There Are No Useless Martial Souls, Only Useless Soul Masters

On a tree-shaded path.

Tang San's knees were only a few centimeters from the ground. He was about to complete the life-changing kneel that would make him Grandmaster's disciple.

Suddenly.

A foot wearing a brand-new black pair of Tactical Boots planted itself precisely in the path of Tang San's descending knee.

"Hold on."

A voice filled with respect yet allowing no argument rang out.

Tang San froze and looked up. The very same Boss Su who had just been throwing money around and spouting nonsense on the Second Floor Cafeteria was now standing before them.

But Su Yun's whole bearing had changed.

He took off his somewhat flashy Sunglasses and hooked them onto the tactical vest on his chest.

The arrogance, laziness, and worldliness had vanished from his face.

In their place was the look of an eager, modest, and polite student—like a recent university graduate meeting a leading figure in his field.

Su Yun ignored Tang San's astonished gaze and turned to the middle-aged man in shabby clothes. With utmost solemnity, he bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle.

His posture was so precise that it looked as if a little mustache might sprout right between his nose and mouth.

"Sir, please wait! I'm sorry to trouble you, but I had to interrupt!"

Yu Xiaogang had been immersed in the immense pleasure of soon gaining a genius disciple with Twin Martial Souls. Being interrupted so suddenly immediately stirred his displeasure.

He furrowed his brows and turned around, examining the unexpected visitor with the chilly air of a great master whose time had been disturbed.

"Who are you? Why did you interrupt us?"

Grandmaster's voice was hard and cold as he strove to maintain the air of someone who was powerful but modest.

"This junior is Su Yun, also a new student this year."

Su Yun straightened up, his eyes shining with just the right amount of fervent admiration.

"Sir, I've heard so much about you!"

Su Yun didn't even know his name, but that didn't stop him from claiming he had heard all about him.

"Sir, I was having a meal on the Second Floor Cafeteria just now. I happened to glance down and was immediately captivated by your bearing."

"Here at Notting College, the people coming and going are either uncouth Work-Study Students or impetuous rich kids. But you..."

Wang Sheng, who had been watching from the sidelines, blinked. How did he get dragged into this?

Su Yun paused, his gaze brimming with reverence.

"When you stood with your hands behind your back and gazed up at the heavens, the loneliness of being the only clear-minded person in a corrupt world, the desolation of having a wealth of knowledge that no one could understand... You were like a firefly in the dark night—so vivid, so extraordinary!"

"Anyone who saw you would know at a glance that you must be a great scholar, one who has chosen to live quietly among ordinary people!"

This line of flattery was a go-to formula Su Yun had used in his previous life when working in sales.

When dealing with middle-aged men in shabby clothes who carried themselves arrogantly, it always worked to praise them for being unappreciated talents. Even if the man were a dung collector, the trick was sure to land.

Sure enough.

The rigid, cold expression on Yu Xiaogang's face visibly softened.

Even his normally taut lips seemed unable to resist curling upward.

This boy...

He actually had such a discerning eye?!

How many years had it been? Ever since his family had cast him out, his Martial Soul Mutation had left him unable to break through level thirty. He had endured the scorn and ridicule of the world.

Everyone called him useless and mocked his theories as mad ravings.

At long last, someone understood him!

And from the look of this boy, he was clearly no ordinary person. This was a true kindred spirit!

Yu Xiaogang puffed out his chest. Keeping his hands behind his back, he lifted his chin at a forty-five-degree angle and gazed up at the sky.

"They're just a few theoretical deductions. Anyone could do it if they read a few more books and thought things through. It's nothing worth mentioning."

"Sir, you're too modest!"

Su Yun immediately stepped forward, fully committing to the performance, his voice growing even more fervent.

"The elders back home often taught me that Truth is usually in the hands of a minority! Your modesty only makes me admire you all the more!"

The psychological profiler on Earth immediately fed him a live update through his earpiece.

"Report! Microexpression analysis of the target: his mouth muscles are struggling to suppress a smile, his pupils are dilated, and his dopamine levels are surging! His vanity has been thoroughly indulged! His defenses are collapsing like an avalanche!"

Seeing that the moment was right, Su Yun immediately made a deferential gesture of invitation.

"Sir, this place is too crowded. It's hardly suitable for listening to your teachings. I've prepared a modest meal on the Second Floor Cafeteria. It's nothing more than simple food and tea, but the surroundings are peaceful."

"Would I be so fortunate as to invite you upstairs? We could eat and talk, and hold an in-depth... academic discussion about those profound theories you've mastered."

Tang San watched, completely bewildered.

This Su Yun had been throwing money around in the dormitory earlier. How had he become so refined and polite now?

An academic discussion?

What was that?

We hadn't even had a single class yet. What was there to discuss?

"Well..." Yu Xiaogang hesitated, seemingly weighing the matter against the reserve expected of a great master.

"Sir, Tang San is my roommate. I saw him just now trying to perform a disciple's bow to you. I'm sure he was just as impressed by your knowledge. Since we're all eager to learn, why not sit down and talk?"

Su Yun delivered the final push at just the right moment.

"Very well."

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath and nodded, doing his best to make his voice sound reluctant.

"Since you're so eager to learn, I'll make an exception. As it happens, I have some core theories about Martial Souls that I can share with you."

Ten minutes later. Beside a long table on the Second Floor Cafeteria.

Yu Xiaogang sat at the head of the table, his back perfectly straight. Before him sat a set of high-end tea ware that Su Yun had specifically asked someone to bring out.

He glanced around.

To his left sat Tang San, a gifted young genius eager to learn.

To his right sat Su Yun, clutching a notebook and gazing at him with admiration.

Beyond them sat dozens of Work-Study Students, chicken drumsticks in hand, eyes wide and breaths held.

Was this really a cafeteria?

It was plainly the scholarly platform Yu Xiaogang had dreamed of!

"Ahem."

Yu Xiaogang set down his teacup, swept his gaze across the room, and slowly raised one finger.

"My theoretical system is broad and profound. I call it the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul. Since we have limited time, I'll go over a few of the most important points."

"First, the foundation of all theory."

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath and clearly enunciated the famous words destined to go down in history.

"There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters!"

As soon as the words fell.

"Wow—!!!"

The crowd of Work-Study Students responded with a perfectly synchronized gasp.

Wang Sheng was so excited that he crushed the chicken bone in his hand. With grease all over his mouth, he shouted,

"That's... that's so true! So I haven't been training well not because my Martial Soul is bad, but because I haven't worked hard enough!"