Tang San's Thoughts

"When I first met Teacher, he saw through my Twin Martial Souls with a single remark."

Tang San's thoughts gradually drifted away.

He recalled the scene of his first meeting with Yu Xiaogang.

The shock of that moment remained vivid in his memory even now.

"However, Teacher only excels at theoretical research; he isn't skilled in combat."

Tang San's mind raced.

He thought of the first time the two had entered the Soul Hunting Forest, when Teacher had been injured by a Mandala Snake.

And what happened in Nuoding's dungeon...

"If Teacher were a Soul Ancestor like the dean, perhaps fewer people would look down on his theories."

Tang San thought to himself.

Having come from the Bashu region in his previous life, Tang San had also heard some Daoist theories.

Those old Daoist priests with their ox noses were best at arguing reason.

Because when Daoists couldn't argue someone down, they would beat that person into submission and then continue debating.

But now...

Even the theories Teacher was best at had been overturned.

"If I had learned about the effects of Whale Rubber earlier, before hunting soul beasts..."

An uncontrollable thought surfaced in Tang San's heart.

"Could my First Soul Ring have reached six hundred years as well? And my Second Soul Ring..."

Tang San clenched his fists, feeling somewhat unwilling to accept it.

A Seven-Hundred-Year Ghost Face Spider Soul Ring was already very good.

The spiderweb covered a vast area and fired extremely quickly. Soul Masters of the same rank could hardly dodge it.

It also carried a certain amount of poison that could erode Soul Power.

Moreover, it could be fired three times in succession!

This was an extremely powerful single-target control skill!

Tang San had sparred with Xiao Wu many times. In a direct confrontation, Xiao Wu would almost always lose to this soul skill.

However...

If he had first absorbed Whale Rubber before obtaining a Soul Ring, perhaps... his Second Soul Ring could have challenged nine hundred years!

Or even a thousand years!

The thought made Tang San's heartbeat quicken slightly.

The higher the Soul Ring's age, the more powerful the soul skill would be. The greater the enhancement to the body, the more beneficial it would be to future cultivation.

"Sigh..."

Tang San let out a sigh.

Everything was too late!

"Yu Cheng's First Soul Ring was a Six Hundred Year Ghost Vine. Teacher had once declared that Yu Cheng's meridians would shatter and his body would explode, yet he succeeded."

Tang San thought silently.

He turned to look at Yu Xiaogang. At that moment, he suddenly realized that Teacher had aged considerably.

There was no longer any light in his eyes.

He also seemed somewhat dispirited.

He no longer looked like some great theoretical master, just an ordinary person.

Tang San's heart suddenly tightened, followed by a surge of intense self-reproach.

"Tang San, Tang San, how could you think that?"

He harshly rebuked himself in his heart.

"This is your teacher!"

"One day as a teacher, a father for life."

"How could you doubt Teacher in your heart because of someone else's theory, even compare them in secret and feel regret?"

Tang San took several deep breaths and forced himself to calm down.

"As a disciple, what I should do is cultivate diligently. I should use my achievements to prove that Teacher's theories are not wrong and win honor for Teacher!"

At that thought, clarity returned to Tang San's eyes.

On the training ground.

Tang San hurried toward the cafeteria. For the next while, he would have to bring Teacher meals again.

Not far away, seven or eight students were discussing excitedly.

"Absorbing a six-hundred-year Soul Ring as the First Soul Ring? That's way too outrageous!"

"I heard Master Yu Cheng graduated from Nuoding Academy and used to be a Work-Study Student."

"That's right! When Brother Cheng beat up Xiao Chenyu in the little grove, I was watching from behind. Who hasn't heard of the Lime Martial Saint!"

"..."

Tang San couldn't help slowing down. Listening to their discussion, he felt conflicted.

Yu Cheng had become famous this time!

Tang San was happy for him too. After all, they were from the same hometown.

However, a trace of unwillingness quietly arose in Tang San's heart.

He had Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls, something seen only once in a hundred years.

Yet Yu Cheng had only level-two Soul Power.

Tang San considered himself neither narrow-minded nor the sort to envy the capable.

