When It Came to Being a Laughingstock, Gangzi Won Just by Showing Up

"Oh, and Gangzi, I heard something else recently. Apparently, the head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has a son who was kicked out. Can you guess why?"

"Well, his Innate Soul Power was only half a level, and his Martial Soul was a mutated fat pig. The clan poured resources into him, but he only ever became a Soul Grandmaster."

"And guess what happened next? He had an affair with his own cousin and got caught! Hahahaha! I wondered who this guy was, so I asked around. Turns out it was you, Gangzi!"

After saying that, Bai Ranmo looked at Tang San with pity. "Kid, you've really done it now, hanging around Gangzi. If he takes you hunting for a Soul Ring, that Martial Soul of his can only fart. I doubt he could even get you a Hundred-Year Soul Ring."

"He'll probably point to some lousy bamboo the moment you enter the Soul Hunting Forest, tell you it's Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo, and have you absorb it."

Tang San's face stiffened for a moment. But remembering the image he was supposed to maintain, he stepped between Gangzi and Bai Ranmo with an angry expression and said coldly:

"Don't slander my teacher!"

"Slander? Kid, I never lie. If you don't believe me, ask Gangzi yourself! Ask him whether his Martial Soul farts, whether he's fifty and still not a Soul Elder, and whether he had an affair with his own cousin." Bai Ranmo shook his head and sighed, while glancing toward the stream of points refreshing on his panel.

[Yu Xiaogang experienced an intense emotional fluctuation. Emotion Points +999]

[Tang San experienced an intense emotional fluctuation. Emotion Points +999]

[Tang Hao experienced...]

Tang Hao was beside himself with regret. For a moment, he had actually thought that although Gangzi lacked strength, he was at least a Theory Grandmaster and could surely help Xiao San.

Tang San regretted it a little too. But he had always upheld the image of a gentleman and the principle that a teacher for a day was a father for life. He had only just kowtowed and accepted Gangzi as his teacher. He could hardly turn against him now, could he?

Hei Ranbai wore a strange expression and quietly took two steps back.

Gangzi noticed, and his face darkened.

Damn it, the disciple I haven't even taken in yet! That damned Bai Ranmo.

Then Gangzi looked at Tang San with a gratified expression.

Xiao San is a good kid! He threw himself in front of me without a second thought.

The good kid Tang San now looked distinctly uncertain.

Seeing the flood of Emotion Points, Bai Ranmo doubled down on his mockery. "Kid, I'd advise you to cut ties with Gangzi as soon as you can. Look at that buzz cut and scruffy beard. One day he might lure you into his office and act out a story about a priest and a little boy."

Tang San did not understand what Bai Ranmo meant, but the teasing look in his eyes sent an inexplicable chill down his spine.

Tang San instinctively turned and stared at Gangzi with suspicion.

Gangzi: "..."

Gangzi could not take it anymore. His eyes reddened as he roared at Bai Ranmo, "Get out!"

"See? There he goes again." Bai Ranmo shrugged, entirely unconcerned.

"Kid, I'm telling you, distance yourself from this unreliable guy while you still can. If I'm not mistaken, he's about to show off his Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul. Do you know why he has to show them to you right away, before you discover them yourself?"

"Because if he waits a day or two to tell you about the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul, the school will teach you first."

Bai Ranmo patted Tang San on the shoulder with earnest concern, then turned to Hei Ranbai. "Hey, kid. You haven't taken Gangzi as your teacher yet, have you?"

Hei Ranbai shook his head without thinking.

"Oh, then you're lucky. If we had to pick the biggest joke on the entire Douluo Continent, Gangzi would win just by showing up!"

After that remark, Bai Ranmo patted Tang San's shoulder again. "Don't be too upset, kid. Gangzi does have some ability."

Tang San snapped back to attention. Clinging to his last shred of hope, he looked at Bai Ranmo expectantly.

Bai Ranmo said with a straight face, "Gangzi might look like a weakling, but his power is unfathomable. If he gets angry, he'll stop at nothing to destroy Spirit Hall!"

Tang San: "..."

That's complete nonsense!

The way Tang San looked at Bai Ranmo changed. How dare he make a fool of me!

Damn him. He's marked himself for death!

The mechanism of the Sleeve Arrow in his sleeve clicked into place, aimed at Bai Ranmo's throat and ready to take his life at any moment.

Bai Ranmo sensed the danger, of course, but he did not care. It was only a White-Ring Soul Master Clone. If he lost it, so be it.

Hei Ranbai stood there awkwardly. After a moment of silence, he rubbed his stomach. "Uh... Grandmaster, Xiao San, I'm a little hungry, so I'll be going."

Watching the disciple who had almost been won over by his persuasion—no, by his magnanimity—run off like that, Gangzi looked as though he had donned a mask of agony.

Tang San wore much the same expression. At that moment, he genuinely regretted it. He should not have knelt quite so readily!

Tang San held back until the ten minutes were up, and Bai Ranmo swaggered away.

Tang San etched Bai Ranmo's face deep into his memory. Just wait. The moment I find the right chance, I'll kill him!

Seeing that Bai Ranmo had finally left, Gangzi breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to reassure his disciple.

The other one had already been scared off. He had barely managed to keep this one; he could not let Tang San turn against him too.

Gangzi did have a way with words. After a long spell of persuasion, the doubt on Tang San's face eased a little.

Gangzi breathed a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Hei Ranbai had been assigned to Dorm Seven, the dormitory for work-study students.

When he entered, he ran into Wang Sheng, whom people online in his previous life had jokingly called "the smartest person on the entire Douluo Continent."

The spacious room covered a full three hundred square meters and held around a dozen children of varying ages.

"You're the new work-study student? What's your name? What's your Martial Soul?" Wang Sheng asked.

"Hei Ranbai. My Martial Soul is a shadow."

"Right. You're one of us in Dorm Seven now. I'm Wang Sheng, and from now on, you call me boss. Of course, if you don't like that, we can have a match. Whoever wins is boss."

Hei Ranbai had no interest in being anyone's boss. It was just a bunch of kids playing around. He did not call Wang Sheng boss either, and simply began making his bed.

"You're pretty arrogant, kid! Come on, let's have a match. I want to see how strong you are." Dissatisfied with Hei Ranbai's attitude, Wang Sheng challenged him.