"Chen Yumo?"
Tang San had just returned to Nuoding Academy when he ran headlong into Chen Yumo, who was heading out to grab a meal.
After being jolted about for most of the day, Tang San had finally managed to bring the severely injured Yu Xiaogang back to Nuoding Academy. This was only because Yu Xiaogang had woken from his coma during the latter half of the journey, allowing them to travel a little faster.
Otherwise, they would not have made it back to the academy until at least evening.
Tang San had originally had no time to bother with Chen Yumo. Though he had given Yu Xiaogang's injuries some basic treatment, they still needed to find a real physician if he was to recover properly.
Moreover, Tang San did not think much of him. Though they had both come from the same village to study here, Tang San considered himself and Chen Yumo to be people from entirely different worlds.
He was a soul from another world, with the precious legacy of the Tang Sect in his mind, as well as Twin Martial Souls with Innate Full Soul Power. Chen Yumo, meanwhile, was merely an ordinary mountain village child whose parents had both died, and his Innate Soul Power was only level one.
If his Innate Full Soul Power represented the highest innate talent on Douluo Continent, then Chen Yumo's Innate Level One Soul Power was the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel talent.
Not to mention...
An Ice Silkworm?
It was not that Tang San was prejudiced against Chen Yumo, but he genuinely believed that such a completely non-aggressive insect was simply pathetically weak...
Normally, given Tang San's inner pride and disdain for Chen Yumo, he had no reason whatsoever to call out to him. Yet the movement of Chen Yumo's hand made him stop in spite of himself.
Even Yu Xiaogang, who was leaning against him and barely managing to keep himself from falling, looked over as well.
"Oh, Tang San!" Chen Yumo turned around naturally and waved his free hand in greeting.
Hold it in. I have to hold it in.
Chen Yumo ran through every sad and painful memory from both his lives before he finally forced down the corners of his mouth, which kept threatening to rise.
It was not his fault that he wanted to laugh. Gangzi looked far too miserable.
His eye bags sagged, his eye sockets were deeply sunken, and his dark circles could rival a national treasure's. His face had already resembled that of a zombie, but now he looked more like someone who had been dead for a while.
Especially those bloodshot eyes of his. If he had not been breathing normally, Chen Yumo would have thought his Down syndrome was acting up.
Who could keep a straight face after seeing Gangzi looking like this?
Fortunately, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang were both drawn to the Ice Silkworm in his hand, which was eating a Mulberry Leaf, and did not notice his twitching lips. He hurriedly changed the subject.
"You two just got back from hunting soul beasts? Nothing serious, I hope?" Chen Yumo asked in a concerned tone.
Tang San had not expected this talentless weakling from his village to express concern for him. Out of courtesy, he nodded. "Yes, we just got back to the academy. There was a little accident, and I need to take my teacher to find a healing-type Spirit Master."
"You're injured? Then this can't be delayed. Hurry up and go!" Chen Yumo said, making as if to leave.
"Wait!" Tang San called after him, pointing at the Ice Silkworm in his hand. "Are you feeding your Martial Soul?"
Chen Yumo did not hide it, merely embellishing his explanation slightly. "Yes. Isn't the person beside you the master? After arriving at the academy, I heard some things. They said the master's Martial Soul is somewhat similar to mine, in that both can leave the Spirit Master's body independently. And the master often feeds his Martial Soul white radishes, which gave me an idea."
"The master's theories are impressive, so there must be a reason he feeds his Martial Soul. That's why I wanted to imitate him and feed my Martial Soul some leaves."
"After all..." Chen Yumo showed Tang San the Ice Silkworm still gnawing on a Cold Mulberry Leaf in his palm and said helplessly, "You can see it too. My Martial Soul isn't even as big as my little finger, and my Innate Soul Power is only level one. It's just too weak. Feeding it Mulberry Leaves is only because I hope it might grow a little bigger."
"I see." Tang San nodded thoughtfully.
That explanation did sound reasonable.
Tang San was considering the feasibility of Chen Yumo's words and did not notice that Yu Xiaogang's face had already turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
An External Beast Martial Soul?
Feeding Luo Sanpao food?
There had to be a reason for feeding it white radishes?
More importantly, Innate Level One?
Yu Xiaogang felt as though every sentence Chen Yumo said was slapping him viciously across the face.
What other reason could there be for feeding Luo Sanpao white radishes? White radishes made him fart! The more white radishes it ate, the bigger and smellier Luo Sanpao's farts would be when he released a soul skill, and the more powerful the skill became.
As for Chen Yumo's External Martial Soul, the Ice Silkworm, it did not make Yu Xiaogang feel any kinship.
Looking at Chen Yumo now, he saw only himself at the time when he had first awakened his Martial Soul. As the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's clan leader, he had awakened his Martial Soul under countless watchful eyes. Yet what he awakened was not only not the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, but even worse, a pig-like creature inferior to pigs and dogs.
Innate Half-Level Soul Power.
Yu Xiaogang would never forget the looks in people's eyes after his Martial Soul awakened, the looks that shifted from respect to mockery, nor the rumors that had pierced deeply into his self-esteem.
They both had External Beast Martial Souls. Even Chen Yumo's utterly worthless Ice Silkworm Martial Soul had level one Soul Power, while he only had half a level. Wasn't that plainly saying he was not even as good as an Ice Silkworm, that he was even more useless than Chen Yumo?
How was he supposed to accept that?
Especially Chen Yumo's sunny and cheerful personality, which was completely unlike the person Yu Xiaogang had been back then.
We both awakened useless Martial Souls, so why did I have to be condemned by everyone? Why did I have to endure everyone's ridicule and rumors? Why could you remain sunny and cheerful, get along harmoniously with others, and even possess a positive, hardworking heart?
Normally, Yu Xiaogang could still suppress his dark side and maintain the lofty image expected of a master before others.
But now, he could no longer control himself.
The Mandala Snake's venom already had some hallucinogenic effects, and he had forcibly endured its venom attacking him throughout the entire night while protecting Tang San.
Afterward, instead of receiving treatment immediately, he had been jolted all the way back to Nuoding Academy.
He was currently at his weakest and most vulnerable.
The injuries on his body ached faintly, while the remaining venom that had yet to be cleared left his mind hazy and muddled.
To Yu Xiaogang in his current state, Chen Yumo's smile was unbearably glaring. It made him feel as though his true self, hidden deep in his heart, had been exposed to sunlight. It also made him feel as if he were once again surrounded by countless sharp, mocking gazes fixed upon him.
"Yu Xiaogang?"
"Just a clown!"
Shut up, shut up...!!!
"Absurd!!!" Yu Xiaogang roared, his bloodshot eyes fixed fiercely on Chen Yumo's face. "You're twisting my theories! You're making an unnecessary fuss!"
"You want to imitate me by feeding your Martial Soul? Do you think you're the manager of a pig farm?!"
"The sight of you pisses me off!"
Before you continue