The evening of the fourth day.
A carriage came to a stop at the back gate of Notting Academy.
Tang San looked haggard as he gritted his teeth and half-carried, half-supported Yu Xiaogang out of the carriage.
Yu Xiaogang was a man of some standing in Nuoding City, at least.
For the sake of his laughable dignity, he absolutely refused to let Tang San fetch a healing-type Soul Master.
The dignified "theory invincible" Master of Theory would rather die than let anyone find out he'd been physically castrated!
So he'd gritted his teeth through the excruciating pain of his lower body rotting, endured the jolting ride, and secretly made his way back to the academy.
One could only say that Yu Xiaogang's vitality was like a cockroach's.
Every half-step he took sent a stabbing pain through his nether regions.
Tang San helped him into that cluttered office and carefully laid him on the bed.
"Teacher, get some good rest. I'll go brew some medicine for you!"
Tang San spoke, suppressing the grief in his heart.
Yu Xiaogang's hand abruptly clutched the corner of Tang San's clothes.
"Little San..."
He opened his mouth.
That shrill, feminine voice, thick with a eunuch's flavor, made Tang San shudder uncontrollably.
"Go... go cripple that little brat Su Chen for me!"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes were bloodshot, his features twisted by overwhelming hatred.
"Use your First Soul Ring! Use the Mandala Snake's poison! I want him to wish he were dead!"
If not for Su Chen, how could he have acted so hastily and taken Tang San to hunt for a Soul Ring?
And how could he have become this neither-man-nor-ghost?
He laid the calamity of losing his manhood at Su Chen's door.
At that moment, Yu Xiaogang's resentment could have nourished ten Evil Sword Immortals.
At the mention of Su Chen, a cold glint flashed in Tang San's eyes.
"Don't worry, teacher."
"Not only have I absorbed a Hundred-Year Soul Ring, my Blue Silver Grass also carries a potent neurotoxin, and my Soul Power has reached level thirteen!"
Tang San clenched his fists, his eyes filled with ruthlessness.
"Su Chen's despicable control skill is nothing now! I'll cripple him tomorrow and use his miserable state to prove that your theories are invincible!"
Only after hearing that promise did a hint of a smile appear on Yu Xiaogang's pallid face.
After settling Yu Xiaogang in, Tang San immediately sat cross-legged and began meditating to regulate his breathing.
The next day.
Notting Academy's field.
A broad wicker chair had been placed in the very center of the field.
Su Chen lounged comfortably in it, eyes closed as he rested.
Wang Sheng stood nearby, energetically waving a huge palm-leaf fan.
Xiao Wu held a plate of glistening, freshly washed grapes. She obediently peeled them and popped them into Su Chen's mouth one after another.
Now this was the life!
Su Chen sighed.
The work-study students and even the older noble students from Xiao Chenyu's group all stood obediently around him, hands at their sides.
No one even dared breathe too loudly, afraid of disturbing this living king of hell.
It had been so many days. Little Scumbag should be back by now.
Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao appears.
An angry voice reached his ears.
"Su Chen."
The crowd instinctively parted, opening a path.
Tang San, whom they'd been looking for, strode onto the field.
Seeing Su Chen being waited on by everyone like some young master, Tang San felt his Evil Fire surge straight to the top of his head!
Why?
He had barely escaped with his life in the Soul Hunting Forest, and his teacher had even lost the family jewels!
Yet the culprit was here, acting like a lord?
Su Chen slowly chewed up the grape in his mouth and lazily lifted his eyelids.
"Well, if it isn't the prized pupil of the Master of Theory?"
Tang San narrowed his eyes, quickly suppressing his killing intent and adopting a righteous, indignant air.
"Su Chen, I said I'd come back once I obtained my First Soul Ring."
"You bullied me before, relying on your Soul Ring. Now I've obtained my First Soul Ring too. Today, we'll have an honest, face-to-face contest!"
His gaze swept over the people around them as he continued righteously:
"You're a member of Dorm Seven, yet you spend every day chasing pleasure and bullying your fellow students with your strange Soul Skill."
"Today, I'll represent everyone and see for myself just how much real skill you have!"
Su Chen was left utterly dumbfounded.
As expected of the pure and unsullied God King Tang.
His ability to turn the blame around had let him cast himself as a savior and paint Su Chen as an irredeemable villain.
