Yu Xiaogang: Tang San is Unworthy of Being My Disciple

Lin Ye knew this request was a bit excessive. He rubbed his hands awkwardly and said with a cheeky grin, "Come on, we're tight like that. You didn't say anything when you were lying on my shoulder before, right? So why can you ride me, but I can't ride you for a bit?

Qiu'er, as a beast, you gotta understand how the world works—give and take. You can't be selfish and only take, or you'll end up with no friends."

Lin Qiu'er shook her big head like a rattle-drum. "I'm not listening, I'm not listening! Anyway, don't even think about it. I'm not letting you ride me."

Lin Ye sighed dramatically. "I treat you with all sincerity, give you good food and drink, raise you all plump and pretty, but what about you? Do you even see me as a friend?"

Lin Qiu'er was left speechless. Put that way, she did feel a bit guilty—always freeloading off him really didn't seem great.

Besides, getting ridden wasn't totally unacceptable. Like Lin Ye said, hadn't she lain on his shoulder before? That was basically the same as riding him.

Thinking like that, her resistance softened a lot.

"Ah, forget it. Tomorrow I'll have Xue Nu take you back to the Star Dou Great Forest."

"What? You're kicking me out?" Lin Qiu'er froze on the spot.

Snow Empress and Bing Di also glanced over, not understanding what Lin Ye was up to. The two women didn't want the Auspicious Beast to leave, not just because they were charmed by Lin Qiu'er's cute looks, but more because of her status as the Emperor Auspicious Beast.

Lin Qiu'er stared with her big, dazed eyes, unable to believe she was being rejected. This human was driving her away.

Lin Ye spread his hands. "I get it now. The Emperor Auspicious Beast—we can't reach that high. My little temple can't hold a big Buddha like you."

This trick was called retreat to advance. Lin Ye didn't believe Lin Qiu'er really wanted to go back to the forest, not wanting to see the outside world anymore, with all its delicious food. He was sure she couldn't bear to leave it.

But no one was a fool. Lin Qiu'er thought it over and caught on. This nasty human boy was using good food to blackmail her. Her forehead was instantly covered in dark lines.

"Fine, stop being so sarcastic. I'll let you ride me, okay?"

"Really?" Lin Ye's face changed faster than flipping a book, beaming with joy as he looked at Lin Qiu'er.

"Hmph, I said just this once. Don't bring up this kind of request again."

"Alright, alright, just once." Lin Ye was overjoyed and agreed readily.

He steadied himself with his hands, jumped up, and when he landed, he was straddling the Auspicious Beast's back.

Lin Qiu'er's fur was soft and smooth, and there was a layer of scales on her body, making it feel a bit slippery for Lin Ye riding on top. His hands instinctively reached for something to grab.

When he touched Lin Qiu'er's ears, she immediately twisted her head away, not letting him succeed.

Lin Qiu'er turned her big head around, bared her teeth, and let out a low growl, warning the two-legged beast on her back not to push his luck.

Night fell, the sky full of stars, the bright moon hanging high.

Yu Xiaogang and Tang San, this master-and-disciple pair, ate some dry rations they'd brought and then leaned against a tree to rest.

They didn't light a fire, because the flames would attract soul beasts.

Even in this perilous forest, Yu Xiaogang didn't forget to teach Tang San.

"Xiao San, remember, a soul master's training in youth is the most important. Level thirty is a major threshold. If you can cross it before you're twenty, your future prospects will be limitless.

On the other hand, if you can't break through level thirty by twenty, your achievements will likely be very limited."

In the darkness, Yu Xiaogang's dim eyes carried a hint of resentment. The threshold of level thirty—he himself probably wouldn't cross it in this lifetime.

"Teacher, I'll work hard." Tang San said seriously.

"Mm." Yu Xiaogang nodded lightly. "You have Innate Full Soul Power—that's your advantage. But don't slack off because of it, or you won't be worthy of being my disciple."

Tang San: "..."

Hearing this, he felt a bit annoyed. What the hell? He had Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls—a talent that, across the entire Soul Master World, was among the rarest prodigies.

And you? Your Innate Soul Power was only half a rank. Now past fifty, you still can't break through level thirty. Where do you get off thinking I'm not worthy of being your disciple?

Of course, Tang San only muttered these words in his head. He would never say them out loud.

"Luo Luo." Luo Sanpao's bark suddenly rang out.

The two of them immediately went on alert upon receiving the signal. A martial soul and its host were one. Yu Xiaogang instantly locked onto the incoming soul beast.

"It's a Youming Wolf. Xiao San, don't stray too far from me."

Under the night sky, a dozen or so green glowing dots were approaching them.

Tang San's eyes flickered with a faint purple light as he activated the eye technique he'd practiced for years, the Purple Demon Eye.

With the Purple Demon Eye's enhancement, his eyesight greatly improved.

There were six Youming Wolves approaching them, all silver-gray, each at least one and a half meters long.

As they drew closer, Yu Xiaogang discerned the age of these Youming Wolves and snorted disdainfully. "A few decade-old pups, daring to act up. San Pao, go."

"Luo Luo."

Luo Sanpao opened his dog mouth wide, took a huge gulp of air, and his already fat belly swelled at an alarming rate, like a balloon being inflated.

"Fart like thunder, shake heaven and crack earth—Luo Sanpao!" Yu Xiaogang suddenly bellowed, and one of his two soul rings flew off and wrapped around Luo Sanpao.

The soul ring flashed, emitting a yellow light, very conspicuous in the darkness.

Tang San's eyes widened. This was the first time he'd seen a soul master use a soul skill.

But he didn't expect Yu Xiaogang to hand him a mask at that moment.

He instinctively put it on, then looked at Yu Xiaogang, who had already put on his mask as well.

The Youming Wolf kept closing in, but suddenly Luo Sanpao spun around and aimed its pig rear at the wolves.

The next moment, with a bang, a massive cloud of yellow gas erupted from the pig's backside, accompanied by a foul stench.

That's right—it was a fart. A long, drawn-out, ear-splitting, earth-shaking thunderous fart.

The six Youming Wolves were instantly blasted over ten meters away, crashing into trees before collapsing weakly to the ground.

All six wolves were injured. Four of them struggled to their feet and immediately turned tail and fled.

The remaining two were too badly hurt to move, lying on the ground with feeble whimpers, as if accusing their comrades of betrayal.

Tang San stared in shock. A soul skill—capable of such devastating power?

"Xiao San, give me two White Radishes." Yu Xiaogang's voice came from beside him.

"Oh, right. Got it." Tang San snapped back to attention, reached into the Twenty-Bridge Moonlit Night at his waist, and pulled out two White Radishes.

Yu Xiaogang casually tossed them to Luo Sanpao, who gobbled them down in two or three bites, chirping "Luo Luo" excitedly.

"Wait—does a Martial Soul need to eat?" Tang San was stunned once more.