Chapter 6: Tang San's Change
Meanwhile, at the entrance of Nuoding Junior Spirit Master Academy.
Due to the large sum of money previously gifted by Ghost Douluo, Su Yuntao had bought Old Jack a very exquisite house in Nuoding City. Persuaded by Su Yuntao, Old Jack had also resigned from his post as Holy Soul Village chief and settled down in Nuoding City.
However, he hadn't forgotten that today was the enrollment day for new students. Yesterday, he had the guards assigned to him by the Spirit Hall drive a carriage to bring Tang San directly to his home for the night, and even bought him new clothes and bedding for school.
The two people standing at the entrance now were precisely Old Jack and Tang San. Old Jack, accustomed to a hard life, remained very frugal despite now being arguably one of Nuoding City's foremost wealthy men, wearing only simple, plain clothes.
"Little San, Grandpa will see you off here. Study hard after entering the academy, strive to become a powerful Spirit Master in the future, and make a name for yourself." Old Jack patted Tang San's head, took out a small cloth pouch, and handed it to Tang San. "Ai, I wonder how Tianling is doing in the Spirit Hall. Little San, take this. You're at a growing age, buy yourself something nice to eat."
"No, no, Grandpa Jack, I can't take this," Tang San quickly refused upon seeing it. "Grandpa Jack, don't worry. Brother Ling is so capable, he'll definitely make something of himself."
While the two were talking, a gate guard walked over with a disdainful expression. "Where did you country bumpkins come from, pushing back and forth over a few copper coins? Scram quickly! This is a Spirit Master Academy. If you delay the enrollment of the future Lord Spirit Masters, can you bear the responsibility!" With that, he reached out to grab the cloth pouch in Old Jack's hand.
"Time to teach you a lesson." Tang San, standing aside, had already secretly prepared a hidden weapon in his right hand the moment the guard spoke rudely. Unlike the original story, having been influenced by Xia Tianling for six years, he wasn't thinking of taking the guard's life, merely wanting to teach him a lesson—like piercing his hand or something.
"Insolent!" Just then, the two guards following Old Jack from a short distance away instantly released their spirits and dashed over with a 'swish'. One, a Grand Spirit Master with a Monkey spirit, slammed the gate guard to the ground with one palm. The other, a Grand Spirit Master with a Wolf spirit, pointed his claws at the guard's face.
"Open your dog eyes wide and look carefully! Is this old gentleman someone a mere little gate guard like you can touch?" The two guards glared fiercely at the pinned gate guard. The other guard, who had been preparing to watch the show from behind, was already trembling uncontrollably.
Dressed in Spirit Hall uniforms, two white and two yellow—four spirit rings of two colors floated in the air. Two... two Grand Spirit Masters!
On the Soul Land continent, even an ordinary Spirit Master with only one ring was a "Lord Spirit Master" that ordinary people could only look up to. Who could have imagined that such an ordinary-looking old man would be followed by two Grand Spirit Master guards from the Spirit Hall! Moreover, they were Battle Spirit Masters from the Spirit Hall!
"Lord Spirit Master, Lord Spirit Master! It was us who were blind, us brothers who looked down on people! I apologize to you!" The guard who had been watching the spectacle immediately knelt, tears and snot streaming down his face, kowtowing repeatedly towards Old Jack. "This old sir, you are magnanimous! Please, I beg you, spare us brothers just this once!"
"It's high time someone dealt with you two insolent fools," a calm voice drifted over. The newcomer was a middle-aged man of medium height, slightly thin, with short hair. It was precisely the Grandmaster from the original story – Yu Xiaogang.
"Old Sir, I apologize to you on behalf of the academy." Grandmaster bowed slightly to Old Jack. "I also ask that Old Sir be merciful and spare their lives."
Old Jack was inherently a very kind person and had no intention of taking their lives. He quickly took the opportunity to de-escalate, "Hou San, Er Lang, let him go. His companion has already knelt and apologized to us."
Hou San and Er Lang, the two Grand Spirit Masters, snorted heavily before releasing the pinned guard. By this time, the man had already lost control of his bowels from fright and fainted.
"Thank you, Old Sir, for sparing my life! Thank you, Grandmaster, for pleading for me!"
"Why aren't you quickly taking this disgraceful thing and scramming? He doesn't need to come tomorrow!" The remaining guard kowtowed again, then hastily dragged his unconscious companion away without looking back.
"Old Sir, thank you for your magnanimity." Grandmaster cupped his hands. "Is this child also here for new student enrollment? May I see the certificate issued by the Spirit Hall?"
"Of course." Old Jack took the certificate from his robes and handed it to Grandmaster. Having been a village chief, it wasn't hard for him to discern that this middle-aged man likely held a significant position in the academy, especially since the guards called him Grandmaster.
Grandmaster looked at the certificate, then turned his gaze to Tang San, sizing him up. "The certificate is indeed genuine. Old Sir, I apologize again for what happened just now. Please entrust this child to me."
"No worries, no worries. Then, Grandmaster, I'll trouble you with this child. Little San, go inside with this Grandmaster. Be sure to work hard." Er Lang timely handed the luggage that had been set aside to Tang San, but Grandmaster intercepted and took it himself.
Just as Grandmaster was about to lead Tang San away, Old Jack quickly took a few steps, firmly stuffed the "culprit" from before—the small cloth pouch—into Tang San's clothes, and then boarded the carriage Hou San had just driven over.
"Little San, this is just a little something from Grandpa. It's not much, don't refuse."
Old Jack's voice faded as the carriage drove away. Tang San felt the heavy pouch inside his clothes. Thinking about the support Xia Tianling and Old Jack had given him daily over the past six years, he secretly vowed to repay this kindness in the future.
Congratulations! After six years of positive energy education, the selfish Tang San from the original story has begun to understand gratitude and repaying kindness.
"Teacher, may I ask what you teach?" On the way to the administration office, Tang San asked Grandmaster.
"Teacher? I am not a teacher at the academy," Grandmaster glanced down at Tang San and said faintly.
"Not a teacher? Didn't you just say you represented the academy?"
"I am merely a lodger sponging off the academy. Like everyone else, just call me Grandmaster. Everyone calls me that; I've even forgotten my own name. The certificate says your name is Tang San, right? Tang San, you must understand, the meaning of Grandmaster and Teacher are worlds apart. Don't get it wrong in the future, unless—" He stopped here, his eyes shining with fervent light, "Unless you are truly willing to let me be your teacher."
"You want to accept me as your disciple?" Tang San asked.
"Well, are you willing?" Grandmaster stopped walking and stood facing Tang San.
Tang San also stopped. He didn't speak, but his mind was racing. Xia Tianling had told him: when encountering matters, think more, try to see from the other person's perspective. In most situations, there's no unearned kindness. If someone isn't related to you, why would they want to help you upon first meeting?
What are this person's intentions? We've only just met, yet he's eager to take me as his disciple? There must be something strange about this.
Seeing Tang San remain silent, Grandmaster was about to speak and present his theories.
"Apologies, Grandmaster. Please allow me to think it over carefully."
(End of Chapter)