"Rest assured, Master. I understand. I will protect the young master."
Tai Tan spoke to Tang Hao in a low, deferential voice.
This was because Tai Tan had failed to recognize Tang Hao when he first saw him. Seeing that Tang Hao was missing a hand and a foot, he had assumed he was a disabled beggar with nowhere to go. Only when Tang Hao revealed his Clear Sky Hammer martial soul and that familiar voice rang out did Tai Tan realize his master had returned. He simply did not understand why his master was missing a hand and a foot.
"But Master, I would like to ask you something. Why are you missing a hand and a foot?"
This was something Tai Tan had been curious about all along. Tang Hao had defeated those three Titled Douluos just after becoming a Titled Douluo himself, and one of them had even been the Pope. His strength was certainly nothing to scoff at. Who could have cut off Tang Hao's hand and foot?
"It was a female Titled Douluo I once fought, a secluded master. I made a wager with her: if I lost, I would cut off my hand and foot. I originally wanted to win her over and have her join our camp against Spirit Hall. But as it turned out, she had a very eccentric temperament. She demanded that I conquer her with strength before she would join."
Tang Hao was too ashamed to admit that he had wanted to force her junior to become his son's dog. Otherwise, he would lose his dignity, so he refused to reveal it no matter what and told a lie instead.
"So that's what happened. But that woman really doesn't know what's good for her! You were giving her face by letting her join, Master, yet she dared to act like that."
Although Tai Tan wanted to say more, the problem was that he could not beat her. Even Tang Hao had lost. What else could he do?
"Then I'll leave my son in your care."
Six years later.
Before long, six years had passed, and it was time to graduate from Nuoding Academy. Kai and Gu Luoyi had both graduated, and they were writing their graduation reflections.
The two Leng Family sisters no longer needed to remain at Nuoding Academy either.
"Finally, we've graduated. Next up is an advanced soul master academy."
Kai said.
Kai had yet to decide which advanced soul master academy to attend. There were only a handful on the continent. He was still hesitating over whether to go to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
He had no relevant channels or connections to the Star Luo Empire's imperial academy.
Shrek was not even an elementary academy. It was a fraudulent Three-No Academy, lacking all three required credentials, and it did not even have a place in the Soul Master Tournament. Going there was even further out of the question.
"My soul tools have improved a great deal during this time, too. I'm already a Level 4 Soul Engineer, and my strength has reached Soul Ancestor. Even at an advanced soul master academy, I've already reached the level required to graduate."
Kai said this. He had also given quite a few soul tools to Nuoding Academy's dean to thank him for looking after him during this time, and had given some to Su Yuntao as well.
After all, both of them had looked after him, so naturally, he had to give them some gifts.
Still, that did not mean their relationship would end. They would stay in touch.
"Which advanced academy do you want to attend after graduation?"
Kai looked at Gu Luoyi. To him, Gu Luoyi was now like the two Leng Family sisters: an important family member who had to stay by his side.
They were all his important companions and family, and their relationship had grown even closer.
"A soul master academy? Older Brother, where do you want to go? Wherever you want to go, I'll go too."
"I believe Older Brother's arrangements are the best. If Older Brother can't think of anywhere, why don't we investigate which soul master academy suits us best?"
Gu Luoyi said.
"Then I'll take my time looking into it first, and we'll see which academy suits us."
Elsewhere, Xiao Wu had also graduated. After all, she and Kai's group had enrolled in the same term. Now that they had all graduated, Xiao Wu did not know what to do or which path to take.
"I definitely can't go to Shrek Academy, can I? It would be far too dangerous. If I stay with that Tang San, Da Ming and Er Ming might end up becoming soul rings."
Xiao Wu certainly did not want to retrace the path of Tang San's previous life and become his woman. After hearing that man's inner thoughts, she would never be willing to help Tang San, no matter what.
"Which advanced academies could offer good help?"
Xiao Wu pondered this, but the moment she saw that quite a few advanced academies had Soul Douluos, she immediately beat a retreat.
Ordinary soul masters could not recognize a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had taken human form. However, those at the "Soul Douluo or higher" level could detect abnormalities if they carefully sensed or paid attention to a transformed soul beast during its "juvenile stage"-below level 60 in its renewed soul power cultivation.
However, not every Soul Douluo could "see through it at a glance." They had to "pay careful attention or sense its aura." A Soul Douluo merely passing by would not automatically see through it.
Only below level 60, during the juvenile stage, was it easy to give itself away. Once a transformed soul beast cultivated back above level 60 and entered its "mature stage," even a Titled Douluo would have difficulty recognizing its identity as a soul beast.
Xiao Wu was still in her juvenile stage. No matter what, she could not attend a soul master academy with a Soul Douluo, or she would certainly be exposed. Thus, this rogue rabbit did not know what to do either. Did she really have to go to Shrek Academy?
Some advanced academies indeed had only Soul Saints and no Soul Douluos, but the problem was that these soul master academies had martial soul restrictions. For example, some accepted only plant-type soul masters, while others accepted only soul masters with tool martial souls.
So this rogue rabbit was also deeply troubled, unable to find a good academy that suited her.
Elsewhere, Nuoding Academy's dean looked at so many excellent soul tools, at a loss for words. The technology behind soul tools had been lost long ago, and essentially all the various soul tools still in existence were remnants from that distant time.
Nuoding Academy's dean could tell that the force behind Kai was certainly more formidable than even the Upper Three Sects. After all, even the Upper Three Sects were not qualified to produce soul tools. The fact that Kai could produce them showed that the force behind him was very powerful.
Thus, he did not know what to say. He hoped Kai could stay and teach the students about soul tools, or help develop Nuoding Academy. But he knew how a genius like Kai could possibly remain at Nuoding Academy. That would be wasting his talents. Kai belonged in a wider world.
At the same time, Tang Hao had not come to cause trouble for Nuoding Academy in all these years, so there probably would not be any problems anymore. Thus, Nuoding Academy's dean felt too embarrassed to say anything.
"Young people these days really are more outstanding than the last. Those from powerful forces are even more outstanding."
"But how exactly are these soul tools made? Some even have defensive capabilities, while others can contend with Soul Kings and cause them no small amount of trouble."
"They truly are incredible."
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