Vacation, Going Home

After that, Yu Xiaogang never came to bother Lin Qing again. As for Tang San, he spent every day harboring improper designs on Xiao Wu, occasionally trying to curry favor with her.

Although Xiao Wu had scolded Tang San many times, there was even one occasion when she asked Lin Qing to go shopping with her, and Tang San followed the two of them like a sticky plaster, impossible to shake off. Xiao Wu finally lost her patience and beat Tang San up.

However, after getting beaten up by Xiao Wu, Tang San finally behaved himself for a while.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed. Nuoding Academy's coursework for the semester had ended, followed by a long three-month vacation.

Over these three months, aside from attending classes and keeping Xiao Wu company, Lin Qing either immersed himself in the library or cultivated in the water. After three months, his Soul Power Level had risen to level sixteen. By Lin Qing's calculations, he would reach level twenty in another five or six months at most.

After all, Lin Qing possessed the talent of Innate Full Soul Power, so his cultivation speed was extraordinarily fast. In addition, his Red Spider Lily Martial Soul cultivated on its own. Although its autonomous cultivation was only one-tenth as fast as his active cultivation, the Red Spider Lily Martial Soul cultivated every moment of every day. After such a long time of uninterrupted cultivation, the improvement it brought was also terrifying.

"What are your plans for the vacation?" Lin Qing asked.

"Boss, we're all planning to go home," Wang Sheng and several roommates said.

"I'll probably stay at the academy to cultivate," one roommate said.

Lin Qing knew that person. Wasn't he Chen Dong, the one who had come to invite him over during the Xiao Chenyu incident?

"I see. I'm planning to go home too. I haven't returned to the village in a long time," Lin Qing said.

Although Dihun Village was not wealthy, the villagers had always treated him well. Ever since Lin Qing's parents died, he had grown up eating meals provided by different families. No one had coveted the inheritance his parents left behind; instead, they had given him a great deal of help. No matter what, Lin Qing had to go back and take a look.

"Xiao Wu, what about you?" Lin Qing asked.

"I don't know. I don't really have anywhere to go," Xiao Wu said.

Upon hearing that Xiao Wu had nowhere to go during the vacation, Tang San immediately darted in front of her and extended his hand in invitation. "Xiao Wu, if you really have nowhere to go, why don't you come to my house? I'm sure my father would welcome you."

"No! Even if I stay at the academy the entire time and go nowhere, I'd never go to your house!" Xiao Wu rejected Tang San's suggestion without a second thought.

"Alright, if you don't want to, then I'll just go back by myself." With that, Tang San put on a dejected expression and returned to sit on his bed.

"Hey! What kind of expression is that? You're making it seem like I bullied you! Let me tell you, don't even think about using that trick to emotionally manipulate Sister Xiao Wu into going home with you. Let me make this clear: if you want me to go to your house, no chance!"

The moment she saw Tang San's expression, Xiao Wu immediately recalled some examples of emotional manipulation Lin Qing had told her about. Seeing Tang San act like that made Xiao Wu furious. He was trying to emotionally manipulate Sister Xiao Wu? Did he really think she was someone easy to bully?!

Tang San froze at Xiao Wu's reaction. "That's not right. I did exactly what Teacher said. Why does Xiao Wu seem to hate me even more?"

That was right. The reason Tang San had not come to cause trouble for Lin Qing and Xiao Wu for so long was that he had gone to Yu Xiaogang for advice.

Yu Xiaogang had taught him everything without holding back, passing on his entire set of methods for gaining the sympathy of women by acting miserable and pitiful, then gradually getting close to and winning them over. He had even used his own past experiences as examples for Tang San.

That tactic might have had some effect on the Xiao Wu from the original story, but Xiao Wu had been thoroughly enlightened under Lin Qing's guidance. She could see through these tricks at a glance, so naturally they were useless.

"Alright, Xiao Wu, don't get angry over something like this," Lin Qing persuaded her.

"Since you have nowhere to go during the vacation, come to my home instead," Lin Qing invited.

"Okay!" Xiao Wu immediately agreed, but then she hesitantly asked, "But... will your parents dislike having me there?"

"My parents passed away three years ago," Lin Qing said after a moment of silence.

To be honest, Lin Qing did not have much of an impression of his parents in this life. After all, he had not possessed memories of his previous life from the moment he transmigrated. Those memories had only fully awakened after he grew older and became fully aware at around two years old.

