First Lesson

A Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring—it really was a Ten-Thousand-Year fourth ring!

Yu Xiaogang stood there in a daze, filled with envy and jealousy. How he wished that Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring belonged to him! Why? Why could a fourteen-year-old brat possess a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring? Yet he, the renowned master of the Martial Soul world, had been trapped at Rank 29 his entire life, without even a single purple Soul Ring.

"First Soul Skill, Entanglement!"

To defend his teacher, Tang San raised his hand and unleashed his first Soul Skill! Blue Silver Grass rapidly grew, transforming into enormous pythons that lunged toward Su Sanjia to bind him. Su Sanjia continuously twisted and leaped through the countless strands of Blue Silver Grass. By the time Tang San reacted, a size-43 foot was rapidly filling his vision!

Just as that foot was about to strike Tang San in the face, his footwork turned strange and unpredictable. Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track activated, but his speed was still nowhere near enough! Left with no choice, Tang San used Profound Jade Hands in an attempt to block it head-on. Yet the moment they collided, that enormous force brought him the same familiar sense of helplessness. Tang San was kicked into a full 360-degree spin on the spot before finally steadying himself in an embarrassed state.

"Xiao San, I've actually wanted to say this for a long time. Why is your first Soul Skill Entanglement? Isn't that something plant-type Soul Masters are born capable of? Why would you specifically dedicate a Soul Ring to it?"

"What Blue Silver Grass is uniquely blessed with is its unparalleled adaptability and inexhaustible vitality. This path you've chosen..."

Su Sanjia had harbored doubts about this even in his previous life. Blue Silver Grass was indeed a weak Martial Soul, but precisely because it was weak, it could accommodate all things, and countless paths lay open to it. Yet among its innate traits, the path of life was absolutely one that should be preserved. Poison was naturally not bad either, but after absorbing the Mandala Snake's Soul Ring, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was left with only toughness and poison. Wasn't that putting the cart before the horse?

From certain perspectives, perhaps Lone Bamboo was even more suitable for Blue Silver Grass! As for whether something like Blue Silver pole vaulting would emerge, that was hard to say...

"Kid, what do you know? Having a plant-type Martial Soul absorb an animal-type Soul Ring is a path this master carefully selected for Xiao San!"

The instant someone questioned his theory, Yu Xiaogang snapped out of his shock. His face filled with rage, and confidence returned to him.

"But your so-called theory has no successful examples, does it?"

Su Sanjia had thrown a knife—the sharpest and hardest to evade kind!

No matter how eloquently Yu Xiaogang spoke, there had never been a powerful Soul Master anywhere on the continent whose plant-type Martial Soul had absorbed the Soul Ring of an animal-type Soul Beast. This was the greatest weakness of Yu Xiaogang's theory, because it was only a theory.

"Brother Sanjia, say no more! I know right from wrong in my heart! The Mandala Snake Soul Ring my teacher selected for me is excellent. You needn't concern yourself with this!"

Tang San instinctively defended Yu Xiaogang. His first Soul Skill was indeed quite powerful, and Tang San himself was very satisfied with it.

Seeing him like this, Su Sanjia said nothing more. With Blue Silver Grass's all-encompassing nature, no major problems would arise no matter what kind of Soul Ring it absorbed. But what if it were another Martial Soul? For example, having Azure Vine absorb an animal-type Soul Ring? Or having Dai Mubai's White Tiger Martial Soul absorb a plant-type Soul Ring? White Tiger Entanglement?

"Xiao San, and Sanjia! What are you doing so early in the morning?"

A deep voice came from afar. Everyone looked up to see Flender leading the other Shrek Academy students toward them. The training ground was a complete mess, and Flender's mouth twitched. How much would this cost to repair? At least ten copper Soul Coins, surely? The thought made his heart bleed.

"Oh! Morning, Dean!"

Su Sanjia withdrew his Martial Soul, and Tang San did the same. The people of Shrek Academy quickly regrouped, while Yu Xiaogang strode over and angrily whispered something into Flender's ear.

"Huh? My fault, my fault! I didn't explain things clearly beforehand!"

After hearing what had happened, Flender forcefully slapped his forehead, his face full of regret. Yet judging from his expression, he had no intention of standing up for Yu Xiaogang.

Flender was greedy for money and loyal to his friends, but he was not an idiot!

Though Yu Xiaogang had painted Su Sanjia as exceptionally arrogant in his account, Flender would not blindly believe him. Even if he had not watched Su Sanjia grow up entirely, he had watched at least half of it. The boy had joined Shrek Academy before turning ten, possessed astonishing talent, and treated people with great courtesy. Perhaps he simply refused to accept Xiao Gang, a teacher whose Soul Power was lower than his own! In Flender's eyes, this was merely a minor conflict. Once he explained things clearly, there should be no issue.

"Alright, little monsters! Let me introduce you. This is Master Yu Xiaogang! The foremost theorist in the Soul Master world, and Tang San's teacher as well! Starting today, he will be responsible for guiding your cultivation!"

Flender gave the master plenty of face. After wildly exaggerating Yu Xiaogang's theories and reputation in the Soul Master world, he handed the scene over to his old friend. Yu Xiaogang once again assumed that arrogant pose, head raised, one hand on his chest and the other behind his back. After sweeping his gaze across the people of Shrek Academy, he gave an indifferent hum.

"Not bad! You can barely be considered promising material!"

Because of Flender's praise for Xiao Gang, Ma Hongjun and Zhu Zhuqing did not feel much, but the others reacted differently.

Who here was not a genius? Oh, but in the mouth of this Master Yu Xiaogang, they could only barely be considered promising material?

However, Yu Xiaogang gave them no chance to refute him. After all, the fact that he had trained a genius like Tang San was enough to suppress everyone for the time being.

"Alright, now let's begin the first lesson!"

Yu Xiaogang spoke calmly, but his gaze unconsciously settled on Su Sanjia.

"A fourteen-year-old four-ring Soul Ancestor is very impressive, but that is not a reason for you to be proud! Put aside the unpleasantness from earlier for now. We will begin practical combat training!"

"Su Sanjia, as the person with the highest Soul Power in the team! For today's lesson, you alone will face the other seven members of Shrek Academy!"

"Huh?"

The instant Yu Xiaogang finished speaking, several disbelieving and despairing cries rang out! He frowned and saw constipated expressions on the faces of Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar. The others, including Tang San, did not look much better either.

Having just arrived, Yu Xiaogang had successfully given Shrek's seven students a harsh lesson in his very first class!

As for why Dai Mubai and the other two reacted that way...

Before Tang San and the others joined Shrek Academy, they had frequently held this kind of combat training! Su Sanjia fought one against three, and every time he beat the three of them until they were utterly defeated!

Even with two Soul Grandmasters and one Soul Elder added today, they did not believe the outcome would be any better!