Yu Xiaogang smiled gently and reached out to pat Tang San's head.
Tang San's hair was coarse and as black as his skin, though it did not look dirty. Most people's hair was black to begin with.
"Little Three, you don't need to thank me. I barely did anything. In fact, a mysterious person has been finding these materials for you. It's all thanks to him."
"Little Three, you must thank him. You have all this because of his kindness and everything he's done for you."
"Little Three, you must thank him."
"You must."
"You must."
Yu Xiaogang kept repeating himself. Tang San had to thank that mysterious person. He had to.
Tang San thought nothing of his teacher's strange behavior. After more than seven years together, he knew what kind of man his teacher was:
He did good without asking for anything in return, quietly gave everything he could, and remained humble. If he did not know something, he said so outright—like when he had admitted he did not know whether the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul could contain poison...
Was there a better teacher in the world?
No!
That "mysterious person" was obviously his teacher's clumsy excuse. He had only said it so Tang San could put his mind at ease and focus on cultivating.
Tang San knew better than anyone how precious those materials were.
A sharp ache rose in his throat and nose. Moved, Tang San nodded hard and promised solemnly, "I will, Teacher!"
"I'll outshine everyone at the national Soul Master Tournament!"
"I'll prove the strength of Blue Silver Grass and show the whole continent that you're the true Grandmaster—a grandmaster of Martial Soul Theory!"
His impassioned voice echoed through the detached house, built just over half a year ago.
The resolve in Tang San's