Tang San

Seeing Lin Qing take down several people in a single move, Xiao Wu immediately rushed over.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to be so strong!"

"It's nothing. I'm a Soul Master, so dealing with a few ordinary people is easy."

Ignoring the few people lying on the ground and groaning in pain,

Lin Qing asked, "How do you want to deal with these bandits?"

Lin Qing had not killed them outright. Instead, he had severed the tendons in their hands and feet. This was also to leave a good impression on Xiao Wu. After all, she had been a goddess in his eyes when he read Douluo before. How could he not have some thoughts about her?

But now, both he and Xiao Wu were still children, so he should start by building a good relationship with her. He was completely confident that he could make Xiao Wu like him. Of course, if anything unexpected happened along the way...

Thinking of this, Lin Qing looked up at the sky, and a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.

At worst, he could use some methods to make Xiao Wu eat the Azure Blue Spider Lily. After all, Lin Qing had clawed his way up from the bottom in his previous life until his net worth exceeded a hundred million. He did not consider himself a bad person, just as he had drawn his blade to help the weak today. Likewise, he did not think of himself as some great saint, so he did not mind using a few methods.

Hearing how much Lin Qing valued her opinion, Xiao Wu also began to feel favorably toward him.

"As long as they promise not to do bad things again, let them go."

Sure enough, she really was a kind little girl. She was truly naive. Even if people like them behaved themselves for a while under the intimidation of Lin Qing and Xiao Wu, they had been bandits for many years. Once the money in their hands ran out, they would start committing crimes again despite the danger.

But it did not matter. Let them go. When Lin Qing had attacked them earlier, he had already left a trace of water vapor near their hearts. All he needed to do was activate his Breathing Technique, and that water vapor would immediately explode and shred their hearts.

"Did you hear her? If you don't want to die, get lost." Lin Qing looked at the burly men on the ground. The somewhat gentle expression he had worn before Xiao Wu instantly turned cold and merciless.

"Yes, yes! Thank you for sparing us, Lord Soul Master! Thank you for sparing us, Lord Soul Master!"

The men knelt on the ground and kowtowed several times, then helped each other to their feet and limped away at once.

After settling matters here, Lin Qing walked over to the old man and said, "Sir, those bandits have been driven away. You don't need to worry anymore. Hurry home."

"Thank you, Lord Soul Master!"

"No need to thank us, Grandpa. I just can't stand seeing them bully the weak!" Xiao Wu waved her fist indignantly.

"Alright, sir, you should head back first. We need to leave as well," Lin Qing said.

"Alright, alright. This old man will be leaving now. Thank you both, Lord Soul Masters, for saving my life." With that, the old man hunched over and left.

"Hello, my name is Xiao Wu, Wu as in dancing. What is your name?" Only after the old man had left did Xiao Wu ask Lin Qing.

"Hello, Xiao Wu. My name is Lin Qing, Lin as in forest, Qing as in azure," Lin Qing said. "Xiao Wu, are you going to Nuoding City?"

"Yes, yes. I'm going to study at Nuoding Academy in Nuoding City. What about you? Are you going to Nuoding City too?"

"What a coincidence. I'm a new student at Nuoding Academy this year. I just obtained my Spirit Ring and was preparing to enroll."

"Really? That's great! Then we can go enroll at Nuoding Academy together." Xiao Wu was clearly excited. She had been alone the entire journey, and being alone was boring. Fortunately, she finally had a companion now.

"Alright, let's go together."

Lin Qing smiled faintly.

Then Lin Qing and Xiao Wu set off together for Nuoding City.

Before they departed, Lin Qing had quietly activated his Breathing Technique and killed those bandits.

After traveling for about five days, Lin Qing and Xiao Wu finally arrived in Nuoding City.

Seeing the bustling sights of Nuoding City, Xiao Wu's eyes were immediately drawn to the dazzling array of goods displayed by the shops and street vendors. It made sense. Xiao Wu had always lived in the Star Dou Great Forest and had never been to the human world. Even though this city was merely passable, it was enough to stir her curiosity upon seeing such a place for the first time.

As for Lin Qing, not only had he seen far more prosperous cities in his previous life, but he had also come to Nuoding City once before when he set out to hunt Spirit Beasts. Compared to Xiao Wu, he appeared very calm.

"Alright, Xiao Wu, let's report to the academy first." Seeing that Xiao Wu seemed dazzled by everything around her, Lin Qing called her back to her senses and reminded her to enroll first.

"Oh, right, enrollment first. Lin Qing, let's go, let's go." Having come back to her senses, Xiao Wu did not feel the slightest embarrassment. Instead, she grabbed Lin Qing's hand and skipped toward Nuoding Academy.

Seeing Xiao Wu like this, Lin Qing could only shake his head helplessly and let her pull him by the hand toward Nuoding Academy.

Just as Lin Qing and Xiao Wu gradually approached Nuoding Academy, they suddenly heard mocking voices ahead.

"What are you doing? Is this a place for country bumpkins like you?" It was a young man, obviously a gatekeeper at Nuoding Academy.

Standing before the gatekeeper were an old man and a young boy. The boy looked ordinary, with black hair and black eyes. He wore a blue cloth shirt, and his frail appearance made it obvious that he was somewhat malnourished.

