Yu Xiaogang gave Tang San a look that said this child could be taught, then said, "The three categories are top-tier martial souls, mutated martial souls, and twin martial souls... the martial souls of you three fall under beneficial mutations."
Yet as he spoke that last sentence, he gave Tang San a subtle wink.
"Hm?"
Tang San's heart lurched at the sight.
Could he have discovered the secret of my twin martial souls?
Should I silence him?
Considering that his two companions were still beside him, he ultimately abandoned the idea of killing him to seal his lips. Besides, Grandmaster seemed to be deliberately keeping it a secret.
What was he after?
"Teacher, you know so much."
Tang San was generous with his praise, trying to draw out the man's intentions.
"Teacher? I'm no teacher. I'm merely a lodger mooching food and drink. Just call me Grandmaster like everyone else."
Yu Xiaogang looked down at Tang San and said pointedly, "Grandmaster and teacher are worlds apart in meaning. Don't address me incorrectly, unless..."
At those words, realization instantly dawned on Tang San.
So this Grandmaster wanted to take on a disciple!
Judging by the knowledge Grandmaster had displayed earlier, he could certainly be considered learned. Moreover, he seemed to have recognized Tang San's twin martial souls, clearly possessing considerable wisdom. Taking him as a teacher should not hold Tang San back.
Perhaps this was not the best choice, but it was the most suitable one right now.
Of course, what truly made Tang San decide was that this man was also called Grandmaster, reminding him of Grandmaster Tian Meng, whom Su Mo had encountered before.
If Su Mo could chance upon a Grandmaster, why couldn't I, Tang San?
Thud!
Tang San dropped to both knees in a flash and kowtowed three times to Yu Xiaogang, his forehead striking the ground audibly.
Yu Xiaogang froze. "What are you doing?"
"Teacher, please accept me as your disciple." Tang San's expression was respectful.
Yu Xiaogang smiled at those words and helped Tang San up. "Why kowtow to take a teacher? That courtesy is reserved for sovereigns and parents."
"A teacher for a day is a father for life. You deserve it."
Yu Xiaogang could not help being moved, blurting out, "My dear son!"
"Uh... a slip of the tongue. I meant my dear disciple!"
Yu Xiaogang was now so embarrassed that his toes could have clawed out a two-bedroom apartment. Heaven only knew how those words had slipped out of his mouth.
"Su Mo, that was your doing, wasn't it?" Tian Meng's voice sounded in his mind.
"That's right." Su Mo struggled to keep himself from laughing aloud.
He had indeed amplified Yu Xiaogang's feeling of regarding Tang San as a son.
Seeing Su Mo holding back laughter, Tian Meng looked baffled. "What's so funny?"
"I'll share my hotspot with you, and you'll understand."
As he spoke, Su Mo shared the images from Spiritual Detection with Tian Meng.
"Pfft! Hahaha..."
"Stop fucking laughing! You're making it contagious. I'm about to lose control." Su Mo was struggling badly now, his shoulders shaking.
"I really never expected Haozi to sneak along after them. He definitely heard that 'my dear son.' His face is practically green now. Hehehe..."
"That's only part of it. Take another look at Tang San's and Grandmaster's faces," Su Mo added.
At that, Tian Meng looked toward Tang San and his teacher.
Their expressions had abruptly changed.
Tang San's face was dark, and a trace of resentment lingered in his eyes as he looked at Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang, however, looked delighted after a bout of bewilderment.
"What's wrong with those two?"
Tian Meng was utterly lost.
"Keep watching, and you'll find out." Su Mo kept him in suspense.
At that moment, Yu Xiaogang could hardly wait to confirm that sensation. But remembering that there were still two promising seedlings he had yet to bring under his wing, he suppressed his excitement and looked at Su Mo and Xiao Wu beside him.
He cut straight to the point. "Would you two be willing to take me as your teacher?"
Su Mo shook his head. "I met an elderly man before. He taught me a great deal about martial souls, and I've already decided to take him as my teacher."
"I'll follow my brother," Xiao Wu chimed in.
Although Yu Xiaogang was somewhat disappointed, he did not particularly care.
With twin martial souls in hand, who would care about a mere pair of mutated martial souls?
Besides, he was now eager to verify that mysterious, elusive sensation. After returning their martial soul certificates and telling them to register on their own, he left with Tang San.
"What are they in such a hurry to do?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.
"Who cares? Let's register first." Su Mo took Xiao Wu's hand and headed toward the academic affairs office, while his Spiritual Detection remained locked on Tang San and his teacher the entire time.
The teacher and disciple arrived at a room in a corner of the dormitory building's top floor.
It was none other than Yu Xiaogang's residence.
The room was roughly thirty square meters, with simple furnishings. Its most striking feature was a large bookcase packed with all kinds of books.
Seeing that Tang San and his teacher had stopped moving, Su Mo began circling the vicinity.
He did his best to keep Yu Xiaogang's residence within the range of Spiritual Detection without making his own movements look too suspicious.
Even if Xiao Wu asked, he could say he was looking for the academic affairs office.
Meanwhile, inside Yu Xiaogang's room.
"Little San, you felt it too?" Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San excitedly.
Tang San hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I did feel as though the martial soul inside me was resonating with you, Teacher."
"Then hurry and summon it so we can see!" Yu Xiaogang could barely wait.
"Well..." Tang San hesitated instead.
Yu Xiaogang instantly understood when he saw this. "Little San, is the one resonating with me your other martial soul?"
Tang San's pupils contracted slightly at those words. His teacher really had figured it out from the start. He then nodded and summoned the hammer martial soul in his left hand.
Yet in the next instant, teacher and disciple were dumbstruck.
What Tang San summoned was actually a creature that looked part dog and part pig.
It had short limbs and a body over a meter and a half long, with a waist probably measuring about the same. Whenever it squirmed, the fat all over its body jiggled.
Its entire body was covered in pale purple fur, with a small, round bump on its head, two drooping ears, and a pair of large, deep blue eyes that were utterly adorable.
The moment he appeared, he lunged toward Yu Xiaogang and rubbed his head against the man's trouser leg.
Yet after rubbing against him for a while, he realized something was wrong.
This didn't seem to be his Soul Master!
His large eyes blinked as his gaze shifted back and forth between Tang San and his teacher.
One was the Master he recognized...
One was the Master he sensed...
He felt as though his brain's CPU was about to fry itself.
"Luo Sanpao? How could you..." Yu Xiaogang had never expected his own martial soul to be summoned by his disciple.
"Could it be..."
As though a possibility had occurred to him, Yu Xiaogang immediately tried summoning his martial soul. A faint black light then surged from his left hand, revealing a pitch-black hammer.
"Gasp! The Clear Sky Hammer?"
Yu Xiaogang's pupils shrank sharply, and the way he looked at Tang San changed at once.
The Clear Sky Hammer, and his surname was Tang. Could he be that great man's child?
He felt rather helpless now.
If that great man learned that his child's martial soul had ended up in my body, he would probably hammer me to death without hesitation.
"Teacher, what exactly is going on?"
"Why is my martial soul with you?"
Noticing that Yu Xiaogang had summoned the hammer martial soul that originally belonged to him, Tang San grew even more bewildered.