Early in the morning, people had already started training at Notting Academy's Training Ground.
When Tang San followed Yu Xiaogang onto the grounds, he had changed his clothes, but his right hand still twitched from time to time.
After he successfully absorbed the Mandala Snake Soul Ring last night, his Blue Silver Grass had indeed gained poison and the ability to entangle.
But every time he activated it, his wrist went numb first.
He hadn't told many people about this problem.
Yu Xiaogang stood at the edge of the Training Ground with his hands behind his back, doing his best to push down the embarrassment of last night in Soul Hunting Forest.
"Tang San, demonstrate your First Spirit Skill here today."
"There are always people at the academy who only look at Spirit Ring Age and don't understand the direction a Martial Soul should develop in."
"Show them the facts. Blue Silver Grass can follow the control-type path too."
Tang San nodded.
"Okay."
On the other side of the Training Ground, Xiao Chenyu strolled over with a few upperclassmen.
He'd heard Tang San had become a One-Ring Soul Master too, and had thought he'd come over to get acquainted.
After all, Innate Full Soul Power and becoming a One-Ring Soul Master sounded like a promising start.
But as soon as he reached the edge of the grounds, he saw Su Hang arrive with Xiao Wu.
Xiao Chenyu immediately changed course and hurried straight over to Su Hang.
"Boss Su, morning."
"I heard Tang San got a Spirit Ring too, so I came to see the show."
Wang Sheng followed behind with his arms crossed.
"That's not what you said just now."
Xiao Chenyu shot him a glare.
"What do you know? I'm just showing concern for a fellow student's progress."
Xiao Wu stood beside Su Hang, still holding half a pastry.
When she saw Tang San take his place in the middle of the Training Ground, she edged half a step behind Su Hang.
"Brother Su Hang, he's really going to show it?"
Su Hang casually took the pastry she offered him.
"Showing it is good."
"Some problems stay hidden when you keep them indoors. Bring them out into the sunlight, and they become obvious."
Not far away, the teacher who'd been on night duty was drawn over too.
He hadn't dared investigate the commotion in the courtyard last night.
Now that he'd heard Tang San had returned from Soul Hunting, he wanted to see what First Spirit Skill this new student with Innate Full Soul Power had obtained.
More and more people gathered around the Training Ground.
"Tang San became a Soul Master too?"
"I heard he has a Yellow Soul Ring."
"That's still impressive. Among the academy's new students, aside from a freak like Boss Su, a Yellow Soul Ring is top-tier."
Tang San stood in the middle and raised his right hand.
Blue Silver Grass sprouted from his palm.
A Yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet and revolved around him.
The watching students immediately burst into excited chatter.
"It really is a One-Ring Soul Master!"
"Blue Silver Grass can be cultivated too?"
"That's the difference Innate Full Soul Power makes!"
Listening to the comments, Yu Xiaogang finally felt the knot of frustration that had weighed on him all night begin to loosen.
He raised a hand and pointed at a wooden post ahead.
"Tang San, use your First Spirit Skill."
Tang San swung his right hand.
"Entangle."
Several strands of Blue Silver Grass shot up from the ground and coiled around the post.
Dark green patterns ran along the leaves. Once they clung to the post, they began to tighten.
Before long, several black patches appeared on the post's surface.
The watching students cried out again.
"It's poisonous!"
"Blue Silver Grass can carry poison too?"
Yu Xiaogang immediately spoke up.
"This is the control-type path."
"Blue Silver Grass is fragile by nature, but with a suitable Spirit Ring, it can gain poison, entanglement, and restraint."
"Used properly, even a Trash Martial Soul can prove its worth."
As soon as he finished, Su Hang took a step forward.
"Xiao Chenyu."
Xiao Chenyu had been lurking at the edge of the crowd. At those three words, his whole body stiffened.
"Boss Su, what can I do for you?"
Su Hang pointed at the Blue Silver Grass on the wooden post.
