Early the next morning, the sun had only just begun to rise, and the horizon was still tinged with the pale white of a fish's belly.
On the roof of the faculty dormitory, one large and one small figure sat cross-legged facing east. Both pairs of eyes were violet, while the Mysterious Heaven Skill within them circulated continuously, absorbing streams of hazy purple qi.
Absorbing the purple qi that rose in the east each morning to strengthen one's eyesight was the method of cultivating the Purple Demon Eye. Tang San had also taken the initiative to ask Tang Chuan to cultivate it together.
"Godfather, are you teaching us today?"
After finishing their cultivation, Tang Chuan and Tang San sat facing each other in Tang Chuan's private dormitory, eating breakfast.
All kinds of breakfast dishes were laid out on the table, all made by Tang Chuan himself. Though he had not been much of a cook in his previous life, after transmigrating to Douluo and needing to support himself, Tang Chuan had learned the skill.
"Yes, I'll be teaching, but only this once. Afterward, Yu Xiaogang will still be teaching."
Tang Chuan nodded. After taking a sip of porridge, he looked at Tang San across from him. Tang San was wolfing down his food, holding a piece of bread in his left hand and a spoonful of white porridge in his right.
Though they were not blood-related, Tang San truly regarded Tang Chuan as his father now. Tang Chuan's place in his heart was no lower than Tang Hao's.
"Little San, I intend to arrange for you to graduate early once you finish this school year. I want to hear your thoughts first."
"Graduate early?"
Tang San paused mid-bite. He had read the school rules, and they did not seem to mention the requirements for early graduation.
But since his godfather had said so, Tang San did not question it. Instead, he was curious why his godfather wanted him to graduate early.
"Godfather, I think it's good to learn theoretical knowledge here. Although what you've taught me is already very comprehensive, there is no end to learning."
"Good. I'm glad you have such awareness, but Little San, you must understand: what proper knowledge can Yu Xiaogang, that fake master who plagiarizes theories, possibly teach you?"
"Besides, I want to take you to seek out some opportunities that can speed up your growth. Don't you want to rebuild the Tang Sect sooner?"
Tang Chuan's words made sense. As long as Tang San remained at Nuoding Academy, Yu Xiaogang would always be his theory instructor, because Yu Xiaogang would not give up on trying to poach Tang San.
At those words, Tang San truly fell into thought. His godfather was right. Tang San regretted what he had just said. He had actually failed to take Yu Xiaogang into account, and rebuilding the Tang Sect was the wish of his entire life. It was his bottom line.
"Then I'll trouble you, Godfather. Little San will graduate early in a year!"
This time, Tang San no longer hesitated. Wherever his godfather was, that was home. If he wanted to learn anything, he only needed to ask his godfather.
After breakfast, the two headed toward the teaching building. There was still some time before class began, and Tang Chuan planned to look through some theory books first.
Meanwhile, in Yu Xiaogang's room.
Yu Xiaogang's upper body was wrapped in bandages. Although he could not move much, getting out of bed was still easy enough.
"Damn Tang Chuan! It was bad enough that he taught Tang San such a sinister soul skill, and now he wants to steal my class too!"
His face was full of fury and resentment. Yu Xiaogang felt utterly miserable.
Only after the headmaster told him had he learned that Tang San's master was called Tang Chuan, and that Tang Chuan was actually going to replace him in class.
How could that be allowed? Yu Xiaogang had always believed that no one on the continent possessed theories more extensive than his. The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls, the theories he took such pride in, were absolutely unmatched throughout the world.
"Hmph, this master wants to see what theories you can come up with!"
Ignoring his injuries, Yu Xiaogang casually threw on a coat and limped toward the teaching building.
The moment he reached the teaching building, he heard a burst of thunderous applause coming from Tang Chuan's classroom. It was treatment Yu Xiaogang had never received despite teaching for years.
Frowning, Yu Xiaogang endured the pain and hurried toward the door. At a glance, he saw the headmaster and grade directors seated in the back, their faces clearly saying they had learned much, as well as the students' fervent, admiring expressions.
"Are these really students I taught? They haven't been possessed, have they?"
Yu Xiaogang looked as though he had swallowed something disgusting. His own classes were deathly silent, while Tang Chuan's class was as lively as though they had seen the sun.
Inside the classroom, Tang San, seated closest to the podium, was also looking at his godfather with worship in his eyes. This was Tang San's godfather. Such earth-shattering wisdom was enough for them to study for a lifetime!
"This Lord Tang Chuan truly possesses great wisdom. I feel that the knowledge he spoke of could be compiled into books."
"Indeed. Yu Xiaogang's claim that there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters, sounded quite reasonable before. But after Teacher Tang Chuan explained it, it really does seem riddled with flaws."
Even the headmaster in the back was whispering with several grade directors.
Outside the door, Yu Xiaogang leaned his entire body against the wall. Outside, hot winds blew through the silent corridor, while inside the classroom, powerful applause and questions continued without end.
At that moment, Yu Xiaogang was like some incompetent man, listening as Tang Chuan slapped his face in the field he excelled at most.
"Maybe... I should leave?"
For no reason, the thought arose in Yu Xiaogang's heart. He wanted to leave. He had lost a disciple like Tang San, and finding another would be harder than reaching the heavens. Yu Xiaogang could not wait, nor did he want to.
He returned to his residence in a daze and pulled open a drawer. Inside lay a yellowed letter of recommendation.
It was a recommendation letter from Flender, the Flying Horn of the Golden Iron Triangle and also his old friend.
Flender's greatest wish had been to open an academy of his own. By now, he had likely succeeded.
"Suotuo City, Shrek Academy, exclusively accepting monsters..."
Light ignited in Yu Xiaogang's eyes again. That was right, he still had Flender and Shrek Academy. It only accepted monsters—wouldn't that be a gathering place for disciples of Yu Xiaogang?
Since he could not defeat Tang Chuan and could not take Tang San as his disciple, then he would cultivate an even stronger disciple. As long as that disciple defeated Tang San, Tang San would surely come crying and beg him to accept him as a disciple!
Just wait. Yu Xiaogang would definitely become the wisest theory master on the entire continent, and his disciple would certainly become a Title Douluo!
Without hesitation, Yu Xiaogang immediately began packing his belongings. But halfway through, he stopped, because he had lost all his money in the wager with Tang San. Without travel expenses, how was he supposed to get to Suotuo City? Was he meant to walk there?
"Damn it! I can only let you be arrogant a while longer. Once I receive my soul master subsidy, I can leave this place and find the disciple who belongs to me!"
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