Yu Xiaogang Wants a Disciple?

Generally speaking, during the golden period of cultivation, someone with Innate Level Five Soul Power could usually raise their Soul Power by two levels a year.

By that calculation, two years would mean four levels, bringing him to no more than Level Nine Soul Power.

Yet Xia Liang had reached the Level Ten bottleneck so quickly. This showed that not only was his Soul Power talent exceptional, but the quality of his Martial Soul could not be poor either.

"Looks like it really is a benign mutation of his Martial Soul. A Skeleton Martial Soul with enormous potential... I wonder what kind of Soul Skill he'll gain after obtaining his First Soul Ring. If this child had a teacher well-versed in theory to guide him, he might truly become a powerful Battle Spirit Master in the future. Could Nuoding Academy finally produce a talent?"

The thought made Dean Ding somewhat excited.

Because there happened to be a master at the academy who was well-versed in theory.

After a long while.

Yu Xiaogang entered the Principal's Office. "Did you need something?"

Dean Ding set the pipe clenched between his teeth onto the desk and smiled mysteriously. "Xiaogang, I have something to show you. I'm sure you'll be interested."

"I remember you said the same thing two years ago, didn't you?" Yu Xiaogang seemed to realize something. "Could it be that another freshman with an unusual Martial Soul has enrolled this year?"

"Take a look first." As he spoke, Dean Ding walked up to Yu Xiaogang and handed him the information card in his hand.

Yu Xiaogang took the card and looked it over. The traces of laziness and dejection in his eyes instantly turned into surprise.

"Xia Liang, Level Ten Soul Power, and he has yet to obtain his First Soul Ring. Without any Cultivation Resources to assist him over the past two years, he has actually cultivated his Soul Power to Level Ten?"

Seeing the surprise on Yu Xiaogang's face, Dean Ding smiled knowingly. "There can be no mistake. The Soul Power reported in cultivation summaries must be tested using the academy's Soul Power Ball, so students cannot falsify it."

"Xiaogang, this child Xia Liang has yet to obtain his First Soul Ring. He probably doesn't know which Soul Beast he should hunt. Aren't you the unrivaled Theory Master? Why not give him a little guidance?"

Yu Xiaogang shook his head. "He and I are neither related nor acquainted. Why should I guide him?"

"Didn't you have the ambition to turn ordinary Soul Masters into peerless geniuses?"

Dean Ding deliberately tried to bring them together. "You've seen it over the past two years. Xia Liang has a good temperament, can endure hardship, and studies diligently. Think about it—doesn't such persistence and perseverance, coupled with your theoretical guidance, qualify him to become a genius?"

After pondering for a moment, a fiery light finally appeared in Yu Xiaogang's eyes. "Ding Yuan, you're right. Perhaps I really should consider it."

Hearing this, Dean Ding patted Yu Xiaogang's shoulder in delight. "That's more like it, Xiaogang. To be honest, I think highly of Xia Liang. With guidance from a Theory Master like you, he may truly become someone remarkable. Then your theories will be recognized by the world, and Nuoding Academy will gain the reputation it deserves. It would serve many purposes at once."

"I remember that child usually cultivates at the summit of the Academy Back Mountain."

As he spoke, Dean Ding placed the information card on the desk, picked up his pipe, and suggested, "Xiaogang, you can go take a look at the back mountain. Give him some advice about obtaining his First Soul Ring. That would both demonstrate your knowledge of Soul Beasts and let you take him as your disciple naturally. Wouldn't it?"

Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back and nodded indifferently. "Fine. I'll go to the back mountain and offer him some guidance. If his comprehension is high enough, taking him as my disciple wouldn't be out of the question."

Academy Back Mountain, summit.

At the center of the summit, Xia Liang sat cross-legged, meditating with full concentration.

His Soul Power had reached the Level Ten bottleneck two months ago. Only after obtaining his First Soul Ring could his Soul Power Level continue rising.

However, according to the original story, Soul Power could be accumulated.

Once one obtained a Soul Ring and broke through the level restriction, the accumulated Soul Power would reveal itself.

Therefore, cultivating before obtaining a Soul Ring was not a waste of time.

