Choosing a Path

"I recommend that you pursue speed, with control as a secondary focus. That way, in a Soul Master battle, you can harass the enemy with control skills without letting their Soul Masters get close to you, creating openings for your teammates."

"Your insight is impressive, Grandmaster!" Tang Yin put away his Martial Soul without showing any reaction. He didn't want to argue with Yu Xiaogang. They weren't even on the same wavelength, so saying more would only waste his breath.

Yu Xiaogang was desperate to prove himself, so his entire approach to training disciples had always been geared toward the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.

As a result, all his Martial Soul guidance was based on the premise of a team arena match. He never considered what his disciples would do after leaving the academy.

The real Soul Master World wasn't a tournament. It wasn't a matter of both sides shouting, "Brothers, unleash your Martial Souls!" before charging onto a tiny stage, yelling about brotherhood and bonds.

If her Sharp-Tailed Swift really followed Yu Xiaogang's advice when choosing Soul Rings, it would end up with no attack power, no control—just a skill that made enemies think they'd hit a speed bump—and no way to escape, either.

For the Speed Clan, pursuing ultimate speed was, at least for now, unquestionably the best solution. They had no real combat ability to begin with, so they might as well max out their escape skills.

Maybe they wouldn't be much good in a fight, but if they could swallow their pride and deliver parcels and run takeout orders for the nobles in Heaven Dou City, they'd at least have food and clothing. Wasn't that a lot more practical than that stupid elite tournament?

"Good. We'll tentatively set your Sharp-Tailed Swift on this path." Seeing Tang Yin accept his idea, Yu Xiaogang felt rather pleased with himself and silently applauded his own astonishing wisdom.

He'd originally intended to suggest that she pursue speed while also developing poison skills, but then he remembered how Beast Martial Souls tended to resist poison, so he changed his mind.

"By the way, Grandmaster, may I look through the books on these shelves?" Tang Yin pointed to the bookcase beside him. This was his real purpose.

Yu Xiaogang was completely absorbed in studying the other two's Martial Souls. He waved a hand carelessly. "You can look, but don't mess them up."

While Tang Yin read, Yu Xiaogang gave guidance to Xiao Wu and Tang Sanmei in turn. Just as in the original story, one was an agility-attack type and the other a control type.

As for Tang Yin, sitting nearby, he got along just fine—aside from the occasional shock caused by one of Yu Xiaogang's astonishing ideas.

Before they knew it, the moon was high outside the window. Yu Xiaogang stopped writing with his fountain pen, still reluctant to call it a night, then looked at the three of them and nodded in satisfaction.

It had been a long time since he'd spoken so freely in front of others. Tang Yin went without saying: mature and steady, quietly reading off to one side. Tang Sanmei was also a good listener, paying close attention. As for Xiao Wu...

Yu Xiaogang looked at Xiao Wu, then twitched the corner of his mouth. Only then did he realize that when she'd nodded during his explanations, it hadn't been because she thought he made sense. She'd simply been nodding off.

Forget it. She was just an extra, anyway. He consoled himself, then turned to Tang Sanmei with even greater satisfaction. What an outstanding student.

"It's getting late. That's enough for today." Yu Xiaogang closed his notebook and stood up, then added, "I'll speak to the dean tomorrow. You won't need to attend classes anymore. You can train freely every morning, then come here for my private lessons in the afternoon."

"Especially you two." Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang Yin and his sister. "You have Innate Full Soul Power, so you can obtain Soul Rings right away. In three days, I'll take you to the Soul Hunting Forest."

"Understood, Grandmaster!" Tang Yin nodded and set down his book.

The three said goodbye to Yu Xiaogang and strolled beneath the night sky along a path paved with bluestone slabs.

Once they were far from Yu Xiaogang's residence, Tang Yin looked at Tang Sanmei. She seemed to have been thinking about something ever since the lesson began.

"Third Sister, what did you think of Grandmaster's theories today?"

Tang Sanmei rubbed her chin, frowning slightly. "Brother, even though the lesson lasted less than three hours, I think people have badly misunderstood Grandmaster."

