Yu Xiaogang | The Gatekeeper Had Already Earned His Death!

Old Jack, who was walking at the front, turned around and happened to see this scene.

A relieved smile immediately spread across his face.

"Good... good..."

Old Jack murmured as he walked.

Seeing these two little fellows, who usually didn't get along, now getting along so well—

This old man could finally put his mind at ease...

Nuoding City.

Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.

A tall archway stood before them. A few bold, powerful characters were carved into the gate, giving it quite an imposing air.

Old Jack had just led Tang San and Lin Jing beneath the academy's archway when the gatekeeper stopped them.

"Stop!"

The gatekeeper was a young man in his twenties, dressed in a uniform and carrying a stick. He eyed the three of them askance.

"This is a Soul Master Academy, not a place for country bumpkins like you."

His eyes were full of disdain as they swept from Old Jack to Tang San, then from Tang San to Lin Jing.

He looked at them like they were beggars.

As he spoke, he even spat in disgust.

A mouthful of phlegm landed on the ground.

Lin Jing's brows immediately furrowed.

To avoid the gatekeeper looking down on him, Lin Jing had even changed into the fine clothes worth five Gold Soul Coins before leaving.

And yet—

The gatekeeper was blind and had completely ignored them.

Lin Jing's gaze at the gatekeeper turned hostile.

"Little brother, we're from Holy Soul Village."

Old Jack smiled ingratiatingly, bowing even lower.

"These two children are work-study students from our village and the neighboring Wang Soul Village. They've come to register today."

As he spoke, he took out the certificate Su Yuntao had issued and handed it over.

"Work-study students?"

The young gatekeeper scoffed.

"Since when do golden phoenixes fly out of a chicken coop?"

"Get lost, get lost. I've seen plenty of fakes like you."

He waved his hand as if shooing away flies.

"If you don't leave, I'll make you!"

"You...!"

A flash of anger crossed Old Jack's eyes.

But he still forced himself to hold it back.

There was no helping it. When in someone else's territory, you had to bow your head.

The young gatekeeper glanced at the certificate.

"Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass? And Innate Full Soul Power? What a joke. This is the height of absurdity."

"I've been working as the academy's gatekeeper for four years, and I've never heard of a student with Innate Full Soul Power. These two brats have Blue Silver Grass as their Martial Soul, and they're supposed to have full Soul Power?"

"I'd say you forged this Spirit Hall certificate."

Hearing another mocking voice show such contempt for him, Tang San's eyes filled with unmistakable killing intent.

His right hand slowly rose.

His wide sleeve hid his wrist as he aimed at the young gatekeeper's chest.

Over the past three months, Tang Hao had taught Tang San how to forge metal.

Tang San had also used that time, drawing on the memories of his previous life, to craft the Tang Sect's signature Hidden Weapon: the Silent Sleeve Arrow.

He'd originally planned to wait until they reached Nuoding Primary Soul Master Academy and Old Jack had left.

Then he'd use it on Lin Jing.

To avenge the day Lin Jing had drained his Soul Power.

Unfortunately, Tang Hao had put a stop to that plan.

Otherwise...

Lin Jing could have enjoyed draining Tang San's eighth-level Soul Power all over again.

Lin Jing had also noticed Tang San's small movement.

A glint of understanding flashed through his eyes.

This gatekeeper had definitely violated Little Scumbag's rules of the world.

He'd already earned his death sentence.

But this time...

Lin Jing was on Little Scumbag's side.

A snobbish piece of trash like this deserved to die.

He glanced discreetly over his shoulder.

Sure enough.

On the path not far away, a figure in a black robe was walking over at an unhurried pace.

The man held his hands behind his back and sported a short, flat haircut. His face looked somewhat haggard.

Who else could it be but Yu Xiaogang?

A barely perceptible smile curled Lin Jing's lips.

Just in time.

His fingers twitched slightly.

The next moment,

"Splut!"

Yu Xiaogang was striding forward with measured steps when he suddenly stumbled.

A strand of Dark Blue Silver Grass had silently curled around his ankle.

Then it gave a gentle tug.

Yu Xiaogang was completely unprepared, and his whole body pitched forward.

Face-first.

He landed in a full-on face-plant.

That's right.

A face-plant.

And in the most literal sense.

Some inconsiderate soul had left a huge pile by the roadside at the entrance to Nuoding Primary Soul Master Academy.

It was fresh and steaming hot.

And right on cue... Yu Xiaogang's face caught it.

The position was perfect, neither too high nor too low, landing squarely on his lips.

A sticky, brown ring of something instantly clung around Yu Xiaogang's lips...

Chocolate.

At the very same moment Yu Xiaogang fell—

"Whoosh—"

Tang San squeezed the trigger of his Sleeve Arrow.

The Silent Sleeve Arrow flew with barely a sound.

The dull thud of Yu Xiaogang's fall completely drowned it out.

And it was moving incredibly fast.

The young gatekeeper was an ordinary person. He didn't even have time to react.

"Thwack!"

The Sleeve Arrow pierced straight through his chest.

It came out through his back and lodged in the wooden gate behind him.

The young gatekeeper's eyes widened. His mouth opened as though he wanted to say something.

But a mouthful of blood came first.

His body swayed, then toppled straight to the ground.

Tang San had shown absolutely no mercy.

[The Tang Sect's Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, General Outline, Third Rule.]

[Once you've determined that your opponent is an enemy, as long as they deserve to die, don't show them mercy. Otherwise, you'll only create trouble for yourself.]

Tang San remembered this rule clearly.

"Stop...!"

Yu Xiaogang, sprawled on the ground, had naturally seen what happened.

He instinctively tried to speak up and stop it.

But he managed to get only one word out before swallowing the rest of it back down.

Because at that very moment, a breeze swept past.

The "chocolate" around his mouth, along with its distinctive aroma, flew straight into his mouth.

Yu Xiaogang: "..."

He moved so fast that he hardly seemed like a Soul Grandmaster.

A blur appeared where he had been standing.

He was already beneath the nearest tree.

Then—

"Bleargh—!!!"

A heartrending bout of retching came from behind the tree.

Standing in front of the gate, Lin Jing could still hear an occasional "Ugh... bleugh..." from the other side.

It sounded like Yu Xiaogang was having a truly miserable time throwing up.

As for Tang San, when he heard someone shout for him to stop, he instinctively glanced back.

But he didn't see anyone.

He only saw the neatly piled "chocolate" on the path they'd come from.

Someone had left a clear imprint of their lips on it.

Tang San: "..."

He fell silent.

"Who could be that unlucky..."

Tang San couldn't help feeling worried about that person's luck.

What kind of fate did you have to have to trip while walking and land face-first in shit?

He even started to wonder whether the person had done it on purpose, whether they were into that sort of thing...

Otherwise, how could something like that happen by such coincidence?