"Activate your Martial Soul and try to break free."
Xiao Chenyu's face twitched.
"Me?"
Xiao Wu, chewing on her pastry, added indistinctly, "Aren't you a White Wolf? A wolf biting grass makes perfect sense."
Wang Sheng patted Xiao Chenyu on the shoulder.
"Go on. Here's your chance to shine."
Xiao Chenyu gritted his teeth and walked over to the post.
"Boss Su, I'm really going to try, then."
Su Hang nodded.
"Don't worry. If it breaks, Tang San can pay for it."
Tang San didn't stop him.
He wanted to see how well his First Spirit Skill would work against a student with a Beast Martial Soul too.
Xiao Chenyu gave a low shout.
"Martial Soul, White Wolf, possession!"
After his White Wolf possessed him, his arms thickened, and claws sprang out. He grabbed the Blue Silver Grass wrapped around the post and yanked.
The Blue Silver Grass didn't break right away.
But the familiar numbness spread through Tang San's wrist.
The Poison Pattern went out of control first, and the entangling force couldn't keep up.
The Blue Silver Grass paused for half a beat as it tightened.
Xiao Chenyu sensed his chance. He yanked again with his White Wolf claws, and several leaves turned black and snapped on the spot.
The wooden post shook, and the remaining Blue Silver Grass loosened considerably.
The watching students' comments took on a different tone.
"It doesn't seem all that stable."
"Did it just stall?"
"It's poisonous, sure, but it doesn't entangle fast enough."
Tang San withdrew the Blue Silver Grass and let his right hand hang by his side. He didn't speak right away.
Yu Xiaogang stepped forward.
"He only just acquired the Spirit Skill. It needs time to settle in."
"Control-type Soul Masters don't fight alone. In a real battle, with teammates holding the enemy back, Entangle will naturally be effective."
Su Hang lightly brushed the dust from his palms.
"Needing your teammates to cover for you with your very first Spirit Ring."
"That's a pretty convenient theory."
Someone at the edge of the crowd couldn't hold back a laugh.
Xiao Chenyu quickly retreated behind Su Hang, pretending he hadn't done anything.
Wang Sheng lowered his voice.
"Grandmaster's face is about to fall off."
Xiao Wu nodded.
"He's pretty good at talking his way out of it."
Yu Xiaogang stood in the middle of the grounds, his face turning ashen.
"Su Hang, all you do is pick faults."
"Soul Master cultivation is about long-term growth. Tang San has only just obtained his first Spirit Ring. What gives you the right to say this Spirit Skill is no good?"
Su Hang raised his hand and counted them off clearly.
"The poison is impure, the grass lacks toughness, and there's a delay when he releases it."
"It might scare ordinary people."
"But against a fast Soul Master, they'll be gone before the Blue Silver Grass can wrap around them."
Tang San finally made a move.
He raised his right hand, and the Yellow Soul Ring lit up again.
Blue Silver Grass shot up from the ground, but this time it didn't rush toward the wooden post. Instead, it curved around and went straight for Su Hang's ankle.
The move came without warning.
Before the watching students could react, the Blue Silver Grass had already reached the edge of Su Hang's shoe.
Yu Xiaogang didn't stop him.
Tang San didn't hold back either.
He wanted to prove Blue Silver Grass could hit its target.
Xiao Wu was about to step forward when Dark Purple Lightning flashed at Su Hang's feet.
The lightning swept along the ground.
The moment the Blue Silver Grass touched the edge of Su Hang's shoe, its leaves charred black. The lightning shattered the Poison Pattern, and the grass snapped into pieces that fell to the ground.
Tang San's right hand went numb, and his arm froze for half a beat.
The entire Training Ground fell silent.
Su Hang stepped over the charred leaves and stood where he was.
"Your First Spirit Skill is just like Grandmaster's theories."
"Sounds scary, but it's full of holes."
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