Reborn Yu Xiaogang, I Will Take Back Everything That Belongs to Me!

After saying this, she swayed her waist and walked away.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Mother Wang stomped her feet in anger, "That gossiping woman, she only knows how to spout sour words!"

Su Mo smiled and shook his head, "It's fine, Mother Wang. Let her talk."

He truly didn't take it to heart.

He had seen plenty of people like that in his past life. When you are down, she tramples you; when you are doing well, she is jealous; and when you become successful, she fawns over you.

One year later?

Su Mo looked down at the faintly burning "Dao" character on the back of his hand.

A year from now, it was hard to say whose face would be slapped.

At this moment, Su Zhaowan pushed her wheelchair out of the house.

Mother Wang hurried over to meet her, "Zhaowan, why did you come out? You haven't recovered yet."

Su Zhaowan smiled and shook her head, "It's alright. I've been lying down for too long, so I came out for some fresh air."

She looked at the villagers in the courtyard, her eyes slightly red, "Thank you all for taking care of us over the years. With Su Mo leaving, I'll still have to trouble you all in the future."

Mother Wang took her hand, "What trouble? We've been neighbors for so many years; it's only right."

Su Mo walked over and crouched down in front of his mother.

Su Zhaowan reached out and stroked his hair, "When you get to the city, take good care of yourself. Don't scrimp on money; spend what you need to. Write me a letter every month to let me know you're safe."

Su Mo nodded, "Mother, don't worry."

Tang San stood to the side, wanting to say something but hesitating.

Su Zhaowan saw him and smiled, "Tang San, come here."

Tang San walked over and called out respectfully, "Auntie."

Su Zhaowan took his hand, "With Su Mo going to the city, you must take care of yourself too. You two are classmates, so look out for each other."

Tang San nodded solemnly, "Don't worry, Auntie. I will definitely take good care of my master."

Su Zhaowan was stunned, "Master?"

Su Mo quickly waved his hand, "It's nothing, he's just babbling."

Tang San looked serious, "I'm not babbling. Su Mo is my master."

Su Zhaowan looked at her son, then at Tang San, and smiled, "Alright, that's for you young people to decide."

The sun climbed higher.

It was time to depart.

Old Jack pulled the carriage to a stop at the gate. Tang San had already loaded the luggage; in truth, there wasn't much—a few changes of clothes, a bag of dry rations, and the sack full of books belonging to Su Mo.

Big Black Ox jumped onto the carriage itself and found a comfortable spot to lie down.

Su Mo took one last look at his mother.

Su Zhaowan sat in her wheelchair, waving at him with a smile.

"Go on."

Su Mo took a deep breath, turned, and boarded the carriage.

The carriage slowly started moving.

The wheels crunched over the dirt road, emitting a creaking sound.

The horse pulling the carriage turned its head in confusion.

Su Mo also looked back, watching that figure growing smaller and smaller.

She kept waving her hand.

Only when she was no longer in sight did her hand finally drop.

Su Mo turned back around, saying nothing.

Tang San whispered from the side, "Master, don't be sad. Once you return after completing your studies, you will be able to cure Auntie's illness."

Su Mo nodded.

Big Black Ox nudged his arm.

"Moo." (I'm here.)

Su Mo smiled and kicked Big Black Ox off the carriage.

"Old Ox, you're too heavy. Get down and pull the cart."

Big Black Ox let out a wronged "Moo."

(How could you be like this?)

The carriage was finally able to move at a normal pace.

It traveled further and further away.

Holy Soul Village faded into a tiny black dot behind them.

Ahead, in the direction of Notting City, the sunlight was just right.

Notting City.

Inside a dilapidated inn, Yu Xiaogang's eyes snapped open.

He gasped for air, drenched in cold sweat, staring at the mottled ceiling above. His gaze shifted from confusion to clarity.

"I... have returned?"

He sat up slowly and looked down at his hands. They were the hands of a middle-aged man, with thick knuckles and calluses from years of holding a pen.

