Apprenticeship to a Master, Theoretical Tools

Tang San pinched up that bit of dark red powder. Just as his brow furrowed, Ji Yuan made the parasitic node at his waist contract slightly.

A wave of sour numbness surged through Tang San's meridians. His fingers twitched, and the powder fell onto the bedding, mixing with the old cotton stuffing.

Xiao Wu sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Tang San, why are you spacing out so early in the morning?"

Tang San lowered his head and checked again, but could not find the powder. He could only fasten his belt. "Nothing. Probably some dust I picked up on the road."

Wang Sheng poked his head up from his bed. "Boss, the Master came personally to call for you? That's pretty impressive."

Xiao Wu snorted. "You think taking a teacher makes you impressive? I'll find myself a powerful teacher someday too."

Tang San slung his books over his back. "I'm leaving first."

Ji Yuan hid beneath the bedframe, his consciousness following through the parasitic node at Tang San's waist.

The moment Tang San entered the office, Yu Xiaogang had already spread several books across the desk, with a handwritten chart beside them.

Yu Xiaogang did not exchange pleasantries. Pointing at a chair, he said, "Sit."

Tang San sat down with his back straight. "Teacher."

Yu Xiaogang looked at him. "You were too hasty when you took me as your teacher yesterday. I'll ask you again today—are you certain you want to study under me?"

Tang San did not hesitate. "I'm certain."

Yu Xiaogang asked, "Even if others call me trash, saying I only know how to theorize on paper?"

Tang San looked up. "Teacher could see what was different about me, and you could tell me that Blue Silver Grass still has a path forward. That is enough."

Yu Xiaogang's hand, which had been arranging the pages, slowed.

He stared at Tang San for a while before pushing a booklet toward him.

"Good. Then I won't fob you off with empty words either. Today, I'll start by teaching you the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls."

Ji Yuan immediately had his spores draw close to the back of Tang San's ear, focusing all his senses on Yu Xiaogang's voice.

Yu Xiaogang opened to the first page. "First: the strength of a martial soul does not equate to a soul master's achievements. The suitable path determines one's upper limit."

Tang San nodded. "So Blue Silver Grass has a suitable path too."

Yu Xiaogang said, "That's right. Blue Silver Grass is naturally flexible and has strong vitality. Its weaknesses are its poor attack power and weak soul power capacity, so you cannot choose your first soul ring carelessly."

Ji Yuan etched every word into his consciousness.

Flexibility.

Toxicity.

Capacity limits.

To Tang San, these were cultivation theories. To him, they were a map for avoiding evolutionary pitfalls.

Yu Xiaogang continued, "Second: soul rings must serve the characteristics of the martial soul. Forcibly pursuing age limits will cause problems."

Tang San asked, "Teacher, can someone born with full soul power absorb a soul ring beyond their level?"

Yu Xiaogang glanced at him. "They can, but they must choose the right target. Physical endurance, mental resilience, martial soul compatibility—lacking any one of these could cost you your life."

Ji Yuan mobilized the spores near Tang San's heart meridian, using the points Yu Xiaogang mentioned to deduce the structure of his own body.

Blue Silver Grass was too fragile. Storing toxins would damage the grass itself.

But if he first thickened the inner walls of the roots, then used the absorbed vital blood to strengthen the fibers, the toxins could be sealed at the edges without backfiring on the core.

At that point, Yu Xiaogang picked up a pen and drew a stalk of Blue Silver Grass on the paper.

"Plant-type martial souls fear two misconceptions most. One is greed for poison, and the other is greed for hardness. If the poison exceeds capacity, the martial soul will collapse first. If hardness exceeds flexibility, control will break down."

Tang San listened intently. "Then how should they be balanced?"

Yu Xiaogang drew several lines beside the grass blades. "Make up for it with the traits of a soul ring, rather than forcing it in. For your first soul ring, it would be best to choose a poisonous snake type. The poison should not be too potent, but its flexibility must be high."

Ji Yuan sneered in the darkness.

Yu Xiaogang had said those words for Tang San.

But the one who would benefit the most was him.

Tang San asked, "Teacher, can Blue Silver Grass absorb a snake-type soul ring?"

Yu Xiaogang's tone brimmed with confidence. "Of course it can. Blue Silver Grass is not a beast martial soul, but plant types can absorb external traits through soul rings, provided you can withstand them."

Tang San clenched his fist. "I can."

Through the parasitic node, Ji Yuan gently siphoned away the internal energy Tang San had begun circulating.

Tang San felt a tightness in his chest, and the words on his lips stalled.

Yu Xiaogang noticed the change in his complexion. "Didn't rest well last night?"

Tang San shook his head. "Maybe I'm just not used to the academy yet."

Yu Xiaogang frowned. "Don't rush your cultivation. Right now, the most important thing for you is to stabilize your foundation."

Ji Yuan eased off his siphoning slightly.

Tang San immediately felt the pressure in his chest lighten, and inwardly agreed with Yu Xiaogang's assessment even more.

He said quietly, "Teacher, I understand."

Yu Xiaogang nodded in satisfaction, then shifted the topic back to twin martial souls.

"Your situation is special. Besides Blue Silver Grass, you have another martial soul. You must not tell anyone about it."

Tang San looked at him. "Teacher, do you know what it is?"

Yu Xiaogang did not answer directly. "I can only say that martial soul is far superior to Blue Silver Grass. If you use it recklessly now, you will only harm yourself."

Tang San said softly, "Father also told me not to reveal it."

Yu Xiaogang's hand paused on the page. "Your father knows?"

Tang San nodded. "He saw it and told me to put it away."

Yu Xiaogang's gaze darkened slightly, but he did not continue asking about Tang Hao.

