While waiting for a reply from your family, you showed no sign that anything was amiss and carried on as usual.
Just then, Tang San's teacher, Yu Xiaogang—whom people respectfully called the Grandmaster—arrived at Shrek Academy. He became your teacher from then on, responsible for guiding your cultivation.
The moment he saw you, Yu Xiaogang could hardly wait to have you release your Soul Rings. He wanted to witness your Soul Ring configuration with his own eyes, because it had completely surpassed his theories. Yu Xiaogang, who was deeply confident in his own theories, found it utterly unbelievable—even questionable.
"Release your Martial Soul. Let me see it."
Yu Xiaogang's stiff face showed no expression other than focus and doubt.
At Yu Xiaogang's request, Yu Tianjue knitted his brows instinctively.
Although Yu Xiaogang's tone and request were somewhat stiff, Yu Tianjue didn't say anything. He simply summoned the Asura Demon Sword.
A massive crimson sword appeared in Yu Tianjue's hand.
As the Asura Demon Sword appeared, four Soul Rings emerged: yellow, purple, purple, and black—a configuration that surpassed the optimal Soul Ring arrangement.
Although Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the others had seen it before, they were still astonished. Yu Xiaogang looked even more incredulous.
"That's impossible!"
Yu Xiaogang blurted out the words almost instinctively, his fists clenching. Even his stiff face twitched slightly.
Yu Xiaogang couldn't believe what he was seeing was real. Yellow, purple, purple, black—those four Soul Rings seemed to silently mock him, sneering at how all his years of theoretical research had been nothing but a joke.
"What's impossible about it? Tian Jue is a heaven-blessed genius. Just because ordinary people can't do something doesn't mean Tian Jue can't!"
Ning Rongrong couldn't help retorting, but Yu Xiaogang paid her no mind. He only stared fixedly at the giant sword in Yu Tianjue's hand and asked in a hoarse voice:
"What is your Martial Soul?"
"The Asura Sword."
Yu Tianjue answered at once, but his attention wasn't on Yu Xiaogang.
Ever since he summoned his Martial Soul, he had been watching Xiao Wu, subtly and deliberately. Sure enough, he saw a hint of unease in her eyes.
She looked especially uncomfortable when she saw the black Soul Ring on him.
"The Asura Sword? I've never heard of that Martial Soul... What is your Innate Soul Power?"
Yu Tianjue concealed his suspicions and remained composed, but didn't answer Yu Xiaogang's question.
Instead, after noticing the thoughtful and eager look in Tang San's eyes, Xiao Wu spoke up. "I want to know how you dealt with Soul Shock."
"Soul Shock?"
Neither Tang San nor the Grandmaster had heard of the term. They asked at almost the same time, "Soul Shock? What is that?"
"Soul Shock is a special ability produced by the soul of a high-level Soul Beast before it dissipates after death. Only Soul Beasts that have lived for at least ten thousand years possess it. Generally speaking, absorbing a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring requires at least fiftieth-level Soul Power. At that level, a Soul Master's body has reached a certain degree of development, and their mental strength has grown to a certain level as well. Even so, when absorbing a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, they still have to withstand the mental impact of the Soul Beast's lingering spirit. If their Soul Power is insufficient and their mental strength too weak to endure that spiritual impact, their soul will be shattered, leaving them a complete fool."
Xiao Wu explained in great detail. She wasn't only questioning Yu Tianjue; she also hoped this would dissuade Tang San from trying it himself.
At that, Yu Tianjue gave Xiao Wu a long look.
He had experienced Soul Shock when absorbing a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, too. He had nearly been shaken into a fool by that spiritual impact.
But this sort of secret wasn't something an ordinary person could possibly know.
Even the Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang, with all his theoretical knowledge, didn't understand Soul Shock. He had only twenty-ninth-level Soul Power and had never absorbed a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring.
If Xiao Wu were truly an ordinary person, how could she know about it?
At that moment, Yu Tianjue finally concluded that Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form.
Only a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast could know so much about Soul Beasts. At last, all his earlier suspicions had been answered.
Yu Tianjue let out a long breath, but didn't rush to act.
Even if he declared that Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, without Soul Douluo- or Titled Douluo-level experts around, they might not believe him.
Besides, the fewer people who learned that a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had taken human form, the better.
He would wait until the Sect Master and his grandfather arrived before deciding what to do.
Soon, Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong hurried over after receiving the message.
With just one glance, Chen Xin and Gu Rong could tell that Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. When Chen Xin and Gu Rong arrived, Xiao Wu was visibly flustered and horrified.
She knew her identity had been exposed. No one would protect her—not even Tang San, who had sworn to protect her for the rest of his life.
But to her surprise, even after her identity had been exposed, Tang San didn't back down in the slightest. He still chose to stand firmly in front of Xiao Wu. He was the only one standing before her, though.
The others had only just joined Shrek Academy and hadn't yet been through much together, so their bonds weren't particularly deep. When they suddenly learned that Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast—and that her identity had been exposed by the elders of Yu Tianjue and Ning Rongrong—Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun immediately hesitated.
Just as Chen Xin and Gu Rong were about to forcibly take Xiao Wu away, Tang San's father, Tang Hao, suddenly appeared in front of him.
You were shocked to learn Tang San's identity, but you were just as shocked by the resolve of Sect Master Ning Fengzhi and your grandfather. In their eyes, with Innate Level 20 Soul Power, you were certain to dominate an entire era, stand at the pinnacle of the continent, and perhaps even attain the highest godhood. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring was indispensable to achieving all that.
Even when facing the renowned Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao, they showed no intention of yielding. They were determined to take Xiao Wu away.
You didn't know that Tang Hao was carrying old injuries and couldn't use his full strength. After the two sides had stood off for some time, Tang Hao finally chose to retreat, forcibly taking Tang San with him, even though Tang San still wanted to protect Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form, was ultimately taken back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect by Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong.