18 CHAPTER 18

Even though Nuoding city was not counted as a large city, because it was very close to Heaven Dou Empire's border the city walls were still built thick.

"Tang San ah! In a moment grandpa will take you to the academy and then return. When you are alone at the academy you must listen to your teachers, you must not leave the academy without permission. When the semester ends, Grandpa Jack will again come to meet you. That time will be almost at the New Year."

Old Jack said with a wry smile:

"A hotel is not for us poor people to stay in. You must try to win credit. When grandpa sees you next time, I hope you will already have become a spirit master so that you can be the pride of our Holy Spirit village."

Nuoding primary spirit master academy was located in westward side of the Nuoding city. Old Jack asked passersby for directions several times, and at long last I was brought there.

Distantly, we could already see a large gate arch. The arch was twenty metres wide, and its height was over ten metres, made of solid rock. Below were two iron gates, jet black which had been meticulously forged.

Through the iron bars, a winding path could be seen. A main road led directly inside, lined with trees on both sides.

In the middle of the arched gate were four large characters, "Nuoding Academy".

Old Jack brought me to the front gate, and they were immediately stopped by the young gatekeeper,

"What on earth? Is this a place where you country bumpkins can enter?"

Old Jack's apparel in Nuoding city, counted to that of a country bumpkin. The gatekeeper had in his eyes a somewhat disdainful look. Arrogance. It was pure arrogance. I was fine with it. I don't care whether he thinks of me as a king or a beggar, I just had to enter the academy and never encounter him again.

"Yes" I plainly said.

Old Jack said with an apologetic smile: "This? Little brother, we have come from Holy Spirit village. This child is our village's working student for this year, you see. We need to go through."

The gatekeeper frowned, and somewhat queerly said: "So a grass nest can still produce a golden phoenix? A tiny village also has people with spirit power? But the academy has not had a working student for a good many years. You cannot fake it."

"Yes" I simply said again.

A trace of anger flashed in old Jack's eyes, but he still swallowed the insult and held out the certificate written by that spirit hall attendant Su Yuntao, handing it to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper took the proffered certificate, and looked it over from top to bottom,

"Spirit is blue silver grass? But still innate full spirit power? Ridiculous, this really is the biggest joke in the world. I have worked as gatekeeper at the academy for four years, and still haven't heard of a student with innate full spirit power. This boy's spirit is blue silver grass, and can still have full spirit power? I think this spirit hall certificate is definitely a forgery."

"You..."

Even if Jack had a better temperament, at this moment he was already unable to restrain himself.

"Whether we have faked it or not, it shouldn't concern you. Your job is to help us enter the academy.  As for faking it, it's not your job, but dean's to check it." I replied.

"Fine, I'll also see, how will you enter this academy."

"..." Why? Oh god, why do these kind of retards exist in this world, no not only in this world but also in every other shitty xianxia. Just for faceslapping and being cocky? Do authors just insert them in the blank space so that, the main protagonist could finally feel some self pleasure? So that he can think, "ohh now I'm greater than this or that guy?" Why do people just don't grow up. What !? what have they accomplished by being cocky, I never have understood the fact, honestly.

"You are intentionally making things difficult. Very well, you wait and see. I'll go find a lord spirit hall attendant. Little san, we're leaving." Old Jack said angrily.

"Wait. Sir, since you are willing to bet on the Spirit Hall certificate being fake, you shall now be held responsible for it." I calmly threatened him.

Spirit Hall was an organization on the par with the two empires, naturally they wouldn't digest any insult made towards them. But , why would I waste my time with a gatekeeper? What was his importance? I'll never gonna see him again for the rest of my life. Was I angry due to his insults? No, what words spoken by a gatekeeper would hold any weightage? Was he even qualified to even comment on me? How could words of trash hold any importance to a treasure? I was waiting for my future teacher, Yu xiaogang aka The Grandmaster to arrive.