He looked around: the cramped room, the yellowed walls, the table with a missing leg, and the hole in the window paper letting in a draft of cold air.

Yu Xiaogang froze for three seconds.

Then, memories surged in like a tide.

Memories of his past life.

He remembered how he had died.

Lying in bed, too old to move, with no one by his side.

Liu Erlong? She had left long ago.

Bibi Dong? That high and mighty Empress had always been his greatest regret.

Only Tang San remained.

Tang San, whom he had nurtured.

"Gangzi."

Before he died, Tang San had visited him once.

Just that once.

Standing by the bed with a complex look in his eyes, he had said, "Gangzi, I have become a god."

Yu Xiaogang had trembled with excitement, wanting Tang San to take him to the God Realm, but only a rattling sound could escape his throat.

Tang San continued, "Thank you for your guidance all these years."

Then he turned and left.

That was it?

Yu Xiaogang wanted to scream, to ask him: I nurtured you for so many years! I taught you so much! I helped you plan your spirit rings, analyzed your martial soul, and helped you reach the pinnacle! And all you can say is 'thank you'?

But he couldn't shout.

He could only lie on the bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling his life slip away bit by bit.

Before he died, only one thought filled his mind—

I nurtured a god.

But what about me?

What am I?

And then, he died.

Yu Xiaogang sat on the bed, slowly digesting these memories.

Then, the corners of his mouth began to lift.

Higher.

And higher still.

Finally, he burst into laughter. "Hahaha!"

"Heaven has eyes! Heaven truly has eyes!"

He jumped off the bed, pacing back and forth on the cold dirt floor, trembling with excitement.

"I have been reborn! I have returned to the place where it all began!"

In his past life, he had lived as a coward.

Despite being a master of martial soul theory, he had been treated as trash.

Despite nurturing Tang San into a god, he had remained a mere Spirit King until his death.

Despite having two women who loved him.

Liu Erlong and Bibi Dong—one as passionate as fire, the other wielding power over the world—yet he had failed to keep either of them.

Why?

Because he was too kind!

Because he was too much of a gentleman!

In this lifetime, he would never make the same mistake again!

Yu Xiaogang stopped in his tracks, his gaze burning as he looked out the window.

"Tang San, in this life, you are still my disciple."

"However, because of your past life's wrong decisions, I will no longer nurture you with such care."

"I will keep you under my control until you take me to the God Realm, and then I will kick you aside without mercy!"

"Liu Erlong... in this life, I will not run away again. I will make her follow me wholeheartedly."

"As for Bibi Dong..."

He narrowed his eyes, a meaningful smile curling the corners of his lips.

"That high and mighty Empress—in my past life, I wasn't worthy of her. But in this life, I have the memories of the past. I know her secrets, and I know she still has me in her heart."

"Once I take her down—"

"Spirit Hall will belong to me, Yu Xiaogang!"

"To have a beauty in each arm and enjoy the blessings of a harem—that is what life is all about!"

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, pacing around the room.

As he turned, he tripped, his big toe slamming directly into the bed frame.

The worst part was, he had an ingrown toenail!

"Hiss—ah!"

The pain was piercing!

He looked down.

A crappy bed.

A crappy room.

A crappy inn.

Yu Xiaogang looked down at himself: his coarse cloth clothes were washed until they were faded, and his socks had two holes in them, leaving his big toe exposed.

He took a deep breath.

"Don't rush, don't rush."

"Once Tang San arrives, everything will get better."

He walked to the table, picked up a chipped, broken mirror, and flashed a confident smile at the weathered face reflected within.

"Yu Xiaogang, you can do this."

"You have the memories of your past life, you know the plot, and you understand Tang San better than anyone else."

"In this life, you are the protagonist!"

The face in the mirror smiled with exceptional brilliance.

Outside the window, the cries of street vendors drifted in.

A new day had begun.

Yu Xiaogang put down the mirror and began to wash up.

He needed to be in his best state to meet his "good disciple."