Tang San's Inferiority Complex

After helping Tang San absorb a white ten-year Soul Ring, Zhu Huang paid him no more attention.

Leaving the Soul Hunting Forest, Zhu Huang sensed through the connection between the Heavenly Demon Creation Art and the Demon God Art, then flew in a certain direction for a while before he saw the Ice Empress coming to meet him from up ahead.

"Brother!"

The Ice Empress threw herself into Zhu Huang's arms, her legs wrapping around his waist like a koala. Her little head rubbed against his shoulder, her face full of attachment.

"Bingbing!"

Zhu Huang wrapped one arm around her waist and supported her fragrant little bottom with the other, asking with a smile, "How did it go? What about Tang Hao?"

"Hehe, Brother, I beat Tang Hao half to death. I shattered every bone in his body. To escape, he jumped off a cliff. I took a look—he didn't fall to his death."

The Ice Empress said rather proudly, "If I hadn't held back, he would've died long ago."

Zhu Huang shook his head and smiled. "Tang Hao isn't that easy to kill."

The Ice Empress said, "Even if he doesn't die, he'll have to lie in bed for a year or two. I won't let him get back on his feet that quickly."

As she spoke, she blushed a little and said with a shy smile, "I-I originally wanted to break his third leg and vent some anger for the Blue Silver Empress. Who knew, who knew he was already in such a miserable state? He didn't have a third leg at all."

The Ice Empress giggled. "Brother, you're so bad. You'd already knocked off his third leg ages ago. No wonder Tang Hao was cruel enough to force the Blue Silver Empress to her death. So it turned out he couldn't use it anymore."

"Shameless."

Zhu Huang slapped the Ice Empress on her perky little bottom. "Last time, he wanted to hunt me down and get my Soul Ring. When I fought him, I crippled him by accident. It wasn't on purpose."

"You did it on purpose. I think you'd had designs on the Blue Silver Empress for a long time, so you deliberately crippled Tang Hao."

The Ice Empress didn't believe for a second that this bad man had no thoughts about the Blue Silver Empress. Her tone was sour as she gently bit Zhu Huang's neck. "Bad Brother!" As she bit, it turned into catlike licking.

"Hiss!"

Zhu Huang cursed the little temptress inwardly, then carried the Ice Empress and flew swiftly toward Nuoding City.

The next day, when the sun was already high, Xiao Wu, who had first turned into an adult, slipped out of the hotel with a face full of smiles and satisfaction. She looked around furtively, and seeing no acquaintances, hurriedly vanished like a wisp of smoke.

More than an hour later, Zhu Huang finally brought the Ice Empress out of the hotel.

A trace of charm still lingered on the Ice Empress's pure little face. Her eyes shimmered, innocent yet alluring, indescribably captivating.

Hand in hand, deeply affectionate, the two laughed and played all the way back to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Not long after, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, the old and the young, returned to Nuoding City by carriage. Getting down from the carriage and looking at the familiar streets, Yu Xiaogang almost shed tears.

This time, he had taken his disciple Tang San to the Soul Hunting Forest full of expectation. He had thought that with his own wisdom and strength, he would definitely be able to help Tang San obtain a good Soul Ring and let him take the first solid step toward becoming stronger.

Who would have thought the result would be so dispiriting? He had narrowly escaped death, and his disciple Tang San had somehow absorbed such a trashy, useless Soul Ring. The more hopeful they had been when they left, the more dejected they were upon returning.

Neither of them looked good. Yu Xiaogang had only just recovered from the poison injury, and his steps were still a little shaky. His face was ashen as Tang San supported him, slowly walking into Notting Academy.

They had just entered the academy when they saw Xiao Wu skipping past up ahead. The moment Tang San saw Xiao Wu, his mood immediately improved, and he couldn't help calling out, "Xiao Wu!"

"Tang San?"

Xiao Wu stopped and looked over at Tang San and the other.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but when Tang San saw Xiao Wu's pretty little face, he only felt that she looked even more beautiful. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, her scarlet eyes moist, carrying an inexplicable allure that made his heart pound wildly.

"Tang San, where did you and Grandmaster go? I didn't see you in class these past two days."

Hearing that Xiao Wu had actually noticed his absence, Tang San felt an inexplicable joy and smiled. "Teacher and I went to the Soul Hunting Forest to get a Soul Ring. We just got back."

"You went to get a Soul Ring too? Then that means, Tang San, you're already a true soul master?"

Xiao Wu sized Tang San up as she spoke.

Tang San nodded. Those below rank ten were all called soul scholars, while rank ten to rank twenty were called soul masters, so there was nothing wrong with Xiao Wu's wording.

However, Tang San once again noticed the word "too."

He asked curiously, "Xiao Wu, did you break through as well?"

"Yep!"

Xiao Wu nodded. "My family came to see me and helped me get a Soul Ring while they were at it. I'm already a rank-thirteen soul master now!"

"Rank thirteen..."

Tang San felt a burst of envy. Xiao Wu had been able to rise three ranks in a row; without even asking, he knew she must have obtained an excellent Soul Ring of a very high age.

But he himself... He felt somewhat inferior. His Soul Ring was poor, and his soul skill was nothing he could show off either.

Xiao Wu looked curious. "What about you? What rank are you? How's your Soul Ring?"

Tang San's expression grew even uglier, and he felt rather embarrassed. Facing Xiao Wu's question, he couldn't bring himself to answer, so he could only say vaguely, "My luck wasn't very good. The Soul Ring isn't that great. As for my Soul Power Level, I haven't gone to Spirit Hall to test it yet, so I still don't know. But it definitely isn't as high as yours."

"Oh, then hurry up and go get tested. I still have things to do. Right, you working students and those noble students have agreed to a fight. They're just waiting for you to come back and take charge. Hurry up, finish your test, and go turn the tide."

After Xiao Wu finished speaking, she left.

Tang San paid no mind to the matter of the working students fighting the noble students. Seeing Xiao Wu again, all he felt was joy and reluctance to part. He called after Xiao Wu's back, "Xiao Wu, I'll be able to receive a one Gold Soul Coin soul master subsidy soon. I'll treat you to a meal."

Without turning her head, Xiao Wu waved behind her. "We'll see. I'm not that easy to invite!"

Tang San only withdrew his gaze after Xiao Wu disappeared from sight. Although Xiao Wu had not agreed, she had not refused either. This was a good start, and Tang San's mood improved again.

Yu Xiaogang silently watched this scene. Hearing that Xiao Wu had actually broken through to rank thirteen, he felt somewhat uncomfortable. His own disciple had obtained a useless Soul Ring, while Xiao Wu had obtained such a good one. Why couldn't the two of them have swapped?

Still, Xiao Wu seemed to have great potential for nurturing. This backup option was actually quite necessary. It looked like he would have to grow closer to Xiao Wu later and find a way to make her take him as her master, giving him another layer of insurance.

Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered as he schemed inwardly.

Meanwhile, beneath a cliff several hundred li away, Tang San struggled to rise. The bones throughout his body were shattered; if such injuries had been on an ordinary person, he would have died long ago.

But Tang Hao was a Title Douluo, his vitality exceptionally tenacious and his recovery far beyond that of ordinary people. Though these injuries were severe, they were not enough to take his life.

"Ah!"

The moment he moved even slightly, Tang Hao roared in pain, hatred surging to the heavens in his heart. "Spirit Hall, I, Tang Hao, swear here and now: if I do not destroy Spirit Hall in this life, I, Tang Hao, am not a man."