Tang San's Thoughts

"The first time I met my teacher, he saw through my Twin Martial Souls at a single glance."

Tang San's thoughts gradually drifted away.

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

The shock of that moment was still fresh in his memory.

"However, my teacher is only skilled in theoretical research, not in combat."

Tang San's mind raced.

He thought back to their first entry into the Soul Hunting Forest, when his teacher was injured by the Mandala Snake.

And in the Notting dungeon...

"If my teacher were a Soul Ancestor like the dean, perhaps fewer people would dismiss his theories."

Tang San mused inwardly.

Having been born in the Bashu region in his past life, Tang San had also heard some Daoist theories.

Those old Daoist priests were best at reasoning.

Because when a Daoist couldn't win an argument, he would beat the other party into submission, then continue the debate.

And now...

His teacher's most prized theories had also been shattered.

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

An irrepressible thought surfaced in Tang San's mind.

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

Tang San clenched his fists, unwilling to accept it.

The Seven-Hundred-Year Ghost Face Spider soul ring was already excellent.

The web area was vast, the launch speed extremely fast—soul masters of the same level could hardly dodge it.

It also carried a certain toxin that could erode Soul Power.

And it could be fired three times in succession!

This was a powerful single-target control skill!

Tang San had sparred with Xiao Wu many times, and in direct confrontations, Xiao Wu almost always lost to this soul skill.

Yet...

If he had absorbed Whale Rubber first, then obtained the soul ring, perhaps... his Second Soul could challenge nine hundred years!

Or even a thousand years!

This thought made Tang San's heartbeat quicken slightly.

The higher the soul ring's age limit, the stronger the soul skill, the greater the physical enhancement, and the more beneficial it was for future cultivation.

"Ah~"

Tang San let out a sigh.

Everything was too late!

"Yu Cheng's First Soul Ring was a Six Hundred Year Ghost Vine. Back then, my teacher asserted that Yu Cheng's meridians would shatter and he would explode and die, yet he succeeded."

Tang San thought silently.

He turned his head to look at Yu Xiaogang, and in that moment, he suddenly realized his teacher had aged greatly.

There was no longer light in his eyes.

He also seemed somewhat dejected.

He didn't look like a master of theory, just an ordinary person.

Tang San's heart clenched sharply, and then a wave of intense self-blame surged within him.

"Tang San, Tang San, how could you have such a thought?"

He scolded himself harshly in his mind.

"This is your teacher!"

"A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime."

"How can you, because of someone else's theory, secretly doubt your teacher in your heart, even compare and breed regret?"

Tang San took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down.

"As a disciple, what I should do is train hard. Use my own achievements to prove that my teacher's theories are not wrong, to win honor for my teacher!"

With this thought, Tang San's eyes regained their clarity.

On the training ground.

Tang San hurried toward the dining hall. For the next while, he'd have to deliver meals to his teacher again.

Not far off, seven or eight students chattered excitedly.

"A six-hundred-year first soul ring? That's insane!"

"I heard Master Yu Cheng graduated from Nuoding Academy and used to be a work-study student."

"Right, right, right! I was watching from behind when Brother Cheng beat up Xiao Chenyu in the grove back then. Who doesn't know the name Lime Martial Saint!"

"..."

Tang San's steps slowed involuntarily. Listening to these discussions, his heart churned with mixed feelings.

Yu Cheng had really made a name for himself now!

Tang San was happy too, after all, they were from the same hometown.

Yet, deep inside, a trace of unwillingness quietly stirred.

He was the one with Innate Full Soul Power, the rare Twin Martial Souls seen once in a century.

And Yu Cheng only had two levels of soul power.

Tang San didn't consider himself narrow-minded or jealous of talent.

When Yu Cheng awakened his martial soul with no soul power, he'd even thought that once he made it big, he'd go back to the village to check on Yu Cheng.

When he learned Yu Cheng had been taken for experiments, he'd felt sorry for him too.

But why?

Why was Yu Cheng the one being praised, not him?

Youthful nature, eager to compete.

Watching an old friend rise to fame and soar to the sky while he himself remained unknown, training quietly at the academy—the sense of loss from that contrast was real.

If Yu Cheng were here and heard Tang San's thoughts, he'd probably tease:

Afraid your brother suffers, but also afraid your brother drives a luxury car!

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

Sleeve Arrow.

This was his favorite hidden weapon.

In that instant, a flash of inspiration struck Tang San.

"That's right! Compared to Yu Cheng, my greatest advantage isn't Innate Soul Power or Twin Martial Souls."

"It's the Tang Sect Secret Arts—from another world!"

"Yu Cheng discovering the effects of Whale Rubber is impressive, and it can benefit many soul masters."

"But what about my hidden weapons?"

Tang San smiled knowingly.

Hidden weapons were the art of killing!

If he could spread these hidden weapons across the Douluo Continent, their impact would far surpass that of a mere auxiliary medicine!

Imagine a weak soul master using a hidden weapon to kill an opponent far above their level—what a sensation that would cause!

In an instant, a surge of ambition blazed like a roaring fire in Tang San's chest.

"Maybe I can found an organization to spread the Tang Sect Secret Arts!"

"The name... let it be Tang Sect!"

Tang San's eyes gleamed with sharp light.

He would recreate the glory of the Tang Sect in this world!

Fasnuo Province, Martial Soul Main Hall.

A red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the foot of the platform.

Two rows of guards in gleaming silver armor stood like spears planted upright.

This award ceremony was held by the Fasnuo Main Hall for Yu Cheng. The commendation from Martial Soul City hadn't been finalized yet, so the Main Hall was only giving a symbolic reward.

Most of the invited guests were high-ranking members of the Main Hall.

However, there was one heavyweight guest.

On the platform, responsible for presenting the award, was Salas, the Platinum Archbishop of the Heaven Dou City Martial Soul Saint Hall.

Right now, his face radiated vitality as he spoke eloquently.

"The blessing of the Angel God has allowed our theoretical research to achieve another breakthrough!"

"Praise be to Martial Soul Hall!"

"Loyalty!"

"..."

Yu Cheng nodded from time to time.

He couldn't fully grasp some of the rhetoric, but when a leader spoke, nodding was definitely the right move.

Finally, Salas began presenting the rewards.

"This Soul Tool is a bracelet with about ten cubic meters of space, convenient for your future research and cultivation."

Salas picked up a bracelet from the tray held by an attendant and handed it to Yu Cheng, his tone softening slightly.

"Thank you, Archbishop, and thank you for His Holiness the Pope's grace. Yu Cheng will spare no effort to expand and strengthen, and create new glories."

Yu Cheng's tone was sincere.

"Hahaha!"

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

"This Black Gold Soul Coin Card is accepted at all major banks in the empire. It holds one hundred thousand gold soul coins."

He placed another card into Yu Cheng's hand.

One hundred thousand gold soul coins.

For an ordinary commoner or even a minor noble, this was undoubtedly an astronomical sum.

Even for Martial Soul Hall, bestowing such an amount on a youth in a single reward was a considerable gesture.

And this was only the reward from the Fasnuo Main Hall.

If he went to Martial Soul City, Yu Cheng dared not imagine what honors he might receive.

A promotion and raise, becoming an archbishop, marrying the Saintess...

Reaching the peak of life.

"The glory of Martial Soul Hall shall illuminate the Douluo Continent!"

Yu Cheng bowed, his formal words flowing smoothly.

The award ceremony concluded with both host and guest thoroughly pleased.

Just then—

From outside the main hall, a clear and resonant voice rang out:

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