Master!

A plainly dressed middle-aged man in a gray robe, sporting a sexy crew cut, walked toward them with a book in his hands.

Though Old Jack found the middle-aged man ordinary-looking, he carried an indescribable air about him. Thinking he might be some important figure at the academy, Old Jack quickly bowed. "Are you one of the academy's teachers?"

The man closed his book and smiled. "My name is Yu Xiaogang. I wouldn't call myself a teacher; I'm merely responsible for the academy's theoretical instruction. Everyone calls me Master, so you may call me that as well."

Master?

Jiang Chen recognized him too. This sexy Short Hair before him was the legendary theory plagiarist, Master Yu Xiaogang, a Soul Grandmaster who had reached Level 29 in his fifties.

He was also Tang San's future bargain-bin master.

Yu Xiaogang's gaze swept over Jiang Chen and Tang San as he smiled. "You two should be this year's Work-Study Students, correct?"

Tang San frowned slightly at that.

Wasn't that obvious? Anyone who had seen the scene at the gate would know they were Work-Study Students.

"Yes, we are Work-Study Students." Jiang Chen smiled.

He was already eager to see what Master would do next.

"Good. Then come with me. I'll take you to register."

With that, Yu Xiaogang ignored their reactions and turned to lead the way.

Seeing this, Old Jack gave them a few simple reminders before leaving.

Jiang Chen and Tang San followed behind Yu Xiaogang.

"Brother Chen, what do you think of this man called Master?" Tang San leaned close and asked in a low voice as they walked.

"He looks ordinary. Feels like not a word out of his mouth is true." Jiang Chen answered honestly.

Tang San nodded. It seemed Brother Chen had noticed something was off as well.

They had only just entered the academy, and this fellow who called himself Master had appeared right afterward. No matter how one looked at it, something was wrong.

Before long, Jiang Chen and Tang San entered an office.

The moment they stepped inside, they saw Yu Xiaogang standing by the window with his hands behind his back, head tilted up at a forty-five-degree angle as he gazed at the sky, putting on an unfathomable air.

"I have reviewed both of your files. Innate Full Soul Power—you barely meet my requirements for accepting disciples."

"Do you two wish to take me as your master?"

Tang San: "..."

Jiang Chen: "..."

Seriously? Was he going to be this cringey right from the start?

Seeing that neither of them reacted, Yu Xiaogang coughed awkwardly. He turned, picked up a thick notebook from the desk, casually flipped through a few pages, and deliberately adopted a hint of arrogance.

"Though my Soul Power Level is not high, when it comes to Martial Soul theory, there are few across the entire continent who can stand alongside me."

He paused, his gaze seemingly casually passing over Tang San. "For instance, I have summarized the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul. One of them is that Innate Soul Power Level is directly proportional to the strength of one's Martial Soul."

Tang San's eyes shifted slightly, but he said nothing.

Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang's lips curled into a smile that said he had already seen through everything. He slowly approached and lowered his voice. "Child, your Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, correct?"

Tang San nodded. "Yes."

"Blue Silver Grass is a universally acknowledged useless Martial Soul." Yu Xiaogang's tone was certain. "According to my theory, a useless Martial Soul could never possess Innate Full Soul Power."

"Therefore, you must have a second Martial Soul!"

Tang San shuddered from head to toe, his pupils contracting sharply.

Jiang Chen nearly laughed aloud beside him.

Well, well. The continent's number one plagiarist truly lived up to his name. That act... was actually rather convincing.

If Jiang Chen had not known the whole story, Short Hair might really have bluffed him.

To speak of plagiarism and theft with such confidence—Short Hair's skin was far thicker than that of ordinary people.

For a moment, the office fell deathly quiet.

Tang San's little face tightened, and he quietly placed his left hand behind his back.

Twin Martial Souls were his greatest secret. Even Brother Chen did not know about them, yet this middle-aged man had inferred it from just a few words. He was clearly no simple man.

Should I kill him now?

At this distance, if Yu Xiaogang was completely unguarded, Tang San was seventy percent confident he could succeed with a sneak attack.

Seeing Tang San lower his head in thought, Yu Xiaogang assumed he had been stunned by his theory. His tone became increasingly smug. "Twin Martial Souls are a once-in-a-century rarity. The recorded cases throughout history can be counted on one hand. If you take me as your master, I can tailor a cultivation plan specifically for you."

At that moment, Jiang Chen suddenly spoke. "Master, I have a small question."

Yu Xiaogang frowned slightly but maintained his composure. "Go ahead."

"You just mentioned the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul."

Jiang Chen smiled. "Then may I ask, what is the maximum absorption age for a Soul Master's first Soul Ring?"

The air fell silent for a moment.

Yu Xiaogang's expression stiffened. He had clearly not expected this boy to suddenly throw out such a specific question.

He coughed dryly and tried to maintain his image of vast knowledge. "According to my research, the first Soul Ring cannot exceed five hundred... To be precise, four hundred and twenty-three years."

"Is that so?"

Jiang Chen patted Tang San beside him. "Little San, show him how old your first Soul Ring is."

As his words fell, the deep yellow Soul Ring beneath Tang San's feet quietly appeared. As its light flowed, the fluctuations of Soul Power clearly surpassed the level of an ordinary hundred-year Soul Ring.

Yu Xiaogang stared at the Soul Ring, his pupils widening abruptly.

That color, that aura—it was definitely more than five hundred years old!

"My little brother's first Soul Ring is seven hundred and eighty years old."

Jiang Chen kindly added, twisting the knife further. "Master, shouldn't your Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul be updated?"

Tang San silently withdrew his Soul Ring, his gaze toward Yu Xiaogang gaining a touch more wariness.

This man had been so confident just moments ago, only to be proven wrong the next second.

Did someone like this deserve to become Tang San's master?

Yu Xiaogang's face instantly reddened like pig liver as he muttered, "That shouldn't be possible. How could my theory be wrong?"

In truth, there was no major problem with Yu Xiaogang's theories overall.

But he had forgotten one thing: geniuses could never be judged by common sense.

He could predict most Soul Masters, but he could not predict that Tang San possessed Tang Sect secret arts like the Mysterious Heaven Skill and Jade Hand.

After all, Yu Xiaogang's talent doomed him so that no matter how much he speculated and imagined, he could never deduce a genius's limits.

Geniuses were the very embodiment of surpassing limits.

Yet the more this was the case, the more Yu Xiaogang wanted to take Tang San as his disciple.

Only such a genius could fulfill his dream!

"Master, why have you gone quiet?" Jiang Chen asked with a smile.

Yu Xiaogang raised his head and forced out a smile. "Th-this is merely an exception. My theories as a whole can still withstand scrutiny!"

"Is that so?"

Jiang Chen continued, "Then what do you think the limit for my first Soul Ring should be?"

"Th-this..."

Yu Xiaogang could tell that this boy before him was here to make trouble, but he had no choice but to answer.

"E-eight hundred years?" Yu Xiaogang asked tentatively.

This was already the absolute limit in his estimation. It could not possibly be any higher.

"Ah, I think it is time for Master to update your theories." Jiang Chen shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

Yu Xiaogang's expression darkened. "Do not think that having a bit of talent means you can look down on everyone and disregard all others."

"I'll make this clear today: eight hundred years is already the limit for a human Soul Master's first Soul Ring. No one can exceed this number."

After being provoked time and again, Yu Xiaogang finally lost his temper. He took a belt from a cabinet and slammed it onto the desk.

"If you can find someone whose first Soul Ring exceeds eight hundred years, this Soul Tool is yours!"