Shakedown First! Then Tear into Yu Xiaogang!

The host delayed Tang San's apprenticeship to Yu Xiaogang, seizing a moderate amount of Tang San's Luck!

Reward: "Soul Master Cultivation Encyclopedia"!

Reward: "Soul Beast Illustrated Handbook"!

Reward: "Spirit Cultivation Encyclopedia"!

Reward: "Soul Ring Identification Encyclopedia"!

The vast flood of information made Tang Lan freeze for a moment.

Fortunately, his soul was powerful. He hastily absorbed it all in just over ten seconds.

Meeting Yu Xiaogang's expectant gaze, he flashed a grin.

"Since Little Sanzi refused, then forget about becoming your disciple."

Yu Xiaogang's expression darkened.

He felt a little regretful.

Why did he lose his composure the moment he saw a genius?

Tang San might have been less gifted than Tang Lan, but he was still a genius with Twin Martial Souls and innately full Soul Power!

What right did he have to look down on him?

Tang Lan was simply too dazzling, eclipsing Tang San's brilliance.

Just as he was drowning in regret,

Tang Lan suddenly changed the subject. "But since my father asked you to teach us, it's not a problem for us to call you Grandmaster."

"However."

Tang Lan held out his hand.

"If you want to teach us brothers, that depends on your sincerity."

Not only Yu Xiaogang—even Tang San was dumbfounded!

Was he...

Shaking him down?

The man was teaching them, and he still had to pay them?

"Little Sanzi, don't doubt it." Tang Lan said confidently, "After all, some people have nothing but theory and lack the ability to put it into practice. They need geniuses to prove that they're right."

That was utterly blunt.

In fact,

Tang Lan was deliberately provoking Yu Xiaogang!

In the past,

Yu Xiaogang could still serve as a humanoid encyclopedia.

But now that Tang Lan's mind was crammed with all sorts of theories, his knowledge far surpassed Yu Xiaogang's.

This guy was useless now.

Perfect. He could reject further contact with him openly and reasonably.

Unfortunately,

Yu Xiaogang was also a stubborn man.

Even after things had been said to this extent, he still refused to give up.

Without hesitation,

he opened a drawer, took out a belt, and handed it to Tang Lan.

"This is a Soul Tool. It can store nonliving objects. It has twenty-four jade pieces, and each has an independent space of one cubic meter."

"It won't be wasted in your hands from now on."

Oh-ho!

Wasn't this Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlit Night?

Of course,

this thing originally had no name. Tang San was the show-off who insisted on giving it such a long name.

But with him, it could only be called a Storage Belt.

Tang Lan accepted the belt without ceremony.

The host obtained Yu Xiaogang's Storage Belt Soul Tool, seizing a tiny amount of Tang San's Luck!

Reward: "Level +1"!

Level 27!

Tsk, tsk!

Yu Xiaogang really was a walking gift bag.

Tang Lan smiled.

Under Yu Xiaogang's expectant gaze, he called out—

"Then, Grandmaster, where's Little Sanzi's gift?"

Yu Xiaogang's expression froze!

He had given Tang Lan such a precious Soul Tool, so Tang San's gift couldn't be too shabby, could it?

But

Soul Tools were incredibly precious. Where was he supposed to get a second one?

With no other choice,

Yu Xiaogang stood up, took out a book, and placed it before Tang San.

"Tang San, I only have that one Soul Tool on me."

"I'll give you Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul to read."

Tang San: "..."

Could he be any more perfunctory?

"No need." Tang San said coldly. "I've already read this book in the library. Grandmaster, you wrote it quite well. I benefited greatly from it."

Well then!

He had run into someone who knew his stuff.

Yu Xiaogang awkwardly took the book back.

"I didn't expect you to be so studious, Tang San. You went to the library as soon as you started school. Haha—"

He gave a couple of awkward laughs.

Yu Xiaogang said, "I'll make up for this meeting gift later."

"Now, I'll take you to hunt Soul Rings—"

However,

Tang Lan and Tang San shook their heads in unison.