Not long after Lin Qing awakened his memories of his previous life, his parents died. Therefore, he did not feel all that strongly about it.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Lin Qing. I didn't know your parents..." Xiao Wu hurriedly apologized when she realized she had touched a sore spot.

Seeing Xiao Wu treat him and Lin Qing so differently, Tang San immediately began to wonder whether his teacher's method was ineffective, or whether he had simply used it incorrectly.

"Why is Xiao Wu's attitude toward Lin Qing and me completely different when we're both acting pitiful to gain sympathy?!" Tang San began questioning his life.

Wasn't it only natural for Xiao Wu to treat them differently? Tang San was truly pretending to be pitiful, using his disappointment after Xiao Wu rejected him to gain her sympathy. At its core, that was emotional manipulation, so of course Xiao Wu would not give Tang San a pleasant expression.

Lin Qing's parents, on the other hand, had truly passed away, and Xiao Wu had genuinely touched a raw nerve and stepped on his painful memories. It was only that Lin Qing himself did not see it that way.

"It's alright, Xiao Wu. You didn't do it on purpose. I just didn't tell you about my family situation beforehand," Lin Qing said.

"Are you really alright?" Xiao Wu asked tentatively.

"I'm really fine. Alright, don't dwell on it. Let me tell you about my family."

Nuoding Academy's vacation had arrived. The teachers had all gone home as well, leaving only one or two teachers behind in the faculty dormitories.

Not far from the faculty dormitories stood a separate apartment. It was a residence the principal of Nuoding Academy had specially built for Yu Xiaogang.

In the apartment's study, Yu Xiaogang was writing notes when a shadow suddenly blocked his light.

"Who's there?!" Yu Xiaogang jumped up at once, taking a step back as he warily looked ahead.

Standing before Yu Xiaogang was a tall, muscular man clad in a black robe.

"It's me, Grandmaster. I'm Tang Hao." With that, the burly man—Tang Hao—pulled down the hood concealing his face.

What came into view was a weathered face, with rough skin and unkempt hair and beard that appeared not to have been tended to for a long time.

"You are... Your Excellency Clear Sky. Why are you here?" Yu Xiaogang was puzzled. Then inspiration struck him, as though he had thought of something. "Could Third Brother be..."

"That's right. Third Brother is my son." Before Yu Xiaogang could finish, Tang Hao revealed his relationship with Tang San.

"So that's how it is. The Clear Sky Sect has already sealed itself off. How could there possibly be other members of the Clear Sky Sect outside?"

"I have urgent matters to attend to and need to leave for a while. Take this and look after Third Brother for me." Tang Hao took a token from his robes and tossed it to Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang hurriedly caught the token. When he saw the design on it clearly, his pupils contracted. "This is... the Pope's Token!"

The Pope's Token was a symbol of status issued by Spirit Hall. Only Titled Douluo, people of pivotal standing in the Soul Master world, or those who had made exceptionally great contributions to Spirit Hall could obtain such a token.

The Pope's Token Tang Hao gave Yu Xiaogang had originally belonged to the Clear Sky Sect. Tang Hao had used it during his travels across the Douluo Continent.

"Rest assured, Your Excellency Clear Sky. Third Brother is my disciple. I will definitely take good care of Third Brother," Yu Xiaogang promised.

Yet a trace of dissatisfaction flashed through Tang Hao's eyes when he heard those words. If it weren't for your relationship with Bibi Dong, and for using you to trick Bibi Dong into revealing the cultivation method for Twin Martial Souls, how could trash like you be worthy of becoming my son Tang Hao's teacher?!

However, Tang Hao ultimately did not say those words aloud.

"By the way, that Lin Qing is not bad. Perhaps he can become Third Brother's follower," Tang Hao said.

"But, Your Excellency Clear Sky, that child Lin Qing is not very friendly toward Third Brother," Yu Xiaogang reminded him.

"I know. Doesn't he like that girl named Xiao Wu? As long as Third Brother gets close to Xiao Wu and makes her fall in love with him, Lin Qing will naturally have no choice but to submit to Third Brother."

"Grandmaster, I have heard a little about your exploits when you were young. I hope that with your help, Third Brother can successfully win Xiao Wu over." With that, Tang Hao vanished in a flash, leaving only his voice echoing through the study.