A Show Worth Watching!

"What show? What's going to happen?"

Hearing Ling Xuqing, Xiao Wu immediately perked up her ears. Her lively eyes darted about, curiosity and gossip written all over her face.

She followed Ling Xuqing's gaze toward the people arguing in front of the academy gates and scratched her head, puzzled.

"That gatekeeper is giving that old man and the little boy a hard time," Ling Xuqing explained calmly.

"Hmph! I hate snobs like him!"

Xiao Wu pursed her lips and clenched her tiny fists. "If you let me out there, I'll give him an Eight-Stage Throw!"

Ah Yin frowned slightly, a trace of displeasure passing through her gentle eyes. "He really is going too far."

"The old man looks frantic. He must be in a hurry to enroll the child, but that gatekeeper is being so heartless."

Though Gu Yuena didn't really understand all the human complications, she could still sense the helplessness and anxiety coming from the old man.

She tipped her head up and looked at Ling Xuqing. "Brother, should we help them?"

"No rush." Ling Xuqing shook his head, the smile on his lips growing more pronounced. "Let's watch first."

By now, the atmosphere in front of the academy gates had grown unbearably tense.

"You old geezer, I told you already! No one gets in without an admission letter! Do you not understand human speech?"

Old Jack was trembling with rage. He thumped his cane hard against the ground. "Y-You! How can you be so unreasonable? We're from Holy Soul Village, and this child's Martial Soul was awakened by Master Su Yuntao himself. How could we be lying?"

"Pah! Master Su Yuntao, my foot! You don't even bother to make your lies believable!"

The gatekeeper sneered, his face full of contempt. "What kind of genius could come from a backwater like Holy Soul Village? I say you're just here to freeload! Get out, or I'll have the dogs bite you!"

"You—!" Rage surged through Old Jack, nearly choking off his breath as his face turned purplish red.

Just then, Tang San, who had been hiding behind Old Jack, gently tugged at his clothes.

He stepped forward, shielding Old Jack, then raised his head and looked at the gatekeeper with a calm but chilly gaze.

"Sir, my grandfather is old. He can't take much more of this. If you don't believe us, I can take you to the Spirit Hall to verify it." Tang San's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.

The gatekeeper froze for a moment. He stared at the skinny child before him, a flicker of anger in his eyes.

He was the gatekeeper of a prestigious academy, yet a six-year-old brat had just lectured him?

"Little bastard, who do you think you are? You think you have the right to talk to me?" The gatekeeper flew into a rage and raised his hand to slap Tang San across the face.

Tang San's eyes turned cold, and his body reacted instinctively.

His right hand slipped silently toward his sleeve. His fingertips had already brushed against a cold mechanism.

It was a Tang Sect Hidden Weapon: a Sleeve Arrow!

With a mere thought, the Sleeve Arrow would shoot into the gatekeeper's throat faster than the eye could follow.

"This man has gone too far. He deserves to die!"

A trace of icy murderous intent flashed through Tang San's mind.

According to the Tang Sect's teachings, one must never show the slightest mercy to an enemy, especially one so bent on his own destruction.

But just as Tang San was about to trigger the mechanism—

"What's going on?"

A hoarse voice suddenly came from behind them.

It wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority.

Tang San was startled. He immediately withdrew his hand from his sleeve and stepped back behind Old Jack.

The gatekeeper jumped, too, and turned to look. The moment he recognized the newcomer, his arrogance faded, and he sheepishly moved aside.

"G-Grandmaster..."

The newcomer was Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, chin slightly raised, wearing an inscrutable expression, as if he were a sage who had seen through everything in the world.

A few days earlier, Ling Xuqing had shut the door in his face. A six-year-old child had left him speechless, then kicked him flying.

But only Yu Xiaogang and Ling Xuqing had known about it.

After spending the last few days rebuilding his confidence, Yu Xiaogang had successfully buried that humiliating memory.