"Oh? How so?" Tang Yin's eyes flickered. He sighed inwardly. As expected, this was bound to happen.

The problem with Yu Xiaogang's theories was that he always copied ideas that had stood the test of time, then added a little of his own nonsense.

That made his theories laughable to anyone who truly knew the field. But to someone like Tang Sanmei, who was clever but just starting out, they were like a dimensional strike.

It was much like the self-proclaimed experts on the forums in his previous life. They couldn't fool the experts or the ignorant masses, but they could still mislead certain groups.

If Tang Yin hadn't known the original story so well, he might have ended up thinking the same way as Tang Sanmei.

He pondered for a moment, then decided he needed to set Third Sister straight.

"Third Sister, when it comes to knowledge of the Soul Master World, I'm nowhere near Grandmaster's level. That's why I agreed to accept his guidance today. But that's as far as it goes."

Tang Sanmei paused. "Brother, do you think Grandmaster was wrong to say that Blue Silver Grass should follow the control path?"

"That's not what I mean." Tang Yin shook his head. "Because of its unique nature, Blue Silver Grass doesn't easily conflict with any kind of Soul Power. That's one of its strengths."

"Grandmaster's suggestion that Blue Silver Grass follow the control path isn't wrong in itself. But it only applies to those Blue Silver Grass Soul Masters whose Innate Soul Power is just one or two levels, and who'll never break through to a high rank in their lifetimes." He paused and looked at Tang Sanmei.

"Are you saying I'm an exception?" Tang Sanmei immediately thought of the fact that she had both Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls.

"Exactly. Most other Blue Silver Grass Soul Masters struggle to advance beyond Soul Grandmaster because of their Innate Soul Power. But you're different."

"We're different. With Innate Full Soul Power, the worst we can expect is to reach Soul Douluo. Once we reach the higher ranks, what good will the control and poison from those hundred- or thousand-year Soul Rings do us?"

As he spoke, Tang Yin glanced at Xiao Wu, who had been quiet ever since they left, then said meaningfully, "Besides, are you really just a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master?"

At that, Tang Sanmei's pupils suddenly contracted. Tang Yin's words snapped her back to her senses.

That was right! She had Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power. According to what her father had said, she was destined to stand at the pinnacle of the continent's Soul Masters, and the enemies she faced would be at the same level.

If she truly followed Yu Xiaogang's method, it might give her some combat ability early on. She might even stand out among her peers because she advanced through the ranks quickly.

But was that what she wanted?

"Brother, then which path do you think I should take? I'll listen to you!" Tang Sanmei looked at Tang Yin with eyes full of admiration.

"Good. My advice is for your Blue Silver Grass to follow the path of ultimate vitality. For your first few hundred- and thousand-year Soul Rings, it'd be best to choose status skills that boost you and your teammates. That way, your Soul Skills will still be useful later on."

This was exactly what Tang Yin had planned to do when he awakened Blue Silver Grass himself. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

In the original story, Yu Xiaogang had Tang San absorb a skill that netizens had mocked as Mother's Entanglement. In Tang Yin's eyes, that was complete nonsense.

Why waste a skill slot on Entanglement? Wasn't that something Blue Silver Grass could already do? Any Soul Master could manage it with a little training in controlling their Soul Power!

"Ah? But..." Tang Sanmei hesitated. If she followed her brother's recommended path, it meant she'd have no combat ability early on and could only act as support.

"Think bigger. Do you want to show off while playing house at the academy, or do you want to truly compete on the Soul Master path in the future?"

"I understand, Brother." Tang Sanmei took a deep breath. Then she thought it over: even if her Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul had no attack power, she still had Hidden Weapons and the Clear Sky Hammer.

The Clear Sky Hammer couldn't be given a Soul Ring for now, but her father had taught her a unique technique called Chaotic Cloak. She could still use it to hammer someone in a pinch.

"But, Brother, what about going to the Soul Hunting Forest with Grandmaster in three days..." Tang Sanmei voiced her concern.

"It's fine. He's our mentor, not our master. He can offer us guidance, but whether we accept it is up to us."