Watching Lin Mo's calm expression, Yu Xiaogang sighed quietly to himself.
It looked like Lin Mo had long since decided to try absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring in the second slot.
With or without Yu Xiaogang's reminder, he would probably have tried for a thousand-year second ring anyway.
Realizing this, Yu Xiaogang's expression quickly turned gloomy.
A thousand-year second Soul Ring was not just a rumor from legend.
At least, Yu Xiaogang had seen one with his own eyes.
Bibi Dong, the Spirit Hall pope who, like Tang San, possessed the talent of Twin Martial Souls, had a thousand-year Soul Ring as the second ring of her First Martial Soul.
The dormitory fell silent.
Lin Mo noticed the change in Yu Xiaogang's expression but didn't ask about it.
After a long while, Lin Mo spoke. "Thank you for your advice, Grandmaster. I'll give it serious consideration."
He had never been opposed to building a good relationship with Yu Xiaogang.
As for whether he would go to Shrek Academy, he would need some more time to think before deciding.
Besides, if he relied on Soul Masters from a higher-level academy to help him obtain his second Soul Ring, it would most likely have to be a hundred-year ring.
A thousand-year second ring would attract too much attention.
Without a powerful background to protect himself, revealing his talent for a thousand-year second ring too early would leave the great powers with only two options for him.
They would either recruit him or destroy him.
Unfortunately, there would be more than one faction trying to recruit him, and just as many looking to destroy him.
So it was best to keep a low profile. The risk of revealing himself rashly was too great.
Seeing that Lin Mo still seemed hesitant, Yu Xiaogang spoke again, administering another dose of strong medicine. "The academy I recommended is in a remote location.
"It's also a rather peculiar school. It has so few students that there are even fewer teachers than students.
"If you're willing to go there, the risk of your Soul Ring being exposed—and the danger that comes with it—will be greatly reduced.
"By the time you graduate, you'll have enough strength to protect yourself, whether you choose to join a faction or remain a lone wanderer."
Lin Mo lifted his head and met Yu Xiaogang's gaze.
Yu Xiaogang had hit the nail on the head.
When all was said and done, Lin Mo's hesitation came down to safety.
The reputation of a thousand-year second Soul Ring was too great. If it was exposed, his current strength and background wouldn't be enough to protect him.
Shrek Academy was in a remote, sparsely populated area. It really could save him a lot of trouble.
"Then thank you, Grandmaster." Lin Mo gave a slight nod.
As the Grandmaster had said, Shrek's remote location could be considered an advantage in this situation.
And if Lin Mo's guess was right, Yu Xiaogang would eventually join Shrek Academy as well.
The real Grandmaster was quite capable when it came to teaching Soul Masters. He lived up to his title.
Lin Mo also wanted to see if he could use Yu Xiaogang's help to figure out how to achieve a Second Awakening of his Body Martial Soul, and even a third awakening.
Besides, even without using the power of his Soul Rings, he was confident he could crush other Soul Masters of the same level with nothing but Inversion of Three and the enhanced physical qualities of his Body Martial Soul.
It was a shame he didn't have a skill like Huo Yuhao's or Tang San's that could disguise—or even change—the color and number of his Soul Rings.
Nor did he intend to waste one of his precious Soul Ring slots on a skill that seemed rather useless and offered no boost to his combat strength.
He had only one Martial Soul—his Body Martial Soul—and he had to be extremely careful when absorbing each Soul Ring!
As for the color of his Soul Rings, he could simply keep a low profile and avoid showing them off in public after obtaining a thousand-year ring.
Just as Lin Mo thought Yu Xiaogang's questions were over and was about to return to the dormitory with Tang San, Yu Xiaogang sent Tang San out first and kept Lin Mo behind alone.
Tang San didn't ask any questions. He simply nodded and left the dormitory.
Only Lin Mo and Yu Xiaogang remained inside.
"Grandmaster, did you need something else from me?" Lin Mo asked, puzzled.
He couldn't quite figure out why Yu Xiaogang had kept him behind.
He had already agreed to Yu Xiaogang's terms.
Yu Xiaogang would find someone to help him obtain a thousand-year second Soul Ring ahead of time, and Lin Mo would enroll at Shrek Academy.
"Nothing like that."
Yu Xiaogang shook his head slightly. "I asked you to stay because there are a few things I'd like to ask your opinion on."
At that, Yu Xiaogang hesitated, then looked Lin Mo up and down once more.
After spending the past year together, he had interacted with Lin Mo often and had come to understand him fairly well.
The boy was exceptionally perceptive.
When it came to Martial Soul cultivation, even Tang San, whom Yu Xiaogang had taught, fell noticeably short of Lin Mo.
Lin Mo had already found all sorts of new uses for a First Soul Skill that most people would treat as nothing more than a defensive shield.
Besides using it for basic defense, he had even developed a way to turn the defensive Soul Skill into an offensive counterattack.
What Yu Xiaogang didn't know was that Lin Mo's development of his First Soul Skill was mainly based on its damage-reflection property, which he had kept hidden from everyone else.
Lin Mo simply looked at him, and Yu Xiaogang let out a long sigh before slowly speaking. "You saw it earlier.
"Even with a poisonous creature like the Datura Snake's help, my Soul Power Level is stuck at twenty-nine. I can't advance any further.
"I'd like to ask you: if you were in my shoes, how would you break through this bottleneck?"
At this, Yu Xiaogang grew tense.
He wanted to see what this child, whom he considered to have exceptional insight and potential, thought about what had happened to him.
If he were in Yu Xiaogang's position, what would he do to find a solution?
Perhaps Lin Mo, a boy with such a keen sense for cultivation, could offer him a new perspective.
Perhaps he could help Yu Xiaogang break through his current predicament.
Hearing this, Lin Mo fell silent for a moment. Then he looked up at Yu Xiaogang, his expression serious. "Grandmaster, I think you may have gotten stuck in a rut again."
"Your Luo Sanpao Martial Soul is truly unique. Although its evil mutation caused your Innate Soul Power to be extremely low—only level 0.5—it also transformed Luo Sanpao into the only External Beast Martial Soul on the entire Douluo Continent."
At Lin Mo's words, a bitter smile appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face.
So what if it was the only one?
It was still useless.
Or, to put it more harshly, it was the only useless Martial Soul on the entire continent—and a disgrace the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had never known before.
The dignified son of the clan leader had a Martial Soul that had mutated into a pig-like Luo Sanpao.
If that wasn't a disgrace, what was?