Difference Between Puppet and Wise Person

[Real World]

Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Dugu Bo, who was refining medicine, suddenly slapped his thigh, so excited that he nearly knocked over the medicine cauldron in his hands.

"Good!"

"Genius! This is a true genius!"

Dugu Bo pointed at Bai Tang San's notes on the Sky Curtain, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"What the hell does Yu Xiaogang know about poison?!"

"Blue Silver Grass taking the control path? That's simply wasting a treasure!"

"Life and deadly poison have always been two sides of the same coin."

"This kid has already grasped the true essence of the Way of Poison before even obtaining his First Soul Ring!"

"If he is allowed to grow..."

"The title of the world's greatest Poison Soul Master will surely be his!"

The more Dugu Bo watched, the more he liked him. He wished he could rush into the White World right now, drink with Bai Tang San, and discuss the principles of poison.

Meanwhile.

Shrek Academy.

Yu Xiaogang stared fixedly at the Sky Curtain.

At those lines of red annotations, at those merciless refutations of his theories.

His face had turned a terrifying shade of iron blue.

He wanted to argue.

He wanted to shout that his theories were the invincible ones.

But...

When the words reached his lips, he could not say them.

Because his reason told him.

Bai Tang San was... right.

Blue Silver Grass truly possessed tenacious vitality. If it could merge with deadly poison, it would indeed be far more terrifying than mere resilience and binding.

"No... impossible..."

"How could a six-year-old child understand theory more thoroughly than I do after decades of research?"

"Coincidence! This must be a coincidence!"

Cold sweat poured down Yu Xiaogang's forehead. His hands gripped the railing so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

And at that moment.

Hei Tang San stood behind Yu Xiaogang, watching himself on the Sky Curtain studying late into the night and making preparations alone.

Then he looked at the carrot in his own hand, meant for feeding pigs.

And at the Teacher who only knew how to send him out to buy bedding.

An intense sense of disparity engulfed him like a tidal wave.

"I..."

"Why didn't I think of going to the library to look up information?"

"Why did I blindly believe Teacher?"

"Could it be..."

"Is this the difference between a puppet and a wise person?"

Hei Tang San's heart was in turmoil.

As he watched Bai Tang San scribbling furiously in his notebook, there was more than jealousy in his eyes now. There was also a trace of... fear.

He was afraid.

Afraid that his counterpart in the White World would truly forge a Heaven-Reaching Great Path beyond even his reach.

The night grew deeper.

The preparations in both worlds had come to an end.

Early the next morning.

Soul Hunting Forest. Iron fences separated the inside from the outside like two different worlds.

This was a cage for captive Soul Beasts, and also a trial ground for Low-Level Soul Masters.

Above the Sky Curtain, scenes alternated between clamor and silence.

Two hunts for Soul Rings, two completely different styles.

[Black World]

Yu Xiaogang held a token and led Hei Tang San smoothly through the inspection.

The moment they entered the forest, the scent of soil mixed with blood made Hei Tang San instinctively tense.

"Xiao San, don't be nervous."

Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back, trying his best to maintain the bearing of a Master.

"With Teacher here, nothing can go wrong."

After speaking, he took a deep breath, formed a hand seal, and stirred his Soul Power.

"Come out, Luo San Pao!"

Pfft—

Accompanied by a somewhat comical muffled sound, a ball of pale purple light landed on the ground.

A creature that looked neither like a pig nor a dog rolled out.

It had a round, chubby body, two drooping ears, and pea-sized green eyes that did not look very intelligent.

"Luo luo!"

Luo San Pao affectionately rubbed against Yu Xiaogang's trouser leg.

The entire continent's audience fell silent.

This was... Master's Martial Soul?

Before anyone could react, Yu Xiaogang had already begun displaying his "divine skill."

The bushes ahead shook.

Several pairs of dark green eyes lit up.

It was a pack of Ten-Year Nether Wolves.

"Perfect. We'll use them for practice."

Yu Xiaogang smiled confidently and shouted.

"Fart like thunder, blast the heavens and shatter the earth, Luo San Pao!"

The incantation was shouted with tremendous vigor.

However.

The next second.

Boom—!

A cloud of yellow smoke erupted from behind Luo San Pao's butt, accompanied by an ear-splitting fart.

That image.

That sound.

That overwhelming "smell."

Even through the Sky Curtain, it seemed enough to sting people's eyes shut.

Several Nether Wolves were left dizzy by the sudden "biological weapon," and two were even blasted flying.

It did have an effect.

But the method...

[Real World]

Spirit Hall, Elder Hall.

"HAHAHAHA!"

A burst of uproarious laughter nearly blew off the hall's dome.

The Titled Douluo who normally stood high above all others were now laughing so hard they doubled over, utterly devoid of dignity.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan trembled with laughter, even the hand pointing at the screen shaking.

"Oh, I can't... I'm dying of laughter..."

"This is Master? This is invincible theory?"

"He attacks by farting? If word gets out, he'll disgrace the entire Soul Master World!"

Even the normally stern Pope Bibi Dong had the corners of her mouth twitching. She held her forehead, seemingly unable to bear watching any longer.

This was the man she had once loved?

He was simply a joke!

And at Shrek Academy.

Hei Tang San watched Luo San Pao on the screen sticking out its butt and farting.

Then he looked at the strained expressions of his classmates, who wanted to laugh but did not dare.

His face burned with humiliation.

It felt as if that fart had exploded directly in his face.

[Black World]

The battle continued.

Although Luo San Pao's attack had driven back the vanguard, Nether Wolves were pack animals.

Soon, more wolves surrounded them.

Luo San Pao could only attack three times.

After three farts, it wilted.

It turned back into that chubby ball that only knew how to act cute.

"This... why are there so many?"

Yu Xiaogang panicked.

After releasing three Soul Skills, his twenty-ninth-level Soul Power had already run dry.

Faced with the snarling wolves lunging at him, his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed onto the ground.

"Teacher, watch out!"

At the crucial moment, Hei Tang San was the one who acted.

The Sleeve Arrows fired in rapid succession!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several cold flashes streaked through the air, and the Nether Wolves charging at Yu Xiaogang fell one after another.

Hei Tang San stood before Yu Xiaogang. His Purple Demon Eye circulated, and he stepped out with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, struggling to fend off the wolves' assault.

After great difficulty.

The wolves retreated.

Teacher and disciple leaned against a large tree, gasping miserably for breath.

Yu Xiaogang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. His face was pale, but his words remained stubborn.

"Ahem... Xiao San, I deliberately exposed an opening just now."

"The purpose was to train your ability to react in actual combat."

"It seems you have not disappointed Teacher's expectations."

Hei Tang San froze, then his face filled with emotion.

"So that's how it was!"

"Teacher truly went to great lengths. This disciple has learned much!"

He believed him.

He truly believed him.

Because in his heart, Teacher was invincible. How could he possibly be driven into a desperate situation by a few Ten-Year Soul Beasts?

It had to be a test!