Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, two months had passed.
At the village entrance.
Village Chief Old Jack had arrived early and was waiting there. Behind him stood the ox cart he had prepared to take Xiao San and the others to school.
"Xiao San? You're only bringing this little bit?" Du Hao asked in confusion, carrying a huge bundle of luggage.
"What can I do?"
Tang San could only spread his hands helplessly. "My dad won't give me any money. Didn't you see? I can only go to school because I got a Work-Study Student spot."
"Heh, true enough..."
Looking at Tang San's pitiful, helpless expression, Du Hao shook his head with a face full of sympathy.
He just couldn't understand it. Tang San was clearly a Titled Douluo. He didn't need to hide his identity this thoroughly, did he?
As a result, this guy had been hungry as a monkey since he was little. If it weren't for his diligent daily training and the occasional help from Village Chief Old Jack,
it wouldn't have been surprising if he'd starved to death one day.
"Enough about me."
"By the way, is this older sister going to school with you too?" Tang San pointed at Zhu Zhuqing behind Du Hao, his expression saying he didn't know what to make of it.
In Tang San's somewhat fragmented memories,
some perverts did like keeping beautiful maids. Could his little buddy be like that too?
Seeing Tang San's gaze grow stranger by the second, Du Hao hurried to defend himself. "What are you talking about? Zhu Zhuqing is only a little over six years old."
"There's nothing wrong with her going to school with me, is there?"
Tang San's suspicion didn't fade at all as he listened to his friend's defense. "Are you sure?"
Hearing the doubt in Tang San's voice,
Du Hao quickly waved his hands to stop him. "All right, all right. Think whatever you want."
"Let's hurry. Grandpa Jack's about to get impatient." With that, Du Hao rushed toward the ox cart by the entrance.
Watching him hurry off,
Tang San turned to Zhu Zhuqing, who was carrying several large bags. He looked at all the luggage she had on her,
then glanced at the stack of quilts on Du Hao's back farther ahead. The difference in weight between the two was obvious.
"Zhuqing, Brother Rat really didn't threaten you?" Tang San asked in confusion.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't seem to feel the weight of her luggage at all. Hearing him ask, she smiled.
Her voice was gentle as she said, "It's fine. I chose to carry these myself."
"After all, Xiao Hao can't carry as much as you can."
Hearing the sincerity in Zhu Zhuqing's words, Tang San couldn't detect even the slightest hint of falsehood.
But that was exactly what made him feel worse! His eyes brimmed with envy. "B-but why?"
"Where did you kidnap such a perfect..."
Tang San was a hardworking young man, practicing diligently every day or helping his father forge iron. Why didn't he get to enjoy this kind of treatment?
He shook his head.
After that, Tang San stopped dwelling on it and jogged toward the cart.
The four of them spent half a day on the road, arriving in Nuoding City just before noon.
They asked for directions several times in the city.
At last, a kind passerby told them where to find the Junior Spirit Master Academy.
But as soon as they reached the gates,
it was as if they'd triggered an NPC event: a disdainful-looking gatekeeper stepped forward and stopped them.
"What are you doing here, you bunch of country bumpkins? You think a place like this is for the likes of you?"
Seeing this scene,
Du Hao, who had expected it, didn't intervene. Instead, he wanted to see what Tang San would do next.
After all, even though he knew Tang San hadn't been possessed by Buddha Ancestor Tang, he still wanted to know if Tang San had already made the hidden weapon.
This was the perfect chance to see whether Buddha Ancestor Tang's methods had been inherited by his innocent little Xiao San.
If they had, then he'd have to set him straight...
Before Du Hao could work out how to give him a proper lesson, Tang San had already quietly sidled up beside him, looking mysterious.
"Brother Rat, think we should give him something nasty?" Tang San asked with a smug grin.
Hearing the boastful tone in Tang San's voice, Du Hao turned to him in confusion. "What are you... planning to do?"
Tang San quietly raised his left hand and said to Du Hao with a sinister grin, "This is the Sleeve Sword I always talk about. It's really powerful. Want to give that arrogant gatekeeper a shot in the butt?"
By the end, Tang San's expression had turned... rather lecherous. His whole being practically radiated mischief.
Seeing Tang San acting like a naughty child, Du Hao could only stare at him with a dark look.
While the two of them were still whispering to each other, the argument between the village chief and the gatekeeper had reached its climax!
The gatekeeper's attitude had grown even more arrogant, as if he were certain these country bumpkins wouldn't dare do anything to him.
The gatekeeper said mockingly, "So what if you're from Holy Soul Village? You think a golden phoenix can really come out of a flock of chickens? You've got me laughing, grandpa! Hahaha..."
"Damn it, I can't take it anymore! Xiao San, make your move! Get him!" Tang San said. He and Du Hao slowly crept behind the gatekeeper.
Du Hao pointed at the gatekeeper's vulnerable spot and sternly directed Tang San. "Aim there!"
Just as Tang San was about to launch his deadly attack,
"What's going on? Why all the noise?"
Just then, a somewhat hoarse yet elegant voice reached their ears.
They turned around and, sure enough, Grandmaster had arrived!
Grandmaster was of average height and somewhat thin, with a face that looked rather stern.
"Grandmaster, you're back." The gatekeeper's expression changed when he saw him. He hurried forward a few steps and began explaining. "It's these country bumpkins..."
Before the gatekeeper could finish,
Grandmaster raised a hand to stop him. "That's enough. You children, tell me what happened."
"Heh!" Du Hao, feeling a little guilty, quickly straightened up and recounted the whole story to Yu Xiaogang.
After hearing Du Hao out, Grandmaster furrowed his brow.
"Hello, sir. We're here to enroll, but this gatekeeper kept insulting us. We've been wronged too!" Tang San said, putting on a pitiful expression.
Behind his back, he quietly clicked the safety back onto the Sleeve Sword, so it wouldn't accidentally go off later.
Looking into the two children's innocent eyes, Grandmaster was about eighty percent convinced.
He turned and looked coolly at the gatekeeper, who had lowered his head. The chill in his eyes was impossible to hide.
The gatekeeper beside him felt immense pressure.
He hadn't expected the two boys to be so quick with their words, recounting everything that had just happened without missing a single detail.
"You... Go explain everything to the principal in his office. Don't make me tell him myself." Grandmaster fixed the gatekeeper with a warning look.
After all, Grandmaster was a learned man.
He looked down on bullies like this, and besides, the principal of this academy was his friend. He would never tolerate something like this happening.
Surely the principal would handle it properly.
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