As for the old man, in Lin Qing's eyes, he would have looked quite well-dressed at least in Dihun Village. But compared to the people of Nuoding City, he could only be called a countryman. Besides that, the old man held a solid wooden cane in his right hand and gripped a piece of paper in his left. Looking closely, it seemed to be a Martial Soul certificate.

"So this is Tang San and Old Jack," Lin Qing thought.

Old Jack did not get angry because of the gatekeeper's mockery. Instead, he smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Young brother, we're from Holy Soul Village. This child is our village's work-study student this year. Could you tell us what procedures we need to complete?"

The gatekeeper frowned, his face carrying three parts disdain, three parts suspicion, and four parts ridicule. "Can a golden phoenix really come out of a grass nest? The academy hasn't had a work-study student in years. You aren't fakes, are you?"

Seeing the gatekeeper refuse to let the matter go, anger flashed through Old Jack's eyes. But he was only the chief of a small village, while this man was the academy's gatekeeper. If he offended him and caused Third Brother to be unable to attend school, that would be terrible. Thinking this, Old Jack could only swallow his anger and hand over the Martial Soul certificate issued by Su Yuntao to the young gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper took the certificate and looked it over. "Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass? And Innate Full Soul Power? What a joke. This is utterly ridiculous. I've worked as a gatekeeper at this academy for four years, and I've never heard of a student with Innate Full Soul Power. This brat's Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, and he has full Soul Power? I think this Spirit Hall certificate must be forged by you."

"You!" No matter how much Old Jack endured, he could no longer fully suppress his anger.

"What do you mean, 'you'? Am I wrong? A country bumpkin having Soul Power? Use some common sense, will you? Is that even possible?" the young man mocked. "And Holy Soul Village? Look at you. Not a single piece of clothing on you is whole, all of it patched up. Holy Soul Village? I'd say you came from Beggar Village!"

"What did you say?!" Old Jack could no longer endure it. He roared at the gatekeeper, his eyes bloodshot as he glared fiercely at the man before him.

"Hey, Lin Qing, why did you stop?"

Seeing Lin Qing stop in place and merely watch the entrance of Nuoding Academy with interest, Xiao Wu immediately became somewhat angry. He had been the one in a hurry to come enroll, yet now that they were almost there, he was also the one standing still. Was he messing with Sister Xiao Wu?

"Sorry, Xiao Wu. Look, it seems there's an argument at the academy gate. I'm afraid we won't be able to get in until they're done arguing."

Lin Qing also found it rather absurd. What were the odds that he would run into Tang San coming to enroll on this very day? Maybe he would even get to witness the famous scene of Tang Buddha taking that fart god Yu Xiaogang as his master.

"If Tang San is here, then Tang Hao is most likely nearby too." Thinking this, Lin Qing could not help glancing at Xiao Wu again. "Still, it isn't entirely bad. At least until I'm capable of protecting Xiao Wu myself, there's an extra Titled Douluo bodyguard, isn't there?"

"Lin Qing, is that gatekeeper bullying that old grandpa and that child?" Xiao Wu's sense of justice flared. She clenched her fists as though she might rush over at any moment and beat the gatekeeper senseless.

Seeing this, Lin Qing hurriedly stopped Xiao Wu. "Wait. This is an academy, after all. Maybe a teacher will come soon. Let the teachers handle it."

"Fine, I'll listen to you."

Fortunately, during the time they had traveled together, Lin Qing had not idled around. He had told Xiao Wu many things about the human world and tried his best to keep her from acting impulsively.

"A mere country bumpkin, what are you shouting for?" Clearly startled by Old Jack's roar, the gatekeeper felt deeply humiliated. His face turned green, then pale, and he was both embarrassed and enraged.

"Get lost, get lost! Go back to wherever you came from!" Furious, the gatekeeper reached out, intending to shove Old Jack away.

At that moment, the skinny boy beside Old Jack moved. He reached out and raised his left arm. His tender little hand barely reached the gatekeeper's hand. He forcefully pulled his left hand to the right, instantly knocking the gatekeeper's left hand aside. At the same time, his small figure quickly stepped forward with his right foot, placing it directly behind the gatekeeper's left foot. He then raised his right hand and, together with his left, clamped the gatekeeper's hand and pulled it downward.

Originally, this strike should have chopped into the bend of the man's left arm, leaving him unable to exert strength. But the person performing it was simply too short, so he could only seize the gatekeeper's wrist. His movements were extremely fast. As his body leaned forward, he flung away the gatekeeper's left hand and pushed forward with both hands. They struck squarely against the gatekeeper's lower abdomen.

There was now a foot behind the gatekeeper's left foot. Although it was not large, it was enough to achieve its intended effect. With force hitting his lower abdomen and his footing obstructed, there was a thud as the gatekeeper fell onto the ground.

"This!" Even Xiao Wu could not help feeling surprised at this sight. She could easily knock down this gatekeeper as well, but she relied more on the strength enhancement brought by her Martial Soul, using brute force to overcome everything. She could defeat the gatekeeper, but she did not possess Tang San's technique.

"So this is the protagonist of this world? Interesting..." Although Tang San's techniques had some merit, to Lin Qing they were hardly worth mentioning. After all, one could not expect something from a martial arts world to be all that powerful, could one?

At least in Lin Qing's eyes, Tang San's so-called Mysterious Heaven Skill was completely inferior to his own Breathing Technique.