Tang San's Second Soul Skill: Solitary Bamboo Pole Dance! Yu Xiaogang Gets a Furious Slap!

(Ning Rongrong fan art)

Tang San sneered inwardly.

Hmph, fast cultivation speed?

That was because I had the system's cultivation speed bonus!

This Grandmaster was nothing more than...

Wait.

Tang San looked at Yu Xiaogang's weathered face, then thought about what he'd seen in the Simulator.

Although Yu Xiaogang really had made him miss the best time to absorb Lone Bamboo, at least he'd been right about Lone Bamboo.

Forget it. I won't hold it against him.

Here I come!

My Second-Order Pole Vault!

"Teacher!" Tang San blurted out impatiently. "Let's go to Soul Hunting Forest and find Lone Bamboo right now!"

"No need."

Yu Xiaogang set down his teacup and stood up.

"Come on, Xiao San. Your teacher prepared everything long ago."

Tang San was taken aback. "Huh?"

With his hands behind his back, Yu Xiaogang walked out of the office.

Tang San hurried after him.

The two crossed the grounds of Notting Academy, passed the dormitories, and arrived at the back mountain.

Then—

Tang San froze.

In a clearing on the back mountain, there was actually a little bamboo grove!

The emerald-green bamboo swayed in the breeze, each stalk radiating a faint fluctuation of Soul Power.

Lone Bamboo!

A whole neat little grove of it!

Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm.

"Back then, when I took you to Soul Hunting Forest and saw you absorb your First Soul Ring from Lone Bamboo, I made a mental note of it."

"After we returned, I made a special trip back and transplanted that whole patch of Lone Bamboo."

He turned to look at Tang San, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes.

"So you'd have what you needed for your Soul Rings in the future."

Tang San's mouth fell open.

Teacher...

Why the hell didn't you say so sooner?!

If you'd told me about this grove, would I have spent all this time thinking about Soul Hunting Forest?

But he didn't say it aloud.

Because at that moment, he had only one thought—

My Lone Bamboo!

My Second-Order Pole Vault!

"Thank you, Teacher!"

Tang San rushed into the grove, his gaze sweeping over each stalk of Lone Bamboo.

This one was too thin, that one was too short...

That one!

He quickly chopped down the best-looking stalk and sat cross-legged.

A white Soul Ring slowly rose.

Tang San closed his eyes and began to absorb it.

Yu Xiaogang stood off to one side, hands behind his back, his gaze profound.

"As expected, my disciple is no ordinary person."

Soon, Tang San finished absorbing the white Soul Ring.

It had taken less than the time it took an incense stick to burn.

He opened his eyes and sprang up excitedly.

"Hahahaha! Easy!"

Tang San stood with his hands on his hips, looking smug.

Which other Soul Master could absorb a Second Soul Ring without suffering like they were dying? And didn't the ones with higher-year Soul Rings take three whole days and nights?

But him?

It was like child's play!

Two white Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet and circled around him.

One white, two white.

Yu Xiaogang stood to the side and nodded with satisfaction.

"Not bad, Xiao San. Your body's resilience must have improved again."

He stroked the few sparse bristles on his chin, his gaze profound.

"Show me your Second Soul Skill."

Tang San had been looking forward to that too!

He took a deep breath, picturing the glorious scene of his Second-Order Pole Vault in his mind—

Leaping ten meters into the air! Double-jumping midair! Dodging every attack! So handsome it shook the heavens!

"Second Soul Skill—"

Tang San pressed his palms together as Soul Power surged.

"Solitary Bamboo Pole Dance!"

"????"

Tang San froze.

What the heck?

Wasn't it supposed to be Second-Order Pole Vault?

But his Soul Skill had already activated.

A stalk of Lone Bamboo appeared out of nowhere and planted itself in the ground with a smack.

Then Tang San's body floated uncontrollably toward it.

His hand rested on the bamboo.

