"Sure, but not tonight."
Teacher Zhao opened the door halfway. Lamplight fell across the register on the desk, and he looked utterly worn out.
Tang San stood outside, with Yu Xiaogang behind him.
"Make-up test tomorrow morning. Only a small group may witness it. No students are allowed to crowd around."
Yu Xiaogang stepped forward half a pace.
"Teacher Zhao, Tang San's talent speaks for itself. Today, he was simply affected by outside forces."
Teacher Zhao opened the register.
"Mr. Yu, a Fine Needle rolled into the student area today. I have to include that in the academy's records."
Tang San raised a hand to cover his cuff.
"I won't use Hidden Weapons tomorrow morning. I'll use only Blue Silver Grass."
Teacher Zhao paused for a moment.
"Fine."
Yu Xiaogang immediately chimed in.
"I'll vouch for Tang San as Grandmaster. There's nothing wrong with his control-focused path."
Teacher Zhao glanced at the papers on the desk.
"You can sign the guarantee, but the teachers overseeing the test will decide the result."
Early the next morning, only the inner ring of the Training Ground was open.
Teacher Zhao, two other academy teachers, Ning Chuan, and several others, including Su Hang, stood at the edge of the field.
Xiao Chenyu and Wang Sheng were stopped outside the wooden railing, craning their necks to watch.
"Boss Su, this make-up test is pretty formal."
Wang Sheng held a bag of flatbreads.
"Formal's good. That way, no Poison Needles come rolling in again."
Ning Rongrong stood beside Su Hang, the Seven Treasures Token hanging at her waist.
"Uncle Ning Chuan is keeping an eye on things today. Tang San won't be able to sneak anything else in."
Xiao Wu snorted.
"Even if he doesn't hide any Hidden Weapons, his Blue Silver Grass can still cause trouble on its own."
In the middle of the field, Tang San stood before the Stake-Winding Assessment Line.
Ten wooden stakes were arranged at intervals. The Blue Silver Grass had to weave around them continuously, without breaking, doubling back, or touching the red line.
Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, forcing himself to keep up appearances.
"Tang San, remember the rhythm."
Tang San nodded.
"Teacher, I'm ready."
Teacher Zhao raised a hand.
"Begin."
His Yellow Soul Ring lit up.
Blue Silver Grass sprouted from Tang San's palm and crept along the ground. It wound around the first stake, its leaves drawn in neatly.
The second and third stakes followed without a hitch.
One of the academy teachers looked down to take notes.
"The control route is clear. The Poison Pattern is stable for now."
Yu Xiaogang immediately glanced toward Ning Rongrong.
"That's the fundamental value of a control-type spirit master."
Ning Rongrong didn't respond.
Xiao Wu tugged on Su Hang's sleeve and whispered,
"Brother Su Hang, he's doing pretty well this time."
Su Hang watched the Blue Silver Grass in the field as Dark Purple Lightning spread softly along the ground beneath his feet.
There was no sound.
A single pulse of Soul Power swept over the ground, and the tips of the Blue Silver Grass beside a stake faltered.
Tang San's right wrist went numb. His path around the fourth stake veered half an inch off course.
Yu Xiaogang immediately sensed something was wrong. He flicked his sleeve, and Luo Sanpao emerged from behind him.
"Luo Sanpao, provide positional support."
Luo Sanpao bobbed his head and sent a wave of Soul Power surging toward the stake.
The wave pushed the stray Blue Silver Grass leaves back inside the line.
Outside the railing, Xiao Chenyu nearly burst out laughing.
"Grandmaster's support has a certain aroma to it."
Wang Sheng hurriedly covered his bag of flatbreads.
"Don't say that. I'm still eating."
Teacher Zhao looked down at the records, his pen pausing in midair.
"Mr. Yu, teachers aren't allowed to directly control a student during an assessment."
Yu Xiaogang immediately explained,
"I was only stabilizing the Soul Power in the area to prevent outside interference."
Ning Rongrong lightly tapped the Seven Treasures Token.
"That sounds familiar. Somehow, it's always outside interference whenever something goes wrong."
Xiao Wu quickly added,
"Tang San gets to grow, and everyone else gets to take the blame."
Tang San didn't look back. He kept urging the Blue Silver Grass forward.
The fifth stake, then the sixth—the leaves kept advancing.
Su Hang knew when to stop and withdrew the Thunder Pressure.
The Blue Silver Grass steadied again, winding around the last few stakes before barely making its way back to the starting point.
Teacher Zhao looked at the two academy teachers.
"How should we rule?"
One of them flipped through the records.
"He completed the route. The Poison Pattern fluctuated during the test, and he veered off course at the fourth stake before outside Soul Power pushed him back."
The other teacher added,
"No one was hurt, and no Hidden Weapons were used. He passes the basic requirement."
Teacher Zhao wrote on the document.
"Tang San, you pass under observation."
Ning Rongrong blinked.
