Master's Rejection and Tang San's Experimental Report: Plants Eat Fire?

Bai Tang San opened the Jade Box.

The Crimson Flame Grass instantly released a wave of scorching heat.

Bai Tang San did not hesitate in the slightest.

He raised his right hand, and the Blue Silver Grass in his palm slowly extended outward.

But this time, he did not touch it directly. Instead, he first circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill, wrapping a layer of pale green life Soul Power around the surface of the grass blades.

"Life force is the strongest adaptability in this world."

"As long as the dosage is properly controlled."

"Poison can become medicine."

"Flames... can also become nourishment."

Sizzle—!

The Blue Silver Grass touched the leaves of the Crimson Flame Grass.

In an instant, that searing fire poison spread along the blades.

Bai Tang San's Blue Silver Grass began to wither and blacken.

But he did not stop.

Instead, he increased his Soul Power output, driving the Blue Silver Grass to use its "plundering" trait to forcibly extract the fire-element energy from the Crimson Flame Grass!

"If it destroys my body, then I'll reforge it!"

"If it burns my leaves, then they'll regenerate!"

Withering.

Regeneration.

Withering again.

Regeneration again.

This was a brutal tug-of-war on a microscopic level.

Fine beads of sweat formed on Bai Tang San's forehead, yet the light in his eyes only grew brighter.

Finally.

After the ninth cycle of withering and regeneration.

A faint but unmistakable red pattern appeared on the newly grown Blue Silver Grass leaves!

They no longer feared that trace amount of fire poison.

Instead, they greedily absorbed the heat, transforming it into fuel for their own growth!

"Success."

Bai Tang San let out a long breath, picked up his pen, and wrote his conclusion in the report.

"Experiment Group A-09: Through the mechanisms of 'desensitization therapy' and 'plundering regeneration.'"

"The Blue Silver Grass successfully developed a preliminary fire-element antibody."

"Theoretical verification: as long as it continues devouring fire poison of varying intensities, the Blue Silver Grass can fully evolve a 'fire immunity' constitution."

"Perhaps..."

"One day in the future, the Blue Silver Grass will naturally deal 'flame enchantment' damage."

"Name: Blue Silver Fire Poison."

[Real World]

Blazing Fire Academy.

The training ground was deathly silent.

Huo Wu, known as a "fire-element genius," stared blankly at the Sky Curtain.

The fireball in her hand dissipated because she had lost focus.

"Madman..."

"This Bai Tang San is a complete and utter madman!"

Huo Wu's voice trembled.

"A plant eating fire?"

"How could he even think of doing something that defies all natural laws? How could he dare to do it?"

But then, a deep wariness flashed through her eyes.

"But..."

"He succeeded."

"That trace of red pattern cannot be faked."

"If he is allowed to keep growing..."

"Wouldn't the restraint we fire-element Soul Masters take such pride in become a joke before him?"

"Or even... become his nourishment?"

Huo Wushuang stood beside his sister, his expression as grim as iron.

"If this boy is not eliminated."

"He will become a great threat in the future."

Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy.

Yu Xiaogang looked at the densely packed experimental report on the Sky Curtain.

At that trace of red pattern.

He trembled with rage, unable even to hold his teacup steady.

"Heterodox nonsense!"

"This is simply treating life like a joke!"

"Playing with fire will get him burned! Sooner or later, his arrogance will burn him to ashes!"

Yu Xiaogang roared loudly, trying to hide the panic in his heart with sheer volume.

Because he had realized.

Every step Bai Tang San took overturned everything he knew.

Every step ground his face into the dirt again and again.

What "common sense"?

What "weaknesses written into the genes"?

In that madman's laboratory, they were all meant to be shattered!

Hei Tang San watched the screen.

He watched Bai Tang San's eyes gleaming with focus.

Then he looked at the glaring word "fire" in his notebook.

He suddenly felt.

That word did not seem to be recording a weakness.

It seemed more like it was recording...

His cowardice.

"Can I... really only keep avoiding it?"

Hei Tang San questioned himself.

But seeing the Teacher beside him flying into a rage, he ultimately did not dare say it aloud.

He merely closed his notebook in silence.

And once more buried that newly sprouted doubt deep within his heart.

The night deepened.

To support these costly experiments and continue down this heaven-defying path.

The Tang Sans of both worlds faced the same practical problem—money.

[Black World]

The afternoon sun was vicious, while the furnace inside the Blacksmith Shop drove the temperature to an extreme.

Hei Tang San was bare-chested, his youthful shoulders bearing a Forging Hammer far too heavy for him.

"Boss, I'd like to find some work."

Hei Tang San's voice was earnest, his gaze resolute.

Boss Shi San was a rough man. He glanced at this little brat, who was not even as tall as the stove, and snorted.

"Go on, get out of here. Whose kid are you? This isn't a place for you to play."

"That hammer weighs more than you do. Don't smash your own foot."

Hei Tang San did not argue.

He took a deep breath, planted his feet firmly, and tensed the muscles in his calves.

Hah!

With a low shout.

He swung the iron hammer in a full arc, its howling wind smashing viciously into the red-hot pig iron.

Clang—!

Sparks flew everywhere.

Then, borrowing the rebound force, came the second hammer, the third hammer...

Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer!

Though he could not yet unleash the true power of this ultimate technique, its fluid use of force still made for a breathtaking sight.

Thirty-six strikes.

Completed in one breath.

The originally rough pig iron rapidly shrank beneath the barrage of hammer blows. Impurities were removed, leaving behind a decently refined piece of iron.

"Good!"

Boss Shi San's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"Natural strength! This is truly natural strength!"

"That technique is more practiced than mine!"

"Fine, kid, you can stay! You'll be paid by the piece from now on. For every piece of iron like this you forge, I'll give you two Silver Soul Coins!"

Hei Tang San wiped the sweat from his face and revealed an honest smile.

"Thank you, Boss!"

From then on.

Every afternoon, a sweat-soaked figure appeared in the Blacksmith Shop of Nuoding City.

Clang—clang—

Once, then again.

Hei Tang San immersed himself in this mechanical, repetitive labor.

He felt fulfilled.

He was exchanging sweat for cultivation resources.

He was using "diligence" to move himself.

However.

The Sky Curtain's narration mercilessly exposed the truth:

[Tactical diligence can never conceal strategic laziness.]

[He possesses the inheritance of the Clear Sky Hammer, yet he uses it for the lowest form of manual labor.]

[This is not cultivation.]

[This is wasting his life.]

[White World]

The same Blacksmith Shop.

The same Boss Shi San.

Bai Tang San wore a neat work uniform and even a pair of homemade protective gloves.

He did not rush to touch the hammer.

Instead, with his hands behind his back, he walked around the Blacksmith Shop like an inspector for three full laps.

At times, he examined the color of the furnace fire.

At times, he observed the rhythm of the bellows.

At times, he picked up a discarded piece of iron slag and held it beneath his nose for a sniff.

"Kid, have you seen enough?"

Boss Shi San was growing impatient. "If you're not buying anything, then stop blocking the way."

Bai Tang San stopped and turned around, rational light gleaming in his deep eyes.

"Boss."

"Your shop's efficiency is too low."

"Also, the sulfur and phosphorus content in this iron exceeds the limit. It fractures easily. With this quality, you can only forge hoes, not weapons."

Boss Shi San froze, then flew into a rage. "Bullshit! I've been forging iron for thirty years, and I need some brat like you to teach me?"