Facing the gatekeeper with nostrils pointed to the sky.
Old Jack quickly forced a smile and said, "This young man, these two children are work-study students from our village this year."
As he spoke, he handed over two certificates issued by the Spirit Hall.
"Haha! This is killing me! A chicken coop wants to produce a phoenix? Let me see… Blue Silver Grass with innate full spirit power? Where'd this scam come from? This is too fake! And another one with a tadpole martial soul and innate full spirit power? What's the point of that? Raise it to feed chickens and ducks? Hahaha… Could this get any more ridiculous?!"
As the gatekeeper took the certificates, he immediately burst into mocking laughter.
His sarcastic tone made Ye Qiu extremely annoyed.
Old Jack's face turned ugly, but he still held back and explained:
"These certificates were issued personally by a Spirit Hall deacon. How could we dare to forge them?!"
Hearing that Old Jack was using the Spirit Hall's name to pressure him, the gatekeeper became even more arrogant.
"Hmph! Just because you say so? Innate full spirit power, you think it's like cabbage growing in your village? Saint Soul Village? More like Beggar Village!"
That insult instantly triggered Old Jack's reverse scale. His face flushed red with anger.
The name "Saint Soul Village" was his pride!
He roared:
"What did you say?!"
Thud!
The gatekeeper took a step back in shock.
His face turned dark, and a flash of malice appeared in his eyes.
"What? Not convinced?"
"Look at your ragged clothes. Calling you beggars is a compliment! Get lost!"
Before he finished speaking…
The gatekeeper raised his hand and pushed toward Old Jack's chest.
At that moment, Ye Qiu's entire right arm was instantly wrapped in black fibers. His arm slightly swelled, full of power.
Just as Ye Qiu was about to strike, Tang San moved first and stood in front of Old Jack.
He deeply resented this gatekeeper's insult.
Tang San swiftly struck with his Mysterious Jade Hand, and due to his height, instead of chopping down, he caught the gatekeeper's wrist directly.
Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon!
Tang San's hand, strong enough to wield a forging hammer, applied significant force. Pain flashed in the gatekeeper's eyes.
He immediately tried to raise a leg and kick Tang San in the face.
Whoosh!
Before Tang San could react, Ye Qiu stepped in, and with a flick of his leg, swept the gatekeeper's knees.
Thud!
The gatekeeper cried out in pain and fell to his knees.
Ye Qiu didn't stop there. His black-gold right fist smashed hard into both of the man's eyes.
"Ahhh—!"
The gatekeeper screamed, covering his eyes and collapsing to the ground.
"Xiao San, Xiao Qiu, you… you guys…"
Old Jack was stunned as he looked at the two small figures standing in front of him.
"You brats are looking for death!"
In broad daylight…
Beaten by two kids, his eyes now blackened, the gatekeeper was enraged. He roared and charged at Ye Qiu and Tang San.
Tang San's gaze turned cold.
> Tang Sect Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, Rule Three: Once you confirm the opponent is an enemy, and they court death, show no mercy. Otherwise, it will only bring you trouble.
Ye Qiu felt something. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed—
Tang San subtly raised his left hand and silently disengaged the safety on his silent sleeve dart.
"Enough!"
At that moment—
A hoarse voice rang out.
Ye Qiu's limbs quietly returned to normal.
This iconic moment—he remembered clearly. He also knew exactly who was coming.
Half a protagonist in his own right. Ambitious but fragile, the infamous "Escape King" of three surnames—Yu Xiaogang, the "Grandmaster!"
Tang San halted his motion, hesitating on launching the dart.
The gatekeeper froze. The fury on his face vanished instantly, replaced by obsequious flattery. He quickly bowed and smiled:
"Grandmaster, you've returned!"
Tang San and Ye Qiu turned their heads.
What came into view was a man around forty or fifty.
Short black hair, stubble covering his face, wearing a worn-out academic robe. He looked rather disheveled. A gloomy aura surrounded him—like a failed intellectual—with a touch of arrogance.
Proud yet dejected, contradictory in every way.
At his core, he was weak but loved to show off.
He held unshakable faith in his unproven theories.
The "Grandmaster" the gatekeeper referred to walked stiffly.
His arrogance was stronger than the gate itself. He merely gave the man a sideways glance and ignored him completely.
