Tang Hao Apologizes to Me, Snatching the Work-Study Student Slot

Sizzle—

Ao Yin's eyes turned bloodshot. Holding the Coiling Dragon Staff in one hand, he stepped toward the temporarily unconscious Tang San, one step at a time. The tail of the staff scraped across the ground, sending sparks sizzling into the air.

"Black—Dark—Holy—"

Just as Ao Yin activated his twin martial souls, a deep voice rang out!

"Enough!"

Though the voice sounded unremarkable, it carried a powerful spiritual impact that instantly brought Ao Yin, whose killing intent had been stirred, back to his senses.

"This voice... could it be?"

As he wondered, a man dressed in brown blacksmith's clothes entered the hall. He was unkempt and filthy, built like a burly vagrant, and reeked of alcohol.

Ao Yin's pupils contracted as he cried out, "Tang Hao!"

How could he fail to recognize him? This man was Tang San's father, Tang Hao. Though he looked like a drunkard at the moment, he was actually the Titled Douluo known as Clear Sky. If anyone truly touched his bottom line, even the Spirit Hall Pope would be smashed to pieces on the spot!

When Village Chief Jack had anxiously come looking for him, he had learned that Tang San had awakened his martial soul but had remained unconcerned. However, a powerful fluctuation of soul power had come from afar, originating from the Spirit Hall branch where Holy Soul Village's martial souls were awakened. Only then had his curiosity been piqued, and he had rushed over just in time to witness this scene.

Ao Yin's martial soul was exceptionally strange. Though it was a type of mutated staff martial soul, every movement he made faintly gave off a sacred aura of darkness. Even with Tang Hao's vast knowledge, he had never seen a martial soul like this before.

Perhaps infected by that aura, the child seemed possessed, his killing intent soaring to the heavens as he tried to kill Tang San.

But how could Tang Hao allow that? With a cold snort, he directly interrupted Ao Yin and restored his reason!

Of course, Ao Yin had not gone mad under the influence of his martial soul. Rather, old and new grudges had surged into his heart at once, causing him to lose control for a moment.

Now that Tang Hao had arrived, he also felt that he had acted somewhat rashly.

If he had truly killed Tang San here, his journey through Douluo Continent would have ended beneath Tang Hao's fury.

"Hmph! Tang Hao, I nearly died at your son's hands yesterday. That strike just now was repayment for yesterday's grudge!"

As the saying went, if a son was not taught properly, the father was at fault!

Even knowing that Tang Hao was the Clear Sky Douluo concealing his strength, Ao Yin showed him not the slightest courtesy.

Only then did Village Chief Jack hurriedly arrive, panting heavily as he said, "Tang Hao, you really need to discipline your son properly!"

"If Little Ao hadn't been lucky yesterday, he would have died long ago."

"Things have turned out like this today, and he has no one to blame but himself!"

Fortunately, Village Chief Jack was a reasonable man. He clearly explained the entire course of the conflict and did not favor Tang San.

Even Tang Hao felt guilty after hearing it. Looking at Tang San, who had been beaten unconscious and left vomiting blood, he could not help letting out a long sigh. He muttered to himself, "A Yin, not only am I an incompetent husband, but I am also an unqualified father!"

He had never expected that, over the years, he had drowned himself in alcohol because of that incident and had indeed neglected to discipline Tang San.

Thinking of this, Tang Hao walked over to the unconscious Tang San and placed his rough hand on his shoulder. A stream of incomparably pure soul power silently flowed into him.

In an instant, Tang San's internal injuries from the staff strike healed by more than half, and he slowly woke up!

"Dad!"

Seeing his father, who drank himself senseless every day, suddenly appear before him, Tang San felt delighted.

But he soon spotted Ao Yin behind him, the one who had injured him, and immediately complained, "Dad, he injured me! You have to avenge me—"

Slap!

Before Tang San could finish, Tang Hao slapped him across the face.

"Shut up! If you had treated others kindly, why would Little Ao have treated you this way?"

Though Tang Hao used alcohol to numb himself, he had lived in Holy Soul Village for so long and knew something of Ao Yin's character. The child had been kind-hearted since he was young.

If Tang San had not done something so excessive to him, Ao Yin would never have acted as though he were a different person today!

Tang San only felt a burning pain on his face. His nose stung, and two streams of tears flowed down uncontrollably. Yet he did not realize what he had done wrong.

Instead, his hatred for Ao Yin deepened further, though he quickly concealed it well.

After disciplining Tang San, Tang Hao stood up again and walked over to Ao Yin. In a deep yet gentle voice, he said, "What Tang San did before was wrong. I apologize to you on his behalf!"

Gasp—

Ao Yin drew in a sharp breath. A dignified Titled Douluo was actually taking the initiative to apologize to him?

With such a good father, Tang San, you really did not deserve him!

Ao Yin put away the Coiling Dragon Staff. Brushing past Tang Hao, he waved his hand and walked up to the disheveled Tang San, sneering, "Tang San, even when given the chance, you were still useless!"

"You!"

Tang San's face reddened with rage at being mocked to his face.

But the way of a gentleman was to bend when necessary. Covering his face, he said, "This time, I, Tang San, was inferior in skill. I lost!"

"I'll definitely win it back someday!"

Tang San practically gritted out the latter half of his words one word at a time.

"Hahaha! Village Chief Jack, you heard him too. Tang San admitted defeat!"

"Then this year's only work-study student spot at Notting Academy from Holy Soul Village is mine, right?"

Ao Yin was in high spirits as he grinned and asked Jack.

Jack could only feel helpless. This kid clearly had a token granting direct admission to Spirit Hall Academy, yet he refused to use it and insisted on taking this ordinary academy spot instead.

After all, there was only one spot at Notting Academy. Although Tang San and Ao Yin had both awakened martial souls, with the extremely rare innate rank nine soul power and innate full soul power respectively, one had the useless Blue Silver Grass martial soul while the other had a staff-type martial soul. Even if it was a mutated one, it was still far stronger than the former.

Besides, Tang San had lost in their earlier fight!

"It's yours, it's yours!"

"Three months from now will be the academy's opening day. Grandpa will personally take you there!" Jack said with a smile.

"Great! Thank you, Village Chief!"

Having successfully snatched the little work-study student spot, Ao Yin was overjoyed.

On the other side, Jack walked up to Tang Hao and sighed. "Tang Hao, if you truly care about Xiao San, then change that old habit of yours—stop drinking so heavily. Earn a little more money. If the village has an unused work-study student spot next year, send Xiao San to the academy for proper training!"

Although Holy Soul Village awakened martial souls for its children every year, it was exceedingly rare for two children to awaken martial souls and possess soul power in the same year. More often than not, they awakened useless martial souls with no soul power at all.

Work-study student spots were left unused almost every year!

Next year?

It didn't matter. One step behind meant falling behind every step afterward!

There was much he could do in a year while Xiao Wu was still young and inexperienced!

Even if Tang San got Notting Academy's work-study student spot next year, by the time he arrived at the academy, there would already be nothing left for him!

Faced with the village chief's advice, Tang Hao simply walked away. "Xiao San, go back and cook for me!"

Jack sighed and said, "Xiao San, go back and have a proper talk with your father!"

Tang San felt deeply aggrieved. He did not know why his father had spent so many years in such poverty and decline, but he longed for the world outside.

On the way home, Tang San's thoughts were heavy.

Especially the expression on Ao Yin's face as he humiliated him just now—it remained vivid in his mind!!

"I, Tang San, will repay today's humiliation tenfold!"

"Next year?"

"No! I'm going to the academy this year!"