Draped in a black robe, Yu Xiaogang crept furtively out the door.
Yu Xiaogang had dawdled inside for so long that it was already noon.
At that moment, the academy was full of students.
Yu Xiaogang's timid, shrinking gait made him the center of attention among the students along the way.
The students near Ganzi lowered their heads and whispered, "Look, who's that? Wearing a black robe at high noon-isn't he afraid of roasting?"
Some students chimed in.
"Yeah, yeah. Still, I don't remember the academy saying it wouldn't admit idiots. Maybe that person in the black robe has something wrong with his brain."
Hearing their grating mockery and watching the students point at him, Yu Xiaogang dug his fingertips deep into his flesh, as though that could make him feel a little better.
Yu Xiaogang's expression was filled with rage, and his eyes were bloodshot.
He endured the pain that twisted his expression without letting out a sound, quickening his steps toward Dean Lin's office.
"Heh! One day, I'll prove myself. These commoners' mockery is nothing but a display of ignorance," Yu Xiaogang said with an inexplicable sneer.
This time, Yu Xiaogang did not kick the door open. Instead, he cautiously eavesdropped on the office, only pushing the door gently open after confirming there was just one person inside.
Lin Nuo was writing furiously, working on various plans for the academy.
When the black-robed figure entered, Lin Nuo recognized him at a glance, thanks to their many years of acquaintance.
"Yu Xiaogang, what are you trying to do now, coming here in a black robe?" Lin Nuo asked in puzzlement.
Yu Xiaogang ignored Lin Nuo and pulled back the black hood over his head.
"Yu Xiaogang, what happened to you? Were you attacked at the academy?" Lin Nuo asked, sounding somewhat panicked.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang's ghastly appearance, Lin Nuo panicked badly. If something had happened to Yu Xiaogang inside Nuoding Academy, he would have hell to pay.
The scars on Yu Xiaogang's face twisted like centipedes. Barely a patch of unblemished flesh remained across his entire face, leaving him looking like a scarface.
"Lin Nuo, I entered the Soul Hunting Forest yesterday to conduct theoretical research on soul beasts. A pack of hundred-year Blackback Wolves surrounded me, and it took a tremendous effort to fight my way out!"
"Although I fought bravely through their encirclement, my face was inevitably injured. Hurry and arrange for a support Soul Master to treat me!"
To avoid embarrassing himself, Yu Xiaogang concealed what had happened the previous night and casually invented an excuse.
Lin Nuo was speechless. He increasingly felt that Yu Xiaogang took him for an idiot.
He admitted that he could not match Yu Xiaogang in book learning and secret knowledge, but when it came to practical common sense, even ten Yu Xiaogangs could not measure up to him.
Could you imagine that? A hundred-year Blackback Wolf attacked your face, and you, Yu Xiaogang, survived?
Forget your face-it would have torn your whole head off!
Besides, after examining the wounds on Yu Xiaogang's face closely, he found that they were merely cuts inflicted by something sharp.
Fought your way out of an encirclement? With your strength as a rank-twenty-nine Fart King, were you planning to blast them to death with farts or stuff them to death? You certainly live up to your reputation as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's good-for-nothing, Lin Nuo silently grumbled.
In the end, Lin Nuo shook his head helplessly. What could he do? He could only go find a support Soul Master for Yu Xiaogang.
"Ah, life certainly isn't easy for small fry!" Lin Nuo said with a bitter smile on the way.
Lin Nuo was highly efficient. Before long, he had brought over a support-type healing Soul Master.
The healing Soul Master was a woman in her thirties or forties. Her figure was full and rounded, and her milky-white dress swayed around curves as pronounced as those of a green gourd.
Although her healing ability remained unknown, she was clearly well endowed in the milk department.
"Xiaogang, this is Ms. Su, a Soul Elder whose soul power has reached rank thirty-six. Her martial soul is the Healing Crystal, and her healing abilities are outstanding. I'm sure she'll be able to heal your injuries!"
Although Lin Nuo was earnestly introducing her to Yu Xiaogang, his eyes remained utterly captivated by Ms. Su's generous milk supply.
"Oh, Dean Lin, you flatter me. I'm only an ordinary healing Soul Master. I'm nowhere near as impressive as you make me sound," Ms. Su teased softly, covering her lips with her left hand.
What did Yu Xiaogang care about how much milk she had?
He did not spare her overt or subtle temptations a glance, simply removing his hood without hesitation.
"Can you heal me or not?" he asked coldly.
"Ah!"
The face beneath Yu Xiaogang's hood startled Ms. Su, and she took a small step back. Before coming, she had already learned of Yu Xiaogang's identity from Lin Nuo.
She had even dressed up especially for the occasion and prepared herself mentally, hoping for a chance to ascend to the heavens in a single leap.
Yet the sight of Yu Xiaogang's wretched appearance still frightened her.
Realizing she had lost her composure, Ms. Su hurriedly said, "Mr. Yu, I'll need to examine your wounds carefully before I can determine whether I can heal them completely."
With that, she began examining Yu Xiaogang's wounds.
The results of her examination completely shattered Ms. Su's hopes.
She certainly did not want a hideous man covered in facial scars as her partner. She would be jolted awake in fright even while sleeping.
"Mr. Yu Xiaogang, I'm very sorry. I can heal the external injuries on your face, but I can't remove the scars left behind."
"You came to me too late. Some of the wounds have already begun healing, and scars have formed. My soul skills heal injuries and close wounds; they don't remove scars."
Ms. Su told Yu Xiaogang the truth.
At her words, the light drained from Yu Xiaogang's eyes. He slumped into his seat, mumbling incessantly.
"Impossible. This is impossible! How can the scars on my face be impossible to remove?"
Yu Xiaogang suddenly grabbed Ms. Su's calf, his eyes bloodshot. "Are you refusing to heal me?"
Yu Xiaogang's sudden movement gave Ms. Su a fright.
Lin Nuo hurriedly helped Yu Xiaogang up and persuaded him in a low voice, "Xiaogang, get your wounds healed first. There may still be a way to deal with the scars in the future. Besides, you don't want to keep making a spectacle of yourself, do you?"
Lin Nuo's words had some effect, and Yu Xiaogang gradually calmed down.
Lin Nuo gave Ms. Su a meaningful look.
Only then did Ms. Su snap out of her daze.
"Mr. Yu Xiaogang, if you're agreeable, we can begin treatment now."
All Ms. Su wanted now was to finish treating him and leave. She truly wanted nothing to do with this lunatic.
Yu Xiaogang remained unresponsive for a long while, seemingly still submerged in grief.
In the end, Lin Nuo tugged on Ganzi's clothes to bring him back to his senses.
"Xiaogang, if you're ready, let's begin treatment now!" Lin Nuo said.
Seeing that Yu Xiaogang was ready, Ms. Su summoned her martial soul. Three soul rings slowly rose from beneath her feet: yellow, yellow, and purple, in that order.
"First soul skill: Blood-Stopping Light!"
"Third soul skill: Healing Light!"
Ms. Su's first soul ring and third soul ring lit up, each releasing a streak of light that shot toward Yu Xiaogang's wounds.
The healing effect was excellent. The scabs on Yu Xiaogang's face fell away one after another, and his wounds closed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
However, the healing process was excruciatingly painful. Yu Xiaogang even suspected that insects were crawling inside his wounds. His entire face felt as though someone were viciously stabbing it with needles!
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