"You've already revealed your first Soul Skill, but only a handful of people know what Su Yun's first Soul Skill does."
"At the start of the match, who do you think will have the advantage—you or him?"
Tang San's expression remained calm. "Su Yun."
"Exactly."
Yu Xiaogang nodded slightly, then continued, "But that's the only advantage Su Yun has."
He looked at Tang San. "Your movements are well coordinated, and you're very agile. Those are major advantages. I hope you can make full use of them when you face Su Yun."
Tang San had great confidence in his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
The academy's matches were usually held in an arena.
The arena was neither too large nor too small. Tang San had gone to look at it before, and it was just big enough for him to use his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
Tang San also knew that Su Yun had a movement technique, but he didn't think Su Yun's footwork could compare to his own.
After all, he'd spent nearly thirty years practicing the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. If he lost to Su Yun in that regard, wouldn't he bring shame upon himself and the ancestors of the Tang Sect?
"I understand, Master." Tang San nodded again.
Then he looked up and said, "Master, you really didn't need to publicize my match with Su Yun so widely."
"I know you wanted to stir up my fighting spirit, but you didn't have to tell everyone in Notting City about it."
"Since we've committed to this, we might as well see it through. I have absolute confidence in you."
Yu Xiaogang stood up and patted Tang San on the shoulder. "Xiao San, all these years, you're the only one who has believed in my theories and been willing to put them into practice with me."
"That means a great deal to me."
"So I want everyone to know that my disciple is just as good as anyone else. Even with a Trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass, a student of mine can grow into a powerful control-type Soul Master!"
After hearing Yu Xiaogang's words, Tang San could feel his heartbeat quickening.
Tang San remembered an old saying from his previous life: "A man would die for the one who understands him."
His master's words—"There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters"—had stayed with him ever since.
Even though Tang San had a Trash Martial Soul, his master had never given up on him. Instead, he had devoted his heart and energy to teaching him how to cultivate.
How could Tang San possibly lose to Su Yun in front of so many people in Notting City?
If he lost, wouldn't he ruin his master's reputation?
At the thought, Tang San couldn't help feeling a stronger desire to win.
At the same time, he felt a faint stir in his Soul Power.
Only then did Tang San understand what his master had meant by motivating him.
He didn't want to see his master humiliated in front of everyone, and that filled him with a longing to improve.
Because of that longing, he could feel his Soul Power rising once more.
As expected!
The human body had limitless potential, just waiting to be discovered.
"Master, I'm going to cultivate now. In this final month, I want to push myself and break through to Soul Power Level 17," Tang San said as he stood.
"Good. This time, just follow your own method of cultivation. You don't need to focus too much on my suggestions." After nodding in agreement, Yu Xiaogang added a few things for him to keep in mind.
"Don't worry, Master. I'll bring you good news."
Tang San bowed to Yu Xiaogang, then turned and left the room.
Feeling the sudden burst of Soul Power from Tang San and watching the door close behind him, Yu Xiaogang finally let a smile appear at the corner of his mouth.
"Su Yun, Su Yun... There's almost no chance you can catch up with Tang San on your own."
"If you'd become my disciple back then, your cultivation speed might even be a little faster than Xiao San's by now."
"But it's a shame..."
As he sighed, he recalled how disrespectfully Su Yun had treated him that afternoon.
At the memory, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help feeling annoyed again.
That boy had such a sharp tongue. He always said exactly what people didn't want to hear.
Yu Xiaogang mocked him inwardly.
Forget it. I won't think about that boy anymore.
Yu Xiaogang shook his head hard, trying to banish the image of that irritating young man from his mind.
He disliked the way Su Yun spoke, but to be honest, he still had to thank him.
Without the match between his disciple Tang San and Su Yun, Yu Xiaogang wouldn't have been able to help his friend, the academy's Dean, solve the academy's funding problems.
Notting Junior Soul Master Academy was, after all, a public academy. Most of the time, it had to rely on donations from local wealthy families.
Now, all he had to do was step forward and testify that the bet was genuine, and the money would come pouring in.
Though he knew those people were hoping to see him make a fool of himself, Yu Xiaogang had already decided what kind of look he would give them on the day they came to watch him dive into the water.
"Now, all that's left is to wait a month."
Yu Xiaogang's quiet voice echoed through the room.
With the publicity around Notting City, a month passed almost without anyone noticing.
In the work-study student dormitory.
"Su Yun, where are you going for the break?" Xiao Wu asked, watching Su Yun fold his blanket.
"The break? Of course I'm going back to the village."
Su Yun kept folding the blanket without looking up. "The village chief and the others are always busy. They've only sent a few letters, so naturally I want to go back and visit them."
Some time ago, Old Jack and several other villagers had sent a few letters to Su Yun and Tang San.
In the letters, they'd written about how much they missed the two boys.
Unfortunately, there was a lot of work in the village, and they couldn't come to see them.
To make up for that, Su Yun naturally planned to go home and visit Old Jack and the others after the end-of-term match.
Thinking about this, Su Yun remembered that this was also when Tang San's father, Tang Hao, would officially leave Tang San in Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang's care.
He would go and take care of other matters himself.
Having read the original story, Su Yun knew Tang Hao was probably going to find Ah Yin's true body in this world.
At the thought, Su Yun felt a flicker of doubt.
Since Ah Yin had already become his Martial Soul, would any remnant of her consciousness remain in the Blue Silver Grass seed Tang Hao had planted?
Su Yun didn't know, and he hadn't dared to ask Ah Yin.
"Is that so?"
Xiao Wu thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "Oh, I remember your village isn't far from here, right?"
"How about I go back to Holy Soul Village with you this time?"
Su Yun didn't refuse. He nodded and said, "Of course. But if you don't go home, won't your family worry?"
Su Yun knew Xiao Wu's identity, but naturally didn't point it out. Instead, he simply followed up on what she'd said.
Sure enough, when she heard Su Yun's question, a hint of loneliness appeared in Xiao Wu's eyes.
In the Star Dou Forest, the only friends she had left were Da Ming and Er Ming.
Besides, she'd only recently transformed into a human and come out of the forest. If she went back, she might not even run into Da Ming and Er Ming—and other Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts might notice her.
That would be far too dangerous for her.
"It's fine, don't worry. My family isn't worried about me."
Then Xiao Wu put on a confident expression and said, "Then it's settled. We'll go together after the end-of-term exams."
"Sure!" Su Yun replied with a smile.
At last, the month was over!
This day was more exciting than any other day of the year at Notting Junior Soul Master Academy!
Nobles and wealthy people from all over Notting City gathered there, seated in the stands and chatting among themselves in high spirits.
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