Schemes at Every Turn

Tang San frowned at Xu Ran.

He had now figured out the relationship between Xu Ran and Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu might have come from some major power and held an extraordinary status. Xu Ran belonged to that same major power. That was why Xiao Wu trusted him so much. Most importantly, Xu Ran also lusted after Xiao Wu.

Xu Ran had even schemed against him, making him misunderstand Xiao Wu and having her bring him a green hat to sabotage their relationship. Having thought all this through, Tang San smiled. Fortunately, he had come to his senses early. Otherwise, he really might have fallen into Xu Ran's trap. Once a rift formed between him and Xiao Wu, Xu Ran would have slipped in through the opening.

But why was Xu Ran asking about his father, Tang Hao, now? Tang San sank into deep thought once more. Xu Ran had too many tricks up his sleeve; he had nearly made Tang San misunderstand Xiao Wu time and again. Was asking about his father another trap?

"Xu Ran, what exactly are you trying to do?" Tang San frowned, looking at Xiao Wu beside them, unable to keep his heart from aching. He wished he could march over and beat Xu Ran up. His relationship with Xiao Wu was so good, yet Xu Ran had come to ruin it. Was he even human?

It wasn't as though the world lacked pretty girls. Did he have to cuckold him?

He no longer harbored any negative feelings toward Xiao Wu. Even he had nearly fallen for Xu Ran's schemes, so how could Xiao Wu possibly avoid being deceived? This was only his first meeting with Xu Ran, yet he had already been led around in circles. Xiao Wu knew Xu Ran well, so it was perfectly normal for her to be taken in by his words.

"Your father is an incompetent who hides in Holy Soul Village, hammering iron his whole life. And you're even more useless-you don't even dare admit where you came from," Xu Ran said. How could he fail to notice the anger in Tang San's eyes?

Where he came from?

Tang San froze, then immediately understood Xu Ran's aim. He wanted Xiao Wu to know just how humble and ordinary Tang San's background was, so she would despise him and leave him.

At that thought, Tang San laughed.

He laughed because Xu Ran did not understand Xiao Wu.

What use were all of Xu Ran's schemes and tricks?

He did not understand Xiao Wu. Hadn't it been Tang San who had stayed by her side for these past six years? Xu Ran could not even read Xiao Wu's thoughts.

How could Xiao Wu possibly be that sort of person?

If Xiao Wu coveted fame and fortune, she would never have abandoned the resources of a major power to come to a little place like Nuoding Academy.

"That's right. My father is Tang Hao. My background may be ordinary, and my family may be poor, but so what? I'll do everything I can to become stronger. Once I become powerful, those things will naturally be mine. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west-never scorn a youth for being poor." Tang San raised his eyes to Xu Ran. His back was ramrod straight, and when he spoke the words "never scorn a youth for being poor," a brilliant light blazed in his eyes.

What Xiao Wu liked was a person's character, not their family circumstances or status. Though he came from poverty, this outstanding display would firmly capture her attention. Xu Ran's attempt to steal Xiao Wu from his side through schemes and tricks was nothing but a fool's dream. After all, the people Xiao Wu hated most were those who resorted to such plotting.

How shameless were people like that? How could Xiao Wu possibly take a liking to them?

Tang San continued thinking to himself, a smile spreading across his face. At that moment, he completely failed to notice the dimness in Xiao Wu's eyes.

Meanwhile, Xu Ran nearly laughed with a pig's squeal. Did Tang San think he was Xiao Yan from next door, showing off here? Although Xu Ran admitted that he was a villain himself, Tang San wanted to defeat him? Only in his dreams.

"Xu Ran, did you trick me again?" Tang San was somewhat bewildered. He suddenly noticed that the way Xiao Wu looked at him seemed to have changed. It had become a little different. Her gaze was no longer so gentle and attached; instead, she looked at him as though he were a stranger.

His heart lurched, followed by towering rage. He did not understand where things had gone wrong. What exactly had that shameless Xu Ran said to Xiao Wu? Why had she become like this?

Unable to restrain himself, Tang San grabbed Xu Ran's sleeve, pressing his imposing presence toward him.

A dragon had a reverse scale; touch it, and death was certain. Xiao Wu was Tang San's reverse scale. By bewitching Xiao Wu and sabotaging their relationship, Xu Ran had already crossed Tang San's bottom line.

"How have I tricked you this time? If you had no guilty conscience, how could I trick you?" Xu Ran said mildly, kicking Tang San away. Tang San had not even reached Soul Elder yet. How could he possibly be his match? Especially after obtaining the Qilin Bloodline, Xu Ran's body had improved tremendously. His physical strength alone was no less than that of a Soul Elder.

And Tang San's Martial Soul was currently only Blue Silver Grass. Even with the Blue Silver Emperor's bloodline, it was pitifully weak.

"How can you be so strong?" Tang San stared at Xu Ran in horror. Xu Ran looked about his age, yet his strength was so unfathomable. Neither of them had released their Martial Souls. But despite having the Tang Sect's secret arts, Tang San had still been sent flying with a single kick.

He had not even had the slightest time to react.

That kick had clearly been fast to the extreme.

"A mere Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is trash to begin with. How could I possibly be no match for you?" Xu Ran smiled disdainfully, finding Tang San rather laughable as he looked at him. In this world, Tang San was no longer the one with the most outrageous cheats. So what if he had the Tang Sect's secret arts? So what if he had twin Martial Souls? Before Xu Ran, he was nothing but a joke.

"You..." Anger stirred in Tang San's heart. He was a genius with twin Martial Souls, yet he was being treated with such contempt. Blue Silver Grass was merely his outward appearance. What did Xu Ran know? Once he broke through to Titled Douluo and filled every Soul Ring slot on his Clear Sky Hammer, he would stand directly at the summit of the entire continent.

"Enough. Stop arguing, both of you," Xiao Wu said, unable to keep some despair from rising in his heart. But when Tang San personally stated that his father was Tang Hao, disappointment rose in her heart once more. Previously, she had not been certain that Tang Hao was Tang San's father. Tang San had never told her about his family, and she had not asked much. But now that Tang San had said it himself, could it possibly be false?

Perhaps Tang San had come to Nuoding City as a work-study student on Tang Hao's instructions. He had a Titled Douluo for a father, yet he was content to be a work-study student. Heh. For the Soul Ring and Soul Bone she possessed, Tang San really was willing to make sacrifices.

Rather than enjoy wealth and splendor, he had come to pretend to be a work-study student with nothing to his name. He had even worn clothes covered in patches when he came to Nuoding Academy to lower her guard.

Tang Hao and Tang San really had planned this well.

But that made sense. What in this world could be more important than a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and a Soul Bone? Tang San was already a genius. If he killed her and took her Soul Ring and Soul Bone, who knew how powerful he would become?

"Brother, this is the last time I'll call you that. If your conscience is truly clear, put on this hat. Otherwise, let's sever all ties right now." Xiao Wu took a deep breath. As her beautiful eyes turned toward Tang San, they had already grown somewhat cold.