Yu Xiaogang's Fury; Joining the Team

"What? Tang Yin graduated early! How could this happen?"

Yu Xiaogang demanded of Tang San.

"Teacher, that was Ah Yin's own decision. There was nothing I could do to change it."

He muttered, "Innate Full Soul Power, Twin Martial Souls, level twenty-one at eight years old, Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline..." He jerked his head up, his voice trembling. "Do you know what this means? It means-"

He rose and walked up to Tang San, speaking with the urgency of a man preaching: "It means every stage of Tang Yin's development is a living milestone. He should stay in Nuoding, stay by my side. My Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul needs a specimen like him to verify and complete it. Heaven Dou Royal Academy? What right do they have to teach him? Only I-only my theories...!"

Tang San looked at him and suddenly felt a little cold.

He rose and walked to the window, turning his back on Tang San as he muttered to himself, "What do you think you can rely on? Your talent? Without my theories to show you the way, you'll run into a wall halfway there-you'll regret this."

Tang San could no longer hold back. "Teacher! Ah Yin has his own path to walk. He isn't a piece of proof."

Cold sweat broke out on Yu Xiaogang's skin. If he lost even this disciple, he would truly have nothing left.

He hurried to explain his selfish behavior.

After Tang San left, Yu Xiaogang drew up a new plan for him. "You'll regret this. I'm the greatest theoretical Grandmaster on the continent! You'll regret this..."

As Heaven Dou City emerged from the morning mist, Tang Yin descended in front of the academy's main gate.

On the white marble plaza before the gate, the students coming and going were all in their teens. An eight-year-old child descending from the sky drew glances from all around when his toes touched the ground. The gatekeeper came forward, but before he could speak, Tang Yin had already offered him the silver token.

"Who are you looking for?" The gatekeeper took the token, and his expression changed when he saw the emblem on it.

"Qin Ming."

Before long, a figure strode out through the gate. Qin Ming was startled at first when he saw who it was, then smiled. "I thought you'd need three years to think it over."

"I've made up my mind." Tang Yin took back the token.

When Tang Yin reached the training ground, several people were thrilled to see him and came forward to greet him.

Tang Yin swept his gaze across the training ground, then stopped at a corner.

A young girl in a plain white dress stood there, as quiet as a pool without a ripple. She seemed to have just finished a healing exercise and was looking down as she put away her medicine bottles. Sensing his gaze, she slowly raised her eyes-and the instant their eyes met, the Blue Silver vine in Tang Yin's palm stirred slightly for no apparent reason.

A petal on the illusory nine-petaled white flower before the girl's chest silently unfolded, then quietly closed again. She looked at Tang Yin and gave him the faintest of smiles.

That smile was as pure as morning dew. Tang Yin froze for a moment.

"Ye Lingling," Qin Ming introduced her from beside him, his tone very gentle. "Our team's healer."

The girl gave Tang Yin a slight nod in greeting, then lowered her eyes and returned to putting away her medicine bottles.

"All right." Qin Ming clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "I have an announcement-from today onward, Tang Yin is joining the Imperial Fighting Team."

On the evening Tang Yin joined the team, Yu Tianheng dragged the whole team out of the academy.

"A welcome feast! We have to have a welcome feast!" He strode at the front, sweeping his cloak behind him, his spirits soaring to the clouds. "The Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Heaven Dou City's time-honored establishment. My treat!"

In a private room at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, dishes arrived in an endless stream. The brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo sat on either side of Tang Yin, their chopsticks dancing like two blurs as they swept through the food like wind scattering clouds. Yu Tianheng slapped the table and filled everyone's cups to the brim-when he got to Tang Yin, his hand paused, and he turned to call to the attendant, "Replace this one with sweet osmanthus brew, the sweet kind for children."

Tang Yin: "..."

"Come on!" Yu Tianheng raised his cup. "Let's welcome our junior brother Tang Yin to the team!"

"Welcome, junior brother!" Shi Mo and Shi Mo chorused, their voices loud enough to shake the floorboards.

Tang Yin held his cup of sweet osmanthus brew. With six eyes fixed on him, he had no choice but to raise it too and take a small sip. Sweet. It was the first time in this life that he had drunk anything like it.

After three rounds of drinks, Shi Mo and Shi Mo started making a ruckus again.

"Hey, hey-" the elder brother drawled, "the next time Sister Yan's poison flares up, we won't have to worry anymore, right?"

"That's right!" the younger brother chimed in at once. "We've got our junior brother on the team!"

Dugu Yan's hand paused as she reached for a dish, and her ears turned red at once. She slapped her chopsticks down. "You two have a death wish?!" Red-faced, she glared at them. Her gaze swept over Tang Yin, and she paused awkwardly again. She picked up her cup and lowered her voice. "...Thanks for that day. This cup is to you. Don't read too much into it."

She tipped back her head and drank.

Holding his sweet osmanthus brew, Tang Yin replied earnestly, "Mm."

Everyone at the table laughed. The more embarrassed Dugu Yan became, the harder she glared at the twins, and the whole table descended into chaos.