"Luo San Pao, help me bite through this Blue Silver Grass."
Under Yu Xiaogang's command, Luo San Pao began tearing at the Blue Silver Grass wrapped around him. But it had already crystallized, its hardness comparable to metal. How could Luo San Pao possibly bite through it?
"Ah!!"
Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang let out a scream and cursed at Luo San Pao, "You stupid pig! Watch where you're biting!"
Hearing his master's scolding, Luo San Pao's eyes filled with grievance. The Blue Silver Grass was wrapped so tightly that no matter how careful he was, he was bound to bite flesh.
"Stop wasting time. You can't break free," Tang San said impatiently.
After witnessing this scene, Tang San felt even more contempt for Yu Xiaogang. Even if one's Martial Soul was a pig, one should not insult it like this.
Good thing he had not taken this old bastard as his master. Otherwise, his lifelong reputation would have been ruined by this trash. It would have been utterly humiliating.
As the saying went, a master for a day was a father for life. He did not want two worthless fathers at once.
Perhaps under Lin Mu's influence, Tang San had developed a trace of resentment toward Tang Hao.
After Luo San Pao bit him several times, Yu Xiaogang finally gave up and vented all his anger on Luo San Pao instead.
If his Martial Soul had not mutated into this pig-like thing, would he have ended up as trash?
The more he thought about it, the angrier Yu Xiaogang became. He viciously berated Luo San Pao, who felt incomparably wronged in the face of his master's abuse.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang's impotent rage, Lin Mu could not help but laugh to himself.
He could not even work in unity with his own Martial Soul, yet he still had the nerve to call himself a master.
"Gangzi, even when given a chance, you're still useless."
Lin Mu picked up the Soul Tool and money pouch from the ground beside him, then sneered. "The winner has been decided. These are ours now."
Watching his belongings being taken away, Yu Xiaogang's heart turned to ashes. He had now completely lost everything.
Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang seemed to think of something and hurriedly shouted, "I still want to bet with you."
"You don't have anything left. Why should I bet with you?"
Seeing that Yu Xiaogang had become addicted, Lin Mu curled his lips into a malicious smile, though he outwardly pretended not to care.
"I still have one brother—no, two. They can give me money."
Yu Xiaogang said hurriedly.
At those words, Lin Mu immediately guessed who they were. They were probably Flender and Liu Erlong. He just had not expected that, in Yu Xiaogang's eyes, Liu Erlong was also a brother he could borrow money from.
He truly did not know why a woman would like such trash.
"Then come back when you've gathered the money."
"No. Let's make the bet first. We'll bet on whether Tang San can cultivate to level thirty within six years. If he can't, you and Tang San must both cooperate with my research and publicly declare yourselves my disciples. Otherwise, I'll give you ten thousand Gold Soul Coins."
Wisdom gleamed in Yu Xiaogang's eyes. With the temptation of ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, he did not believe this guy would not be tempted.
Lin Mu had only two words for that.
"Fucking idiot."
Ten thousand Gold Soul Coins was indeed a lot, but in six years, he would have cultivated to at least Soul Emperor rank. Would he still be short of ten thousand Gold Soul Coins?
Besides, this piece of trash was pushing his luck. It was one thing for him to set his sights on Tang San, but he had even set his sights on Lin Mu. His skin was thicker than a city wall.
Hearing Lin Mu's insult, Yu Xiaogang's old face reddened. He continued, "Then what about one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins?"
In truth, Yu Xiaogang did not know whether Flender and Liu Erlong could come up with one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. But at this point, he could no longer worry about that.
In his view, cultivating to level thirty within six years was simply impossible, especially since Tang San was a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master.
As long as he won, he could obtain two genius disciples in one stroke. Lin Mu was even a ready-made talent; he would not even need Yu Xiaogang's instruction to bring him plenty of prestige.
"Gangzi, give up on that thought. I will never have anything to do with you."
Lin Mu's tone was incomparably firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Setting aside the unequal terms of the bet, simply becoming Yu Xiaogang's disciple was absolutely impossible.
Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang could only back down. "Change it so that only Tang San publicly declares himself my disciple. Is that acceptable?"
"Fine. One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. Sign and seal it."
Lin Mu kept an eye out to prevent Yu Xiaogang from going back on his word later. With written proof, he could go to Liu Erlong and Flender for the money.
Before long, both sides had signed and sealed the agreement.
Yu Xiaogang looked at the document in Lin Mu's hand. It already bore his fingerprint, yet he had no copy himself. For some reason, he felt a bad premonition.
"Why is there only one copy? Where's mine?"
"One is enough," Lin Mu said, leaving no room for argument.
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang instantly realized he had been tricked. But with the arrow already on the string, he had no choice but to fire it. Even for the slightest possibility, he had to take a gamble.
"Tang San, this Soul Tool is for you."
Lin Mu slowly stepped forward and placed the Soul Tool in Tang San's hand.
He already had a Soul Tool of his own. Although it held less than five cubic meters, it was enough for the time being.
"Master."
Looking at the Soul Tool in his hand, Tang San was instantly overwhelmed with emotion, while guilt also welled up within him.
Before this, he had been dissatisfied with his master's actions. He had never expected that his master had done all this to obtain this Storage Soul Tool for him.
Moreover, his master must have been using this matter to teach him a lesson: as long as what one did was right, the process did not matter.
After imagining all this for himself, Lin Mu's standing in Tang San's heart rapidly rose, even faintly surpassing Tang Hao's.
One was an irresponsible biological father, while the other was a master who wholeheartedly cared for him. Anyone would know which one was better.
[Main quest completion has reached 10%. Reward: Soul Power increased by one level.]
Feeling his Soul Power break through to level forty-eight, Lin Mu's lips curved slightly upward. Compared to a lifeless object, increasing his strength was what truly mattered.
Lin Mu patted Tang San on the shoulder. His expression turned solemn as he said earnestly, "Tang San, as long as you cultivate diligently, that will be the best repayment you can give me."
"Master, I will definitely cultivate diligently from now on and heed all your teachings."
Seeing how thoughtfully his master treated him, Tang San was deeply moved. He secretly swore that he would repay his master's kindness properly in the future.
Watching this deeply affectionate master-disciple scene, Yu Xiaogang only felt like an unnecessary extra, so he turned and left.
But before he had gone far, he realized something was wrong.
Lin Mu had won the Soul Tool from him in a bet, then immediately given it to Tang San. Lin Mu had taken all the credit for being the good guy.
"I've lived for decades, yet I was schemed against by a brat."
Only now did Yu Xiaogang realize it. His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. Was this guy really only in his teens?
Lin Mu watched Yu Xiaogang's departing back with a smile on his lips. The real show was yet to come.
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