"Little San, what did you say? My younger brother Tang Yi has already reached the twelfth rank as a soul master?"
"And he possesses a two-thousand-year soul ring?"
Tang San had just completed the first phase of special training under Yu Xiaogang, advancing his soul power to the eighteenth rank, and upon returning to Notting Academy, he was approached by Xiao Wu, who quietly relayed the information.
Tang San's immediate reaction was disbelief:
"Impossible!"
"Absolutely impossible!"
He shook his head repeatedly.
He knew his younger brother—having lived together for six full years—better than anyone.
During the martial soul awakening ceremony presided over by Su Yun Tao of the Spirit Hall, everything had been perfectly clear and unmistakable:
An ordinary Blue Silver Grass martial soul with only first-level innate soul power!
Moreover, according to Teacher Yu Xiaogang's theories, since his innate soul power was only level one, his younger brother could not possibly possess a second martial soul.
That made him nothing more than a trash soul master!
In just a few short months, even if his younger brother had cultivated diligently, reaching perhaps third or fourth rank would already be considered exceptional.
How could he possibly be at the twelfth rank?
And Xiao Wu even claimed he possessed a two-thousand-year soul ring?
That was simply laughable!
Tang San gave a disdainful smile and patted Xiao Wu on the head:
"Xiao Wu, are you perhaps running a fever? I know my own brother best."
"He is merely a self-important piece of trash! Let me remind you: even with Teacher's guidance, I have only just obtained a four-hundred-year Mandala Snake soul ring!"
"By what right could Tang Yi possibly obtain a two-thousand-year soul ring?"
Soon afterward, Yu Xiaogang arrived with his hands clasped behind his back, speaking in an equally arrogant tone:
"Xiao Wu, to say nothing else, my martial soul theoretical knowledge alone proves one thing: the absolute limit for a first soul ring is four hundred and twenty-three years! Tang Yi could not possibly possess a soul ring exceeding a thousand years!"
Xiao Wu, however, possessed a stubborn temperament. She trusted her own strength and, even more so, what she had witnessed with her own eyes:
"Tang Yi's soul ring is indeed purple—a thousand-year soul ring! Moreover, Tang Yi's strength is extraordinarily formidable. When I faced him, I had absolutely no power to resist!"
She then cast a deep glance at the so-called Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang:
"Perhaps your martial soul theoretical knowledge is incorrect? Perhaps the limit for a first soul ring is not four hundred and twenty-three years after all?"
Faced with Xiao Wu's direct challenge, Yu Xiaogang instantly exploded!
His own strength was mediocre; he had remained stuck at twenty-ninth-rank Great Soul Master his entire life—a complete failure.
His greatest lifelong pursuit had been to propagate his so-called martial soul theoretical knowledge far and wide, thereby gaining worldwide fame and finally earning the recognition of all under heaven.
"Hmph! Little girl, who do you think you are? How dare you question my martial soul theoretical knowledge?"
In a fit of rage, Yu Xiaogang seized Xiao Wu by the throat.
Xiao Wu was, after all, only a ten-something-rank soul master—how could she possibly match a twenty-ninth-rank Great Soul Master?
In an instant, she found herself unable to break free from Yu Xiaogang's chokehold!
It was Tang San who finally intervened, dropping to his knees with a "thud" before Yu Xiaogang and kowtowing repeatedly:
"Teacher, I beg you—please forgive Xiao Wu! She is still young and immature. She has offended you, and I apologize on her behalf!"
"Hmph!"
With a rough shove, Yu Xiaogang flung Xiao Wu aside. She crashed heavily to the ground.
"Little girl, the next time you dare to speak such insolent nonsense and show disrespect to your elders, I will report you directly to the academy director and have you expelled!"
Having delivered this harsh warning, Yu Xiaogang stormed off in a huff.
Watching his teacher panting with fury, Tang San felt equally indignant.
"Xiao Wu, if you ever dare to speak such falsehoods again, we can no longer be friends!"
"Teacher Yu Xiaogang is my teacher! A teacher is like a father. To question him and show him disrespect is to make yourself my enemy!"
Tang San spoke coldly.
At that moment, tears streamed down Xiao Wu's face. Looking pitiful and fragile, she asked:
"Third Brother, do you really not believe what I say?"
Tang San offered no reply—only cold silence. He turned and strode away, hurrying after his teacher, the so-called grandmaster of martial soul theory—Yu Xiaogang.
Xiao Wu gazed at Tang San's cold and heartless retreating figure. In that instant, an irreparable crack had formed in the bond between them.
After all, from the beginning of the school year at Notting Academy until now, barely a single year had passed.
Many of the later events that would have deepened their relationship had not yet occurred; their foundation of affection was far from solid.
"Teacher, please do not be angry! Xiao Wu is only a child—she does not yet understand things properly. Especially when it comes to your profound martial soul theoretical knowledge, how could someone as foolish as Xiao Wu possibly comprehend it?"
Tang San hastened to console Yu Xiaogang, who was still breathing heavily with rage.
Hearing Tang San's flattery, Yu Xiaogang felt greatly appeased.
Ever since accepting Tang San as his disciple, Yu Xiaogang had—for the first time—felt real hope.
Tang San's talent was truly exceptional. It had finally given the man who had been merely "retiring" and "idling away his days" at Notting Academy a genuine chance to prove his martial soul theories to the entire continent!
Yu Xiaogang patted Tang San on the shoulder and spoke earnestly:
"Little San, for your own sake, you must cultivate diligently! As for your younger brother Tang Yi—do not associate with him overly much. You are destined to become a powerhouse, while he is fated to remain forever at the bottom!"
Then, out of supposed "goodwill," Yu Xiaogang offered Tang San a reminder:
"Little San, in my opinion, that classmate of yours—Xiao Wu—is nothing more than a narrow-minded, disrespectful, lying green tea girl. You must remember your teacher's sincere advice: the more beautiful a girl is, the less trustworthy she becomes! You absolutely must not become involved with such women!"
Yu Xiaogang launched into an intense brainwashing session.
"I once read a biography written by a Title Douluo, in which he stated: 'Women will only slow down the speed at which I draw my blade! Especially beautiful women!'"
Tang San nodded repeatedly:
"Yes, Teacher. I understand! Beautiful women are the least reliable! From now on, Little San will absolutely avoid becoming involved with beautiful women!"
Hearing Tang San's words, a trace of melancholy flickered across Yu Xiaogang's face.
The images of two women appeared unbidden in his mind.
One was the current enchanting Pope of the Spirit Hall—Bibi Dong!
The other was the fiery and passionate Liu Erlong!
Both were peerless beauties in their own right—yet both had somehow been blind enough, in this "Continent of Love," to fall for a scoundrel, coward, and failure like Yu Xiaogang!
Then Yu Xiaogang thought of himself—guiding this supreme genius Tang San. One day, when Tang San ascended to the rank of Title Douluo and proclaimed to the world that his teacher was none other than Yu Xiaogang, the name "Yu Xiaogang" would resound across the entire Douluo Continent!
"At that time, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the Spirit Hall, and everyone who has ever looked down on me or scorned me—I will make you all kneel!"
Yu Xiaogang sank once more into fantasy, practically drooling at the thought.
Tang San blinked in confusion and reminded him:
"Teacher, are you perhaps hungry? Why are you drooling?"
Yu Xiaogang snapped back to reality, immediately adopting a serious expression. He patted Tang San's shoulder once again:
"Little San, you must cultivate as quickly as possible!"
"Then break through to the twentieth rank of soul power! At that point, I will use my connections to persuade the academy director to accompany us to the Star Dou Great Forest and hunt a soul beast for you!"