He had once again recovered his baffling self-assurance: "I am the Grandmaster. I know everything."

"Mm." Yu Xiaogang gave a faint reply. His gaze swept over Old Jack and Tang San before settling on the gatekeeper. "What happened?"

The gatekeeper hurriedly recounted the story, embellishing it as he went. Naturally, he painted himself as a conscientious employee who was simply following the rules.

Yu Xiaogang listened, his brow furrowing slightly, then turned to Old Jack. "Sir, let me see the Spirit Hall certificate."

As if granted a reprieve, Old Jack hurriedly pulled a crumpled sheet of paper from his clothes and handed it to Yu Xiaogang with both hands.

Yu Xiaogang took the certificate and glanced over it casually.

When his eyes landed on its contents, his whole body jolted!

"Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass... Innate Full Soul Power?!"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up instantly, like the brightest stars had appeared in the night sky.

He stared fixedly at the certificate, his breathing growing rapid.

"Haha... Hahahaha!"

Yu Xiaogang couldn't help throwing back his head and laughing, wild joy and smugness filling his laughter.

"Heaven hasn't abandoned me, Yu Xiaogang!"

He howled inwardly.

He had just missed out on Ling Xuqing, a genius with Innate Full Soul Power. The regret had eaten at him so much he couldn't sleep at night.

But who would've thought that just a few days later, the heavens would send him another genius with Innate Full Soul Power!

And this one had the Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass!

He was the perfect disciple!

Blue Silver Grass was widely recognized as a trash Martial Soul. But with his theories and guidance, he could surely turn decay into something miraculous!

"Ling Xuqing, oh, Ling Xuqing..."

Yu Xiaogang sneered inwardly. "Didn't you reject me? Didn't you say I was reaching above my station? Fine. Now I'll show you who the real Grandmaster is! When you see Tang San shine under my guidance, you'll realize just how foolish your decision was!"

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, forcing down his elation and replacing it with a kind, gentle smile.

He looked at Tang San and said softly, "Child, your name is Tang San, right?"

Tang San nodded, watching Yu Xiaogang warily.

"I'm a teacher here. My name is Yu Xiaogang." Yu Xiaogang crouched down to meet Tang San's eyes. "Would you be willing to take me as your master? I'll train you to become the finest Soul Master."

Tang San was silent for a moment, then asked, "What can you offer me?"

Yu Xiaogang froze. He clearly hadn't expected a six-year-old child to ask such a question.

But he quickly recovered and answered confidently:

"What I can offer you is something no one else can. I can show you that there are no trash Martial Souls, only trash Soul Masters. I can make you truly powerful!"

Looking into Yu Xiaogang's fervent eyes, Tang San considered the offer.

This man... did seem to know what he was doing.

Besides, Tang San had seen how knowledgeable he was about his Martial Soul and Soul Power.

"Fine." Tang San nodded. "I accept."

"Good! Good! Good!" Yu Xiaogang was overjoyed, repeating the word three times.

Meanwhile, not far away—

Ling Xuqing, Gu Yuena, Xiao Wu, and Ah Yin had witnessed the whole scene.

"Why is it him again?!"

The moment Xiao Wu saw Yu Xiaogang, her anger flared.

She put her hands on her hips and complained indignantly,

"Why does this guy keep popping up everywhere? He's so annoying!"

Ah Yin frowned slightly, a trace of disgust in her eyes. "He really is unpleasant. That air of superiority is absolutely revolting."

Gu Yuena tilted her head, her violet eyes full of confusion. "Brother, who is he?"

"A really annoying guy," Xiao Wu answered before anyone else could. "Na'er, don't go near him. He's a liar!"

Ling Xuqing looked at Yu Xiaogang's smug expression, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Let's go," he said softly. "The show's over. We should head back."

"Okay!" The three girls nodded obediently.

The group turned and headed toward the dormitory.

Behind them, Yu Xiaogang was already leading Tang San through the academy gates at a brisk pace.