Duolou: After taking advice, I became Supreme!

As more and more people gathered around, the gatekeeper was at a loss for what to do.

Hurriedly, he lifted his foot and stepped back, signaling that he had no intention of stepping on the proof of admission.

Just as Old Jack bent down to pick it up, Yun Feng stopped him.

"Grandpa, no need to bend down. It's not worth it."

Old Jack paused, stunned by his grandson's words. He looked up at Yun Feng's small frame, which seemed almost towering as it stood against the light.

Straightening his previously hunched back, Old Jack slowly stood tall again.

Yun Feng narrowed his eyes at the gatekeeper before him and commanded in a stern voice:

"Pick it up!"

Before the gatekeeper could react, Yun Feng shouted again:

"Pick it up!"

By now, the gatekeeper was fully exposed to the crowd's gaze. Yun Feng's actions left him with two options: feel humiliated and lash out, or swallow his pride and back down to avoid further conflict.

There are some things you can't retreat from, and some lines you shouldn't cross. This is what Yun Feng believed in.

"Alright, that's enough."

At that moment, a slightly hoarse voice interrupted, stopping the gatekeeper just as he was about to bend down.

The gatekeeper froze, and his previously troubled face quickly shifted to one of obsequiousness, as if transformed in an instant. He bowed and scraped before the newcomer, saying:

"Master, you're back."

Yun Feng and the others turned to look and saw a middle-aged man, somewhat slender, who had quietly appeared beside them.

This man appeared to be in his forties or fifties, with short black hair parted neatly. His face was ordinary, hands clasped behind his back, but there was an unusual air about him. His half-lidded eyes conveyed both laziness and indifference.

Seeing him, Yun Feng wasn't sure what to think.

Would strong women like Bibi Dong and Liu Erlong really be interested in someone like this?

He looked so average yet carried himself with such confidence! Yun Feng wasn't saying that a man's appearance was the most important thing — inner character always matters more than looks. But was Yu Xiaogang really worthy?

And what did he mean by his words?

At this point, Tang San's expression wasn't great either. After all, just when things seemed settled, this middle-aged man had appeared out of nowhere.

Yu Xiaogang, now noticing the gazes of Yun Feng and Tang San, casually glanced at the proof lying on the ground. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he then addressed the gatekeeper directly:

"They told you to pick it up. Didn't you hear?"

"Do you still want to work here?"

Yu Xiaogang's tone shifted so quickly that those around him had trouble keeping up.

The gatekeeper was dumbfounded, but he eventually bent down, picked up the document, and wiped it with his sleeve. Reluctantly, he muttered:

"Sorry, I didn't recognize you, Master."

At this point, the gatekeeper didn't care much about Yun Feng and the others. His full ire was directed at Yu Xiaogang, though he dared not show it.

Ignoring the gatekeeper, Yu Xiaogang took the proof and examined it. Meanwhile, Yun Feng and Tang San studied Yu Xiaogang closely. They saw his pupils contract for a brief moment before returning to normal as he looked them up and down.

"The proof is genuine. Old sir, on behalf of the academy, I apologize for what happened earlier. I'll take care of these two children from here."

Old Jack, being an ordinary person, felt somewhat uncomfortable receiving an apology from a soul master. He hurriedly waved his hands and said:

"No need to apologize, no need. We weren't entirely in the right either. Master, I'll leave the children in your hands. Feng'er, Xiao San, be sure to listen to the master."

Yun Feng nodded, a trace of reluctance in his eyes.

Although soul master training wasn't like the cultivation novels where time passes in the blink of an eye, starting down this path inevitably meant fewer reunions.

It's much like going to school as a child and later stepping into society as an adult — time spent with family becomes rarer as you face the world on your own.

Even though Yun Feng's mental age wasn't that of a child, he still felt a bit of sadness at this basic emotion.

At that moment, Tang San quietly retracted his hidden sleeve dart and fell into thought. In his view, Yun Feng's handling of the situation had left behind a potential threat.

According to the Tang Sect's rules, when dealing with an enemy who harbors resentment, one should eliminate the threat immediately.

"Tang Sect Mysterious Heaven Record, Rule Three: If the opponent shows a path to death, show no mercy, or you will only invite trouble."

In Tang San's eyes, the gatekeeper's bitterness and disdain already indicated he was on the path to death.

Tang San was confident that no one, not even Old Jack, would have noticed if he had fired his hidden dart.

No evidence, no witnesses — who could say it was him who killed the gatekeeper?

The Tang Sect's silent darts were lightning-fast, leaving nothing but a shadow. There was no way someone like the gatekeeper could dodge such an attack.

As Yun Feng and Tang San watched Old Jack disappear over the horizon, they turned to Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang, perhaps trying to make a point, glanced coldly at the gatekeeper and said:

"This is your first and last warning. If it happens again, you won't be staying here."

The gatekeeper broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly stepped aside, nodding in agreement.

Yu Xiaogang then looked down at Yun Feng and Tang San, forcing a stiff smile. His facial muscles seemed rigid, making the smile somewhat awkward.

"Which one of you is Tang San?"

Tang San stepped forward and asked:

"Teacher, do you need something?"

"Teacher? I'm not a teacher at the academy. I'm just a freeloader here," Yu Xiaogang replied nonchalantly, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes as he glanced at Tang San.

Just as Yu Xiaogang was about to say more, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd:

"He's just a freeloader!"

Yu Xiaogang's temper flared instantly!

He turned toward the source of the voice but couldn't find who had spoken. There were too many people. In the end, frustrated, he looked back at Tang San and said:

"Let's go inside. Don't let a bunch of faceless cowards affect you!"

Knowing what was to come, Yun Feng decided not to follow Yu Xiaogang and said:

"Master, could you tell me where I need to report?"

Yu Xiaogang glanced at Yun Feng, pointed in a direction, and said nothing more.

Yun Feng turned to Tang San and said:

"Tang San, I'll go check out the academy first. I won't go in with you."

Tang San, though surprised, nodded in understanding.