Tang San looked at Teacher Xiaogang, who suddenly seemed charming and beautiful again. He immediately shook his head, feeling as if he had been cursed.
"I really can't stare into the teacher's eyes for too long..."
He didn't like this feeling.
"La la..." Luo Sanpao called out.
"Woof woof..." the Haotian Dog barked.
One looked like a pig, and the other like a dog.
One was like a dog, but worse than a dog.
Truly worse than pigs and dogs.
The stench was mutual.
The two stared at each other, then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Although our martial spirits are similar, your Haotian Dog martial spirit exudes a powerful aura. It's truly extraordinary! My Luo Sanpao can't compare!"
Yu Xiaogang shook her head.
"The opening ceremony is tomorrow, but you don't need to attend. I'll take you out of the academy to add your first spirit ring so you can become a true spirit master. Tell Zhang Fan and ask him to come along."
"Teacher, after the way he treats you, you still want to help him?" Tang San asked in confusion.
"A second as a teacher, a lifetime as... pfft..." Yu Xiaogang froze mid-sentence. "How did I even say something like that?"
"Anyway, he also has innate full soul power. Even if his martial spirit seems like trash, there are no useless martial spirits—only useless people. The fact he was able to defeat you proves that with effort, you two could both become Titled Douluo! As long as you follow my training, I'm not giving up on him."
"Teacher, you are so righteous!"
Tang San was full of admiration upon hearing Yu Xiaogang's words.
He turned around and left.
Back at Dormitory 7.
Zhang Fan and the others had just returned from dinner. Xiao Wu said she was going out for a bit and would return to the dorm later.
Tang San entered Dormitory 7 and approached Zhang Fan.
"The teacher said we're heading to the Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow morning to get our first spirit ring. Want to come with us?"
Tang San shrugged, speaking a bit impatiently.
"Sure, let's go together tomorrow!" Zhang Fan nodded.
Tang San returned to his bed.
Just then, Xiao Wu came running in, holding a bouquet of wildflowers in her hands.
"Master, this is for you!" Xiao Wu handed the bouquet to Zhang Fan.
"You really know how to please someone!" Zhang Fan was surprised Xiao Wu would bring him flowers.
The wildflowers were bright and beautiful.
He took them, found a vase, placed the bouquet inside, and set it by the window.
Then—
Zhang Fan lay down and pulled the quilt over himself.
Xiao Wu dove right in beside him, slipping under the same quilt and pressing close to him.
"Uh..." Tang San was stunned at the sight. "Isn't Xiao Wu being a little too forward?"
She had actually climbed into bed with Zhang Fan.
And they were under the same quilt.
"How immoral!" Tang San muttered through gritted teeth, though deep down, he was very jealous.
So were the others.
Watching the cute and pretty Xiao Wu sharing the same blanket with Zhang Fan…
Zhang Fan blinked in surprise, catching a whiff of her fragrance as Xiao Wu snuggled next to him.
"What are you doing?" Zhang Fan asked.
"Warming the bed for Master!" Xiao Wu replied, her face slightly red.
"You're really thoughtful!"
Hearing that, Zhang Fan felt she wasn't wrong—after all, she was his maid now.
He didn't expect bed-warming to be part of the deal.
"Boss is boss! So awesome!"
Wang Sheng looked at Zhang Fan with admiration and respect. He couldn't believe Zhang Fan had such charm that a girl like Xiao Wu would voluntarily warm his bed.
And even throw herself into his arms!
Night fell.
"Come out!" A cold voice suddenly echoed in Tang San's ears.
"Dad?"
Tang San heard a familiar voice and immediately sat up from his bed. Dormitory 7 had long since turned off the lights.
In a flash, he slipped out and entered the grove within the academy.
A tall figure slowly emerged from the shadows behind a tree.
Clad in black with a hat over his head, the man was tall and muscular. His eyes gleamed with a sinister red light as he stared at Tang San.
"You've got guts—daring to follow me out here!"
Tang Hao looked at Tang San, but saw the face of Zhang Fan instead. His gaze turned cold.
Tang San was confused.
"Dad… why are you here?"
"What nonsense? Who's your dad? You think calling me dad will spare you a beating? Just because you slapped my son's face, now you want to call me father to avoid the pain?"
Tang Hao looked at him with contempt.
"Even if you kneel, it won't save you. Hitting my son's face is the same as hitting mine!"
"Uh..." Tang San was dumbfounded. "What is he even talking about? Isn't he my dad? How could I slap myself in the face?"
He was completely thrown off by his father's words.
"I'm your son! What's wrong with you, Dad?"
He didn't even know how to prove it anymore.
"Kid, you're so shameless—just to avoid a beating, you even deny your own parents! I'll never let you off!"
Tang Hao slowly raised his right hand, and a black light condensed in his palm. A massive weapon emerged.
"Buzz..." At the same time, nine spirit rings quietly appeared around him.
Two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red. That last one shimmered with a strange, dark red that made Tang San's heart pound in fear.
"Ugh..."
Tang San was stunned. "When did Dad get so strong? Nine spirit rings? Could he be... a Titled Douluo?"
The oppressive force was suffocating. Tang San didn't even know his father's exact strength—he could only guess.
"Scared now?"
Tang Hao sneered.
"Kneel and beg for mercy!"
"Dad, what's wrong with you?! I'm really your son!"
Tang San was on the verge of panic. He raised his left hand—black light flashed, and the Haotian Dog appeared. Then he raised his right hand—blue light shone, and the Blue Silver Chicken manifested.
But in Tang Hao's eyes, it looked like Zhang Fan summoning his martial spirit: the ragged Tianlan Sword.
"How dare you show off such trash in front of me?"
Tang Hao's face was full of disdain.
"Buzz..." His soul power surged, releasing a terrifying pressure.
"Aaaah!"
Tang San screamed, collapsing to his knees as if his legs were breaking.
Pain pierced through his knees like blades.
"Shameless brat! To avoid being beaten, you even forsake your parents!"
Tang Hao shook his head, raised his hammer, and—
"Swoosh!"—hurled it.
"Aaaaah!"
Tang San's face twisted as he was knocked back, flying into the nearby grass.
"Pfft..."
He spat out blood, his eyes full of confusion.
"What's going on? Why is my father doing this to me?"
His father's gaze even felt unfamiliar, as if he was looking at a stranger.
Hidden in the shadows, Zhang Fan had used his transformation rune to turn into tree bark and watched the scene unfold.
Tang Hao had just smashed his own son into the ground with a hammer.
And it felt absolutely thrilling.
"Xiao Haozi, you dared to mess with me. Now look at you—beating your own son. I wonder how you'll react when you wake up and realize it was you who did this?"
Zhang Fan thought about it, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
This was just too much fun.
(End of Chapter)