This novel has been finished on Patreon! Thank you to all my Patrons for the support over this and the other novels <3
------------------------------------------------------
Ye Wen didn't reveal his lofty ideals—his vision of curing the masses of Douluo continent with affordable medicine to collect faith for his future ascension to godhood.
Because Ye Wen knew that if he did, Tang San would plagiarize his idea, and once Tang San grew powerful enough, he'd come back to kill him, pin the blame on him, and steal the credit. Tang San would then take over his achievements like a cuckoo taking over a nest.
Knowing Tang San's hypocrisy, Ye Wen wouldn't gamble. Even without mentioning godhood, just the grandeur of this noble cause would surely tempt the self-righteous Tang San.
So Ye Wen wouldn't take the risk of betting on Tang San's lack of greed.
Tang San opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately couldn't find the words. With a resentful glare, he spat:
"You'd better know what you're doing, Ye Wen. I'll be watching you from the shadows. If I find out you're disregarding human lives, I'll make sure you pay!"
With that, Tang San stormed off without looking back.
But as Ye Wen watched his hurried departure, he couldn't help but wonder why Tang San looked so disheveled.
Xiao Wu had remained silent throughout. Compared to Tang San, she had a much better impression of Ye Wen—not only was he her big sister Huo Yu'er's boyfriend, but he also often shared delicious treats with her. Though he wasn't overly indulgent, he gave her a sense of belonging, a feeling of home.
However, the increasingly bitter smell of herbal medicine in the air made Xiao Wu wrinkle her nose in distaste before leaving.
Since she had come out with Tang San, Xiao Wu followed him to his dilapidated blacksmith's house—a place so barren it could be described as having four empty walls.
Speechless at the sight of the decrepit building, Xiao Wu hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided not to go inside.
As the saying goes, "It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to return." Although Xiao Wu had lived as a soul beast for tens of thousands of years, that didn't mean she could endure such harsh conditions forever.
"Little San, aren't you supposed to be rich? Why is your house in such a state?" Xiao Wu asked, clearly unimpressed.
The nickname "Little San" was reserved for those closest to Tang San. But because he adored Xiao Wu, he didn't notice how humble he sounded as he responded with a forced smile:
"Sorry, Xiao Wu. No one's lived here for a long time, so even though I have money now, I haven't had the time to fix it up. But it's still livable after a bit of cleaning. Wait here for me."
Hearing Tang San's words, Xiao Wu felt a pang of sympathy. She assumed Tang San was also an orphan, just like her.
'Hmm, he looks so pitiful. Maybe I won't bully him as much in the future,' Xiao Wu thought to herself.
While Tang San busied himself cleaning the house, Xiao Wu wandered outside out of boredom. Suddenly, the sound of familiar footsteps caught their attention.
Upon seeing who it was, Xiao Wu exclaimed in delight:
"Ah, Sister Yu'er! What are you doing here?"
Without hesitation, Xiao Wu wrapped her arm around Huo Yu'er's shoulder and leaned against her affectionately, behaving like a close friend.
However, when Tang San emerged from the house and saw the two of them being so intimate, a flicker of resentment flashed in his eyes.
But soon, he recalled Yu Xiaogang's teachings:
If you want to win a girl's heart, you must also get along well with her best friend. Otherwise, gossip might arise and harm your relationship.
As for why Yu Xiaogang, who had no girlfriends or close friends, knew this advice—well, hmm…
Though widely regarded as a failure, he somehow dared to pursue someone as lofty as Bibi Dong, which was inherently unreasonable. People who feel inferior yearn for light, but they don't dare to touch it because they know they're unworthy.
The fact that he crossed such a vast class gap to approach her suggests ulterior motives. Every move Yu Xiaogang made was part of a carefully woven trap.
But simple-minded Yu Xiaogang clearly lacked such complex logic—he likely read it in a book somewhere and blindly copied it. Surprisingly, it worked.
One could only say that pre-corrupted Bibi Dong was truly naive, while post-corruption, she became utterly unhinged.
Tang San quickly plastered on a warm smile and said, "Sister Yu'er, what brings you here? This is a rare visit."
At that moment, Huo Yu'er noticed Tang San. Her expression immediately turned icy as she withdrew her hand from Xiao Wu's embrace and coldly addressed Tang San:
"Tang San, were you just causing trouble for Ah Wen?"
Tang San's smile froze instantly.
From a young age, Tang San had always disliked Ye Wen—whether it was his family background or appearance.
Moreover, Ye Wen's low profile at the academy gave Tang San the illusion that Ye Wen was an easy target. When Tang San confronted him earlier, he imagined Ye Wen being defeated by his "justice" and too ashamed to admit he'd been bullied. Thus, Tang San boldly acted.
But now, Tang San realized he was the one in the wrong.
For a moment, he stammered, unsure of what to say.
Before he could respond, Huo Yu'er let out a cold snort and sternly declared:
"It seems I've given you too much leeway in the academy. How dare you mess with my boyfriend! If I don't teach you a lesson today, how can I face anyone in the academy?
Come on, Sister Yu'er will teach you a thing or two about rules!"
In response, Tang San fell silent for a moment before his gaze turned icy.
"Huo Yu'er, are you really going to oppose me for some useless guy living off your wealth?"
As he spoke, two yellow soul rings emerged beneath Tang San's feet, signifying that he had broken through to Level 20 and reached the rank of Great Soul Master.
Huo Yu'er, unwilling to back down, summoned two yellow soul rings of her own and cracked her knuckles menacingly.
"Tang San, how dare you call my boyfriend a freeloader? Can't you see how hardworking and ambitious Ah Wen is?!
I only intended to give you a light beating, but since you've gone this far, I swear on my name—I won't be called Huo Yu'er if I don't break a few of your bones today!"
With that, Huo Yu'er launched her attack, throwing a straight punch aimed directly at Tang San's face.
At that moment, Tang San's eyes abruptly turned purple as he unleashed the Tang Sect's ultimate technique—the Purple Extreme Demon Eye.
Simultaneously, Tang San silently recited the third rule of the Tang Sect's general guidelines:
"If someone is confirmed to be an enemy, show no mercy!"
At the same time, he recalled Yu Xiaogang's teachings: the simplest and most effective way to impress a girl was to demonstrate one's strength.
And wasn't Huo Yu'er, who commanded respect in the academy, the perfect target to assert his dominance?
At this moment, Tang San's sole desire was to defeat Huo Yu'er and declare himself the new leader of the academy.
After all, hadn't he worked hard in silence for so long just to prove himself someday?!
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed.