Get a job? I'd never get a job in this life! | Tang Hao: Little San, you must never make an enemy of Lin Jing!

"System-chan, open the system panel."

Lin Jing walked at the very back, calling out in his mind, bored out of his skull.

The blazing sun overhead was like a gigantic furnace, scorching the earth.

The sunlight beat down fiercely. An ordinary person would probably have been so dizzy from the heat they could barely see.

But Lin Jing didn't feel much of anything.

After all, his Second Martial Soul, the Vast Sea Glazed True Dragon, possessed both fire and ice attributes.

This much sunshine felt like a tickle to him.

As for Old Jack and Tang San walking up ahead...

They were already drenched in sweat from the scorching heat.

Old Jack was getting on in years. After walking a few steps, he had to stop and catch his breath, wiping his forehead with his sleeve.

Tang San wasn't doing much better.

Only Lin Jing strolled along at the back as if nothing were wrong, without even breaking a sweat.

It had been a full three months since he'd obtained his Second Soul Ring.

Today was the opening day of Nuoding Primary Soul Master Academy.

He would be entering the academy to study alongside Tang San as a work-study student.

Lin Jing had no objections to being a work-study student.

Mainly because... he only had a little over a hundred Gold Soul Coins left.

He had to be careful with his spending.

There was all sorts of junk in the Mall Roulette.

Over the past three months, he'd completed a few trivial little tasks and spun the Mall Roulette four times in all.

And what did he get?

Every single prize was useless junk.

Like the false teeth belonging to Auntie Li from the clothing shop.

Or the village belle Xiaofang's underwear from the neighboring village...

Just thinking about it made Lin Jing grit his teeth in anger.

He wanted nothing more than to drag that damn system out and beat it up on the ground.

He'd spun the wheel four times and all he'd gotten was a pile of trash?

The underwear was the most infuriating.

What was he supposed to do with that thing?

Wear it? What was he supposed to do with it?

So who knew how long it would be before he got Gold Soul Coins from another spin?

Money was something he had to be careful with.

It was just a place to stay, anyway.

What difference did it make where he lived?

Besides...

There was a sweet, soft little loli waiting for him in Dorm Seven, where the work-study students lived...

As for getting a job?

Heh.

Getting a job was impossible.

I'd never get a job in this life!

[Host: Lin Jing.]

[Martial Souls: Dark Blue Silver Emperor, Vast Sea Glazed True Dragon.]

[Soul Power: Level 27.]

[Cultivation Technique: None.]

[Current Mission: Clear the Obstacle (Completed).]

[Task Points: 3.]

The system panel appeared before Lin Jing. He glanced at it and quickly lost interest.

He could recite all that information by heart.

"Don't show me mine. Show me Tang San's."

This was a new use he'd figured out recently.

This damn system could actually inspect other people's status panels.

If he hadn't stumbled across it by accident, who knew how long it would've taken him to find out?

As soon as he spoke, the panel's contents changed.

[Character: Tang San.]

[Martial Souls: Blue Silver Grass (Unawakened), Clear Sky Hammer.]

[Soul Power: Level 8.]

[Cultivation Technique: Mysterious Heaven Skill.]

[Current Mood: Complicated.]

"Oh? He's already at level eight."

Lin Jing raised an eyebrow.

"This Little Scumbag is recovering his Soul Power way faster than someone who's cultivating normally."

In just three short months, he'd recovered to level eight Soul Power.

That was a pretty outrageous pace.

"Is it because he's just replenishing the Soul Power in his body the second time around, and doesn't need to break through bottlenecks again?"

Lin Jing mused to himself.

That was probably it.

After all, when he'd cultivated the first time, he'd had to break through a bottleneck at every level, which was much harder.

Now, it was like getting back something he'd lost. He'd already walked that path once, so naturally, it would be quicker.

"But... what's with 'complicated'?"

Lin Jing looked at the mood section.

"Is he feeling complicated because he's about to start school?"

"Surely not..."

Lin Jing shook his head, not thinking much of it.

What he didn't know was that Tang San's complicated feelings came from something that had happened before he left.

His most beloved and respected father had said something to him.

It had been before dawn.

Tang Hao, unusually, hadn't been drunk. He looked especially clearheaded.

He crouched in front of Tang San, one rough, large hand resting on the boy's shoulder.

His eyes, usually always muddy and unfocused, were glistening with tears just then.

"Little San..."

"Be careful when you go to school in Nuoding City."

Tang San obediently nodded, listening attentively.

Then Tang Hao changed the subject.

"And... don't fall out with Lin Jing."

Tang San had been stunned on the spot.

He looked up at his father, disbelief written all over his face.

Lin Jing?

That guy who'd sucked away every last bit of his Soul Power?

His father was telling him not to fall out with him?

Tang Hao seemed to see his confusion. He sighed and continued.

"You're from the same village. Once you leave it, you'll be the closest people you have."

"You have to help each other."

"You've been mature and sensible since you were little, but Lin Jing... he's just a brat."

"Dad knows that the two of you... don't get along very well."

"But you need to be more understanding with him. Try to indulge him a little..."

Those words had used up every word Tang Hao could think of.

To make sure he could say it all smoothly, he'd even made a special trip to Nuoding City a few days earlier to borrow a dictionary.

At the time, Tang San had been utterly baffled.

He couldn't understand why his father was asking him to give way to Lin Jing.

But after much hesitation, he'd finally nodded and agreed.

He had no choice.

Tang Hao was his father, after all.

The only father he'd had in either of his two lives.

Even though... Lin Jing had absorbed every last bit of his Innate Soul Power.

He could still console himself.

This was training him.

The Soul Power he'd recovered after losing it once would only be richer and more solid than before.

That wasn't just wishful thinking.

Tang San genuinely felt that way.

He could clearly sense that the Soul Power he'd cultivated this time was more than a little stronger in quality than it had been before.

"Um... Brother Jing."

While Lin Jing was lost in thought, Tang San up ahead suddenly slowed down.

He pulled a waterskin filled with water from his cloth bag and held it out to Lin Jing.

"Would you like a drink of water?"

Tang San's voice was quiet, with a hint of awkwardness.

Lin Jing paused.

He looked at Tang San in confusion.

What was going on?

Had this Little Scumbag changed his tune today?

Normally, whenever he saw Lin Jing, he looked like he wanted to kill him with his eyes.

But today... he was calling him Brother Jing?

And offering him water?

Something was off.

Way off.

Lin Jing's gaze instantly turned wary.

That Little Scumbag was definitely cooking up some dirty trick in secret.

Maybe he'd put something in the water.

Yes, that had to be it!

Lin Jing was certain of his conclusion.

Keeping his expression calm, he reached out and gently pushed the waterskin back.

"I'm not thirsty."

"Little San, you should save it for yourself."