City Lord Xiao saw that the dean had arrived.
It would not do to attack outright, but his anger had yet to subside. He snorted coldly:
"Dean Zhang, just what sort of children does your Soul Master Academy teach?"
Just then, another figure hurried over upon hearing the news.
It was none other than the buzz-cut, arrogant-faced "Grandmaster," Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang had actually arrived long ago and had been observing from the shadows.
Now that he saw Tang Tian had offended the City Lord, Yu Xiaogang felt this was the perfect opportunity to beat down his arrogance.
So Yu Xiaogang stepped forward.
Assuming the heartbroken air of an elder, he looked at Tang Tian and sighed:
"Tang Tian, you've disappointed me deeply."
"Though a gentleman loves wealth, he acquires it through proper means."
"If you truly lack Gold Soul Coins and are struggling to get by, you could have come to me or applied to the academy for assistance. Why resort to robbing your fellow students?"
At these words, the surrounding students immediately began murmuring.
Yu Xiaogang secretly rejoiced. Now this brat should understand the pain of having no backing. As long as I step in to protect him now...
Yet Tang Tian suddenly laughed.
His smile was positively radiant.
"Yu Xiaogang, how are you so good at bullshitting?"
Tang Tian cut off Grandmaster's performance without a shred of courtesy and mocked:
"Come to you? You rely on the academy to feed you, and your pockets are cleaner than your face. You expect me to borrow money from you?"
"Were you planning to sell me your theories for cash?"
"You-! Rotten wood cannot be carved!" Yu Xiaogang's face instantly turned livid, his fingers trembling with rage.
"City Lord Xiao."
Ignoring Yu Xiaogang, Tang Tian hefted a bag of Gold Soul Coins in his hand and looked at the City Lord.
"Xiao Chenyu's hundred Gold Soul Coins are indeed in my hands."
Tang Tian admitted it.
He admitted it openly, just like that.
His words immediately caused an uproar.
The watching students all stared wide-eyed, wondering whether Tang Tian had gone mad.
Admitting he had taken the money in front of a City Lord-wasn't that courting death?
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang immediately rebuked him:
"Tang Tian! You... you're utterly unreasonable!"
Yu Xiaogang's stiff face twitched violently:
"I kindly urged you onto the righteous path, yet you responded with foul words and insulted your elder!"
"With a disposition like yours, however talented you may be, you'll surely become a great menace someday!"
Tang Tian's earlier remarks-"how are you so good at bullshitting" and "your pockets are cleaner than your face"-had left him shaking all over with anger.
As a Grandmaster who proclaimed his theories unrivaled.
What he cared about most were his reputation and dignity.
Having a six-year-old child expose his shortcomings in public was simply worse than being killed.
He whipped his head toward City Lord Xiao and spoke with the air of a man placing righteousness above family loyalty:
"City Lord Xiao, you've seen it yourself. This child is incorrigibly unruly."
"Since he has personally admitted to taking your son's gold coins, we've caught him with the stolen goods. The evidence is as solid as a mountain!"
"As a guest adviser to the academy, I cherish talent, but I cannot shield or condone such banditry."
"The academy must punish him severely to set the record straight!"
These words positively rang with righteousness.
Beside him, Tang San's brows knitted tightly.
"Grandmaster, aren't your words rather biased?"
Tang San spoke evenly.
He stepped forward and stood beside Tang Tian:
"You haven't even clarified what happened, yet you're rushing to condemn my big brother? Is that your righteous path?"
"Reaching conclusions without investigating-is that your theory?"
"I..."
Yu Xiaogang choked on his words and was just about to argue.
But City Lord Xiao no longer wanted to hear any of this nonsense.
He abruptly turned around.
He stared at his son, who was hiding behind him:
"Chenyu, tell me, did this brat extort you? How exactly did this money end up in his hands?"
Xiao Chenyu shuddered.
He stole a glance at Tang Tian's half-smiling expression across from him, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
The terror of being dominated by that horrifying Blue Silver Grass surged into his heart once more.
That had not merely been a defeat. It had practically been a dimensionality-reduction strike!
If he told the truth, he would die of humiliation!
But if he said he had been extorted, his father really would attack.
What if... what if even his father got beaten up by that freak Tang Tian?
Where would the City Lord's Mansion put its face then?
He hesitated for ages, hemming and hawing without daring to speak.
At that moment, Tang Tian chuckled softly, breaking the deadlock.
"City Lord Xiao, why make things difficult for Chenyu?"