His leg wrapped around it.

He began to sway.

Swaying around the bamboo.

One turn, two turns, three turns...

He swayed in a ridiculous manner.

Watching this, Yu Xiaogang—whose face was usually so stern—couldn't keep it together for the first time.

The corners of his mouth twitched wildly.

His shoulders started shaking.

And then—

"Pfft—!"

Yu Xiaogang covered his mouth, but laughter still leaked between his fingers.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Tang San's face went from white to red, red to purple, and purple to black.

He didn't want to dance!

But his body kept dancing!

One turn, two turns, three turns...

At last, the song ended.

The Lone Bamboo vanished, and Tang San landed.

He stood where he was, trembling all over.

Not from exhaustion.

From fury.

He slowly turned to look at Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang was covering his mouth, his shoulders bouncing as he tried to stifle his laughter.

Tang San charged over and slapped him!

Smack!

"Where's my Second-Order Pole Vault?!"

Yu Xiaogang covered his face, looking deeply aggrieved. "I don't know..."

"You planted Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo, didn't you?!"

"It is Lone Bamboo..." Yu Xiaogang said pitifully. "It's the same Lone Bamboo that was around you when you absorbed your First Soul Ring..."

Tang San froze.

Wait a second.

Ten years...

"How old is this Lone Bamboo?!"

Yu Xiaogang counted on his fingers. "Over ten years, I suppose..."

"Over ten years?!" Tang San's eyes reddened. "Exactly how many years?!"

"Four years ago, it was ten years old..." Yu Xiaogang said cautiously, looking at him. "So now... it's fourteen years old..."

Tang San fell apart.

Fourteen years?

He'd wanted ten!

A Soul Ring from fourteen-year-old Lone Bamboo had turned Pole Vault into Pole Dance!

He charged over and slapped him again!

Smack!

"This is all because of you, you idiot!"

"I'm finished!"

Yu Xiaogang covered both cheeks and shrank into a corner, as aggrieved as a little wife.

Tang San stood there, staring at the two white Soul Rings around him.

He raised his head to the sky and let out a long howl—

"Ah—!!!"

Yu Xiaogang's mind raced.

No.

He had to calm him down.

He thought of the burly man who had given him the Pope Token all those years ago—Tang Hao.

That man was the Clear Sky Douluo, a man who killed without blinking.

If he found out Yu Xiaogang had turned his son into this...

Yu Xiaogang shuddered.

He hurried to his feet and moved to Tang San's side, his expression grave.

"Xiao San, don't panic!"

Tang San glared at him with bloodshot eyes. "Don't panic? My Second-Order Pole Vault turned into Pole Dance! And you're telling me not to panic?!"

Yu Xiaogang held out both hands and pressed them down.

"Listen to me! According to this Grandmaster's judgment, it doesn't matter that your Second Soul Skill isn't Second-Order Pole Vault!"

"It... it's a powerful immobilization skill!"

Tang San was taken aback. "Immobilization?"

"Exactly!" Yu Xiaogang grew more animated as he spoke. "Think about it. When you use this Soul Skill, who wouldn't be stunned? And while your enemies are stunned, that's your chance to strike, isn't it?"

"Besides, your dance moves are so... so unique that your opponents are bound to be shaken! Shaken to the point where they can't think! Isn't that immobilization?"

"As long as you start dancing on the battlefield, you'll immobilize everyone! It's incredibly powerful!"

Tang San stared blankly at him.

It... kind of made sense?

"Really?" His voice had clearly softened.

Yu Xiaogang slapped his chest.

"Of course!"

He raised his head, chin slightly lifted, his gaze profound.

"Don't you trust the theories of this Grandmaster?"

Tang San stared at him for three seconds.

Something still felt off.

But... had the Grandmaster's theories ever been wrong?

He looked down at the two white Soul Rings around him.

Pole Vault... Pole Dance...

Maybe... they really could work together?