Just Advanced to Soul Grandmaster, Already About to Advance to Soul Elder?

After Tang San woke up and saw that Master had been poisoned, he immediately helped Master purge the toxins.

However, Yu Xiaogang still did not regain consciousness. Mo Lang guessed that it might have something to do with his Ruyi Golden Cudgel injuring the man's internal organs, and that he would need some time to recuperate properly.

Naturally, Mo Lang kept his mouth shut about the matter. After all, Yu Xiaogang had insisted on looking at his treasure; no amount of persuasion had stopped him.

After helping Master deal with the toxins, Tang San looked at Mo Lang beside him and asked tentatively, "Lang-ge, aren't you curious why I know so much?"

Mo Lang shook his head and said with great ease, "What's there to be curious about? Everyone has their own secrets. It's no big deal. All I need to know is that you're my little brother."

"As long as I'm here, no matter what happens, I won't let you die." Seeing Tang San's moved expression, Mo Lang could not help patting his head. If you die, how am I supposed to freeload off check-ins?

"Enough. A real man bleeds but does not cry. Let's get out of here quickly. If we delay any longer, Master's condition will only worsen." With that, Mo Lang carried Master out of Soul Hunting Forest.

The next day.

Inside the carriage.

After taking medicine, Master finally woke up slowly under Tang San's care.

Once he realized he had not died, he felt a burst of relief.

He had finally found such an outstanding student as Tang San. How could he die so easily?

He had to prove through his actions that even if he was a worthless man, the disciple he taught would surely be exceptional!

Seeing that Master had awakened, Tang San finally let out the breath he had been holding.

Though they had only spent a few days together, Master's care for him was no less than that of Lang-ge and his father.

It allowed him to feel a long-lost sense of familial affection.

"Oh, right, Lang-ge, I haven't shown you my spirit ring yet!"

Like a child showing off his achievements to a parent, Tang San revealed his hundred-year yellow spirit ring.

Mo Lang calmly looked at Tang San's spirit ring. Seeing the expectant look in his eyes, as though waiting for praise, Mo Lang reluctantly nodded. "Mm, not bad."

It was not that he deliberately wanted to discourage Tang San. It was simply that after obtaining Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings, every spirit ring below that level looked like trash to him.

Being willing to praise Tang San with a simple "not bad" was already out of consideration for all the benefits he had freeloaded from him. He did not want to wound the boy's pride.

"Lang-ge, this was a four-hundred-year Mandala Snake!" Seeing Mo Lang's indifferent gaze, Tang San thought he did not understand how impressive the spirit ring was and could not help explaining, "Master said this is the maximum age limit a Soul Master can absorb for their first spirit ring!"

"..."

The moment Master saw Tang San's expression, he knew what the boy wanted to say. He had just been about to stop him, but Tang San had already blurted out the results of his research.

His old face could not help turning red as he gave Mo Lang an awkward smile.

If his chest were not still aching faintly, he would have thought everything that happened earlier had been a dream.

Both his first and second spirit rings were Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings. Mo Lang's talent was truly terrifying.

"I know. That's why I said you're not bad."

Mo Lang did not want to reveal his Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings and discourage Tang San. The boy was still young, and Mo Lang feared he would be unable to accept the gap between them and suffer a collapse of his Dao Heart.

"Just not bad? Then let me see how impressive your spirit rings are!"

Clearly dissatisfied with Mo Lang merely calling him not bad, Tang San wanted to see what Mo Lang's spirit rings were like.

"Ah."

With a sigh.

Mo Lang looked at Tang San, who could never seem to stay composed in front of him. He knew that unless he made the boy give up, Tang San would definitely keep pestering him.

Having no other choice, he revealed his Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings.

"Lang-ge, it's okay... Holy shit! Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings!"

Seeing Mo Lang sigh helplessly, Tang San thought he was trying to save face and had deliberately said Tang San's martial soul was merely not bad.

He had just been about to comfort him when two black, gleaming Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings appeared around Mo Lang.

He was completely dumbfounded.

Wasn't the maximum absorption age for a first spirit ring four hundred and twenty-three years, and the limit for a second spirit ring seven hundred and sixty-four years?

How could both of yours be Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings?

Could it be...

Master was a liar?

With that thought, Tang San turned to look at Master.

I respected you as a father.

Yet you tricked me like I was your grandson?

"Xiao San, listen to your teacher's explanation. It's all because A Lang's Soul Power mutated, allowing him to absorb spirit rings in a way far more outrageous than ordinary people."

Seeing Tang San's expression, Master knew the boy was about to break down and immediately explained.

After saying that, he looked at Mo Lang as well. You brat, if you don't explain this for me, even jumping into the sea won't clear my name.

"Master is right. The reason I can absorb Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings is because my Soul Power mutated." Mo Lang nodded.

After all, he would need Master to explain it for him later.

Since he had made the whole thing up.

With Master's explanation, it would sound convincing enough.

"..."

After listening to Master and Mo Lang's explanations, Tang San was not as upset as before.

But he could no longer feel happy.

He finally understood why Mo Lang had so reluctantly said, "Not bad."

It turned out that both of Mo Lang's first two spirit rings were Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings!

The clown was actually me.

"Enough, don't be so discouraged. Don't you still have a second martial soul? Once you become strong enough, you can give it Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings too."

Afraid that Tang San's enthusiasm would be crushed and the plot would no longer develop as it should, Mo Lang could not help revealing a little spoiler.

"What do you mean?"

The instant Tang San heard that his second martial soul could have a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Ring as its first spirit ring, he immediately asked curiously.

Mo Lang glanced at Yu Xiaogang, his meaning clear: it was your turn to explain.

Yu Xiaogang had originally intended to tell Tang San later, lest the boy become overly ambitious, but Mo Lang had already brought it up. He could only sigh and say, "I originally planned to tell you the secrets of Twin Martial Souls later, but since Xiao Lang has mentioned it, I might as well tell you now."

"In my life, I have only seen three people with Twin Martial Souls." As he said this, Yu Xiaogang glanced again at Mo Lang beside him. He always felt that Mo Lang definitely possessed an even more powerful martial soul.

Then Master explained the secrets of Twin Martial Souls.

Finally, Yu Xiaogang said solemnly, "So before you have a certain degree of ability to protect yourself, you must never let anyone else know the secret that you possess Twin Martial Souls. Do you understand?"

"So that's how it is."

Tang San nodded. It seemed that his talent was indeed quite good.

"Oh, right, Lang-ge, what level is your Soul Power at now?"

Tang San was curious about how much of a boost Mo Lang had gained after absorbing two Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings.

Hearing this question, Yu Xiaogang also looked at Mo Lang with great curiosity.

With the support of two Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings, this kid's Soul Power must have advanced by leaps and bounds.

Hearing that, Mo Lang was curious too, since he had not checked it himself.

So he circulated the Starfall Art and sensed it.

The moment he did, even he was stunned.

How had he suddenly become a level twenty-eight Soul Grandmaster?

Didn't that mean he was about to obtain a third spirit ring and advance to Soul Elder?

Thinking of this, he looked at Tang San's curious face with some difficulty.

Seeing that familiar look in Mo Lang's eyes, Tang San instantly became understanding. Somewhat dejected, he said, "I understand. I won't ask."

Seeing this, Mo Lang smiled and patted Tang San on the shoulder. "All right, you're not bad either, kid. Work hard."

Mo Lang then stopped talking and instead looked forward to the next check-in time.

However, the system indicated that the location for the next check-in was at the time Tang San first went to the Blacksmith Shop, which left him somewhat puzzled. Could the reward for the fourth check-in have something to do with blacksmithing?