hole through the sky right then and there.

The dignity of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast could not be provoked!

Even if she was currently in the form of a two- or three-year-old girl.

"Fine, fine."

"Since you insist on forcing my daughter to act, then don't blame us for being impolite."

Li Hao stopped holding her back and simply patted Xiao Wu on the back, signaling her to show what she could do.

With her father's permission, Xiao Wu felt a surge of confidence.

She huffed, puffed out her cheeks in displeasure, and stopped suppressing her power.

The next moment.

A wave of soul power erupted from her small body!

That power was far more than Tang San's Innate Full Soul Power—

More majestic!

More refined!

More ancient!

More vast!

There was no light, no special effects.

But in that instant, everyone at the entrance of Nuoding Academy felt a tremor originating from the depths of their souls!

It was as if a primordial beast that had slept for ten thousand years had opened its eyes.

The air became viscous.

The temperature plummeted.

The unbridled laughter was cut short, as if an invisible hand had gripped everyone by the throat.

Expressions of sheer terror froze on every face.

The soul power within them, whether level one or level three, trembled like mice encountering a king.

A few children were even so frightened by this pressure that they collapsed onto the ground, wailing.

Tang San's body shook violently!

The Mysterious Heaven Skill internal energy within him ceased to circulate the moment it touched this power!

An unprecedented sense of insignificance and helplessness completely engulfed him.

This was not a suppression of Soul Power Level.

This was an absolute crushing of life hierarchy!

He stared in horror at the delicate little girl, his mind a complete blank.

This... what kind of power is this?!

Standing at the center of the storm, Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo felt it most acutely.

His soul power as a level twenty-something Soul Grand Master was as insignificant as a lone boat in a vast ocean before this power, ready to be capsized at any moment.

He stiffly lowered his head to look at the crystal ball on his table, which had just shone brilliantly because of Tang San.

At this moment, that radiant blue light had long since extinguished.

In its place was an unprecedented, ultra-pure pink glow!

The light surged wildly from within the crystal ball, as if it were about to burst the entire sphere!

Crack—

A crisp shattering sound rang out.

In the deathly silence of the crowd, it was incredibly clear.

The crystal ball in Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo's hand, the tool symbolizing a soul master's talent, split down the middle with a shocking crack!