When Yu Cheng awakened his martial soul without any Soul Power, Tang San had even thought that once he became successful, he would return to the village and visit Yu Cheng.

When he learned that Yu Cheng had been taken away for experiments, he had also felt pity for him.

But why?

Why was Yu Cheng the one people admired instead of him?

Young and competitive by nature.

Watching an old friend rise to fame and soar to great heights while he himself remained unknown, cultivating quietly at the academy—the sense of loss brought by such a contrast was real.

If Yu Cheng were here and heard Tang San's inner thoughts, he would probably tease him with a line:

You fear your brother suffering, but you also fear him driving a Land Rover!

Just then, Tang San's gaze fell upon his left wrist.

The Sleeve Arrow.

It was one of his favorite Hidden Weapons.

In an instant, a flash of inspiration struck Tang San's mind.

"That's right! Compared to Yu Cheng, my greatest advantage isn't Innate Soul Power, nor is it Twin Martial Souls."

"It is the Tang Sect Secret Arts from another world!"

"Yu Cheng's discovery of the effects of Whale Rubber is certainly remarkable, and it can benefit countless Soul Masters."

"But what about my Hidden Weapons?"

Tang San smiled knowingly.

Hidden Weapons were the art of killing!

If he could promote these Hidden Weapons throughout Douluo Continent, their impact would definitely surpass that of a single supplementary medicine!

Imagine a weak Soul Master killing an expert far above his own rank using Hidden Weapons. What kind of sensation would that cause?

In an instant, a surge of ambition burned in Tang San's chest like blazing flames.

"Perhaps I can establish an organization and carry forward the Tang Sect Secret Arts!"

"The name... will be Tang Sect!"

A sharp light gleamed in Tang San's eyes.

He would recreate the Tang Sect's glory in this world!

Fasnuo Province, Spirit Hall's main hall.

A red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to beneath the elevated platform.

Two rows of Guards in shining silver armor stood upright like javelins.

This award ceremony had been held by Fasnuo Main Hall for Yu Cheng. The commendation from Spirit City had yet to be finalized, so the main hall was merely giving him a symbolic reward.

Most of the invited guests were upper-level personnel from the main hall.

However, there was one heavyweight guest.

The person responsible for presenting the rewards on the platform was Salas, the Platinum Archbishop of Heaven Dou City's Spirit Hall.

At that moment, his face was glowing with vigor as he spoke eloquently.

"The Angel God's blessing has allowed our theoretical research to achieve another breakthrough!"

"Give thanks to Spirit Hall!"

"Loyalty!"

"..."

Yu Cheng nodded from time to time.

He did not understand some of the rhetoric either, but when a leader spoke, nodding was never wrong.

Finally, Salas began presenting the rewards.

"This Soul Tool has approximately ten cubic meters of storage space. It will make your future research and cultivation more convenient."

Salas took a bracelet from the tray held by a maid and handed it to Yu Cheng, his voice becoming somewhat gentler.

"Thank you, Your Excellency Archbishop, and thank you for His Majesty the Pope's grace. Yu Cheng will certainly give his all, grow bigger and stronger, and create new brilliance."

Yu Cheng spoke sincerely.

"Hahaha!"

Salas nodded in satisfaction and patted Yu Cheng on the shoulder.

"This Black Gold Soul Coin Card can be used at major banks throughout the empire. It contains one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."

He placed another card in Yu Cheng's hand.

One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.

For ordinary commoners and even minor nobles, it was undoubtedly an astronomical sum.

Even for Spirit Hall, rewarding such an amount to a teenager all at once was considered an extravagant gesture.

And this was only the reward from Fasnuo Main Hall.

Yu Cheng did not dare imagine what honors he would receive upon reaching Spirit City.

A promotion and a raise, becoming an Archbishop, marrying a Saintess...

Reaching the pinnacle of life.

"Spirit Hall's glory will surely illuminate Douluo Continent!"

Yu Cheng bowed, delivering the formal line with remarkable fluency.

Everyone enjoyed an award ceremony where host and guests were satisfied.

Just then—

A clear, resounding voice came from outside the great hall:

"His Highness Xue Qinghe, Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, has arrived—!"