"Of course the First Soul Ring should be a high-year Soul Ring that strengthens the Martial Soul Origin. The five-hundred-year Lightning-Struck Wood Zhou Tong mentioned seems suitable."
"Don't make trouble."
Although the dean didn't study Martial Soul Theory, he still knew the basics of Martial Soul knowledge.
Ten-Year Soul Rings were generally absorbed by no one.
Only when there was no other choice, and they couldn't hunt down a Hundred-Year Soul Ring, would people reluctantly choose one.
The disdain at the corner of Zhou Tong's mouth was impossible to hide. He said coldly, "I want a Hundred-Year Lightning-Struck Wood. With the dean's help, that'll be enough."
Yu Xiaogang, if you hadn't come, it would've been better for everyone.
All you do is lead people into trouble.
He hoped Yu Xiaogang would get the hint and stop making trouble.
He was clearly a useless weakling, yet insisted on pretending to be a Grandmaster, always making a laughingstock of himself.
With both men rejecting his advice at once, Yu Xiaogang couldn't save face. His expression darkened immediately.
"How utterly disrespectful to your elders."
"How dare you question my Martial Soul Theory?"
"I am the greatest theoretical master of Martial Souls on the continent."
"You don't want to take me as your master? I don't want you as my disciple either."
"Even if someone begged me to take you as my disciple, I wouldn't do it."
"You're merely someone with Innate Full Soul Power. You have a little talent and already dare to act so arrogant and disrespect your elders."
"You won't get far in the Soul Master World."
"You dare question my Martial Soul Theory? Just wait and see how far you'll get in your cultivation."
"You're nothing but a lucky commoner. So uncouth.
"I, a noble, was willing to think highly of you and lower myself to take you as my disciple, yet you dared to refuse me."
Yu Xiaogang looked furious as he shakily pointed at Zhou Tong, his voice frantic with rage.
Yu Xiaogang didn't dare talk back to the dean, so he took his anger out on Zhou Tong.
In his eyes, Zhou Tong had never dared talk back to him. He was an easy target.
Especially since Zhou Tong wore coarse clothes and was merely a commoner Soul Master.
Yu Xiaogang, on the other hand, came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and was even the son of its clan leader, Yu Yuanzhen.
He'd grown up surrounded by praise, and he'd always looked down on commoner Soul Masters.
After all, nobles monopolized the Soul Master World. Even if commoners became Soul Masters, they wouldn't have enough resources to grow stronger.
Zhou Tong definitely wouldn't get far.
At that moment, Zhou Tong was seething. His patience had earned him nothing but a clown's endless mockery.
It seemed he'd been far too indulgent toward Yu Xiaogang.
He immediately let out a cold laugh.
"I never said I wanted to take you as my master."
"If you hadn't insisted on coming along, I wouldn't have spared a glance at a Ten-Year Soul Beast."
"And you still insist on taking me as your disciple. May I ask what level your Soul Power is?"
"Who has verified your theories?"
"With a reputation as grand as yours, you must at least be a Soul King, right?"
"You like teaching people so much, so you must be a teacher, right?"
"You must've taught plenty of famous Soul Masters, right?"
"Grandmaster, why aren't you saying anything?"
"Can't you talk?"
"No way, you haven't taught even a single student?"
"You're not even a teacher?"
"Your theories are so amazing, so how come you can't even get a teaching position?"
Zhou Tong unleashed a barrage of sarcastic barbs at Yu Xiaogang.
Since the other man had already torn off the mask and left no room for reconciliation, why the hell should Zhou Tong keep holding back?
Every word Zhou Tong said struck one of Yu Xiaogang's sore spots.
As Yu Xiaogang listened to Zhou Tong's cutting remarks, his face turned liver-dark. It felt as though someone had viciously gouged at his heart, and a rush of boiling blood surged up his throat, threatening to burst out.
Yu Xiaogang clutched his chest, brows knitted and eyes full of malice. He pointed at Zhou Tong and gritted out through clenched teeth,
"You little brat, how dare you disrespect me."
"Do you believe I'll have you expelled from Notting Academy?"
"You've offended me, Yu Xiaogang. There'll be no place for you in the Soul Master World!"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes were bloodshot and he was panting like a bull. Unable to win an argument with Zhou Tong, he resorted to a low blow and started making threats.
But the dean wouldn't indulge him any longer. He stepped in front of Yu Xiaogang and said, "Xiaogang, you're only a guest. You have no authority to interfere in the academy's affairs."
"You'd better focus on studying your theories."
"Stop advising people to hunt Ten-Year Lone Bamboo."
The dean regretted letting this unreliable fellow come along.
He actually wanted to expel the academy's rare genius right in front of him?
That was going too far!
"All right, Grandmaster. Zhou Tong's idea is quite reasonable. You should head back."
"I can take care of his First Soul Ring."
The dean's words only stoked Yu Xiaogang's anger further.
But he didn't dare make trouble with the man who put food on his table.
If he lost his job delivering meals for the academy, he'd have nowhere else to go.
After all, he was only a level-29 Soul Master.
"I, Yu Xiaogang, won't teach you!"
"You'll regret this."
"I'll find a genius and prove my Martial Soul Theory."
"Zhou Tong, just you wait!"
Yu Xiaogang cursed as he stormed away.
That brat actually dared look down on him.
Just wait until Zhou Tong absorbed the wrong Soul Ring. Then things would get interesting.
"Dean, if Yu Xiaogang is so unreliable, how has he been able to stay at the academy all these years?"
Zhou Tong couldn't help asking.
How had this ridiculous clown managed to freeload at the academy for so many years?
"The academy only puts up with him because of his background. They don't want to offend the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"Enough of that. We should find you your First Soul Ring."
"All right."
After Yu Xiaogang had gone far away, the two of them continued through the forest.
After several days of traveling, they arrived in a dense wood.
Amid the lush forest, towering trees stood proudly, their verdant leaves glimmering with a faint green light.
Zhou Tong's gaze fell on a valley surrounded by trees. It was full of bare black stones, as though divine thunder had fallen from the heavens and shattered them.
What caught his eye even more was the Golden Tree in the middle of the valley!
Thick, dark clouds rolled above the valley. A bolt of Heaven Lightning struck down from the clouds and hit the Golden Tree.
The tree's beautiful golden leaves were shattered by the strike. The once-vibrant Golden Tree turned into bare Lightning-Struck Wood, with only a few leaves remaining.
Yet the entire Golden Tree had changed completely. Arcs of lightning flickered all over it; it had achieved coexistence with the power of thunder.
"We found it. This Golden Tree is over five hundred years old and has been struck by lightning!"
"It's perfect for my Martial Soul."
Zhou Tong exclaimed with excitement. He was finally about to get his First Soul Ring.
At over five hundred years old, it was still within what he could withstand. After all, Zhou Tong had Innate Full Soul Power and a great natural talent.
"Watch closely. I'll make the first move!"
The dean said gravely. In the next moment, he revealed two yellow and two purple Soul Rings and charged at the Golden Tree.
Before long, the Golden Tree was reduced to its last breath, and Zhou Tong delivered the killing blow.
He sat cross-legged and guided the pale yellow Soul Ring into his Martial Soul.
A vast, strange energy carrying the power of destruction surged violently into his body.
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