Yu Xiaogang's Furious Rage

Xu Yuan let out a low shout, and the yellow spirit ring at his feet flared with brilliant light as dozens of emerald-green Blue Silver Grass vines shot out in response.

Unlike the somewhat thick and coarse Blue Silver Grass of Tang San, Xu Yuan's vines were crystal clear, as if they had been tempered from jade.

Just as Tang San regained his focus, Life Entanglement had already wrapped around his wrists and ankles like a gentle chain.

Different from the binding effect of Tang San's own Blue Silver Grass, this entanglement possessed a strange, supple resilience; it did not tighten enough to cause pain, yet it rendered him completely unable to move.

Small white flowers bloomed wherever the vines touched Tang San.

Tang San gritted his teeth and channeled his spirit power to break free, only to discover that the more he struggled, the tighter Xu Yuan's Blue Silver Grass coiled. The white flowers showered over him, and the soothing, aromatic scent they emitted made it impossible for him to even muster a sense of urgency.

He could feel the spirit power within his body being drained away by the Blue Silver Grass.

And all of this drained spirit power was flowing directly into Xu Yuan's body.

Xu Yuan did not give Tang San much time to react; he shifted his footwork, his figure darting toward the entangled Tang San like an arrow.

He concentrated his spirit power into his right fist, the force behind the strike steady and composed, aiming straight for Tang San's chest.

This punch appeared simple, yet it bypassed all vital points, clearly showing that he had held back.

Tang San's pupils constricted. With his limbs bound and unable to exert force, he could only twist his body in an attempt to dodge.

But Xu Yuan's speed was immense, and the wind of his fist was already upon him, carrying an irresistible sense of pressure.

"Bang!"

The fist landed steadily on Tang San's chest, the force controlled with exquisite precision.

It neither damaged his muscles or bones, yet it carried an unstoppable impact.

Tang San felt a tightness in his chest, as if he had been struck by a boulder, and his body involuntarily tilted backward.

The Blue Silver Grass wrapped around his limbs tightened in response, but it did not cut him; it merely held his form firmly in place, preventing him from leveraging his weight to regain his balance.

"Thud—"

Tang San hit the ground hard, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"You lost." Xu Yuan's voice was calm and ripple-free, devoid of any hint of triumph.

Tang San lay on the ground, the lingering force of the blow still felt in his chest. The amount of spirit power drained from him wasn't significant, but it was enough to make it difficult for him to gather strength in the short term.

Looking at Xu Yuan standing before him, the other boy's figure appeared exceptionally upright under the sunlight, his eyes remaining calm as if he had just performed an insignificant task.

The surrounding chatter and exclamations surged like a tide, yet they seemed to have nothing to do with him.

Tang San closed his eyes and took a deep breath; the aromatic scent that soothed the spirit gradually calmed his somewhat agitated mind.

He had lost, and he had lost completely.

He had lost not only in the effectiveness of his spirit skill but also in his control over power and his grasp of timing.

Xu Yuan's punch had looked simple, yet it contained a steadiness forged through thousands of repetitions.

It was just like striking an anvil with a hammer countless times—each blow precise, powerful, yet perfectly controlled.

"I lost." Tang San spoke again, his voice carrying a hint of relief.

Tang San sat up from the ground, brushed the dust off his clothes, and looked at Xu Yuan with a newfound sense of recognition. "Your spirit skill is stronger than mine, and your control over power... is even better."

Xu Yuan nodded slightly. "You are too kind."

The Tang San of this moment could not be called good or bad; losing didn't mean much to the other party.

If it were the future Tang San, however, that would be hard to say.

To be honest, he wasn't surprised by what Tang San would become in the future.

One only had to consider where the other party came from before he transmigrated.

A sect of assassins from a martial arts world—how many people from such a sect could be considered normal?

Tang San was the cream of the crop among these oddities, and Xu Yuan couldn't be bothered to complain about it.

Tang San thought of something and asked, "By the way, Xu Yuan, what path does your Blue Silver Grass follow?"

Xu Yuan replied, "The life path."

Learning that Xu Yuan followed the life path, Tang San nodded to show he understood.

Xiao Wu had long been unable to contain herself; she cheered and ran to Xu Yuan's side, patting his arm vigorously. "Xu Yuan, you're too amazing! I knew you could do it!"

She turned to look at Tang San, stuck out her tongue, and said with a bit of smugness, "Tang San, do you admit defeat now?"

Tang San smiled, did not refute her, and simply nodded. "I admit defeat."

Outside the crowd, Yu Xiaogang clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his nails almost digging into his flesh.

He stared fixedly at the upright figure in the center of the playground, his mind buzzing like a hive of bees, filled entirely with the words "crystal-clear Blue Silver Grass" and "life path."

Poison! The Blue Silver Grass should follow the poison path! Yu Xiaogang screamed internally. Supple grass leaves are best suited for coating with toxins—hidden and lethal—that is the ultimate potential of Blue Silver Grass! The life path? It's nothing but a flashy, unorthodox side-track; what kind of future could it possibly have?

He thought of the spirit theory he had studied for decades, those dense notes, and the optimal spirit ring ratios and spirit evolution paths he held as gospel, all of which now seemed so fragile and pathetic in the face of Xu Yuan's white-flowered Blue Silver Grass.

"Something must have gone wrong..." Yu Xiaogang muttered to himself, his eyes unfocused. "Was it that San was too careless? Yes, that must be it! He just absorbed his spirit ring and hasn't mastered his spirit skill yet; otherwise, how could he have lost?"

Yu Xiaogang tried to find excuses for Tang San's failure and a way to save face for his own theories, but as his gaze fell upon Xu Yuan once more, that sense of frustration washed over him like a tide.

Xu Yuan's movements, his control over soul power, and even his application of soul skills all exuded a rationality that contradicted his theories.

It clearly didn't align with the optimal solution, yet he somehow managed to win.

"No... my theories cannot be wrong!" Yu Xiaogang suddenly raised his head, a flash of paranoia crossing his eyes. "Xu Yuan is just lucky to have encountered suitable soul beasts! Once his soul power grows higher, he will discover the limitations of the life path! When that time comes, he will still have to beg to be my student!"

Yu Xiaogang shook his head vigorously, as if trying to shake off the thoughts that were rattling his convictions, and then turned around.

He left the training grounds with a stumbling gait, his back hunched, no longer possessing the high spirits he had arrived with.

On the training grounds, Xu Yuan was unaware of Yu Xiaogang's inner turmoil.

Xu Yuan looked at Tang San and said, "Tang San, if you want to spar in the future, you are always welcome."

After saying this, he turned and left with Xiao Wu and the others.

Xu Yuan walked in front, while Xiao Wu followed beside him like a cheerful little bird, chattering incessantly: "Xu Yuan, that Life Entanglement move you used just now was so cool! The expression on Tang San's face when those little white flowers landed on him—I could laugh at that for a year!"

Wang Sheng caught up from behind and patted Xu Yuan on the shoulder: "Xu Yuan, you didn't see it, but Yu Xiaogang's face just now looked like it had been splashed with ink! I reckon he'll have to revise that set of theories of his again."

Xu Yuan smiled faintly and didn't respond.

Meanwhile, God King Tang San within the Sea of Consciousness grew excited, for after Xu Yuan defeated Tang San just now, he had gained a portion of origin and destiny.