Though Tang San now looked like a mere seven-year-old child, his soul was actually that of a cold-blooded killer in his thirties. This environment had brought the image of purity, clear as ice and flawless as jade, that he had wanted to maintain to the brink of collapse.
After Lu Yang left, Xiao Wu and Tang San had originally grown increasingly close. But Tang San's recent behavior had given Xiao Wu misgivings about him, and she had even begun thinking of distancing herself.
This made Tang Hao, who spent much of his time secretly observing Tang San and Xiao Wu's relationship, unable to sit still any longer. Finally, late one night, the Clear Sky Douluo arrived in Yu Xiaogang's room.
As a Titled Douluo, Tang Hao was highly skilled at suppressing his presence. But that was all he could conceal; he could not hide the pungent body odor, a mixture of stale alcohol and rank sweat.
So the moment he entered Yu Xiaogang's room, Yu Xiaogang woke from his sleep.
When Yu Xiaogang lit a lamp and saw Tang Hao in his black robes, he excitedly wanted to embrace his idol again, just as he had upon their first meeting. Unfortunately, he had forgotten the stench on Tang Hao's body, which had nearly choked him last time. Besides, Tang Hao had no intention of being particularly polite on this visit.
After all, Tang Hao could see that Tang San's current predicament was inextricably tied to Yu Xiaogang. So when Yu Xiaogang approached, Tang Hao slapped him across the face, sending him spinning through the air in a full seven hundred and twenty degrees before crashing back onto the bed.
"Yu Xiaogang, I told you to teach and look after Little San. Is this how you do your job?" Tang Hao demanded in a low voice.
"Take a look for yourself. What kind of situation is Little San in at the academy now? Just what sort of teacher are you?"
At Tang Hao's accusations, Yu Xiaogang immediately broke into a cold sweat. Ignoring the pain in his cheek, he hurriedly rose from the bed. "Your Excellency Haotian, please let me explain. Little San's current predicament is only temporary. Those ordinary fools don't understand how exceptional he is. Once Little San becomes a powerful Soul Master, all of this will..."
"I don't want to hear any of that!" Tang Hao cut off Yu Xiaogang's nonsense and said bluntly, "Yu Xiaogang, I don't care what methods you use. Resolve this mess as soon as possible. And you need to help bring Little San and that girl Xiao Wu together. That is what you do best, isn't it? If you can't even handle this, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
With that, Tang Hao ignored Yu Xiaogang's stunned, bewildered expression and vanished from the room.
Only long after Tang Hao had left, when even the body odor he had brought with him had dispersed, did Yu Xiaogang come back to his senses. He was filled with shame and indignation. He considered himself a Grandmaster of theory, whose research stood unrivaled across the continent. Yet Tang Hao's words implied that his skill at picking up women surpassed even his theories. To Yu Xiaogang, this was an enormous insult.
But Yu Xiaogang bullied the weak and feared the strong, and he had no backbone whatsoever. He had believed Tang Hao truly had left when he said on his last visit that he would be away for a while. Today's appearance, however, proved beyond doubt that he would still be secretly watching Tang San's growth. Even if Yu Xiaogang had grievances against Tang Hao, he did not dare show them.
After all, Tang Hao was someone who had dared to hammer even Pope Qian Xunji, let alone a mere "young sect master" of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon like him.
Meanwhile, after leaving Nuoding Academy, Tang Hao concealed himself once more. If not for the fact that Yu Xiaogang could obtain a method for cultivating twin Martial Souls, he truly wanted to smash him apart with a single hammer blow, then take Tang San and Xiao Wu away from Nuoding City.
For Little San's sake, I'll give him one more chance, Tang Hao thought.
Even so, the anger bottled up in Tang Hao's heart would not dissipate so easily. In a few leaps, he had already left Nuoding City. He was going to find a few branch halls of Spirit Hall to vent his anger on!
A few days later, She Long arrived at the small courtyard where Lu Yang lived. This time, he had not come to train Lu Yang, but to take him somewhere.
At first, Lu Yang thought Qian Renxue was finally going to lay her cards on the table and bring him back to the Crown Prince's Residence. To his surprise, however, She Long took him straight to the Ye Family estate in Heaven Dou City.
Nine Heart Begonia was hailed as the continent's foremost healing Martial Soul, but its restrictions had left the family with very few members. Within the sprawling estate, there were scarcely any members of the main Ye Family.
While they waited for the Ye Family head, Ye Qingling, to appear, She Long told Lu Yang, "Little Yang, the young lady places great value on your study of medicinal principles. She went to considerable trouble to persuade Heaven Dou Crown Prince Xue Qinghe to act as an intermediary and put you in touch with the Ye Family head so you could study here. Don't disappoint her faith in you."
Hearing this, Lu Yang nodded firmly. "I understand, Your Excellency. I'll study hard."
That was what Lu Yang said aloud, but in truth, he wanted to give She Long an enormous eye roll. Others might not know, but how could he not know that Qian Renxue was Xue Qinghe?
They were clearly the same person. It was merely a matter of passing something from one hand to the other, yet when presented to him, it had become some enormous favor. He was speechless.
Still, Qian Renxue's move this time suited Lu Yang perfectly. In the original story, Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan seemed to have been quite close. If he could get in touch with Ye Lingling, perhaps he could get to know Dugu Yan through her as well?
When the time came, once he entered the immortal herb password, wouldn't he have a chance to obtain those two immortal herbs he had been hoping for? He might even be able to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as his third Soul Ring!
A short while later, Ye Qingling, the Ye Family head, appeared. After exchanging a few words with She Long, she had someone lead Lu Yang away.
Originally, Ye Qingling had not intended to accept Lu Yang. After all, the Nine Heart Begonia family's circumstances were unusual. As support-type Soul Masters, their family could not even compare to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda also had its flaws, at least it imposed no restrictions on reproduction. Thus, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could establish a sect around its Martial Soul, whereas the Nine Heart Begonia family could not.
But with certain benefits promised by "Xue Qinghe," Ye Qingling had ultimately agreed to his request and accepted Lu Yang as a student. How much Lu Yang could learn, however, would depend entirely on his own ability.
Lu Yang followed the Ye Family's steward out of the estate and arrived at the Medical Clinic the family operated in Heaven Dou City. The physician seeing patients there was also a member of the Ye Family, though his Martial Soul was not Nine Heart Begonia.
After entrusting Lu Yang to the physician's care, the steward left the Medical Clinic. The Ye Family member seeing patients tossed Lu Yang a medical canon and told him to find a place in the rear courtyard to study it on his own, then paid him no further attention.
Holding the medical canon, Lu Yang went to the Medical Clinic's rear courtyard. The moment he entered, he saw a cool, aloof girl sitting beside a stone table, reading.
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