The Grandmaster, who had already been in despair, heard his beloved student's words and looked over in delight. "Little San!"
"Grandmaster!"
The two gazed deeply into each other's eyes, brimming with affection between teacher and student. At that moment, nothing else existed for them.
Ye Tian felt his fists itching. Just as he was about to beat up the dim-witted Tang San and the shameless Grandmaster, a heavy pressure, deep as an abyss, suddenly descended over him from the shadows.
The hostility in his eyes vanished at once, replaced by a trace of displeasure.
That useless Tang Hao had been tailing them the whole time.
Tang Hao had even warned Ye Tian against entering the academy. It seemed he had already discovered that little white-and-tender bunny.
He'd have to wait until next time.
Ye Tian left, thoroughly annoyed.
Back in his hotel room, Ye Tian immediately searched the Mall. He soon found a Soul Ring that suited him.
It came from a Lone Bamboo with ten thousand years of cultivation. Its defining trait was sharpness: every one of its leaves could pierce the defenses of Soul Beasts of the same rank. It was just right for his Overlord Spear.
"Purchase a Ten Thousand Year Lone Bamboo Soul Ring!"
"2000 Fate Points deducted. Soul Ring issued."
Ye Tian crushed the Soul Ring in his hand, and a black ring appeared. He immediately circulated his Soul Power and drew it into his body. The instant the ring entered him, he was struck by the Soul Beast's spiritual attack, unleashed in its final moments.
Veins bulged across Ye Tian's forehead. He gripped the bed tightly with both hands, enduring the Lone Bamboo's desperate last struggle.
Half an hour later, he finally withstood the spiritual impact of the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. The Soul Ring, which had resisted him at first, slipped smoothly into his body.
The stagnant Soul Power within Ye Tian began to grow, visibly increasing by the moment.
Outside the Junior Soul Master Academy, the old village chief told Tang San to study hard. Knowing the boy's family circumstances, he took out several Gold Soul Coins and gave them to him.
After seeing the old village chief off, the Grandmaster put an arm around his cherished disciple's shoulders and led him to his residence.
"Little San, I've observed thousands of children who awakened Blue Silver Grass. A Trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass could never satisfy the conditions for Innate Full Soul Power. You must have a second Martial Soul, don't you?"
Tang San stared at the Grandmaster in shock, never expecting him to have guessed his secret.
Seeing Tang San's astonishment, the Grandmaster regained the bearing of the continent's foremost theoretical expert. He sat down with unhurried grace and expounded on his Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls.
Tang San had never studied before and knew nothing about Soul Beasts. The Grandmaster's theories left him awestruck, and he couldn't help feeling relieved that he had firmly chosen the Grandmaster.
With a teacher like this, he would surely make the Tang Sect flourish in this world!
The Grandmaster keenly sensed the change in Tang San's feelings toward him and nodded to himself in satisfaction.
So his teacher could better devise a cultivation plan for him, Tang San spoke up. "Teacher, you're right. I do have a second Martial Soul."
As he spoke, Tang San summoned the Martial Soul in his other hand.
The Grandmaster took one look, and his expression turned intensely excited. He gripped Tang San's arm, his voice charged with emotion and a hint of color returning to his face.
"The Clear Sky Hammer!"
"It's actually the Clear Sky Hammer!"
Yu Xiaogang cried out inwardly. In just a few breaths, he had already connected Tang San to the Clear Sky Douluo, who had disappeared many years ago. He gazed at Tang San with even greater affection.
"Little San, remember this: until you've cultivated to the Titled Douluo level, you must never add a Soul Ring to this hammer!"
"Yes, teacher!"
"My father said the same thing. What's the reason, teacher?"
The Grandmaster smiled faintly. This was his area of expertise. He spoke eloquently, laying out the mysteries of Twin Martial Souls, and Tang San's eyes filled with ever greater reverence.
"Little San, since you've already reached level ten, we'll set out tomorrow. I'll personally take you to obtain your first Soul Ring!"
"Thank you, teacher!"
In the hotel, Ye Tian, who had been wholly focused on absorbing his Soul Ring, opened his eyes. Two beams of white light shot from them into the night, and his Soul Power felt far more substantial than before.
Having successfully absorbed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, Ye Tian eagerly checked his status. His Soul Power had now surged all the way to level forty-five. The Soul Skill granted by the ring was called Sky-Splitting Thousand Shadow Kill.
It could conjure hundreds of spear-shadows, blanketing every enemy within a hundred meters in front of him. It was an excellent area-of-effect attack. Paired with his first three Soul Skills, it could easily take down a Soul Ancestor in a single strike.
Now that his strength had greatly increased, why not take the opportunity to sneak over and beat up that little flat-top?
Surely the Grandmaster would never guess he was the one who did it.
Besides, Ye Tian was only helping the Grandmaster train his combat skills. Otherwise, when they went to the Soul Beast Forest, the Grandmaster might nearly get killed by a Mandala Snake, and that would be a laughingstock.
No sooner said than done.
Ye Tian changed clothes, put on a mask, and slipped quietly out through the window. Under cover of night, he soon made his way into the Soul Master Academy.
He quickly found the Grandmaster's room. Faint singing drifted from inside. It seemed that having hoodwinked a genius student had put the Grandmaster in a fine mood.
Ye Tian picked up a pebble from the ground and instantly snuffed out the candle inside.
The moment darkness fell, the Grandmaster had barely let out a shout before he sensed a gust of wind rushing toward him. He hurriedly threw himself to the side.
The next second, a sweeping kick was already waiting there. It slammed into the Grandmaster's stomach. The sudden agony knocked him unconscious, and he collapsed to the floor without even the strength to get back up.
Ye Tian looked down at the Grandmaster with disdain. He hadn't even summoned a Soul Ring; he'd only used ordinary punches and kicks.
I haven't even put in any effort, and you're already down?
The Grandmaster was so weak. He wondered how blind the Pope and that Liu Erlong had to be to fall for him.
Of course, disdain didn't stop Yun Shu from helping the Grandmaster train his combat skills.
Before laying into him, Yun Shu thoughtfully dislocated the Grandmaster's jaw, to keep him from waking everyone in the middle of the night. Dull thuds of fists landing rang out again and again inside the room.
After who knew how long, the Grandmaster finally managed to get back to his feet. He lit the candle and looked at his swollen, bruised face in the mirror. He nearly failed to recognize himself.
The thief had beaten him into an evenly swollen lump. The Grandmaster was aching all over, gritting his teeth in pain; even the slightest movement was unbearable. And yet, he wasn't in any danger of dying.
Ye Tian: Grandmaster, we'll have plenty of time to play later. It'd be no fun if I finished you off all at once.
Early the next morning, Tang San arrived at the Grandmaster's room. He knocked for a long time, but got no answer. At last, the dean happened to pass by and told him:
The Grandmaster had been ambushed by a thief the night before and badly injured. He'd been taken for treatment and wouldn't be back for at least a week.
Tang San, who had arrived full of excitement, left disappointed.
Ye Tian spent several days training in the Soul Beast Forest, bringing his explosively increased strength back under control. That evening, when he returned to his room, the familiar sensation of falling into a dream came over him. He didn't resist, but willingly closed his eyes.
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