Taking a Disciple

Taking a Disciple

"Enough! Enough! Stop, all of you!!!"

Shi Nian practically roared the words, his eyes bloodshot.

He strode quickly to the seven students and raised a hand to push one of them aside. Yet the instant he touched the student, the surge of soul power jolted him awake.

"You're simply gilding the lily..."

The words caught in his throat, and he ultimately did not say them.

The fury on his face quickly turned into dejection.

A lifetime of effort could not compare to someone else's passing whim.

Such a gap was enough to crush a person's spirit!

Seeing this, the seven students hurriedly withdrew their soul power. Faced with Shi Nian, who looked like a feral wolf, they were too frightened to maintain the Seven-in-One Soul Power Fusion Skill.

"Headmaster, you..."

Shi Nian came back to his senses. Looking at the students, his gaze flickered, and he raised his hand again.

"No, no. Keep it going. Don't stop..."

Shi Nian forced a smile and urged the students to continue maintaining the soul power fusion skill.

A gentle halo radiated out once more. After Ratio's improvements, its overall strength had risen by leaps and bounds!

Anyone who was not blind could see the improvement.

Shi Nian let out a quiet sigh, a trace of loss flashing through his eyes.

Looking at his own "masterpiece," he took several deep breaths before suppressing the sour tumult in his chest!

The entire venue fell silent.

Though they were too far away to sense the fluctuations of soul power, judging from the soul power radiance and Shi Nian's nearly broken expression, they could all guess what had happened.

Master Ratio's guidance for the Seven-in-One Soul Power Fusion Skill was undoubtedly correct.

With only a slight intervention, he had already reached the limits of what the "ordinary" could achieve.

Quite a few people flushed red. Just moments ago, they had praised Shi Nian as a new master while claiming Ratio was undeserving of his reputation.

Now, reality had dealt them a resounding slap across the face!

Master Ratio was a true master, not someone Shi Nian could even hope to compare himself with.

The audience members who had been jeering just now no longer dared make a sound.

They all stared at the platform with complicated expressions, waiting to see how things would unfold.

Yu Luomian snorted coldly, displeasure appearing on his face.

"That trash Shi Nian actually behaved himself so easily? What kind of bullshit Canghui Academy is this? They might as well call it Simp Academy! Spirit Hall must have threatened them, right?"

Yu Luomian spoke against his own heart.

"No, Ratio's guidance was extremely impressive. The Seven-in-One Soul Power Fusion Skill truly became stronger. Second Brother, we may have misjudged him..."

Yu Yuanzhen said solemnly.

He sat up straight and looked at Ratio on the platform with an exceptionally serious expression.

Even so, Yu Luomian remained dissatisfied.

It was not only because of Spirit Hall's disregard for them, but also because of what Ratio had announced before the lecture.

They could witness a groundbreaking Martial Soul Theory, yet they could not obtain it.

Few people enjoyed the feeling of being left to gaze longingly at something beyond their reach.

"Shi Nian, can you even handle this? Don't just stand there like an idiot," Spirit Kite Douluo said impatiently.

She had thought Shi Nian could put Ratio in his place and seize the title of master.

Instead, Ratio had reduced him to this state in just a few moves.

Spirit Kite Douluo despised such spineless men the most... Of course, she also instinctively looked down on Ratio's habit of wearing a hood, as though he were running away from something.

Shi Nian was jolted awake. He raised his head to look at Ratio, his gaze incomparably complicated.

No one could understand how he felt right now.

After a moment of silence and fierce internal struggle, he finally realized something.

Ratio had guided him in front of everyone. He must have had some purpose, right?

Since he had already offended Spirit Hall and needed to join them to protect himself, then he might as well...

Thud...!

Shi Nian dropped to his knees before Ratio.

"Master Ratio! Only after receiving your guidance did I understand how a firefly could dare compete with the brilliance of the bright moon! The theoretical research I spent my entire life pursuing is utterly insignificant before you."

"I have been deeply convinced by your vast knowledge, Master Ratio. I beg you, give me an opportunity to study under you!"

"You are the pioneer of this era. Only by following behind you can one witness the foremost light of the Soul Master Realm!"

Shi Nian shouted loudly, then kowtowed before Ratio.

With his forehead pressed to the ground, he let out a long sigh of relief.

By giving Ratio so much face in front of everyone, surely Ratio would accept him and make this into a fine story!

Everyone was stunned. They had not expected things to develop this way.

Shi Nian had clearly come to ruin the event, yet after receiving Master Ratio's guidance, he immediately bowed his head and begged to become his disciple.

"Interesting! It seems that even among masters, there are differences! Shi Nian's Seven-in-One Soul Power Fusion Skill was already astonishing, yet to Master Ratio, it was merely child's play!"

"As expected of Master Ratio. If he accepts Shi Nian, it would indeed make for a fine story!"

"If Shi Nian studies under Master Ratio, perhaps he might share his theories with us?"

"..."

The crowd discussed the matter animatedly, all quite satisfied with this outcome.

Ratio looked calmly at Shi Nian. "Get up."

Shi Nian immediately rose to his feet and called out to Ratio, "Teacher..."

"I am not your teacher, nor are you my student. There is no need to address me that way." Ratio rejected him bluntly. He saw through human hearts and naturally guessed Shi Nian's intentions.

Shi Nian froze, staring at Ratio in disbelief.

He did not even want the good reputation being offered to him on a platter?

Then had he just shown off his knowledge and nearly shattered Shi Nian's faith in his own path for fun?

Wasn't he simply trying to prove himself?

Ratio said indifferently, "Your theory can still be researched further. If you continue studying it, there is plenty of room for development. For instance, different Martial Souls and different soul powers do not require positional arrangements."

"That is your own matter. Do not expect anyone to help you."

Ratio's tone was cold.

Taking a disciple?

At least in the present-day Douluo Continent, there was absolutely no need.

Anything he casually tossed out would be enough to sustain the development of Douluo Continent's soul masters for ten thousand years.

It was like an adult teaching a young child how to count.

That was not teaching. It was merely enlightenment.

Clearly, Ratio had no intention of wasting his time on "enlightenment."

Shi Nian's face was still filled with shock. Having his request to become a disciple rejected was humiliating enough, yet now he had been trampled on once again.

Moreover, from Ratio's words, he had no intention of offering further guidance.

Shi Nian's face burned as though he had been slapped.

Shi Nian opened his mouth, about to say something.

At that moment, Xie Yue suddenly said, "Dr. Ratio! I've learned the Three Elements Fusion Skill! I can demonstrate it right now! I'll definitely show everyone that the Three Elements Fusion Skill is not something any soul power fusion skill can compare to!"

Xie Yue's face was flushed, and his voice rang through the entire venue.

He drew everyone's attention back once more.