He was one of my favorite character of Soul land. Yu Xiaogang is a brilliant Spirit Master who is kind-hearted and very calculating. He is not arrogant fool and values intelligence and knowledge above all else. I like such people whom you can easily convey your thoughts, without thinking about their iq, status or feelings. He's the closest character except for the Supreme Pontiff, who I think can understand me and my thought process.

The gatekeeper in his heart was somewhat uneasy. If a person from spirit hall truly came, he would bear the responsibility. But, he believed from the way we had dressed that there was no way a spirit hall person would come to ask questions for the sake of us.

With his heart gloomy, the words from his mouth naturally did not sound good. "What Holy Spirit village, I think Beggar village should also be similar."

This was getting ridiculously awkward... why was he so hellbent on being cocky!? Why does he have so much free time? Wasting both his and our time. If I had to deal with such people,  I think I'm gonna get a mental stroke.

Naturally,  Old Jack was burning with fury. But I believed silence was the answer. I didn't react, just stood there with confidence.

"What? Not convinced ah, I said you came from beggar village. What's wrong? You look at this little destitute spirit, all the clothes are completely . I think, you are still looking for a place to go begging, right? Our Nuoding academy is not a charity. Quickly beat it, quickly beat it."

"..."

I, so much wish to kill you. Literally, I had to make this guy shut up his toxic behavior.

Just when old Jack was about to have a heart attack from fury, I said," Oh great soul master which appears once in a millennium,  you are as bright as the sun. Compared to the mighty you, we are not worth comparing, if your great mouth speaks about us, it would be a great insult to you. So, why bother yourself with us? Just shut the hell up. "

"Stinking brat, you're courting death." Wow, simply wow. This sentence was like music to my ears. Finally, someone said this to me. I was wondering whether in this life, I would be able to experience this sentence. From now on, I can finally say that I'm a reincarnated xianxia protagonist. Because, any xianxia doesn't progress without any elder, or young master or even such fools saying this. And yes, calling this guy a fool was, already me piting him for his cracked head.

"Alright, stay your hands, ok."

Just then, a rather hoarse sounding voice rose, stopping the gatekeeper's movement.

The gatekeeper was at first dazed for a moment, immediately , the anger across his entire face suddenly transformed into fawning. The change was so quick, it was hard to imagine. Bowing and scraping towards the speaker he said:

"Grandmaster, you have returned."

Atlast, Grandmaster had appeared. He had an average figure, somewhat thin looking, appearing forty to fifty years old, with short black hair with three seven separation, very ordinary looks, both hands held behind his back. His body possessed a kind of peculiar manner, with both eyes half open he seemed a bit sluggish and dispirited.

Before he could even say anything, I handed him the Spirit Hall certificate and said, "We both know that a certificate from spirit hall couldn't be fake. Let's drop this nonsense, and head inside ".

Yu Xiaogang looked over the certificate, his gaze shifting to me, measuring me up and down. For some reason, although his's gaze was certainly not sharp,  I felt as if it saw right through me completely.

"There is nothing wrong with the certificate. Old gentleman, for this matter, I apologize on behalf of the academy. Deliver this child to me, ok?"

When a soul master level personage apologized towards him, old Jack's vanity received an enormous boost, and he hastily shook both hands, saying:

"Don't apologize, don't apologize. We are also in the wrong. Grandmaster, I will trouble you with this child. Tang San, you follow Grandmaster inside ok, but you must be obedient."

I nodded, but didn't speak anything.

Turning towards the retard, I spoke to him in a harsh tone, almost sneering, but with absolute confidence, "Congratulations, for wasting both of ours' time. I hope you gained somewhat entertainment, from the past hour, into your boring life. As I have clearly wasted an hour from my life talking with you, which I could have used in some constructive way."

Grandmaster lowered his head to look at me, on his face, a slight smile emerged. As if his facial muscles were stiff, the smile had an appearance that most people would not dare compliment. Dragging my hand, he said: "Let's go."

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Author's Note - what's your thought on such characters? If someday you meet them, how will you handle them?