Little San, You Have to Trust Me

Inside the hotel where Yu Xiaogang was staying.

"Little San, how did your graduation exam go? I should have taught you everything that was on it." Yu Xiaogang turned his back to them, his hands clasped behind him, looking every bit like a reclusive master.

Tang San shook his head. "I'm sorry, Teacher. The questions on today's exam were all things I'd never seen before. I probably did terribly."

"What?!" Startled, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly turned around and asked, "Little San, what questions were on it? You're my, Yu Xiaogang's, disciple. How could there be questions you couldn't answer?"

Tang San lowered his head. "One question asked whether it was the best choice for a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master to select Healing-Type Soul Rings."

"What?" Yu Xiaogang wore a strange expression. "The Blue Silver Grass martial soul is inherently extremely weak. Choosing Healing-Type Soul Rings for it—isn't that nonsense?!"

"Grandmaster, Han Yu came up with that question," Xiao Wu said at that moment. "And I think that while these questions are a little strange, Blue Silver Grass really is well suited for Healing-Type Soul Rings."

"Xiao Wu, it seems that since I haven't guided your theoretical studies these past few days, you've started spouting nonsense." Yu Xiaogang snapped. "Even if the Heavenly King himself came, a Blue Silver Grass martial soul could only take the control path. Furthermore, the Blue Silver Grass martial soul is inherently extremely fragile. Without Soul Rings that enhance toughness, it simply cannot restrain anyone."

Hearing this, Xiao Wu resentfully shut her mouth.

Over the past six years, she had long since understood Yu Xiaogang's character. In any case, whatever came out of his mouth was right, while whatever others said was wrong.

"Teacher, but there's a Healing-Type Soul Master at the academy with Blue Silver Grass. When I left the academy today, I even ran into him," Tang San said doubtfully.

Yu Xiaogang's heart sank. He had not expected Tang San to be so thoroughly brainwashed by Han Yu.

"Little San, a Blue Silver Grass taking the healing path is merely an individual variation. Most Blue Silver Grass martial souls cannot even be cultivated throughout their entire lives."

"But, Teacher, there was another question today. It asked Blue Silver Grass martial souls, or some attribute-less martial souls, to take the elemental path."

"That is utter nonsense!" Yu Xiaogang said sternly. "Little San, I've told you about this before. A Blue Silver Grass martial soul cannot take the elemental Soul Master path. Think about it: Blue Silver Grass inherently fears fire. If it were given a fire-attribute Soul Ring, then the moment the Blue Silver Grass sprouted, it would likely burn to ash from its own heat."

After a pause, he continued, "Or take an iron sword martial soul. It has no inherent attribute. If it were given a fire attribute, the Soul Master's body simply could not fuse with that elemental energy. The final result would be flames burning the Soul Master's palm."

The examples Yu Xiaogang gave were all extreme cases.

Tang San believed that his teacher was not wrong, so he overlooked the likelihood of such things happening.

"Grandmaster, then how many Soul Skills can a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring provide?" Xiao Wu frowned and asked.

"That's right, Teacher. That was also a bonus question. Han Yu was the one who wrote it."

Yu Xiaogang sneered. "Heh, now I understand. That Han Yu is clearly misleading the younger generation. With such scum at Nuoding Academy, it will collapse sooner or later!"

"Little San, aside from those questions, calculate how many points you think you scored."

Yu Xiaogang hurriedly changed the subject.

These questions had already touched upon his blind spots in knowledge. Moreover, he thought far too highly of himself to take anyone else's theories seriously. He had no idea how to answer them.

Even Spirit Hall had very few records regarding Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings. As a mere Soul Grandmaster, there was even less chance that he would know.

After thinking it over, Tang San said, "Teacher, those strange questions weren't the entire exam. My score should be above sixty."

Yu Xiaogang nodded. "As long as you can graduate smoothly, that's enough. Little San, you must trust my theories. Han Yu and his followers are nothing more than heretical nonsense. You must not accept them."

"Teacher, I understand."

"Brother San, let's go buy some carrots. We also need to prepare for tomorrow's practical test," Xiao Wu said.

"Alright. Teacher, we'll be leaving first."

After leaving the hotel, Xiao Wu said, "Brother San, don't you think adding a fire-attribute Soul Ring to your Blue Silver Grass martial soul would be a good choice? That way, you'd gain some offensive ability and some fire resistance as well."

Tang San had been thoroughly brainwashed by Yu Xiaogang, so how could he possibly listen? He said, "Xiao Wu, Teacher said that toughness and poison attributes are the best fit for my martial soul. By using poison to paralyze opponents, combined with the toughness of Blue Silver Grass, they simply won't be able to break free."

"Besides, Teacher has already decided on my third Soul Ring. I can't go against his wishes."

"Alright, Brother San. But in tomorrow's practical test, you're not allowed to use Hidden Weapons," Xiao Wu said playfully.

"Xiao Wu, you're my little sister. How could I possibly use Hidden Weapons on you?" Tang San said with a smile.

Xiao Wu had actually already realized that Tang San's third Soul Ring would most likely grant another binding-type Soul Skill.

The Soul Skills from his first three Soul Rings were basically overlapping already.

That was the result of Yu Xiaogang's teachings.

From Tang San's fifth Soul Ring onward, which of his Blue Silver Grass martial soul's Soul Skills was not offensive? Even the Sixth Soul Ring Xiao Wu provided was far better than having nothing but Entanglement-type Soul Skills.

If Tang San had not encountered his own unique opportunities—absorbing the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot, then undergoing Ice and Fire Body Tempering—his Blue Silver Grass would have been beaten like a dog during the Soul Master Grand Competition.

So what exactly had Yu Xiaogang taught Tang San?

As far as theory went, Tang San had studied from the elementary academy all the way to the Advanced Soul Master Academy. What could he not have learned on his own?

And Yu Xiaogang not only could not protect Tang San when he was in danger, but repeatedly needed Tang San to save him instead.

Only an idiot like Tang San would be willing to become the disciple of someone like that.

In the blink of an eye, it was the next day.

Under normal circumstances, elementary Soul Master academies only taught theory.

Practical combat tests between Soul Masters were normally only introduced at Intermediate Soul Master Academies.

The purpose of today's practical test was to assess the students' combat awareness. The results would also serve as a reference when students applied to Intermediate Soul Master Academies.

Of course, that only applied to students capable of entering an Intermediate Soul Master Academy.

There were plenty of students who had studied at Nuoding Academy for six years without breaking through to level ten Soul Power.

Only a few dozen people had arrived today.

Han Yu was today's chief examiner. Soul Skills had no eyes, and to prevent students from being injured, the academy had previously hired Healing-Type Soul Masters from outside at a high cost. But with Ye Lingling this year, there was naturally no need to find anyone else.

The academy had not shortchanged Ye Lingling on her payment.

"Tang San, I wonder how you'll feel when you see a Blue Silver Grass martial soul," Han Yu thought with a smile as he watched Tang San.

Without the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, would Blue Silver Grass still be as resilient as before?