Old Jack Was Worried Sick

"Kid, take your uncle's advice. With your talent, you'll only get bullied at Notting Academy. Why not stay in the village and chop firewood for me? I'll feed you!"

Tang Hao finally had his moment of triumph and burst out laughing.

Faced with Tang Hao's taunt right to his face, Huo Yuhao did not get angry. Instead, he looked at him as if he were an idiot.

Before Huo Yuhao could speak, Tang Sanmei, who was straightening his clothes beside him, went cold.

"Dad!"

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Tang Sanmei sprang in front of Huo Yuhao.

She looked at Tang Hao as though he were a blind man with eyes that could not see, then said in pained exasperation:

"Dad, if you don't understand, don't talk nonsense! You're not just insulting the sect mas—my senior brother. You're showing everyone how ignorant you are!"

Tang Hao's smile froze.

"I'm ignorant? He's got a Trash Martial Soul and only level-one Innate Soul Power—"

"What Trash Martial Soul? That's the narrow-minded view of ordinary people!"

Tang Sanmei grew anxious. She pulled out the theory Huo Yuhao had just used to fool her and argued loudly,

"An ordinary crystal ball can't measure my cousin's Soul Power at all! He isn't level one. He's compressed his vast Soul Power until it's returned to its purest state! His starting line is higher than any of ours!"

Tang Hao was dumbfounded.

Returned to its purest state?

Vast Soul Power, compressed?

What the hell was she talking about?

He was a Titled Douluo, and in all his life, he had never heard Innate Soul Power explained that way!

Had a donkey kicked this girl in the head?

"Sanmei, wake up! That kid's brainwashed you!"

Tang Hao clutched at his hair in despair.

"Dad, stop it! If you dare disrespect my senior brother again, I... I really won't talk to you anymore!"

Tang Sanmei shielded Huo Yuhao with all her might, her eyes red with agitation.

To her, Huo Yuhao was a formidable master who held the Tang Sect's deepest secrets and could even unleash Purple Demon Light. How could she let an ordinary mortal of this world profane him?

At the sight of his daughter's resolve, Tang Hao's newly raised spirits sank painfully once more.

On the verge of tears, he looked at Huo Yuhao.

Behind Tang Sanmei, Huo Yuhao raised his eyebrows at Tang Hao with outrageous smugness. He even spread his hands and silently mouthed, "Mad?"

Crack.

Tang Hao squeezed ten finger marks into the handle of his iron hammer.

But he forced himself to take a deep breath and swallow his fury.

"Fine! Very fine!"

Tang Hao pointed at Huo Yuhao through gritted teeth.

"Let's see what you make of yourself in Nuoding City with that level-one Innate Soul Power of yours that's 'returned to its purest state'!"

Three days later, at dawn, they rode in a carriage along the muddy, bumpy road to Nuoding City.

"Sect Master, I made this Silent Sleeve Arrow overnight from scrap iron left at the blacksmith shop. It can't compare to the sect's Black Iron, and I didn't have the materials for a proper mechanism. But you're weak right now, so wear it for protection."

Tang Sanmei carefully fastened the pair of small Sleeve Arrows, sized to fit Huo Yuhao perfectly, around his thin wrists.

Once she was done, she hurriedly poured a cup of water, blew on it until it was warm, and held it to Huo Yuhao's lips with both hands.

Her bright eyes brimmed with admiration and a plea for praise.

"Mm. The workmanship is passable. You're beginning to look like a Tang Sect disciple."

Huo Yuhao leaned comfortably against the carriage cushion, took a sip of water, and nodded with cool reserve.

"Thank you for the praise, Sect Master! I'll keep honing my forging skills. I'll never bring shame to the sect!"

Tang Sanmei's cheeks flushed with excitement. That perfunctory approval had moved her so deeply that she looked ready to pledge her life to him.

Outside, Old Jack drove the carriage and listened to the cousins' strange exchange of "Sect Master" and "Sanmei." He tugged at his beard in worry.

"What a mess... How did that drunk Tang Hao raise his daughter? She's a gifted, pretty girl, but it's as if someone fed her a bewildering potion. She fusses over a level-one good-for-nothing more than her own father..."

Old Jack sighed, cracked the whip, and picked up speed.

At noon, they arrived before the gates of Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.

Huo Yuhao and the others climbed down from the carriage.

Old Jack handed over their Spirit Hall certificates. The gatekeeper tossed them to the ground with a look of disgust and sneered:

"A golden phoenix from a nest of weeds? A little girl with a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul somehow has Innate Full Soul Power? This forged certificate is laughably fake! And this one..."

The gatekeeper pointed at Huo Yuhao's certificate. His laughter grew even more unrestrained, until he was nearly in tears.

"His Martial Soul is his eyes? Level-one Innate Soul Power? Hahahaha! A piece of trash like this wants to enter our Notting Academy? You think this is a shelter? Take your fake certificates and get lost!"

With that, the gatekeeper reached out and shoved Old Jack impatiently.

Old Jack was old and frail. He stumbled and nearly tumbled down the steps.

Just as Old Jack was about to fall, a slight figure flashed in front of him like a phantom and caught him firmly.

Tang Sanmei's face turned icy.

She could endure others mocking her Martial Soul, but she would never allow anyone to insult her elder. Least of all would she allow an ordinary mortal to insult the Sect Master she had sworn to follow with her life!

"You're asking to die."

Killing intent threaded through Tang Sanmei's clear voice.

She shifted her left foot slightly and silently activated Mysterious Jade Hand. An iron shard left over from forging Huo Yuhao's Sleeve Arrows slid between her fingers.

The moment she raised her hand, a bloody hole would appear in the gatekeeper's throat.

"Oh? The little girl's got a temper?"

Instead of backing off, the gatekeeper raised his hand high, ready to slap Tang Sanmei across the face.

At that critical instant,

a pale but strong hand settled on Tang Sanmei's shoulder.

"Sanmei, stand down."

Huo Yuhao's calm voice came from behind her.

"If a mad dog barks at you, do you bite it back? You'd only dirty the Tang Sect's hands."

"Yes, Sect Master."

Tang Sanmei's killing intent vanished at once. She quietly put away the iron shard and obediently stepped half a pace behind Huo Yuhao.

The gatekeeper flew into a rage.

"You little bastard! Who are you calling a mad dog?"

Fuming, he swung his fist straight at Huo Yuhao's thin face.

Old Jack blanched in fright.

"Watch out, child!"

Tang Sanmei stood where she was, her expression indifferent. A trace of pity even flickered through her eyes. Attacking the Sect Master?

This gatekeeper didn't know how to spell death.

Faced with the oncoming fist, Huo Yuhao did not move a step.

A dangerous glimmer of pale gold suddenly flashed through his clear eyes.