Although he wasn't wrong.
The students around them exchanged glances. Apart from the work-study students, most didn't recognize this hothead who'd appeared out of nowhere.
They had no idea how this newcomer had the nerve to challenge Boss Su.
Xiao Chenyu snickered under his breath. "Did a Soul Beast kick this country bumpkin in the head? He actually dares to pick a fight with Boss Su?"
Wang Sheng gave a cold snort. "Must be. I wonder what kind of Soul Ring that Master helped him get."
Their comments reached Tang San clearly.
Tang San only sneered inwardly.
A bunch of frogs at the bottom of a well. With such a high-minded excuse, he could even strike to kill today, and no one would have a single word to say!
He stopped wasting words. The Mysterious Heaven Skill surged through his body!
"Su Chen, make your move."
Pale blue light surged from his palm, and a little blue plant appeared in his hand.
"Blue Silver Grass?"
"Hahaha, a useless Martial Soul dares challenge Boss Su?"
Many people burst into laughter when they saw Tang San's Martial Soul.
Then—
A bright yellow ring slowly rose from beneath Tang San's feet!
A Hundred-Year Soul Ring!
The whole field erupted at once, cries of astonishment rising one after another!
This kid actually had a Hundred-Year Soul Ring.
Listening to the gasps around him, Tang San could barely suppress the curve of his lips.
He raised a hand and pointed at Su Chen, his tone that of a lofty judge.
"Su Chen, if you admit defeat now, I might go a little easier on you."
The Tang Sect's Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record General Outline: Once you've confirmed someone is an enemy, if they've followed the Way of Seeking Death, there's no need to show mercy.
And Su Chen was the one who'd taken the Way of Seeking Death to its utmost limit.
Su Chen stood up and casually brushed off his clothes.
"Oh my, a Hundred-Year Soul Ring. I'm so scared I could die."
Xiao Wu stepped aside lightly and folded her arms, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes.
She knew all too well how absurd Su Chen's broken sword was.
That ugly kid was about to embarrass himself again.
"If you're so desperate for a thrill, I'll indulge you."
Su Chen lightly clenched his right hand in the air. The sword-shaped Heart of Rules appeared in his grasp, and a yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet as well.
At the sight of that damn sword, killing intent blazed in Tang San's eyes.
It was that thing that had humiliated him so badly! Today he'd make Su Chen pay back every bit, with interest!
"First Soul Skill: Bind!"
Tang San controlled Blue Silver Grass to attack Su Chen from multiple directions.
At the same time, he used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, his figure turning into a blur as he charged at Su Chen.
His teacher had said so!
Once Soul Power underwent a qualitative transformation, any low-grade control skill would crumble completely!
He was a level-thirteen Soul Master!
What could Su Chen use to stop him?!
However—
Facing the sea of Blue Silver vines, Su Chen gave a disdainful laugh.
Such a pathetic Mother's Embrace, and you dare show off in front of an expert?
He gripped the hilt and casually slashed forward.
"100% Barehanded Blade Catch."
Tang San, who was rushing toward him, suddenly stiffened!
Oh no!
Tang San cried out inwardly!
His sprinting legs slipped entirely beyond his control. His knees bent strangely!
"Thud!"
A dull crash rang out.
Tang San's knees hit the dirt.
Drawn by the power of the rules, just like the first time he'd met Su Chen, he slid all the way forward and stopped precisely in front of him!
His hands rose high over his head, completely against his will.
"Clap!"
He clamped them tightly around the blade Su Chen had swung down!
The Blue Silver vines, which had been surging fiercely just moments before, instantly lost the support of all their Soul Power when Tang San fell to his knees.
They flopped limply to the ground, then dissolved into specks of blue light.
Tang San remained in his ridiculous pose, hands raised high and both knees on the ground, his mind utterly blank.
His eyes bulged as if they might pop right out of their sockets.
How could this be?!
Why had this happened?!
Hadn't his teacher said that a qualitative transformation in Soul Power would make him immune to low-level control?!
He was level thirteen! And he was a peerless genius with Twin Martial Souls!
Why was he still kneeling?!
Su Chen looked down at Tang San, whose face was full of disbelief, and curled his lips into a devilish smile.
"Little San, you're no good at this!"