Tang Tian patted the money pouch in his hand and said with perfect seriousness:
"This is actually a misunderstanding."
"You see, Xiao Chenyu was utterly astounded by my strength and had the discerning eye to recognize a pearl."
"He offered those hundred gold coins as an angel investment, wanting to invest in me."
"Huh?"
Xiao Chenyu looked utterly bewildered at these words.
His mouth opened wide enough to fit an egg.
Investment? What the hell?
How come I didn't know I had that kind of foresight?
Tang San and Xiao Wu were equally dumbfounded.
Xiao Wu blinked her large eyes and quietly tugged Tang San's sleeve:
"Little San, did that really happen?"
"Didn't that guy hand it over after losing so badly he was crying for his daddy and mommy?"
The corner of Tang San's mouth twitched, and he whispered:
"If Big Brother says it happened... then I suppose it did."
Yu Xiaogang frowned at these words.
Meanwhile, Dean Zhang heard that there was a chance to turn things around.
He was delighted at first, then froze as well.
Investment?
Tang Tian, this isn't how the story goes!
Wasn't I the one who first recognized your potential and invested in you?
Why is the young master of the City Lord's Mansion trying to stick his foot in too?
Are geniuses so sought-after now that even six-year-old brats understand venture capital?
But looking at City Lord Xiao's bewildered expression.
He did not seem to know anything about it either.
Watching Tang Tian spout nonsense with a perfectly straight face, City Lord Xiao laughed in fury.
He felt he was being played.
"Ha! What a sharp-tongued brat!"
City Lord Xiao gave a laugh:
"You little child really are full of nonsense. You're saying my son wanted to invest in you?"
"Fine. Since it's an investment, tell me what abilities you possess that are worth my son's putting up such a hefty sum!"
As City Lord Xiao's words fell, the surrounding atmosphere instantly froze.
Everyone's gaze involuntarily focused on Tang Tian.
Some were mocking, some worried, and some simply eager to watch the show.
Faced with a Soul Grandmaster's questioning and everyone's stares, Tang Tian showed no fear whatsoever.
He merely brushed nonexistent dust from his sleeve and spoke with complete composure, enunciating every word:
"Six years old."
"Innate Level Six Soul Power."
"Currently, level twelve Soul Power."
"Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass."
"City Lord, would you say I qualify?"
The sneer froze on City Lord Xiao's face.
He could not help rapidly weighing things up in his mind:
This child is only six?
How could a six-year-old have reached level twelve?
My own son, Xiao Chenyu, is already eleven this year.
And he's only just reached level eleven Soul Power!
Yet this child is a full five years younger than my son, and his Soul Power has already surpassed him?
And innate level six...
Although that doesn't make him a top-tier genius, his aptitude is certainly above average.
To break through to level twelve so soon after awakening!
This cultivation speed is simply inconceivable!
Although City Lord Xiao was angry, he was no fool.
He knew very well what such talent meant in a small place like Nuoding City.
It meant that, provided the child did not die young, he would become at least a Soul Ancestor, perhaps even a Soul King!
In Nuoding City, this truly was talent that would let someone swagger about unchallenged.
However, he had come here today in a towering rage.
He had brought a contingent of guards and put on all the airs of a City Lord.
If he were sent packing with just a couple of remarks, where would he put his face?
This was a classic case of being propped up by pride with no way to step down.
City Lord Xiao took a deep breath, forced himself to press on, and said evenly:
"Your talent is passable, but it's not enough."
"A hundred Gold Soul Coins to buy a future possibility is too great a risk. Unless..."
"Unless what?" Tang Tian raised an eyebrow.
"Unless you can prove that your present value alone is worth those hundred Gold Soul Coins!"
City Lord Xiao snorted coldly.
Beside him, Yu Xiaogang could not help gloating as he watched the City Lord question Tang Tian.
He sneered inwardly:
Hmph, so what if you're level twelve?
Blue Silver Grass is still Blue Silver Grass. A trash Martial Soul will always be a trash Martial Soul!
Without my guidance, you can't bring out your strength at all!
Let's see how you get off this stage!
Meanwhile, Dean Zhang could not help feeling both pleased and worried.
He was pleased because he thought the City Lord lacked discernment and could not even see this child's potential.
He was worried because Tang Tian was, after all, young and hot-blooded. If his confidence suffered a blow, he would be ruined.
Tang San, on the other hand, was curious about what his big brother intended to do.
He knew his big brother never did anything he was not confident about.
Xiao Wu also looked expectant. To her, Brother Tang Tian was the best, and his talent was simply terrifying.
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