First Encounter with Tang San

"Forgive me, Your Excellency. I was disrespectful just now!" Grandmaster clasped his hands in salute, then stepped back to stand beside his disciple and guard him.

Probing the martial souls of disciples from other sects was indeed a major taboo. After all, intelligence was the greatest weapon. Once the characteristics of one's martial soul were thoroughly understood, enemies could devise targeted counters, which was extremely disadvantageous.

"Teacher, what did you think of my attack just now?" After Grandmaster left, Tianlin asked Chen Xin to evaluate his soul skill.

Chen Xin nodded in praise. "Very good. As expected of a soul skill granted by a six-hundred-year Soul Ring. Its power is enough to rival the full-force strike of an ordinary Soul Grandmaster. However, such great power must consume a considerable amount of your energy, right?"

"Yes. That strike just now drained nearly a third of my soul power. But I can tell that if I don't release it like that, and instead condense the chill onto the sword's edge, the consumption will be much lower. Then I'll be able to fight for a long time." Tianlin had nothing to hide from Chen Xin. After all, Chen Xin was his teacher. Only by understanding him better could he offer more accurate guidance.

"Mm, that's about what I thought. Then you must focus even more on learning swordsmanship in the future. Condensing energy into the sword will be your most standard method of battle from now on. That kind of full-power soul skill can only serve as a killing move, understand?"

Chen Xin was already considering what swordsmanship to teach Tianlin. With the Demon Suppressing Sword's overwhelmingly powerful offense, teaching him defensive sword techniques would clearly be a waste of its potential.

He had already made up his mind. This child was remarkably suited to his Seven Kill Swordplay. He truly was a successor sent to him by heaven.

After they finished talking, the two walked over to Tang San, who was absorbing his Soul Ring. Chen Xin was greatly surprised when he saw the Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's hand. "This is... Blue Silver Grass?"

"This child looks about the same age as Tianlin, yet he has already reached level ten. That means his Innate Soul Power is at least level nine. He may even have Innate Full Soul Power as well. Can Blue Silver Grass really possess such high Innate Soul Power?"

It had been mentioned before that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's theoretical knowledge was no inferior to Grandmaster's. The principle that Innate Soul Power was proportional to the quality of one's martial soul was common knowledge within the sect, so Chen Xin naturally knew it.

Yet no matter how Chen Xin looked at it, he could not find anything special about this Blue Silver Grass. Thus, he also ruled out the possibility of a martial soul mutation.

I'll ask Feng Zhi when we return. When it comes to theory, he is the true Grandmaster, Chen Xin thought.

Tianlin was also staring at Tang San. Before the Blue Silver Emperor underwent its second awakening, Tang San's appearance was indeed utterly ordinary. He was nowhere near as handsome as Tianlin.

Tianlin had some thoughts about this person. They could become friends, since there was no conflict of interest between them.

Having read the original story, Tianlin naturally knew just how ambitious Spirit Hall was. It was only a matter of time before it moved against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Tang San, because of his parents and Xiao Wu, was also destined to fight Spirit Hall to the death.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

As for the fact that this guy could be somewhat hypocritical, Tianlin did not care in the slightest.

Because Tianlin was the same way. He only cared about the people around him. In his heart, whether Spirit Hall was good or evil had nothing to do with him. But as long as Spirit Hall dared harm someone important to him, it would become his enemy.

In any case, he had never received even the slightest favor from Spirit Hall. His martial soul had been awakened by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the village where he grew up had also been built and protected with the sect's funding. The happy childhood he had enjoyed, as well as the peaceful and happy life his parents lived in the village, could all be said to have been given by the sect.

Besides, he had now joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, so naturally he had to protect it. The sect would also provide resources for his future cultivation. He would not take a single Gold Soul Coin from Spirit Hall, and even his father had never received a single subsidy from Spirit Hall. Therefore, if he fought Spirit Hall in the future, he would not feel the slightest moral reproach.

What mattered most to Tianlin would always be his own home. He did not care how Douluo Continent developed in the future, whether it became unified or remained divided. His perspective was not broad, which was his weakness. Repaying kindness, however, was his strength. He understood himself very well and had no intention of changing.

Besides, the greatest opportunity in Douluo Continent might require Tang San's help. It was the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well. Although Tianlin knew where that place was, the problem was that he did not recognize the immortal herbs within it.

How the various immortal herbs were harvested, preserved, and consumed all required great care. A single mistake would not only make the effort futile, but might even produce the opposite effect.

Of course, Tang San was merely a backup plan. The Shu Mountain Treasure Record seemed to contain a chapter on alchemy, but unfortunately, Tianlin still could not access its contents.

He guessed that once his Soul Power Level increased, he should gradually be able to read the later sections. But he did not know exactly what level was required. If he needed to reach level sixty or seventy before he could open it, that would be far too late.

So before then, it was necessary to grant Tang San a few small favors. For example, while saving them just now, he had deliberately spared the Mandala Snake.

Of course, he could not let his guard down around this guy either. Something like a four-hundred-year Soul Ring was harmless enough, and Blue Silver Entanglement was merely Blue Silver Entanglement. But Tianlin was already planning to find a way to slightly interfere with some of Tang San's opportunities.

A moment later, accompanied by a ripple of soul power, Tang San awoke. "Teacher, I succeeded!"

"What is your soul skill, and how strong is its toughness?" What Grandmaster cared about most was naturally his theory.

The reason his ideas had always remained theories rather than truths was because no one had ever put them into practice. Today was the prelude to proving that his theory was correct.

Tang San smiled slightly and released his Blue Silver Grass. The Blue Silver Grass transformed into vines, tightly binding a large tree some distance away. "Teacher, look. I can launch an attack from anywhere within fifty meters."

"This soul skill is called Entanglement. It has the characteristics of a control-type soul master, and its toughness is also quite good. If I'm not mistaken, it should also carry some of the Mandala Snake's venom, right?" Grandmaster guessed.

Tang San nodded. "That's right, but the venom isn't potent. It only causes paralysis and isn't lethal."

"That is enough. With the combination of entanglement and paralysis, unless your opponent has two more Soul Rings than you, it will be impossible for them to break free from your Entanglement skill in one go. Xiao San, we succeeded!" Grandmaster was incomparably excited.

"Is that so?" At that moment, a skeptical voice sounded. Tianlin summoned his Demon Suppressing Sword and, without even using soul power, casually slashed the Blue Silver Grass in two. "It's not as amazing as you say. Even with the Mandala Snake's toughness added to it, Blue Silver Grass is still Blue Silver Grass."

Tang San looked at his teacher even more strangely. This is the Blue Silver Grass you said would be difficult to break free from unless the opponent had two more Soul Rings? But before this kid, it was practically tofu. Teacher, you weren't messing with me, were you? "Ahem!" Grandmaster coughed to hide his embarrassment before saying, "Well, I meant in the vast majority of cases. That doesn't apply to those with top-tier martial souls."

After saying that, Grandmaster hurriedly bid Chen Xin farewell. Tianlin was far too good at slapping people in the face. He truly could not stay any longer.

Chen Xin nodded. After bidding Grandmaster farewell, he said, "Xiao Tian, we should go as well. Time is precious. On the way, I'll teach you swordsmanship."