Nuoding City was a lively place, with streets bustling with merchants and townspeople. The sound of chatter filled the air as the pathways crowded with carts and travelers coming and going. The towering gates of Nuoding Academy stood tall, marking the entrance to the institution that shaped the future of many soul masters.
Grandpa Jack led Lin Ming and Tang San through the crowded streets until they finally reached the academy entrance. Standing by the gate was a guard in uniform, looking bored as he glanced at the approaching group.
Grandpa Jack respectfully handed over the spirit awakening certificates to the guard. However, upon glancing at the documents, the guard's expression twisted into one of disdain.
"Work-study students, huh? Innate full soul power?that too for a blue silver grass trash spirit.Do you expect me to believe this nonsense? These certificates must be fake."
Tang San clenched his fists, his anger rising at the guard's words. He was just about to take action when Lin Ming stepped forward, his expression calm but his voice sharp.
"Are you doubting spirit halls authenticity ?" Lin Ming's voice rang loud and clear, instantly drawing the attention of nearby people.
The guard flinched slightly but quickly regained his arrogance. "Hah! Who are you trying to scare, kid? Spirit Hall has no time for you lowlifes!"
Lin Ming smirked and turned to Grandpa Jack. "Come, Grandpa. Let's go directly to Spirit Hall and let them know that someone is accusing their certificates of being fake."
The guard's confidence wavered, but he quickly tried to mask his fear. "Stop bluffing! You're not going anywhere!"
Lin Ming's eyes narrowed, and he took another step forward. "Are you prepared to handle the wrath of Master Su Yuntao? If you can stand firm even after facing his anger, then go ahead—keep blocking us."
Seeing Lin Ming about to drag Grandpa Jack away, the guard finally panicked. "Wait! Don't go!" He laughed nervously. "I was just joking. I can personally take you to the registration office.dont go to spirit hall and complain."
Lin Ming stared at him for a moment longer, then nodded.
tang san looked at Lin Ming shocked and thought'this guy is incredibly smart for his age'
Grandpa jack said"this is as far as I can take you both.I have to leave to the village now"
Lin Ming became a bit emotional as he saw the old man this is the only person who treated him like family unconditionally in his both lives and going away from him made him a bit reluctant.
'Once I have enough money I will definitely let him retire and let him enjoy his remaining years without doing any work this is the least I can do'lin Ming thought with determination.
Grandpa Jack, too, seemed emotional as he bid them farewell. "Both of you, work hard and don't let me down! Make our village proud!"
Lin Ming and Tang San thanked him before stepping through the gates. Just as they entered, a thin man with short black hair appeared before them. He had an average build and wore simple clothes, but his sharp eyes gave off an intellectual air.
The guard visibly tensed upon seeing the man. "Master, what are you doing here?"
The man looked at the gaurd and turned toward Lin Ming and Tang San with a friendly smile. "Let me take those certificates. I'll handle your registration personally."
Lin Ming instinctively took a step back, feeling uneasy as the man's gaze lingered on him and Tang San.
The man carefully examined the certificates, and his eyes gleamed with excitement. Meanwhile, Tang San decided to strike up a conversation.
"Are you a teacher here, sir?"
The man shook his head. "No, I'm just a freeloader who stays here."
Tang San frowned. "You must still have some status. Not everyone can be addressed as 'Master.'"
While Tang San continued speaking with the man, Lin Ming quickly lost interest.This so-called 'Master' or Yu Xiaogang, someone who claimed to be a genius theorist but most of his theories was just common sense
Lin Ming's thoughts wandered as he observed the interaction. There's no way Yu Xiaogang just happened to be here by coincidence. He's obviously been watching from the moment he overheard the gaurd saying about tang san having innate full soul power.
In the original story yu xiaogong came and stood up for tang san and even fired the gaurd making him seem like a really good person but If he truly cared for the students that guard should've been fired a long time ago the only reason he stood up for tang san at that time must have been because he heard about tang sans talent and wanted to make a good impression on him to take him as his desciple
After the registration yu xiaogong called out tang san and took him to his office.He already knew what was going to happen next—Yu Xiaogang would explain his 'theory' about twin martial souls to Tang San and recruit him as a disciple.
Leaving Tang San to deal with Yu Xiaogang, Lin Ming quietly made his way toward Dorm Seven—the work-study dormitory.
As he walked slowly towards dorm seven asking directions from the teachers he saw.
He finally reached dorm seven after 5 minutes and as he entered all the kids were looking at him.A boy who looked about 11years old came forward and said"hello my name is wang Sheng martial spirit battle tiger introduce yourself new kid"
Lin Ming nodded and said"lin Ming martial spirit chains"
Everyone looked surprised as chain spirits are quite rare normally they are just common spirits like hoes without spirit power eventhough it's not considered a trash spirit like blue silver grass it's not highly regarded as a martial spirit.