"'Pass under observation' sounds pretty ominous."
Tang San's expression darkened, but he didn't argue on the spot.
Yu Xiaogang put away the guarantee document.
"Passing is enough. Shrek will see your potential."
Xiao Wu rolled her eyes.
"Nearly going off course counts as potential now? Grandmaster's rose-colored glasses are thick."
Outside, Xiao Chenyu slapped the wooden railing.
"Sister Xiao Wu summed it up perfectly. Passing under observation—first get on the carriage, fix it later."
Wang Sheng nodded.
"Blue Silver Grass comes with after-sales service, too."
Teacher Zhao hurried to organize the documents before things got out of hand again.
"Su Hang, your Recommendation Pass was prepared last night."
Su Hang stepped forward and took the document, stamped with the academy seal.
Ning Chuan also pulled a small seal from his sleeve and pressed it onto another Passage Paper.
"The Seven Treasures Travel Seal has been stamped. The merchants along the way can provide carriages, supplies, and lodging."
The students at the edge of the Training Ground immediately burst into chatter.
"That's quite the send-off!"
"With the academy's recommendation and the Seven Treasures' travel seal, they won't even have to line up when they head out, right?"
Xiao Chenyu slapped his thigh, green with envy.
"Boss Su's traveling in luxury. Tang San's stuck walking like everyone else."
Wang Sheng offered him the bag of flatbreads.
"Don't be jealous. Being jealous won't get you a seat in the carriage."
Tang San took his Academy Departure Certificate.
It was a thin sheet of paper bearing only Notting Academy's basic seal.
No recommended resources, no merchant seal, and no escort arrangements.
Yu Xiaogang took one look and immediately tried to console him.
"Tang San, a gap in resources isn't something to fear. The harsher the conditions, the more clearly your willpower will shine."
At those words, Xiao Wu immediately turned around.
"If you can't get resources, you just brag about how tough you have it. That counts as winning?"
Ning Rongrong piled on.
"Then the Seven Treasures should quit doing business. Everyone can go suffer instead."
Xiao Chenyu laughed so hard he had to grab the railing.
"Grandmaster's theory is poor in all sorts of ways."
Tang San put his Academy Departure Certificate into his bundle.
"I'll go to Shrek."
Su Hang tucked his Travel Permit into his clothes.
"Sure."
Tang San looked up.
"Once I get there, I'll prove the value of the control type all over again."
Su Hang turned toward the academy gates.
"Try not to trip over your own grass on the way."
Xiao Wu immediately followed.
"Brother Su Hang, that should be written on the back of his Academy Departure Certificate."
Ning Rongrong also walked over to the carriage.
"I suggest stamping it, too. A special reminder for those who pass under observation."
Ning Chuan stood beside the carriage, loading everyone's luggage.
The Seven Treasures carriage waited at the academy gate. Its cabin was spacious, its wheels wrapped in soft leather, and the curtains embroidered with the Seven Treasures Pattern.
Xiao Wu climbed in first and claimed the seat at the back.
"Brother Su Hang, sit here."
Ning Rongrong climbed in from the other side and set her small bag on a seat.
"I'll sit opposite. It'll make it easier to ask about Shrek."
Xiao Wu glared at her at once.
"Don't use asking questions as an excuse to move over here."
Ning Rongrong snorted.
"Relax. I'm not interested in your seat."
Xiao Chenyu and Wang Sheng stood by the academy gate to see Su Hang off.
"Boss Su, we'll keep an eye on the place."
Wang Sheng hugged his bag of flatbreads and added,
"We'll guard your bed, too. Even if the little princess comes back and wants to tear it apart, she'll have to wait her turn."
Ning Rongrong poked her head through the carriage curtain.
"I'll remember that."
Xiao Chenyu immediately shoved Wang Sheng behind him.
"That was him talking. It has nothing to do with me."
On the other side of the road, Tang San stood with his bundle on his back.
His cuffs hung empty, and his bundle was light.
Yu Xiaogang stood beside him, holding an ordinary Travel Permit.
"Let's go. Flender will give you a chance."
Tang San watched the Seven Treasures carriage leave the academy gate, dust billowing behind its wheels.
"Teacher, I'll catch up."
Yu Xiaogang nodded.
"Remember, a true strong man always relies on himself."
Hearing that from inside the carriage, Xiao Wu couldn't help poking her head out.
"Then don't use the Seven Treasures Trade Route or the academy's Travel Permit, either."
Ning Rongrong burst out laughing.
"Rabbit, that was a brutal thing to say."
Xiao Wu ducked back into the carriage.
"I was just telling the truth."
Su Hang suddenly paused before climbing aboard.
High above at Notting Academy, a heavy gaze lingered in the shadow beneath the eaves, tracking the carriage as it moved.
Tang Hao.
The man hadn't gone far after all.
Su Hang stepped into the carriage and spoke calmly just before the curtain fell.
"Stop looking. Someone's following us."
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