Duan Yuanchen's gaze had never shifted away from Yu Xiaogang from the very beginning.
The latter's pace was neither hurried nor slow, each step landing perfectly as he walked toward them.
The Young Gatekeeper's intentional difficulties and obstructions...
...at this moment, quietly overlapped with Yu Xiaogang's figure in Duan Yuanchen's heart.
He forced himself to pull back his thoughts, placing his finger back on the page and pretending to flip through it.
Yu Xiaogang walked up to Old Jack and gestured for him to take out the certification documents.
Just then, a sudden sound broke the surrounding tranquility!
Yu Xiaogang actually farted without any warning!
Duan Yuanchen reacted quickly, stepping aside to dodge long before the smell could spread.
Covering his nose with one hand, he used the other to try and pull the bewildered Old Jack away.
Old Jack wore a dazed expression, his brows furrowed as he asked directly, "Oh my, it reeks! What kind of act is this? Why did you suddenly fart?"
Duan Yuanchen seized the opportunity to quickly put more distance between himself and Yu Xiaogang.
Teasing words escaped his mouth: "Yo! Grandmaster? Could your Spirit... have some inseparable bond with this fart?"
Yu Xiaogang looked embarrassed, opening his mouth but failing to say a word for a long time.
Luo San Pao's fart-loving nature was truly nothing to brag about.
Just then, a sudden change occurred.
Two dazzling yellow spirit rings suddenly emerged from Yu Xiaogang's body, their light radiating in all directions.
The ground trembled, and a small dog that looked as fat as a pig with large purple-skinned ears appeared out of thin air.
It was endearingly naive yet possessed a hint of the extraordinary.
This was Yu Xiaogang's unique mutated Spirit—Luo San Pao!
"Village Chief, things don't look good! We need to retreat quickly!"
Duan Yuanchen was quick-handed, grabbing Old Jack and turning to sprint in the opposite direction of the academy gate.
"Yuanchen... don't pull me while running!"
Hearing Old Jack's words, Duan Yuanchen's pace became even more urgent.
Yu Xiaogang's ability suddenly activated!
Second Spirit Ability: Fart Like Smoke, Hypnotic Sleep, Luo San Pao!
An indescribable stench instantly filled the air.
Tang San, the Young Gatekeeper, and Yu Xiaogang...
...were simultaneously dazed by this sudden "attack," losing consciousness immediately.
Even Old Jack, who had been pulled some distance away by Duan Yuanchen...
...could still smell that pungent stench.
While coughing, he complained, "No, this smell... we need to get further away! This is too ridiculous; this person's Spirit is actually farting?"
As Luo San Pao's wave of "attack" ended, the fat figure quickly vanished into the air.
Duan Yuanchen gently opened his book, then closed it.
His eyes held a hint of doubt: "Grandpa Village Chief, is this Notting Academy really reliable?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Xiaogang jerked and woke up abruptly from his "sleep."
In a manner like a carp leaping up, he stood to his feet.
He scooped up the still-dizzy Tang San and hurried toward Duan Yuanchen and Old Jack.
"I'm sorry, truly sorry... My Spirit seems to have had a bit of a problem! Old gentleman, could you let me see the Spirit Hall certification?"
Yu Xiaogang feigned composure as he took the certificate from Old Jack, though an imperceptible panic flashed in his eyes.
He began putting on an act to apologize for the Young Gatekeeper's previous rudeness, his words earnest as if he were truly reflecting.
After apologizing, Yu Xiaogang led Duan Yuanchen and Tang San into the academy.
When passing the Young Gatekeeper, he specifically stopped.
He coldly dropped a sentence: "If there is a next time, you won't need to work here anymore!"
As they walked inside, Tang San acted like a social butterfly.
He kept finding topics to chat about, while Duan Yuanchen seemed to have been put on mute, remaining silent.
When they stepped onto the stairs leading to the academy's interior...
Yu Xiaogang suddenly stopped and said with self-satisfaction, "Tang San, you should have twin spirits, right?"
Tang San's footsteps also paused, his brows furrowing.
He thought to himself: "This man has a way to seek death!... He must be tired of living!"
Seeing this, Duan Yuanchen also stopped.
He leaned lazily against one side of the stairs, casually opening the book in his hand and pretending to read.
Yu Xiaogang turned around, holding the Spirit Hall certification.
He began his seemingly profound performance of showing off, talking incessantly about the data he had compiled.
Tang San remained unmoved, even feeling a bit of repulsion: "Why can't I just be an exception?"
Yu Xiaogang seemed not to hear Tang San's doubt, continuing to talk to himself and promote his seemingly perfect Spirit theory.
He constantly elevated his own status, as if he were the authority of the Spirit World.
At the same time, he was quietly enticing Tang San, trying to bring him under his wing.
The three of them walked all the way up to a row of benches.
Duan Yuanchen walked straight over and found a seat.
Opening the book, he began to rewrite the content on the page.
[Tang San suddenly knelt on the ground and began kowtowing loudly, performing 300 kowtows in a row while muttering about wanting to take Yu Xiaogang as his foster father...]
Just as Duan Yuanchen finished editing, Tang San was driven by some mysterious force.
The action of kowtowing was as smooth as chewing gum; he simply couldn't stop.
Yu Xiaogang watched dumbfoundedly and hurried to intervene: "Tang San, why bother? A few times for show is enough!"
But Tang San was determined; no matter how Yu Xiaogang pulled, he refused to get up.
After the kowtows were completed, bone was faintly visible on Tang San's forehead.
With blood flowing down his face, he still said firmly, "Grandmaster! If you do not disdain me, Tang San is willing to take you as my foster father for this life!"
Yu Xiaogang pulled a roll of gauze from his bag and skillfully bandaged Tang San's forehead.
His brows were tightly knit, full of confusion: "Becoming a disciple is one thing... why do you want to take me as your foster father? And with such a grand gesture? Did you take the wrong medicine, kid? Come, come, let's go to the School Infirmary first!"
Tang San, however, seemed nailed to the ground, refusing to get up: "Grandmaster, if you do not accept me as your foster son, I will remain kneeling like this!"
Looking at Tang San's posture, Yu Xiaogang felt delighted: "This is simply an unexpected surprise!"
Although the whole process felt eerie, he didn't care about that.
His lips curled into a satisfied smile: "Good! Since you are so sincere, I will reluctantly accept you as my foster son! Go, go, let's hurry to the School Infirmary to treat the wound!"
On the way, Yu Xiaogang suddenly stopped and specifically turned his gaze toward Duan Yuanchen, who was looking down at his book.
He asked with feigned curiosity: "Duan Yuanchen, you kid really like devouring books! The book in your hand... it couldn't be your Spirit, right?"
Duan Yuanchen looked up and smiled openly: "What? I'm just writing in my diary! I've recorded everything that just happened..."
Hearing this, a glint of craftiness flashed in Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
His legs suddenly went weak, and he knelt on the ground, beginning to imitate Tang San by kowtowing properly.
Duan Yuanchen seemed startled by this sudden move.
He shouted with feigned shock: "Oh my, Grandmaster! What kind of act is this? Why... why are you suddenly copying Tang San?"
Since Yu Xiaogang's level was higher, Duan Yuanchen decided to increase the stakes, setting a "task" of 500 kowtows.
By the time the last one was finished, Yu Xiaogang's face was covered in blood.
Although it hadn't reached the point of a broken head showing bone, it was still terrifying enough.
His expression was very serious, and he spoke with a firm tone: "I have drifted for half my life, only regretting that I never met a wise lord. If you do not mind, I am willing to take you as my foster father... please accept me as your foster son!"