Tang San and Xiao Wu

Lu Yang's actions sent the already furious Yu Xiaogang into an even greater rage. Pointing at the departing Lu Yang, he shouted, "You're utterly unreasonable! The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul are the ultimate theory of Soul Master cultivation, compiled through countless hours of my blood and sweat! Only I can apply them with perfect mastery! Without my guidance, you'll never amount to anything! You'll be trash for the rest of your life!"

Nuoding Academy's new term was approaching, and students were returning to campus one after another. Yu Xiaogang's shouting therefore drew quite a few people's attention. But his reputation at the academy was already poor. Seeing him stamp his feet in fury, most people merely thought he was a clown and paid him no mind.

Only after returning to his dorm did Lu Yang breathe a sigh of relief. He really couldn't stand Yu Xiaogang's incessant racket anymore. He had already been considering dropping out, and now he wanted even more to leave school and return to Windbreath Village.

Not long after Lu Yang returned to the dorm, Wang Sheng and the others from Dorm Seven began coming back as well. The moment they saw him, they crowded around him.

"Brother Yang, where have you been these past few days? The dean and the others couldn't find you. They were worried sick."

"Yeah, even that farting Grandmaster came by several times these past few days. Normally, he won't even come near our dorm. He was so annoying."

Hearing his classmates' questions, Lu Yang replied with a smile, "I asked a deacon from Spirit Hall to help me hunt a Soul Beast and obtain a Soul Ring. That's why I was away for a few days."

"Really!? Little Yang, you got a Soul Ring? Doesn't that mean you're already a one-ring Soul Master?"

"No way! Little Yang, you only just arrived at the academy and haven't even attended a class, yet you've already met the graduation requirements!?"

Although Wang Sheng and the others were surprised, they had actually been prepared for this ever since learning that Lu Yang had innate full soul power.

The elementary Soul Master academies on the Douluo Continent didn't teach very much. At an elementary academy like Nuoding Academy, students could apply for early graduation once they obtained their first Soul Ring, then continue their studies at an intermediate Soul Master academy.

But there was only one elementary Soul Master academy near Nuoding City. Even if they graduated from here, continuing their studies at an intermediate Soul Master academy wouldn't be easy for work-study students like Wang Sheng and the others. After all, intermediate Soul Master academies had no work-study places. Everyone had to pay tuition.

"Graduation can wait. I only just awakened my Martial Soul, too. There's still a lot I need to learn," Lu Yang replied.

That was precisely why Lu Yang hadn't left Nuoding Academy immediately. At least until he saved enough for travel expenses, staying at the academy would allow him to learn a few things. But remaining there meant he could only keep putting up with Yu Xiaogang's incessant chatter.

Still, Lu Yang felt that Yu Xiaogang would probably stop bothering him before long. He had learned from Su Yuntao that a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master with innate full soul power had awakened in Holy Soul Village this year. Barring any surprises, that person should be Tang San.

Once Tang San arrived at Nuoding Academy to register, Yu Xiaogang would probably turn his attention to him. After all, to Yu Xiaogang, Tang San was the heaven-sent disciple of his dreams!

Several more days passed like that. Throughout those days, Lu Yang maintained his habit of meditating and cultivating on the academy's sports field during the daytime.

Because Yu Xiaogang kept coming over to spout pointless nonsense, Lu Yang became so fed up that he could only return to the dorm to meditate, which slowed his cultivation considerably.

Then, on the day before the new term began, Yu Xiaogang came up to Lu Yang with an arrogant expression, bringing a thin, dark-skinned child with him. "Lu Yang, you didn't appreciate what you had, so don't blame this Grandmaster for rejecting you! See this? This child also has innate full soul power, and he's a genius with even greater talent than you. Under my tutelage, he'll surely become a powerful Soul Master. As for you, you'll be trash for the rest of your life!"

Lu Yang opened his eyes from meditation. Rather than looking at Yu Xiaogang's zombie-like face, he looked at Tang San standing behind him. Tang San was also sizing him up, a trace of confusion hidden in his eyes.

Clearly, Tang San had already fallen for Yu Xiaogang's deception, kneeling and kowtowing to accept this useless man as his father. But right now, Tang San was probably still wondering why Yu Xiaogang had brought him over specifically to show him off to Lu Yang.

"Congratulations, Grandmaster. You've finally taken on a student who suits your wishes," Lu Yang said calmly, offering Yu Xiaogang his congratulations.

"Hmph. Trash like you will never understand just how great an opportunity you've missed!" Yu Xiaogang declared confidently, one hand behind his back and his head tilted upward at a forty-five-degree angle.

"Little San, let's go. I'll take you to complete your enrollment."

With that, Yu Xiaogang led the thoroughly bewildered Tang San away from the sports field.

Lu Yang couldn't even be bothered to watch them leave. He simply closed his eyes and resumed meditating. With Tang San drawing Yu Xiaogang's attention, his ears could finally enjoy some peace and quiet.

That evening, when Lu Yang returned to Dorm Seven, he saw Tang San in the dorm again. Two of the beds had already been pushed together, and naturally, Tang San and Xiao Wu were the ones responsible.

Xiao Wu reacted most strongly to Lu Yang's return. She sprang off her bed and hurried over to him, blocking his path.

"You're that Lu Yang Wang Sheng and the others were talking about?" Xiao Wu planted her hands on her hips, looking every bit the boss.

Lu Yang glanced at Wang Sheng nearby, making him scratch his head with a sheepish smile.

Naturally, Lu Yang had experienced Dorm Seven's rule when he first arrived. After sparring with Wang Sheng, he had become Dorm Seven's boss.

But Lu Yang had no interest in the position, so he had brushed it off with excuses about being young and not knowing everyone very well, leaving Wang Sheng to continue leading Dorm Seven.

Now it seemed that Wang Sheng had kept the tradition going after Tang San and Xiao Wu arrived. The outcome, however, went without saying: either Tang San or Xiao Wu must have given him a beating.

And apparently, Wang Sheng had told Tang San and Xiao Wu about him as well, which was why Xiao Wu had immediately jumped out upon seeing Lu Yang.

"I'm Lu Yang. Do you need something?" Lu Yang asked.

"Wang Sheng already told me. If I want to be Dorm Seven's boss, I have to beat you first. Sister Xiao Wu wants to be the boss, so let's fight!" Xiao Wu swung her scorpion braid as she challenged Lu Yang.

"If you want to be the boss, go ahead. I'm not interested." Lu Yang waved a hand, truly unwilling to waste time on Xiao Wu.

But hearing his answer only made Xiao Wu unhappy.

"No! We have to fight! Sister Xiao Wu doesn't want a position someone else handed her!"