The group left Spirit Hall and headed for the Junior Soul Master Academy.
Along the way, Tang San hung back with Yang Ming at the rear of the group and lowered his voice. "Yang Ming, even if you didn't want to take Grandmaster as your teacher, there was no need to say something so harsh, was there?"
"You mean I came off as too arrogant just now?"
Seeing Tang San nod, Yang Ming sighed inwardly but did not explain.
Grandmaster was a smart man, and a top-tier intellect armed with a vast breadth of knowledge was a frightening thing indeed.
Yang Ming had a system, and it was difficult to explain where all his skills came from. Moreover, he did not need to hunt Soul Beasts. As long as he obtained suitable reward items, he could acquire Soul Rings.
If Yang Ming took Grandmaster as his teacher, then after spending so much time together, all those secrets would inevitably be exposed before Grandmaster's eyes. When that happened, what would Grandmaster do?
Who knew!
Yang Ming did not dare gamble that Grandmaster would not be tempted by profit!
You could paint a tiger's skin, but not its bones; you could know a man's face, but not his heart!
If Yang Ming lost that bet, the consequences would be unimaginable!
That was why Yang Ming had deliberately spoken so arrogantly. All he wanted was for Grandmaster to dislike him and keep his distance.
Seeing that Yang Ming did not wish to say more, Tang San found himself rebuffed and said nothing further. Amid a stretch of silence, the two returned to the Junior Soul Master Academy.
This time, the gatekeeper spotted Yang Ming and bolted like a mouse that had seen a cat, vanishing in an instant. Apparently, Yang Ming knocking out an entire mouthful of his teeth had left quite an impression.
With Grandmaster leading the way, Yang Ming and Tang San went to the Academic Affairs Office to complete their enrollment procedures. Each received a Notting Junior Soul Master Academy uniform, standard issue in flowing white fabric, very clean.
Old Jack had injured his lower back earlier, so Yang Ming first took his grandfather to the hospital. He left Old Jack most of the gold coins he had received from Ma Xiunuo as medical expenses and living costs for the trip home, then returned to the academy with Tang San.
There were only seven student dormitories in total. Since the students at the Junior Soul Master Academy were all quite young, each grade lived together in one large dormitory for easier management. At Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, each grade had only around forty students anyway.
The lower three floors of the dormitory building housed the seven large student dormitories, with one teacher assigned to each room.
Dorm Seven was rather special among the seven student dormitories, and its conditions were the worst. It was specifically for work-study students.
It was worth mentioning that although Yang Ming now had some money and could have stayed in a better dormitory, he still chose Dorm Seven for work-study students, just like Tang San.
Old Jack often taught Yang Ming that poverty could not sway one's will, nor power bend one's back.
Now that Yang Ming had money, he had no intention of squandering it. He left most of it with his grandfather and asked him to give a small portion to that pregnant woman after returning to the village, so she could buy some nourishing food.
The villagers treated Yang Ming like family, so naturally he would not be stingy with his own people!
The two arrived outside Dorm Seven, where a noisy clamor came from within.
Looking inside, they saw a spacious room nearly three hundred square meters in size, almost as large as a basketball court. There were fifty beds in total, but only eleven came with bedding.
Hearing their footsteps, the noisy children all turned to look at them.
Their gazes seemed to say: Fresh new meat has arrived. Time to slaughter it.
One of the older children walked over. He was taller and sturdier than both Yang Ming and Tang San, dressed in plain clothes. His exposed skin was dark, and the obvious calluses on his fingertips and palms showed that he had likely worked in the fields often.
"Are you new work-study students?"
Tang San did not want trouble, so he offered a friendly smile.
"Hello, I'm a work-study student from Holy Soul Village."
Yang Ming yawned, too lazy to pay him any attention.
He had just fought Cao Mengyun and was exhausted all over. He had no interest in playing childish games with this kid.
However, Yang Ming's dismissive attitude made the newcomer lose face.
"My name is Wang Sheng. My Martial Soul is the Battle Tiger, and I'm the boss here."
Wang Sheng walked toward Yang Ming, rolling his wrists until they crackled like popping beans. With an unhappy expression, he said, "Newcomer, you're pretty arrogant, aren't you? I asked you a question, yet you dare ignore me? If I don't make you suffer a little, you'll think this place is your home and everyone has to give way to you!"
Yang Ming was speechless.
Looking at Wang Sheng's hot-blooded, arrogant manner, as though heaven was first and he was second, Yang Ming waved a hand like he was shooing away an annoying fly and said lazily, "Roll as far away as your thoughts can reach. Right now, I just want a good sleep."
"You!"
Wang Sheng flew into a rage, then laughed furiously. "Good, good, good! Kid, you've got guts, daring to provoke me! If I don't teach you a proper lesson, I'll write my name backward!"
To uphold his authority as boss, Wang Sheng decisively summoned his Martial Soul.
A tiger's roar burst from Wang Sheng's mouth. A faint yellow glow rose around his body, enhancing his strength and speed.
Wang Sheng dropped onto all fours, his spine arching like a tiger crouching in the forest to hunt prey. His limbs sprang, and he pounced at Yang Ming like a starving tiger!
With Wang Sheng's build, strength, and speed, this move alone was enough to deal with an ordinary six-year-old child.
Yang Ming yawned again and glanced at the charging Wang Sheng. He drew the long spear he had already removed from his back, used the butt as the spearhead, and thrust forward three times in rapid succession.
Cloud-Piercing Dragon!
The first strike broke Wang Sheng's offense, the second dissolved his pounce, and the third struck Wang Sheng's thigh. A flicker of electricity flashed past, followed by Wang Sheng's cry of pain.
Wang Sheng had already crashed to the ground, clutching his right leg as tears and snot streamed down his face from the pain.
Yang Ming had held back. Otherwise, if he had used the spearhead, Wang Sheng's thigh would have been pierced clean through. It would not have been mere pain anymore.
Under the shocked and fearful gazes of the other children, Yang Ming found his bed. He was too lazy even to buy bedding and simply lay down across it.
He was truly exhausted!
Before long, Yang Ming's snores filled the room.
Tang San hurried over, pulled Wang Sheng up from the ground, patted the dust from his clothes, and said, "Why put yourself through that? Yang Ming just fought a Soul Grandmaster, yet you still went and provoked him. Weren't you asking for a beating?"
"W-what?" Wang Sheng was stunned.
Afraid that Wang Sheng had not heard clearly, Tang San repeated himself.
"He just gave Cao Mengyun, Spirit Hall's Soul Grandmaster, a lesson."
Wang Sheng stood there in utter disarray, grabbed Tang San by the collar, and roared, "Tell me this isn't real!"
(Thanks to San for the 100 book coin tip! Thanks to Yuan for the 100 book coin tip!)
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