Tang the Black Slave San

"Holy shit!!!"

"Coiling Dragon Staff! It really is the Coiling Dragon Staff! My eyes aren't playing tricks on me, are they?!"

"Innate Full Soul Power—this Soul Power is definitely level ten!"

"Oh my god, since when did Innate Full Soul Power become so cheap?!"

"What kind of monster is this?!"

The huge weight in Director Su's heart finally dropped away.

Yu Xiaogang's face instantly turned deathly pale.

Innate Full Soul Power!

A high-grade tool Martial Soul, the Coiling Dragon Staff!

Such a genius—and just moments ago, he had stood with Tang San, waiting to watch him make a fool of himself?

Tang San looked as if someone had slapped him across the face. The smile on his face froze, stiffer than dried cured meat.

His eyes were filled with disbelief, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints as he stared fixedly at the Coiling Dragon Staff in Ye Hua's hand.

Impossible...

Absolutely impossible!

He had personally seen Su Yuntao declare that Ye Hua's Martial Soul was a Wooden Stick and that his Innate Soul Power was only level three!

How could a level-three good-for-nothing with a Wooden Stick Martial Soul turn into a Coiling Dragon Staff in just a few days? How could he somehow become Innate Full Soul Power?

Cheating!

It had to be cheating!

But the Coiling Dragon Staff was right there in Ye Hua's hand, and its solid Soul Power fluctuations were clearly vibrating within Tang San's senses.

The ironclad facts were right before him. He had no choice but to believe them!

Ye Hua held the Coiling Dragon Staff in one hand, lightly tapping its end against the floor with a dull thud that struck heavily against Tang San's chest.

"Classmate Tang San, my certificate is real."

"Shouldn't you fulfill your bet now?"

Tang San's expression was as ugly as if he had swallowed a fly alive.

"Ahem, ahem. It was just a joke between children. Surely it doesn't need to be taken seriously?"

Yu Xiaogang tried to smooth things over. He stepped between Tang San and Ye Hua, wearing the tolerant expression of an experienced elder, as though what had just happened had been nothing more than harmless horseplay between children.

"Xiao San, you too. How could you joke around like that with someone from your village?"

"Ye Hua has Innate Full Soul Power. That is a good thing. Since you'll be attending the same academy, you should support each other."

After saying that, he turned to Ye Hua, his tone becoming even gentler. "Ye Hua, Tang San is young and doesn't know better. You have Innate Full Soul Power, so your heart should be broader than most."

"After all, the greater one's ability, the broader one's heart should be. Let this matter go. You'll be classmates from now on, and you'll see each other every day."

The moment those words came out, the entire place fell silent.

Every onlooker was utterly stunned.

"Let it go?" Director Su frowned deeply. The authority he had cultivated over more than twenty years of struggling through academy life pressed down on Yu Xiaogang without restraint. "Grandmaster, I can't stomach what you just said!"

"When Tang San pointed at my nose in public and asked whether I had accepted bribes, why didn't you say to let it go? When he accused Ye Hua of forging his documents, why didn't you say to let it go?"

"Now that Ye Hua has won, you come out and say to let it go?!"

Director Su sneered, then turned toward Tang San. "Classmate Tang San, this is an academy, not your family's kang bed."

"Words spoken are like water spilled. You proposed the bet yourself, and now that you've lost, you want to go back on it?"

Tang San's face turned livid. His lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but Director Su gave him no chance to speak.

"Let me make this clear: if you don't fulfill the bet today, I, Su, will expel you immediately."

"Notting Junior Soul Master Academy has been around for so many years, and we have never accepted a student of corrupt character!"

Director Su's words grew harsher and harsher, making Tang San's face alternate between red and white.

The discussions around them also grew louder.

"Director Su is right. Where did that arrogant attitude of his go?"

"Exactly. He was so cocky when he forced Ye Hua to release his Martial Soul. Now that he's lost, he wants to pretend nothing happened?"

"I thought Innate Full Soul Power was something amazing. Turns out he's just the type to refuse to honor a bet after losing."

"A student with bad character really can't be kept. No amount of talent can make up for that!"

The comments stabbed into Tang San's ears.

His fingers trembled slightly inside his sleeves!

Not because he regretted it, and certainly not because he was afraid. He was furious!

He, Tang San, an outer disciple of the Tang Sect, inheritor of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, and a genius with Innate Full Soul Power!

When had he ever been humiliated so publicly?

But Director Su had already left him no room to maneuver.