"No need. I already have my First Soul Skill," Tang San said coldly.

At the same time, he released his white Soul Ring.

"First Soul Ring: Whiplash!"

His Blue Silver Grass transformed into a long whip and lashed out. Under Tang San's control, it struck the book with precision.

"Smack—"

The book's cover split open, and it was flung off the desk.

Yu Xiaogang's brows furrowed deeply!

A white Soul Ring?

A ten-year Soul Ring?

Wasn't that a complete waste of Twin Martial Souls?!

One wrong step led to more wrong steps.

Tang San could no longer verify his theory of maximum Soul Ring limits.

Yu Xiaogang immediately pinned his hopes on Tang Lan instead.

But Tang Lan ignored him and gave Tang San an apologetic look.

"Little Sanzi, I didn't know back then that there were so many things to consider when choosing a Soul Ring..."

Tang San looked a little uncomfortable.

After studying for some time, he had also learned about the "optimal Soul Ring configuration."

But what was done was done.

Forget it.

He still had the path of hidden weapons.

"Brother, don't blame yourself." Tang San instead comforted him. "It was my own choice back then."

"And it's only the First Soul Ring. It doesn't matter."

Tang Lan still wore a guilty expression.

But inwardly, he felt regretful.

He could no longer keep fooling Tang San into absorbing inferior Soul Rings.

What a pity!

"As far as I know, Soul Ring Age isn't impossible to increase."

Yu Xiaogang stepped in to make his presence known—

"On the overseas Sea God Island, you can take part in a test. If your talent is high enough, passing it can increase your Soul Ring Age."

"With the talent of your Twin Martial Souls, you'll definitely qualify."

"Once you break through to Seven-Ring Soul Sage, this teacher can take you there."

Tang San's eyes lit up!

Sea God Trials?

It sounded incredibly awesome!

Yu Xiaogang puffed out his chest, secretly pleased with himself.

Can't handle a little brat like you?

But then—

"Since those Sea God Trials are so good, Grandmaster, haven't you gone?" Tang Lan asked curiously. "I heard your level has been stuck at 29?"

"Cough, cough—"

Yu Xiaogang's face darkened.

Why did he have to bring up exactly what hurt?

Of course he wanted to take the Sea God Trials and defy fate.

But back then, he had followed Bibi Dong and Spirit Hall's army in their attack on Sea God Island.

Take the trials?

He didn't have the nerve.

He could only say awkwardly, "The Sea God Trials are meant to select candidates for the Sea God, so they have high requirements for talent..."

"Though I also have a mutated Martial Soul, mine has a higher chance of being a weakened mutation."

"I can't take the Sea God Trials."

He thought he had muddled through it.

Yet Tang Lan pressed on. "But didn't Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul mention that there are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters?"

Yu Xiaogang nodded happily.

It seemed this promising seedling was also his fan.

"Then why are you stuck at level 29, Grandmaster?" Tang Lan landed the killing blow. "Is it because you have a useless Martial Soul, or because you're a useless Soul Master?"

Yu Xiaogang: (Φ-Φ)

Looking at Tang Lan's innocent, eager-to-learn expression,

it was hard to imagine

such a heart-piercing question had come from his mouth.

How was he supposed to answer?

Admit that his Martial Soul was too useless, so he was stuck at this level?

Wouldn't that turn his Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul into a joke?

So he could only say,

"My talent is too poor," Yu Xiaogang said with a forced smile.

"I see." Tang Lan nodded in realization. "But according to Spirit Hall's historical records, no one with a useless Martial Soul has ever become a Titled Douluo."

Yu Xiaogang choked again!

Uh...

"And besides." Tang Lan kept twisting the knife. "Grandmaster, you know so much and even published Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul. How can your talent still be poor?"

Yu Xiaogang stood there with his mouth open, his mind stalling from the barrage.

"If your talent is poor," Tang Lan continued to twist the knife, "then what makes you qualified to teach us brothers?"