Xiao San, Your Father Is Useless

"Not bad."

"Kid, seeing as you're loyal, righteous, and fairly sensible, this person—cough, cough—the senior sister of Immortal Mountain, will hand over Immortal Mountain's token to you."

Tang San gritted his teeth and decided to fulfill the agreement, remaining at Immortal Mountain to "guard the house and courtyard."

Yu Xiaogang was nearly angered into passing out.

Flender and Zhao Wuji could only support Yu Xiaogang back to Shrek Academy to recuperate.

Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and the others could only leave dejectedly.

In the end, only Xiao Wu remained standing beneath Immortal Mountain with Tang San, looking somewhat downcast.

Only then did Ning Rongrong stroll down the mountain at an unhurried pace.

Half a Flute Bone hung from her finger. Standing high above them, she tossed it to Tang San.

Then Ning Rongrong cleared her throat and solemnly said:

"By Teacher's order, Tang San, fulfill your agreement. From now on, you are Immortal Mountain's gate guard. You will be responsible for maintaining and guarding the Trait Entry Detection Platform every day, as well as patrolling the area below the mountain for anything unusual. If you perform well, you may also ask Teacher for guidance in cultivation."

"Little Sanzi, do you understand?"

Tang San caught the half Flute Bone and answered neither humbly nor arrogantly:

"Tang San understands."

"You're Xiao Wu, right? You look all right. Are you and Tang San a couple?"

Having completed the task her teacher assigned, Ning Rongrong could not help looking at the girl who had remained by Tang San's side.

Because Tang San had risked his life chasing after the Titan Giant Ape, the king of the forest, in Star Dou Forest to save her, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had developed a rather favorable impression of Tang San and Xiao Wu. They no longer disliked them as much.

After all, both girls were at an age when love was just beginning to stir, so they were rather interested in romance.

Xiao Wu's face flushed slightly.

"Don't talk nonsense."

"You misunderstand. Xiao Wu and I are brother and sister."

Tang San answered at that moment.

"Ah? Just brother and sister?"

Upon hearing that, Ning Rongrong was somewhat disappointed.

"I thought you two were a couple. I was even thinking of letting Xiao Wu test her Trait Entries and see whether she could pass the Apprenticeship Standard."

"Why does it have to be a couple? Can't I test my Trait Entries just because we're siblings?"

Xiao Wu put her hands on her hips, looking somewhat displeased.

"That isn't it. It's just that if you aren't a couple, I wouldn't recommend becoming an apprentice. After all, my teacher is so handsome and charming. What if—and I mean what if—you pass the apprenticeship assessment and become my junior sister, but don't have willpower as firm as mine? What if you get captivated by Teacher and develop improper thoughts?"

"You have to know, teacher-student romances are frowned upon!"

Ning Rongrong tried to brainwash Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu curled her lips.

"Is he really that charming? I've heard Immortal is exceptionally elegant, but my Third Brother isn't bad either. He's pure and virtuous. Besides, I'm not like those shallow women who only care about looks. I'm not going to compete with you for your teacher, so don't worry."

Although Xiao Wu was quite curious about Immortal Su and somewhat impressed by Immortal's teaching, she thought about it. How good-looking could a person possibly be?

Those flamboyantly dressed women in Suotuo City thought even Dai Mubai, that philandering playboy, was rather handsome, but Xiao Wu thought he was merely average.

She did not care about looks!

"Oh, you're quite special. No wonder Little Sanzi was willing to risk his life searching for you."

"I hope you really are pure and virtuous. Work hard, Little Sanzi. If you do well, even if Teacher doesn't reward you with anything, I'll give you something good."

After saying that, Ning Rongrong returned to Immortal Residence.

Zhu Zhuqing also leaped into the air and ran into Red Maple Forest, where she began practicing her third soul skill and the Eight Spider Lances.

At the foot of the mountain.

Looking at the arrogant senior sister and the cold-faced catgirl of Immortal Mountain, Xiao Wu felt rather annoyed and muttered:

"Third Brother, is Immortal Mountain really that great? You've always respected Grandmaster, but this time you actually spoke to him like that. You even seemed to want to sever your master-disciple relationship with him. Where will you stay tonight? Can we still return to Shrek Academy?"

At this, Tang San could not help sighing.

In truth, even after learning that Master's theories were not entirely correct, he still respected him greatly.

After all, Master had once helped him out of a difficult situation and had given him chicken legs when he was growing up, offering him a rare bit of warmth.

But he had already told Master that Immortal Su was Xiao Wu's and his benefactor, and it was obvious that Immortal Su's teaching was better than Master's.

Yet Master insisted on competing with him and thought he was doing it for Tang San's own good. Tang San found that hard to accept.

Grandmaster clearly knew Tang San had a better choice, yet he refused to consider it for him!

"Grandmaster guided us onto the path of soul masters, and I'm grateful to him. But he is no longer suited to teach us cultivation."

"We probably can't return to Shrek Academy. If you go back alone, Xiao Wu, I'm afraid Mubai and Fatty will also treat you with hostility."

"How about it... Xiao Wu, why don't you test your Trait Entries too? If you can activate three top-grade Trait Entries, perhaps you can become Immortal Su's disciple. That should be better than remaining at Shrek Academy."

Tang San offered Xiao Wu a suggestion.

"What about you, Third Brother? Will you test your Trait Entries too?"

Xiao Wu asked.

Tang San shook his head.

"I'm Immortal Mountain's gate guard now. Can I still become an apprentice?"

"Tonight, I'll just build a makeshift shelter beneath Immortal Mountain and rest there. I'm a blacksmith, so building a simple little house tomorrow won't be a problem."

"You should go stay at an inn in Suotuo City first, Xiao Wu."

"No. If you won't test, then neither will I. I'll stay here and be a guard with you."

As she spoke, Xiao Wu leaped onto a nearby red maple tree and sat on a branch, swinging her slender white-stockinged legs.

She was not stupid.

This Trait Entry Detection Platform was far too mysterious. It could easily detect a soul master's character, martial soul quality, and even some things they had done.

If she tested herself and it revealed a [Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Transformation] Trait Entry, what then?

Wouldn't her identity be completely exposed?

"I've been fed up with those people at Shrek for a long time. That dead fatty and Dai Mubai were eyeing me from the start. They looked at me so lecherously. If our strength hadn't been on par with theirs, who knows how much grievance we would have suffered?"

"Things are better now. Although you have to stay here and guard the mountain gate, Third Brother, at least we're free and at ease."

Xiao Wu breathed in the air of Immortal Mountain and felt utterly refreshed. This place was blessed with natural beauty; simply staying here was more comfortable than Shrek.

Seeing this, Tang San smiled faintly. Ever since his father had left, Xiao Wu had been his only family. Having someone by his side felt wonderful.

"Pfft—"

"Xiao San, your father is useless. I couldn't get back your indenture contract."

"I can only let you suffer here as a gatekeeper."

"Ah Yin, I've let our child down..."

In the shadows, a man covered in sword wounds and grievously injured had crawled back from death's door in Star Dou Forest. He looked like a beggar as he watched Tang San guarding Immortal Mountain's gate, tears streaming down his face.