At the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, a scruffy, middle-aged man with a close-cropped haircut stood with a blue-haired boy and a little girl dressed in pink, with rabbit ears on her head.
The boy and girl both looked about eight or nine years old.
The boy complained to the man first. "Teacher, my First Spirit Ring came from a Mandala Snake, and the Entanglement skill I got is just too flimsy. Xiao Wu can break free of my Blue Silver Grass Entanglement with no effort."
The girl chimed in after him. "That's right, Master. Third Brother's first Spirit Skill looks intimidating, but it's actually much too flimsy."
Hearing the boy question his Martial Soul Theory, the middle-aged man grew a little angry. "Xiao San, how many times have I told you? Your goal right now is to raise your Soul Power as quickly as possible, not to keep looking for shortcuts."
"I'm sorry, Teacher. I'm not complaining about you. I just hope to make a breakthrough with my choice of Second Spirit Ring this time." The moment he saw the man get angry, the boy immediately changed his tune and smiled ingratiatingly at Yu Xiaogang.
The man was clearly pleased with the boy's apology, and his expression softened at once. "That's more like it, Xiao San. Just wait and see. I'll find you a good Spirit Beast for your Second Spirit Ring."
"Xiao San, what do you think of this bamboo? A six-hundred-year-old Lone Bamboo. It's long and hard, and it'll help your Blue Silver Grass evolve." The middle-aged man gave the boy a long-winded introduction.
The boy was no longer the six-year-old who knew nothing. By now, he had a general understanding of the Spirit Beasts on Douluo Continent, and he could tell from the man's suggestion that he was unreliable.
He wanted to rush up and beat the man senseless, but then he remembered his father's parting words: "Follow your teacher and learn from him. Your teacher has powerful connections. Don't offend him unless you have no other choice."
In the end, the boy forced a smile and held his tongue. "Teacher, your knowledge is truly vast, but this time I want to choose a Spirit Beast with stronger offensive abilities. Please take another look for me." Smiling ingratiatingly, the boy also nudged the girl to help persuade the man.
"That's right, that's right, Master. You're the foremost authority on Martial Soul Theory on Douluo Continent." Flattery could get you anywhere, and the girl showered the man with praise too.
The middle-aged man seemed to enjoy it. "Xiao San, just this once."
In the end, the man gave up on the century-old Lone Bamboo and led the boy and girl deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.
Qian Yu had hidden himself well in advance. At the sound of the newcomers, he had already guessed who they were: Douluo Continent's cheat-enabled Tang San, Yu Xiaogang, and Xiao Wu.
"Eh, that blue-haired boy is the first person I mentioned who fits my requirements for a host. There's something inside him that's even higher-grade than Soul Power. I'd love to take a sip." Divine Eye had now sensed Tang San and the others' appearance and aura. It couldn't help sighing to Qian Yu. "What a strange twist of fate."
"Eh, that little girl has such vigorous life force. She already has the source power of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. I want a bite too. The last time I ate something like that was... well, the last time." Divine Eye seemed like a glutton. Seeing Xiao Wu, it spotted something that made its mouth water and couldn't stop sighing.
Divine Eye seemed to think of something, then deliberately said to Qian Yu, "It'd be great if they stayed nearby. Then I could devour their power and source energy whenever I wanted."
With Divine Eye's confirmation, Qian Yu was now completely certain that this was Tang San, Yu Xiaogang, and their group.
He explained to Divine Eye, "That's right. The boy is Tang San. He has Twin Martial Souls: Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer. The girl is Xiao Wu, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast transformed into human form. Her true form is the Soft Bone Charm Rabbit."
"As for the one with the close-cropped haircut, that's Yu Xiaogang, the biggest good-for-nothing on Douluo Continent."
"By my reckoning, Tang San and Xiao Wu are already nine years old. They've reached level twenty at just nine. No wonder Tang San's a cheat-enabled protagonist. His talent is only a little worse than mine—or maybe Yu Xiaogang held him back, so his Soul Power improved more slowly than mine." Qian Yu couldn't help thinking.
Hearing Qian Yu's explanation, Divine Eye was first startled, then couldn't help praising him. "Eh, how do you know so much? You really are the person I chose."
"Hmph, because I'm..." Qian Yu didn't tell Divine Eye.
Suddenly, he thought of something. "Tang San is a member of the Clear Sky Sect too. If I follow him, I can find the sect's headquarters."
"Divine Eye seemed to say that as long as it stayed near them, it could absorb their power and source energy." Qian Yu continued to think about how he could collect some interest from Tang San.
Qian Yu had thoroughly piqued Divine Eye's curiosity. It couldn't help urging him on. "Hey, Qian Yu, what are you thinking about? Why did you stop talking?"
"Divine Eye, are you up for a job? We steal Tang San's power and Xiao Wu's source energy." Qian Yu grinned wickedly at Divine Eye.
"Uh, Qian Yu, I'm only just realizing you're not as righteous as I thought."
At Qian Yu's suggestion, Divine Eye's eyes immediately gleamed. It teased him, "But I like it. Hehehe."
One man and one eye came to an agreement.
Qian Yu quietly followed Tang San and the others.
A long while later, Yu Xiaogang led Tang San to another six-hundred-year-old plant-type Spirit Beast: a Ghost Vine.
Yu Xiaogang launched into a long-winded explanation. "Xiao San, this is a six-hundred-year-old Ghost Vine. It can shoot seeds into a target's body, then detonate them remotely."
"But, Teacher, I want strong offensive abilities." After listening to Yu Xiaogang drone on and on, Tang San couldn't help muttering.
Hearing Tang San's mutter, Yu Xiaogang snapped, "Xiao San, do you know you're questioning the greatest theoretical Spirit Master on the continent? Your Blue Silver Grass is a trash Martial Soul to begin with. Only by continually seeking out similar Spirit Beasts to merge with and evolve can it become powerful."
"What's more, everything I'm doing is for your Second Martial Soul. Xiao San, why can't you understand my painstaking efforts?"
Xiao Wu had been brainwashed by Yu Xiaogang too. Before she knew it, she actually thought he was right, and couldn't help advising Tang San, "Third Brother, Third Brother, just listen to Master. He is, after all, the unmatched master of theory."
After Yu Xiaogang and Xiao Wu's incessant brainwashing, Tang San's head felt like a muddle. He began nodding without even realizing it. "All right, Teacher. Xiao Wu, help me kill this Ghost Vine."
As he spoke, Yu Xiaogang summoned his Martial Soul. "Luo Sanpao!"
Tang San immediately took out gas masks from Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges and handed one to Xiao Wu.
"Fart like thunder, Earth-Shattering Luo Sanpao!" Yu Xiaogang released his Spirit Skill.
A sulfur-yellow cloud billowed out from around Luo Sanpao.
In no time, the whole area was shrouded in yellow smoke.
"Damn, what is this stuff? Why does it sting my eyes?"
"You brat, you've really made me angry. Qian Yu, get up there and snatch their Spirit Rings for me in a moment. Damn it!"
Divine Eye's true form seemed to have suffered ten thousand points of damage, and it couldn't help roaring in fury.
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