Wang Sheng nodded and said"our dormitary has a rule where we have to fight and the winner becomes the boss of our dorm"
Lin Ming nodded"what are the benefits of being the boss?"
Wang Sheng said"you can order us to do your work but the condition is you will have to protect us when any battle happens with noble students"
Lin Ming thought'being the boss means I can focus more time on cultivation and skip the work all I have to do is beat xiao chenyu which I am pretty confident I can do'
Lin Ming nodded and said" ok then let's start"
Lin put on the classic rock lee stance where he put one hand in the back raised his other hand beckoning wang Sheng to come
'I always wanted to do this stance'lin Ming thought
Wang Sheng and all the work study student looked at him weirdly seeing his stance as when they fight normally it's just running towards each other and punching it's their first time seeing something like this.
Wang Sheng nodded and summoned his martial spirit and said"martial spirit possession"
Wang shengs body started to get ripped as his arms and legs started to bulge
He ran across to lin Ming and sent a punch with his full power.
Lin Ming seeing the punch sidestepped really easily sweeped wang shengs legs making him lose balance without letting him recover lin Ming punched him straight in his stomach and gave him a flurry of punchs precise in his ribs and other weak points.
Wang sheng tried to dodge but it was futile lin Ming has been training his body from a young age of three and these two months of combat training also taught him how to attack enemies weak points precisely without missing a beat.
His body was not much weaker then wang Sheng in martial possesion and interms punching speed and precision he vastly out classes the other party so before anyone could even understand what happened wang Sheng was already lying on the ground in pain holding his ribs and stomach.
Lin Ming controlled his strength when hitting them the pain was only going to last for sometime he didn't damage any of his bone permanently.
Wang Sheng looked at Lin Ming and said with a pained expression"I admit defeat you can be the new boss of dorm seven .Now our dorm seven is stronger then before we won't get bullied really easily"
Lin Ming looked apologetic and said"I controlled my strength when hitting you so don't worry the pain will go after sometime"
Wang Sheng nodded with some relief and said to everyone"Everyone from now on lin Ming is the boss of our dorm everyone should call him boss lin from now on"
Everyone in the dorm nodded and agreed
One random kid said"boss lin from now we will take care of your work as a work study student you just have to protect us from those noble students who bully us"
Lin Ming nodded and said"if any of them bullies you just come to me and I will take care of it"
Everyone became cheerfully as lin Ming was a really good boss and didn't show any arrogance.
"Is this dorm seven?"asked tang san who just came at the entrance of dorm seven.
Everyone looked at him and then wang Sheng stood up with a pained expression and repeated everything the same way he repeated to lin Ming
When everyone heard his martial spirit was blue silver grass some people looked with some contept as blue silver grass is widely known as a trash spirit.
Tang san said"I don't want to be the boss of the dorm so can I just skip the fight"
Wang Sheng got a bit angry was about to reprimand him but then Lin Ming said"If he doesn't want to fight don't force him he is my fellow villager and if he don't want to fight let it be"
When wang Sheng heard tang san and lin ming were from the same village he decided to let it go as lin Ming ordered as he is the new boss and he also has to follow his orders and he also feels it's not worth it to fight someone with a blue silver grass.
Tang san looked at Lin Ming and thought'I thought he hated me or something from the way he avoids me in the village but looks like he is someone who values his relationship'
Lin Ming had other thoughts'Its better not to fight him now I can't garantee a victory especially if he decides to use those sleeve arrows I am not confident enough to beat him I need to make senior hogoromo teach me some metal based ninjutsu now that I can walk on tree or else I won't have any trump cards when I am in danger'
Just then another voice asked"is this dorm seven?"
When everyone looked over they saw a little girl with a long braid standing near the entrance of dorm seven.
Tang san looked and asked"are boys and girls in the same dorm here?"
Wang Sheng replied"we are all children and because of that they didn't bother to make seperate dorms for work study students"
Wang Sheng then steppend forward and introduced himself again with the same lines.
Lin Ming looked at wang Sheng strangely and thought'doesn't he gets tired of telling the same thing over and over again wouldn't it be better if he just waited for all of them to come and explain it only once'
Xiao wu also introduced herself"hello everyone my name is xiao wu as in wu for dancing and my martial spirit is a soft boned rabbit"
Wang Sheng then told her about the rules to become boss and then she became really excited and looked at Lin Ming and said"come then let's fight I want to be the boss of the dorm"
Lin Ming looked seriously and said"Then come lets fight"
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End of chapter 3