Future Plans

Tang San frowned slightly when he heard Wang Sheng's tone.

He could tell that Wang Sheng had not the slightest respect for his teacher.

This displeased Tang San, who had always respected his teachers and valued proper conduct.

Still, he answered calmly, "That's right. Is there a problem?"

Seeing this, Wang Sheng wore a strange expression. "Master is basically a guest at our academy. They say he only gets to stay here because he's close with the dean. To put it bluntly, he's just freeloading."

"I heard his talent is poor. He's nearly fifty and still stuck at rank twenty-nine. He'll probably never break through in this lifetime."

"You and Xiao Wu just arrived, so you might not know this. He once wanted to take our boss as his disciple, but our boss flatly turned him down."

"Tang San, you have great talent, but it would be such a waste for you to take him as your teacher."

By the time Wang Sheng finished, Tang San's expression had turned grave and dark.

"Wang Sheng, I consider you a friend, but you should not speak of my teacher like that."

"This is the first time, and it will be the last!"

"I don't think I need you to treat me to a meal anymore!"

With that, Tang San turned and left without looking back.

Wang Sheng first looked stunned, then scratched his head. "Forget it. We'll eat without him!"

He had only wanted to tell Tang San what sort of person Yu Xiaogang really was, and everything he had said was true.

But since Tang San would not listen, Wang Sheng would not force the matter.

Xiao Wu, however, became interested in what Wang Sheng had said earlier and asked curiously, "Wang Sheng, you said that Master once wanted to take your boss as his disciple. Was your boss also born with full soul power?"

Wang Sheng shook his head. "No. Our boss was only born with half a rank of soul power!"

"Half a rank?" Xiao Wu's mouth fell open in astonishment.

"How is that possible? Aren't you in the same grade? Why is he stronger than all of you when he was only born with half a rank of soul power?"

Wang Sheng said proudly, "So what if he was born with half a rank of soul power?"

"The strong never complain about their circumstances. Our boss is a true genius. Even with only half a rank of innate soul power, he's no worse than geniuses like you who were born with high innate soul power."

"That sounds ridiculous. How strong can someone born with half a rank of soul power possibly be?" Xiao Wu said dismissively.

Wang Sheng shook his head. "You don't understand our boss. Otherwise, you definitely wouldn't say that."

After hearing this, Xiao Wu thought to herself, Hmph. Once I condense my first soul ring, I'll go meet him and see whether he's really as impressive as you make him out to be.

After reaching the second floor of the dining hall, Hans sighed. "Xiaogang, I didn't expect you to take on a disciple after all. His name is Tang San, right?"

At the mention of Tang San, an uncontrollable smile appeared on Yu Xiaogang's stiff face.

"That's right, Hans. His name is Tang San. His martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, but you know that I have never discriminated against useless martial souls!"

"Although Little San's martial soul is only Blue Silver Grass, I am confident that I can train him into a powerhouse of his generation."

"I believe in him, and I also believe that my theories will surely succeed!"

Hans fell somewhat silent as he watched Yu Xiaogang's high-spirited appearance.

Especially at the words, "I have never discriminated against useless martial souls."

Although they were friends, Hans had to admit that Yu Xiaogang had always looked down upon useless martial souls, and even ordinary martial souls, from a position of superiority.

Otherwise, during all these years as a guest at Notting Academy, he would not have taught a single student.

His contribution to the academy was far less than Qi Dao's.

After all, as a role model, Qi Dao had inspired an entire class of students to cultivate diligently, and he would also occasionally teach the students in his class.

Not to mention that when Hans had once hoped Qi Dao would take Yu Xiaogang as his teacher, Yu Xiaogang had not even spared him a glance!

Now that the academy had gained someone born with full soul power, he could not resist taking him as a disciple.

A knot formed in Hans's heart, but he still smiled on the surface. "Hehe, I also believe that your talent will definitely have a chance to shine."

Yu Xiaogang's face reddened slightly. Suppressing his excitement, he looked full of anticipation.

"I will prove to everyone that there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters!"

"Little San is a gift bestowed upon me by the heavens!"

Hans: ...

Elsewhere, within Qi Dao's small circle.

After several years, the childishness had faded from their faces.

At eleven, they could already be considered half-grown adults.

After all, people on Douluo Continent matured early on average. Ordinary people married and had children by the age of twelve or thirteen.

They sat together, chatting and looking ahead to their futures.

Ling Feng and Liu Long were both twelfth-rank Soul Masters, while Xiao Chenyu had already reached the thirteenth rank.

At this level, getting into an intermediate Soul Master academy would be effortless.

Xiao Chenyu asked, "Boss, we'll graduate in another year. Will you be going to an intermediate Soul Master academy with us?"

"Liu Long and the others plan to attend Fasnuo Province Intermediate Soul Master Academy."

Fasnuo Province Intermediate Soul Master Academy was the best intermediate Soul Master academy in Fasnuo Province. Even its weakest teachers were Grand Soul Masters.

After hearing this, Qi Dao shook his head. "I won't be going. To me, an intermediate Soul Master academy is no different from a primary Soul Master academy."

A trace of regret flashed through the eyes of Xiao Chenyu and the other two.

Over the past few years, Qi Dao had long become their pillar. Unfortunately, they could no longer keep following in his footsteps.

Seeing their expressions, Qi Dao smiled. "Why put on such faces? Would you not know how to cultivate without me?"

"I've already mapped out your cultivation paths for you, and your hundred-year first rings have given you a solid foundation. You'll have to walk the rest of the road yourselves."

Xiao Chenyu and the other two nodded heavily.

After dinner, Qi Dao returned to his dormitory. Recalling the question Xiao Chenyu and the others had asked earlier, he could not help but seriously consider his plans for the future.

If one wanted to make something of oneself on Douluo Continent, being an independent cultivator was the least reliable path.

Leaving aside anything else, obtaining soul rings alone was a major problem.

Take his own first soul ring, for example.

If he had the backing of a major force, he could have gone to Star Dou Great Forest or Sunset Forest to hunt for a more suitable soul ring.

Soul Hunting Forest might have been safe, but it had too few kinds of soul beasts and lacked soul beasts with powerful bloodlines.

Qi Dao's plan for his second soul ring was a thousand-year one.

By then, even if Father Qi and Mother Qi wanted to help, they would be powerless to do so.

Hunting a thousand-year soul beast with the cultivation of a Soul Elder could easily get someone killed.

Therefore, joining some force or academy had become an urgent matter for Qi Dao.

It was just that he still had no idea which force he should join.