Chapter 28

While Lan Changsheng was immersed in his insights, things were far from peaceful on Tang San's-or rather, Tang Hao's-side.

Not long after they left Nuoding Academy, people from Spirit Hall went to Nuoding City's Junior Soul Master Academy.

They had come specifically to "invite" Tang San back. Someone who had awakened a Blue Silver Grass martial soul with innate full soul power naturally drew considerable attention.

"What? Tang San withdrew this morning? How could you let him leave? Didn't you know about the Pope's orders? You dared let a Soul Master with a Blue Silver Grass martial soul leave without authorization. I could convict you of colluding with the enemy on the spot, believe it or not!" a man wearing a Spirit Hall uniform shouted at the teacher in the academic affairs office.

"The student had a valid reason for withdrawing. I couldn't forcibly stop him, could I? Besides, I didn't know about the Pope's orders at the time. The failure to relay those orders promptly is your responsibility instead." Here at Nuoding City's Soul Master Academy, the academic affairs teacher was not particularly afraid of Spirit Hall, much less a mere deacon.

"You!" The deacon also knew arguing here was useless. "Do you know where they went?"

"How would I know?" The academic affairs teacher curled his lip, but still said, "A teacher of ours named Yu Xiaogang resigned at the same time. I heard they were master and disciple, so they might have left together. There was also a six-year-old girl with them. Ask around about a group like that. They should be easy to find."

Knowing this was all he could do, the deacon nodded and left. Once he reached the entrance, he told the person behind him, "Wait here, in case that man was lying to us."

He then left to issue a notice, an action that led to Tang San suffering a series of attacks.

Tang Hao put away his Clear Sky Hammer. Before him lay a level-thirty Soul Master from Spirit Hall who had already stopped breathing.

"They've found us this quickly?" Tang Hao glanced at Tang San and his two companions in the distance, who knew nothing of this, and watched their surroundings in case more people from Spirit Hall approached.

"You two must be tired. Let's rest here for a while." Grandmaster wiped the sweat from his forehead as he spoke, panting.

"Teacher, we're not tired."

"Right, right! Let's hurry on."

The two little ones were indeed less tired than Yu Xiaogang. One was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who had taken human form, and the other had practiced the Mysterious Heaven Skill since childhood. Grandmaster could not compare with them. He usually spent his time at the academy conducting research and writing his theories, rarely traveling such long distances. His legs ached so badly they hardly felt like his own, and sweat had soaked most of the back of his clothes.

He found a relatively flat rock and was just about to sit down and say something.

"You can't rest." A low voice came from the shadows of the trees behind them.

Grandmaster froze in place. Tang San and Xiao Wu turned and saw Tang Hao standing in a tree's shadow. Dressed in black with his face covered, he held a Clear Sky Hammer shrunk to the size of a palm, with soul power still lingering on its surface.

Tang Hao's gaze swept over them before finally settling on Tang San's face. "A level-thirty deacon from Spirit Hall was chasing you with portraits of you just now. Though I intercepted and killed him, sooner or later, word of your appearances will reach the next city before you do. You need to move faster, and stick to smaller paths as much as possible from now on."

Grandmaster's expression changed. "How is that possible? We've been traveling for less than a day. How could Spirit Hall have pinpointed our direction so quickly?"

"You didn't make any particular effort to hide when you left the city, and your group of three stands out so much that you're easy to ask about." As Tang Hao spoke, he took the seized portraits from inside his clothes. "With a tracking Soul Master helping, finding your general direction isn't difficult. Soul Masters like that are standard at every Spirit Hall branch."

Grandmaster spoke again. "But..."

"You're an honorary elder of Spirit Hall. You should understand its power better than I do. Spirit Hall will certainly learn that I intercepted and killed this man. Next time, it might not be so simple." Tang Hao cut him off, each word striking the ground like a hammer. "You must leave, Grandmaster!"

Grandmaster opened his mouth. His legs were still sore and weak, and the sweat on his back had not yet dried. But he also knew the danger involved and merely answered in a muffled voice, "...All right."

"Then hurry. Stop waiting." Tang Hao had already turned and started walking ahead. Tang San glanced at his father's retreating back, then looked back at Grandmaster and called softly, "Teacher, let me help you."

An extremely awkward expression appeared on Grandmaster's face, but in the end, he did not refuse. He rested his hand on Tang San's shoulder and used the support to start walking.

Xiao Wu hurried after them from behind. As she passed Tang Hao, she looked up at him without daring to speak. Before this, she had only heard of this Clear Sky Douluo's reputation through Tang San's accounts.

"So this is a Titled Douluo among humans. He really is frightening!" Xiao Wu patted her chest, as though comforting herself. "Luckily, he's Third Brother's father. He won't hurt me."

Tang Hao also looked at the adorable Xiao Wu. Thinking of how she shared the same identity as Ah Yin, he smiled faintly, a warm expression showing on his face.

I wonder how Ah Yin is doing now. But with my brother-in-law there, she'll definitely be fine.

Half a day later, they stopped beside a river channel. Tang Hao had them hide among the reeds. Looking at the exhausted group, he said, "Rest while you can. I'll keep watch tonight."

With that, he went to stand on high ground at a bend in the channel, facing the way they had come.

Using knowledge from his previous life, Tang San made a few simple, well-concealed grass mats. Exhausted, the three soon fell asleep.

Listening to their steady breathing, Tang Hao sighed, hoping only that tonight would be a little more peaceful.

But heaven did not grant his wish. Two hours later, voices sounded in the distance, rapidly approaching. He woke Tang San and the others and said quietly, "Don't make a sound. A few people from Spirit Hall are coming. Stay hidden. I'll go take a look first."

Tang San lay prone among the reeds and poked his head out a little, looking through his Purple Demon Eye. In the distance, five Soul Masters wearing Spirit Hall's standard robes were searching their way along the riverbank. Leading them was a tall, burly man carrying a Mountain-Splitting Axe over his shoulder. He had three soul rings: two yellow and one purple.

Tang Hao stood up to draw their attention. Although his black clothes and covered face kept them from recognizing him, his attire hardly made him look like a good man either. They halted and called from a distance, "Spirit Hall is conducting official business. Please leave."

But Tang Hao did not answer. He merely continued walking forward.

Seeing his reaction, they all summoned their martial souls. Apart from their leader, the three-ring Soul Master wielding the Mountain-Splitting Axe, the other four were slightly lower in level, but all were two-ring Soul Masters.

They shifted positions into an offensive formation. The Mountain-Splitting Axe Soul Master faced Tang Hao directly, with two other power attack system Soul Masters spread out to either side. In the rear were a control system Soul Master and a support system Soul Master.

The Soul Master with the Mountain-Splitting Axe martial soul lowered his axe from his shoulder. His first soul ring lit up, and the axe shone with a metallic gleam, its menacing sharpness aimed straight at Tang Hao.

"Spirit Hall is conducting official business! Bystanders, stand clear!"