The Embarrassed Grand Master

This.

The Grand Master froze on the spot.

Something was wrong. This wasn't how the script was supposed to go.

Shouldn't I have explained how amazing my theories were, and then Tang San would bow down and become my disciple? Where did it go wrong?

He had actually been rejected on the spot by a six-year-old child! Though Tang San had not rejected him outright, it still made him lose face.

Thinking of the conclusions he had deduced and the changes Tang San might bring him, the Grand Master took a deep breath, reined in his emotions, and said,

"Child, don't be so quick to refuse me. It won't be too late to decide after you see what I'm capable of. I can't let such a fine seedling slip away. After all, you are the third person in the past Hundred Years to possess Twin Martial Souls."

Tang San: He seemed to have a point. Brother Ling had indeed awakened later than I did.

Though he was mocking him inwardly, Tang San was indeed somewhat shocked.

"Are you wondering how I knew you possessed Twin Martial Souls?" As he spoke, he shook the certificate in his hand. "It's because of this certificate. Others might not see the flaw in it, but if even I couldn't see it, I wouldn't deserve the title of Grand Master."

"I once investigated it."

What followed was the Grand Master's lengthy string of data-driven theoretical analyses.

"So what I can say with certainty is that you should have another martial soul, and it is an extremely powerful one."

"Everything has exceptions. Why can't I be one of them?" Tang San asked.

"That's right, everything has exceptions. But your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass—"

Tang San listened carefully to the end. He felt that there was nothing wrong with what the Grand Master said, yet something still seemed strange.

Suddenly, Tang San thought of something and asked respectfully, "May I ask, Grand Master, what level of spirit master are you?"

Upon hearing this question, the confidence on the Grand Master's face became slightly unnatural. His mouth twitched, and he forced out an awkward smile.

"Me? A Level Twenty-Nine Soul Grandmaster. Because my research into martial soul theory is rather outstanding, my peers flatter me by calling me Grand Master."

Tang San fell silent. Over the past few years, the phrase Xia Tianling had nagged him with the most was—practice was the sole criterion for testing truth.

The Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record also warned Tang Sect disciples that every poison and medicinal herb had been painstakingly tested and summarized by generations of Tang Sect ancestors, at the cost of who knew how many lives.

Though he did not know much about martial souls, he had learned from chatting with Old Jack's two guards last night that the strongest people in this world were Titled Douluo above Level 90. Only spirit masters above the Soul Emperor rank could be considered true powerhouses.

A Level Twenty-Nine Soul Grandmaster, to put it bluntly, was not even necessarily stronger than many students at intermediate academies.

Then, as someone at the bottom of the Spirit Master World, he was surely unlikely to have studied actual examples. He could only make conjectures based on written materials, with no way to verify them.

Wasn't this so-called theory merely a castle in the air? Without practical foundations beneath it, it would collapse sooner or later.

Besides, where had the Grand Master obtained all this so-called information? With his strength, how could he have acquired such data?

And was this information even accurate? Conclusions drawn from incorrect data could differ from reality by worlds apart.

It had to be said that his guess was already extremely close to the truth.

With that thought, Tang San wanted to refuse him.

The Grand Master seemed to see Tang San's hesitation and hurriedly added, "Little San, how about this? I'll take you as a Registered Disciple. Listen to my lessons for a while first, then decide whether to stay or leave. What do you think?"

Tang San wavered. He would only be a Registered Disciple. If his judgment proved wrong, he could still formally take him as his master. If it proved right, they could part ways as soon as possible.

Seeing this, the Grand Master struck while the iron was hot.

"Little San, you haven't obtained your First Soul Ring yet, have you? How about this: your teacher will help you obtain your first two Soul Rings. What do you say?"

"All right, I accept." Thinking of his Mysterious Heaven Skill, which he could not break through, Tang San gritted his teeth and agreed. "I still don't know your name."

"Your master is Yu Xiaogang."

"Registered Disciple Tang San greets Teacher Yu." Tang San raised his hands in a fist-and-palm salute and bowed. Though he had only temporarily agreed to become a Registered Disciple, proper etiquette could not be neglected.

The corners of the Grand Master's stiff mouth twitched. This brat really doesn't give me any face. But he comforted himself. A Registered Disciple was still a disciple. In a few months, Tang San would surely be won over by his profound theoretical knowledge.

"Good, good. Come on, I'll take you to the Teaching Office to register."

Though he felt somewhat uncomfortable inside, the Grand Master still enthusiastically took Tang San's hand and led him toward the Teaching Office.

Just as described in the Original Work, Tang San heard the other teachers discussing the Grand Master behind his back as he was leaving. Compared to the mockery in the Original Work, Tang San actually found himself somewhat agreeing with their words.

He truly felt that his teacher was just a tiny little bit unreliable.

On the way to the dormitory, Tang San touched the small cloth bag Old Jack had given him at his chest and could not help opening it for a look. Even someone as calm as him nearly cried out in shock!

A full one hundred Gold Soul Coins!

That was one hundred Gold Soul Coins! Grandpa Jack had actually given him that much!

Though he knew that, because of Xia Tianling, Spirit Hall had probably given Old Jack a large sum of money, these one hundred Gold Soul Coins were undoubtedly an enormous fortune to Tang San. They were enough for him to eat and live well at the academy for the next five years.

Tang San clenched the little cloth bag and pressed it tightly against his chest.

Compared to this unreliable bargain teacher of mine, Grandpa Jack and Brother Ling, you've truly treated me far too well.

What Tang San did not know was that, to the current Old Jack, one hundred Gold Soul Coins really was not that much. If Spirit Hall had not blocked news of Xia Tianling, the people coming every day to give gifts and curry favor would probably have worn down his doorstep.

On the morning of Tang San's second day at the academy, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Xia Tianling arrived by carriage at Old Jack's residence in Nuoding City.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Old Jack were two old men whose statuses and appearances differed as much as heaven and earth, yet they got along remarkably well while talking about just how outstanding Xia Tianling was.

When he heard Old Jack boast that he had once been known as a Prophet in the village, though all he could really do was predict the weather, Chrysanthemum Douluo laughed heartily.

Xia Tianling felt incredibly embarrassed and only wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground. What Prophet? It was merely something he had used to fool Tang San back then—a total black mark in his history.

But on second thought, perhaps the identity of a Prophet could be made real? It seemed quite useful at certain times.

"Young Master, you don't know this, but yesterday the old master took your friend to enroll."

After Xia Tianling fled outside because of his embarrassment, Hou San came over and reported what had happened when Old Jack took Tang San to enroll that day.

After hearing it, he smiled faintly and silently checked the system's record panel. Sure enough, there was a notification that the Grand Master's fate had changed.

It seemed that the Grand Master had perhaps been rejected by Tang San when he tried to take him as a disciple.

He wondered whether Tang San would still go to Shrek afterward, and whether something like the convergence of worldlines really existed.

"Come on, Tianling. Let's head to the Soul Hunting Forest northeast of Nuoding City. The soul beasts there are raised by our Spirit Hall, and none are above ten thousand years old. It's just right for a beginner like you, taking part in a Soul Ring hunt for the first time."

Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice rang out, calling Xia Tianling to set off.

"Coming."

The Soul Hunting Forest near Nuoding City, and the timing was just right—it perfectly matched the script in Xia Tianling's mind.

"Tianling, train hard with your Grandpa Chrysanthemum. You must become a powerful spirit master and make our Holy Soul Village live up to its name!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo smiled upon hearing that.

Soul Saint? Too small. The vision was too small. Tianling was a genius destined to become a Super Douluo.