Then he looked at Old Jack.
"Sir, may I take a look at the children's spirit certifications?"
Ye Qiu opened his mouth…
Then gave up on objecting. Stopping someone like that would just seem strange.
But he didn't want to get involved in what came next.
Looks like… he'd have to escape later using the toilet excuse.
Old Jack saw the arrogant gatekeeper acting so humble now and realized that the man in front of him held a higher status—and might be able to help.
He quickly handed over the certificates.
Yu Xiaogang looked at them, a bit surprised as he gazed at the two children—more so at Tang San.
Tang San clenched his fists.
He didn't know why, but he felt like he was being thoroughly seen through.
Ye Qiu stayed emotionless.
Let fate turn its gears.
He wasn't full of senseless resentment.
This was a world where strength reigned. He wasn't a saint or a good person.
As long as others didn't provoke him…
Or interfere with his interests…
To climb higher, someone always had to lose something.
But Ye Qiu didn't want to lose.
He was sick of a dull life—plain, routine, going in circles.
"These certificates are real. Sir, I apologize on behalf of the academy for what just happened."
In just a moment…
Yu Xiaogang verified the documents and took responsibility for the matter.
"These two children, leave them to me."
This casual apology deeply satisfied Old Jack.
After all, this man might be a noble Soul Master.
Old Jack waved his hands repeatedly.
"Grandmaster, no need to apologize. We were at fault too. Then… I'll leave the kids in your care."
"Mm. Don't worry."
Yu Xiaogang nodded coldly.
Old Jack bent down and told the boys:
"Make sure to behave at the academy, okay? Grandpa Jack will head back now."
Tang San nodded silently.
"Bye, Grandpa Jack. Be careful on the way home!"
Ye Qiu waved toward Old Jack's back, watching him leave.
The Grandmaster shot a cold glare at the gatekeeper.
His tone frosty: "This is the first and last time. Understood?"
"Understood, understood! Take care, Grandmaster!"
The gatekeeper broke into a cold sweat and bowed repeatedly, stepping aside.
Yu Xiaogang lowered his head to look at Tang San and Ye Qiu. His stiff face squeezed out a forced smile.
"Let's go. We're heading in."
He stretched out his rough hand to grab theirs.
Ye Qiu dodged sideways immediately.
A single, pale, middle-aged man with a shady complexion… who knows where that hand's been?
Tang San, however, got grabbed directly.
Yu Xiaogang smiled at Ye Qiu without minding—it was normal for kids to be shy.
---
As expected—
Yu Xiaogang took both Ye Qiu and Tang San with him.
Walking through Nuoding Academy, Ye Qiu looked around curiously.
"Teacher, thank you."
Tang San, sensing something special about the Grandmaster, thanked him.
"Teacher?"
Yu Xiaogang murmured and gave Tang San a deep look. He suddenly stopped and chuckled:
"I'm not a teacher at this academy!"
"But didn't you say you were representing the academy just now?" Tang San asked in confusion.
Yu Xiaogang placed his hands behind his back and smiled:
"Who said only teachers from this school can represent it?"
Hearing this—
Ye Qiu silently clicked his tongue.
He thought Tang Hao's shamelessness was unmatched… but Yu Xiaogang took the crown.
Tang San asked curiously:
"Then you are…?"
Yu Xiaogang gave a mysterious smile and replied calmly:
"I'm just a freeloader living here."
Ye Qiu's face twitched, finally unable to hold it in.
He raised his little hand and shouted:
"Teacher! Where's the toilet? I need to take a big dump!"
"… "
Yu Xiaogang's mysterious expression froze slightly but still helpfully pointed the way.
Ye Qiu nodded, holding his butt as he said urgently:
"Teacher, can I have my spirit certificate back first? I'll report myself later—no need for you to wait."
Yu Xiaogang chuckled generously:
"It's fine. Just hurry back."
"Okay, thanks, Teacher."
Ye Qiu turned and ran toward the latrine, face dark, cursing Yu Xiaogang inwardly.
What a dumb busybody.
Why'd he have to announce in public that Tang San had twin spirits?
Otherwise…
Ye Qiu wouldn't have needed to use the "poop escape technique."
---
Wishing everyone a happy life!