As soon as Yun Feng finished speaking, he caught sight of two familiar figures out of the corner of his eye. An elderly man and a boy stood nearby, accompanied by a uniformed man holding a Spirit Hall certificate. The uniformed man's expression was disdainful, almost mocking.
"When did a phoenix rise out of the weeds? Innate full soul power with a Blue Silver Grass martial soul? Do you take me for a fool?"
It wasn't that the guard was deliberately obstructing them; it was just that the certificate in his hand looked suspiciously fake. Instances of falsified soul master credentials to gain admission to soul master academies weren't unheard of.
Becoming a work-study student at a soul master academy was far more lucrative than farming. Many desperate individuals would take the risk. To the guard, the idea of this old man and child presenting such an absurd claim was laughable. Innate full soul power with a Blue Silver Grass martial soul? Nonsense.
Noticing Yun Feng's gaze linger on the scene, Matthew Nuo asked curiously, "Yun Feng, do you know them?"
Yun Feng nodded slightly. "Yes, they're from my village."
He kept his explanation vague. Despite everything, Tang San had unwittingly benefited Yun Feng immensely over the past week. Revealing too much to Matthew Nuo might expose Tang San's secret and bring unnecessary trouble, possibly even harm. After all, the more enemies Yun Feng had, the more smoothly his cultivation progressed.
Matthew Nuo, seeing Yun Feng's lack of interest, chose not to probe further. In his eyes, Yun Feng was the priority; everyone else was irrelevant.
Yun Feng felt conflicted. He wanted to help Old Jack, who was innocent in all this. Holy Spirit Village had nurtured him, and he couldn't just stand by. Yet Tang San's existence was tied to Yun Feng's future gains. Exposing him now would sever his own path forward.
Caught in his dilemma, Yun Feng was startled out of his thoughts by Matthew Nuo's calm voice.
"Yun Feng, what do you think human nature is?"
Yun Feng, though young in appearance, carried the wisdom of his previous life. Having dedicated himself to cultivation and defending his homeland, he understood people well.
"Human nature is the most unfathomable thing," Yun Feng replied succinctly.
Matthew Nuo was impressed. He hadn't expected such insight from a child.
"You're absolutely right. Take this guard, for example. With a little bit of authority, he uses his position to make others' lives difficult. That, too, is part of human nature.
"And why do you think an ordinary man with no soul power can act so arrogantly as a gatekeeper at a soul master academy? It's self-evident—connections."
Yun Feng nodded. While he had spent his previous life detached from worldly affairs, he realized now there was much he still needed to learn. This wasn't about intelligence but experience and perspective.
The guard likely felt emboldened because he assumed a child with a Blue Silver Grass martial soul posed no threat. He was venting his frustrations accumulated over time.
Matthew Nuo smiled faintly. "Do you need me to step in and resolve this? It looks like they're about to start fighting."
Yun Feng looked up sharply just in time to see Tang San raise his hand. A glint of cold steel flashed from his sleeve, aimed directly at the guard's neck.
Yun Feng froze. Is this guy really the protagonist? Does he even have a brain?
This wasn't some remote wilderness; it was a city. Committing murder in broad daylight? Did Tang San seriously think the Heaven Dou Empire's troops or Spirit Hall's enforcers were just for show?
Even if Tang San had the skills and Tang Hao's protection, what about Holy Spirit Village? What about Old Jack? Could Tang San truly disregard the people who had supported him, especially Old Jack, who had cared for him during his early years when Tang Hao was absent?
Moreover, wasn't the Tang Sect a clan of assassins? Their philosophy emphasized subtlety and precision. Why not wait until nightfall to deal with the guard quietly? Resorting to murder in broad daylight seemed absurdly reckless.
Before Yun Feng could intervene, a hoarse, weary voice broke the tension.
"Stop this at once. Quarreling at the academy gate—what kind of behavior is that?"
The guard's rage melted away, replaced by an obsequious grin. "Master, I didn't see you there!"
Everyone turned to see a medium-built, slightly gaunt man standing nearby. He appeared to be in his forties or fifties, with short black hair parted neatly and an unremarkable face. Despite his plain appearance, he exuded a unique aura of lethargy and decadence.
Yun Feng watched the scene silently before turning to Matthew Nuo. "Looks like I won't need to trouble you after all, Grandpa Matthew."
Matthew Nuo and Yun Feng approached the gate together. As they neared, Matthew Nuo leaned in and whispered, "Yun Feng, feel free to ask this man about martial soul knowledge, but don't trust him with anything else."
Yun Feng raised an eyebrow, surprised by Matthew Nuo's blunt assessment. So Yu Xiaogang's reputation is alrea
dy this low? Looks like the original story sugarcoated a lot.