If he did not want to be expelled, he could only fulfill the bet!

Once expelled, he would lose every opportunity to rise. Was he really supposed to crawl back to that poor village and spend his entire life with that drunkard of a father?

Endure!

He had to endure!

Tang San took a deep breath. The muscles on his face twitched, and in the end, he forced out a smile uglier than crying.

"Director Su is right. I acted impulsively."

"Since it was a bet, I, Tang San, acknowledge it!"

Seeing this, Director Su took out paper and a pen. Tang San gritted his teeth and wrote an agreement in front of everyone.

[I, Tang San, having lost a bet with Ye Hua today, voluntarily agree to give Ye Hua half of all income I obtain over the next six years.]

[This agreement shall stand as proof. I will never regret it!]

He signed his name beneath it and pressed his fingerprint onto the paper.

Director Su took the agreement and examined it carefully. After confirming there were no issues, he handed it to Ye Hua. "Classmate Ye Hua, keep this safe."

[Ding—]

[Mission "Bet Against Tang San" completed]

[Distributing reward...]

[Myriad Poisons Immunity Physique fused]

A cool force surged up from the depths of his bones. Beginning at his spine, it spread through his meridians and throughout his entire body.

It was fresh and cool. Even breathing in made him feel as though a cool breeze had swept through his stomach, like he had just eaten a mint!

From now on, any poison that entered his body would automatically be broken down by this barrier.

Plant poisons, Soul Beast poisons, medicinal poisons, even highly toxic Soul Skills cultivated by Soul Masters—all of them would be ineffective against him!

Ye Hua suppressed the joy in his heart, accepted the agreement from Director Su, and raised his head to look at Tang San.

Then he held out his hand.

Tang San and Grandmaster looked at each other, completely baffled.

"What are you standing there for? Hand over the money!"

"It's the beginning of the month. Spirit Hall's subsidy was just issued. Don't tell me you've already spent it all?"

Tang San abruptly raised his head, and his eyes nearly spat fire.

"Ye Hua! Don't go too far!" Tang San glared at him. "The agreement naturally starts next month!"

"This month's subsidy was collected before the agreement was signed. Why should I give you any of it?"

Ye Hua tilted his head, an innocent smile appearing on his face. "That's not my concern."

"The winner takes all—that was what you said. You lost this agreement to me, so naturally, I have the final say on how it is interpreted."

"If I say it starts today, then it starts today. Classmate Tang San, don't tell me you want to go back on your word right after signing?"

Naturally, the crowd had no fear of making a bigger spectacle out of it.

"That's right, the winner has the final say. Nothing wrong with that!"

"If you lost, just pay up. Why are you dragging it out?"

"It's only five Silver Soul Coins, not five hundred. Is it really worth this fuss?"

Tang San's teeth ground together with a creak.

He looked toward Yu Xiaogang, hoping to find some support on his teacher's face.

But Yu Xiaogang's expression was even uglier than his. He was watching Ye Hua with a complicated gaze, completely unaware of Tang San's plea for help.

No one could help him now...

Tang San's fingers stiffly opened his money pouch, and he took out five Silver Soul Coins.

He had originally planned to use this money to buy forging materials and make hidden weapons.

Now, it was all gone!

The silver coins fell into Ye Hua's palm, making a crisp, pleasant jingle.

"Thanks." Ye Hua put away the silver coins and turned to leave.

With this agreement, Tang San would be his black slave for the next six years.

No matter how hard Tang San worked, he would always have to give Ye Hua half his income!

"Wait!" Yu Xiaogang called out.

Ye Hua stopped but did not turn around. "What is it? Is Grandmaster, a model teacher, about to teach his disciple to break an agreement?"

"No, no, no. You misunderstand!" Yu Xiaogang put on that refined, gentle smile again.

"Ye Hua, your talent is exceptional. A Coiling Dragon Staff Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power!"

"Such talent is rare not only in Notting City, but across the entire continent!"

His tone was sincere, perfectly befitting an elder who truly cherished talent.

"But have you considered that talent is only the beginning?"

"What truly determines how far a Soul Master can go is theory and method!"

"I have studied Martial Soul theory for decades and created the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul!"

"Tang San has already taken me as his master. If you are willing as well..."

He swallowed, his gaze burning as he stared at Ye Hua's back.

"I am willing to take you as my disciple! From now on, you will be Tang San's junior brother!"

The instant his words fell, Tang San's eyes lit up brightly!