He took out another sheet of paper. "The difficulty with twin martial souls lies in the conflict. If both martial souls grow at the same time, your body may not be able to bear it."

Tang San asked, "Is there a solution?"

Yu Xiaogang fell silent.

After a while, he finally said, "There are currently no perfect examples. I can only help you suppress the second martial soul for now and not attach any soul rings to it."

Tang San rubbed the edge of the table with his fingertips. "In other words, I can only cultivate Blue Silver Grass for now."

Yu Xiaogang said, "That is the safest path."

Ji Yuan hid near Tang San's heart meridians, almost laughing.

No perfect examples?

That was only because they did not understand parasitism.

As long as part of the Clear Sky Hammer's origin essence was siphoned away, keeping it from ever reaching an explosive state, the so-called conflict would lessen.

Tang San thought he was suppressing his second martial soul.

Yu Xiaogang thought he was protecting his disciple.

In reality, Ji Yuan had already acted ahead of them.

He quietly drove a fine spore filament deep into Tang San's left palm, gently drawing power from the edge of that heavy mass of origin essence.

Tang San's left hand grew heavy. When he pressed his palm against the table, it made a faint sound.

Yu Xiaogang immediately looked over. "Does your left hand hurt again?"

Tang San raised his hand. "A little."

Yu Xiaogang took his wrist and examined it, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter. "Do not circulate soul power through that side. Remember, never deliberately stimulate it."

Tang San said, "I didn't."

Yu Xiaogang said gravely, "Then you need to be even more careful. It is awakening naturally."

Ji Yuan withdrew the filament.

Awakening naturally?

That was a fine scapegoat.

Seeing Yu Xiaogang's serious expression, Tang San grew more wary as well. "Teacher, what should I do?"

Yu Xiaogang pulled out a thick illustrated guide and placed it before him.

"Memorize it."

Tang San paused. "Memorize all of it?"

Yu Xiaogang said, "In Soul Hunting Forest, not recognizing soul beasts is the same as handing over your life. Tomorrow, I'll take you to prepare some things. After that, we'll go to Soul Hunting Forest and find your first soul ring."

Tang San's eyes lit up. "So soon?"

Yu Xiaogang said, "You are already level ten. We cannot delay."

Ji Yuan's spores immediately burrowed toward the edge of the guide.

Tang San opened the first page. It was densely filled with soul beast names, methods for judging their age, attack patterns, and Yu Xiaogang's handwritten notes.

Ji Yuan scanned along Tang San's fingertips.

Solitary Bamboo Rat, Tabby Cat, Netherworld Wolf, Datura Snake.

Yu Xiaogang had marked the Datura Snake's page as particularly important.

Strong resilience, moderate toxicity, ferocious attacks. At the hundred-year stage, it was suitable for control-type Blue Silver Grass.

Ji Yuan committed it firmly to memory.

Snake venom, vital energy, soul rings—they would all be his nourishment.

But Tang San stopped his finger at the age column. "Teacher, what is the highest possible age for a first soul ring?"

Yu Xiaogang said, "Under normal circumstances, the limit is four hundred and twenty-three years."

Tang San pressed on, "What if it exceeds that?"

Yu Xiaogang looked at him. "You'll die."

Tang San did not back down. "What if my body is strong enough?"

A seriousness entered Yu Xiaogang's eyes. "Then it depends on whether you dare to gamble. I won't use my disciple's life to prove a theory."

Ji Yuan sneered in the shadows.

You don't dare gamble, but I do.

Tang San's life could not be lost, but he could be driven to the brink.

That was where the profit lay.

Yu Xiaogang closed the illustrated guidebook. "That's enough for today. This afternoon, go check out the blacksmith shop. Work-study student subsidies are limited. If you want to buy equipment for hunting spirit beasts, you'll need money."

Tang San nodded. "I know how to forge."

Yu Xiaogang gave him a surprised look. "You do?"

Tang San said, "My father is a blacksmith. I learned from him since I was little."

Yu Xiaogang considered it. "That works too. Forging can build strength. Just don't let it interfere with your cultivation."

Tang San picked up the illustrated guidebook and bowed to Yu Xiaogang. "Teacher, then I'll go back and study."

Yu Xiaogang reminded him, "Tang San, remember every word I said today, especially about toxin tolerance. Blue Silver Grass is too weak. Once you exceed the limit, you'll be the first one harmed."

Tang San answered seriously, "I'll remember."

As Ji Yuan listened to those words, he had already broken Yu Xiaogang's theories down into his own evolution path.

He needed poison.

He needed blood.

He needed a more stable parasitic web.

That afternoon, Tang San left the academy gates and followed the address Yu Xiaogang had given him to a blacksmith shop in Notting City.

The forge blazed fiercely, and the clang of hammers never stopped.

A burly man in the shop saw Tang San and frowned. "Kid, if you're buying something, have an adult come."

Tang San rolled up his sleeves. "I'm not here to buy anything. I'm looking for work."

The burly man laughed. "You? Can you even lift a hammer?"

Tang San did not argue. He walked to the side and lifted a hammer thicker than his arm with one hand.

The laughter in the blacksmith shop stopped.

Hidden within Tang San's body, Ji Yuan watched the hammer's wooden handle, and a new plan formed in his mind.

Wooden handle, sweat, palm.

This was a new parasitic point.

The burly man stared at Tang San. "You really know how to forge?"

Tang San nodded. "I can give it a try."

Before the hammer fell, Ji Yuan had already split off the embryonic form of his first sub-spore. Following the sweat on Tang San's palm, it slipped into the grain of the hammer handle.

The furnace fire reddened Tang San's profile and illuminated the first web Ji Yuan spread in the shadows.