Gangzi Goes All Out!

He paused for a moment, his gaze burning as he looked at Tang San.

"Therefore, Tang San, take me as your master. I will use all my resources and connections to tailor the strongest path for your Blue Silver Grass. I will be responsible for your first soul ring. I will be responsible for your future cultivation resources. Any questions you have regarding Blue Silver Grass, I will answer."

Tang San listened, silent for a moment.

Then, he asked a question.

"Grandmaster, the poison-control route you mentioned, where Blue Silver Grass consumes opponents with toxins, sounds very logical."

He raised his head, looking into the eyes of Yu Xiaogang.

"But the essence of Blue Silver Grass is life force. Its greatest strength is not poison, but its endless vitality. If we treat Blue Silver Grass as a poison jar, aren't we deviating from its foundation from the very beginning?"

Yu Xiaogang froze.

Tang San's tone was calm, as if he were stating a fact he considered self-evident.

"Blue Silver Grass is the plant with the strongest life force under heaven. It can grow anywhere, and no matter how it is destroyed, it can sprout again; this is its core advantage. If we push this advantage to the extreme, making the Blue Silver Grass as tough as iron and as regenerative as a demon, then even without toxins, it is still a path for the strong. Conversely, if we blindly pursue toxins, it is like planting a great tree in a flowerpot—it will never grow."

These words were what Huang Fei had said to him on the threshold of Holy Soul Village that day.

Tang San had written them down and thought about them repeatedly, finding them more reasonable the more he pondered.

Yu Xiaogang stood where he was, his mind buzzing as if ten thousand bees were swarming inside.

Life Flow?

Extreme life force?

He turned Tang San's words over and over in his mind, the veins on his forehead pulsing twice.

He had never considered this direction.

Because in his theoretical system, a plant-type martial soul like Blue Silver Grass was positioned solely for control and support.

Toxins and control were a natural pairing; he had never thought to develop a "trash martial soul" in the direction of "life force."

But what Tang San said... made sense.

The life force of Blue Silver Grass was indeed the strongest; this was a fact everyone knew.

But if one pushed this trait to the extreme, the early stages would be incredibly difficult.

A Blue Silver Grass following the extreme Life Flow path would have only support and healing abilities before reaching a certain realm, possessing almost no combat power.

How far could a Blue Silver Grass that only functioned as a healer go?

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, suppressing the irritation in his heart.

"Tang San, the Life Flow direction you mentioned is theoretically feasible."

His tone was much steadier than before:

"But you must think clearly: a Blue Silver Grass on the Life Flow path has almost no combat power in the early stages. If your first soul ring follows the life system, the soul skill you obtain will most likely be healing or support-oriented. Do you think a Blue Silver Grass that can only heal can survive in battle?"

"In contrast, the poison-control route can generate combat power at the first soul ring stage. The effect of toxins is not limited by Soul Power Level; even if you only have one ring, a poisoned enemy will still lose their ability to fight."

He thought these words would make Tang San change his mind.

But Tang San only shook his head calmly.

"Grandmaster, I am not in a hurry."

"I don't need to become strong immediately. What I need is a path that goes far. Poison-control might be strong in the early stages, but in the later stages, the threat of toxins to high-level soul masters will become smaller and smaller. Life force is different."

"Life force is the foundation of everything."

Yu Xiaogang fell completely silent.

He stood under the shadow of the Old Locust Tree, the expression on his face undergoing a complete cycle from shock to doubt, from doubt to contemplation, and from contemplation to unwillingness.

He was very annoyed.

What annoyed him was not that Tang San was disobedient, but that he could not refute what Tang San had said.

He even felt that this seven-year-old child had a deeper understanding of this martial soul than he, a "theoretical master" who had studied it for twenty years.

But who was Yu Xiaogang? He was a man who could find a way out of any predicament.

He gritted his teeth and made a decision.

"Tang San, if you are unwilling to take me as your master, I will not force you."

Tang San was slightly stunned.

"I don't need you to take me as your master," Yu Xiaogang's voice became low and serious. "I only need you to be my research subject and cooperate with me on theoretical research. You don't have to accept my guidance, and I won't interfere with your cultivation direction. You walk your own path, you choose your own soul rings; I won't force you."

"As long as you agree to cooperate with my research, I can still help you obtain your first life-system soul ring, with an age between four hundred and five hundred years."

He paused and added another sentence.

"Additionally, I will give you a storage Soul Tool belt as an investment in you."

He took something out from his robes.

It was a silver belt inlaid with twenty-four pale blue gemstones, emitting a soft luster in the sunlight.

"This is a top-tier storage Soul Tool. Each gemstone is an independent storage space, approximately one cubic meter in size. On this continent, such things are priceless and rare; even the elders of the Martial Soul Hall do not necessarily have one each."

Yu Xiaogang held the belt in his hands, his gaze complex as he looked at it.

This was one of his most prized possessions, originally intended as a gift for his most promising disciple upon their apprenticeship.

But now, he could no longer afford to be so stingy.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

As long as Tang San stayed close to him, he would naturally become his disciple in the future.

Affection could be cultivated over time.

As long as he kept Tang San away from that motormouth Huang Fei, the boy would naturally be his.

He looked left and right, and upon discovering that the brat Huang Fei was nowhere to be seen, he let out a sigh of relief.

Compared to Huang Fei, who had such strong independent thoughts, he much preferred the easily swayed Tang San.

Besides, since both possessed Innate Full Soul Power with Blue Silver Grass, taking one was enough.

Moreover, if Tang San were to die in the future, he could always take the belt back.

Tang San's eyes lit up.

A storage Soul Tool.

He had seen records of such items in books before and knew they were incredibly rare treasures.

Ordinary storage Soul Tools were already expensive, let alone a top-tier piece like this, inlaid with twenty-four gemstones.

With this, carrying his hidden weapons would no longer be an issue.

Tang San hesitated for a moment, quickly calculating in his mind.

No need to take a master.

Only cooperation in research was required.

He could obtain a Life Flow soul ring between four hundred and five hundred years old.

He would also receive a top-tier storage Soul Tool.

Furthermore, he was genuinely curious about how far his Blue Silver Grass could go.

Under the influence of Huang Fei, he already had preliminary confidence in the Life Flow path; if he could have a theoretical researcher to assist him, perhaps it would help him avoid some detours.

"Deal." Tang San nodded and reached out his hand.

Yu Xiaogang's hand, clutching the belt, stiffened for a moment before he slowly loosened his grip, handing over the silver belt.

The corners of his mouth twitched, wanting to say something, but in the end, he only managed to squeeze out one word.

"Agreed."