As for the direction in which he should obtain Soul Rings for his Skeleton Martial Soul, Xia Liang had never abandoned his earlier idea of Bone Transformation Susanoo.

He wanted a Soul Ring Skill that would allow the Skeleton Martial Soul to grow arms.

With the defense of Ribs and the offense of arms, it would be a perfect combination of attack and defense.

As for what kind of Soul Beast could produce a Soul Ring with an arm-related skill?

After two years of study, Xia Liang already had an answer in mind.

He remembered Teacher Mo mentioning a Soul Beast called the Netherworld Ghost Bear.

It was a bear-like creature, black all over like a ghost. At night, it mimicked humans by waving, appearing extraordinarily eerie and terrifying, hence its name, Ghost Bear.

Not only on Blue Star, but on Douluo Continent as well, every type of bear was synonymous with strength and defense.

As a high-grade Soul Beast, the Netherworld Ghost Bear possessed strength and defense second only to top-tier bear species. It had a relatively high chance of dropping an Arm Bone.

You are what you eat. Absorbing the Soul Ring of such a Soul Beast might promote the Skeleton Martial Soul, which currently possessed only Ribs, to evolve arm bones.

Fortunately, the artificially constructed Soul Hunting Forest outside Nuoding City happened to contain century-old Netherworld Ghost Bears.

Teacher Mo had also agreed to go with him to the Soul Hunting Forest after the opening ceremony to obtain a Soul Ring.

There were still two days until the opening ceremony.

During those two days, he could learn more knowledge related to Soul Beasts.

If the Netherworld Ghost Bear's Soul Ring could not make the Skeleton Martial Soul evolve arm bones, he would have no choice but to seek another Soul Beast.

After a long while.

The meditation ended.

Xia Liang opened his eyes, stood up, and breathed in the fresh air atop the mountain.

The mountain stood two hundred meters tall. His various daily physical training routines had all revolved around it.

He had previously tried jumping from a height of thirty meters and had emerged completely unscathed under the protection of the Skeleton Martial Soul's Ribs.

This showed that as his Soul Power Level increased, the Skeleton Martial Soul's hardness and defensive power also strengthened.

Although he had never fought in actual combat, Xia Liang was certain that after infusing the Skeleton Martial Soul with Level Ten Soul Power, he could use the Ribs to block the attack of an Agility Attack System Soul Master's First Soul Skill.

As for whether it could block the First Soul Skill of an Assault System Soul Master, he did not know.

After all, Assault System Soul Masters had stronger and more domineering attacks than Agility Attack System Soul Masters.

Judging by the sun's position, it was already around four in the afternoon.

There were still two hours before his shift at Fish Roast Restaurant.

Just as Xia Liang was about to head toward the slope leading down from the summit, he spotted a middle-aged man slowly making his way up.

The man appeared to be around forty or fifty years old. He was of average height and somewhat thin, with his hands clasped behind his back, giving off an unfathomable air.

Having lived at Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy for two years, Xia Liang had crossed paths with this middle-aged man before.

The man also lived in the academy dormitories. Whether they were students, the academy gatekeepers, or the academy's directors, everyone called him Master.

This man was Yu Xiaogang, the unrivaled Theory Master mentioned in the original story.

"Master, why are you here?" Xia Liang looked at Yu Xiaogang, who had walked up before him, with some surprise.

Yu Xiaogang forced a trace of a smile onto his stiff face. "Among the students of your year, Dean Ding thinks highly of you. He asked me to give you some advice on obtaining your First Soul Ring. I can also teach you some knowledge and guide you in cultivating your Skeleton Martial Soul."

"Master, are you planning to take me as your disciple?" Xia Liang caught the implication behind his words.

"Then are you willing to take me as your master?" Yu Xiaogang asked.

Xia Liang shook his head. "No."

"I know your concerns." Yu Xiaogang was unusually tolerant today. He forced another faint smile, his expression calm as he said, "You must have heard about me from some of the academy's teachers and students, right? That's right. I'm already over fifty, yet I've remained stuck at Level Twenty-Nine and have never been able to break through. Do you know why?"