Tang Hao: Xiaogang, You Have Courted Death

"Xiao San, don't rush. For a Soul Master seeking a desired Soul Ring, it was perfectly normal to spend one or two months in the forest," Yu Xiaogang said calmly.

"So obtaining a Soul Ring was this difficult for Soul Masters?" Tang San sighed helplessly.

Yu Xiaogang let out a soft sigh. "There aren't any good soul beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest. We had too few possible targets. If we still couldn't find a suitable soul beast today, we'd go back and absorb that Ten-Year Lone Bamboo."

In his eyes, Blue Silver Grass was a useless Martial Soul.

Its only purpose was to pave the way for the Clear Sky Hammer, the number one tool Martial Soul in the world.

Although absorbing a Ten-Year Soul Ring early on was somewhat wasteful of his potential, it was still a helpless choice.

They couldn't find a suitable soul beast.

Surely they couldn't expect him, a genius who had broken through the fifty-year mark before even reaching level thirty, to accompany Tang San to the dangerous Great Star Dou Forest to obtain a Soul Ring?

Not to mention how perilous it would be, the journey alone would consume a great deal of time.

As long as the Clear Sky Hammer could rise to prominence, that was enough.

If Tang San added five Soul Rings to Blue Silver Grass, then the Clear Sky Hammer would be able to absorb a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring right from the start.

As for Tang San cultivating Blue Silver Grass to a higher realm, Yu Xiaogang had never even considered it.

In his view, that simply wasn't realistic.

Reaching five rings was already the best possible outcome.

After all, even his Luo Sanpao couldn't have three Soul Rings added to it!

What right did Blue Silver Grass have to do so?

"I'll listen to Teacher."

Tang San only had a superficial understanding of Soul Rings, so he naturally followed Yu Xiaogang's lead.

He still didn't know how great the difference was between a Ten-Year Soul Ring and a Hundred-Year Soul Ring.

Time slowly passed.

The two spent another day in the Soul Hunting Forest, yet still failed to find a suitable soul beast.

"Ah..."

Yu Xiaogang let out a long sigh and said helplessly, "Xiao San, let's return the way we came and absorb that Ten-Year Lone Bamboo."

"Alright." Tang San nodded, having no objections.

The two quickly found that Lone Bamboo. It stood tall amid the forest, like a lonely recluse.

Yu Xiaogang said gravely, "Xiao San, give it a cut."

The Lone Bamboo could not move and had virtually no combat power. It was not even as old as Old Jack at the village entrance.

Following the instructions, Tang San took out a sharp dagger and swung it fiercely, cutting it into two pieces with a single strike.

A white Soul Ring emerged from the severed bamboo stalk.

"So this was a Soul Ring? Its color was completely different from your Soul Rings, Teacher."

Tang San curiously examined the white Soul Ring.

"Ahem, Xiao San, I told you before about the distinctions between Soul Ring colors. Mine are Hundred-Year Soul Rings."

Somewhat embarrassed, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly changed the subject. "Don't just stand there daydreaming."

"Circulate your soul power and draw the Soul Ring over to absorb it. In another hour, the Soul Ring will dissipate on its own."

"Alright." Tang San did not dwell on the issue of Hundred-Year and Ten-Year Soul Rings. He circulated the internal energy of the Mysterious Heaven Technique and drew the Soul Ring toward himself.

"He finally absorbed the Soul Ring of that Ten-Year Lone Bamboo. My secretly following those two for several days wasn't in vain."

Tang Wutong, hidden in the shadows, brightened and revealed a delighted expression.

Unlike Tang Wutong, the chicken-haired beggar hidden elsewhere in the forest wore an exceedingly ugly expression.

Ever since Yu Xiaogang had left Notting Academy with Tang San, Tang Hao, unable to set his mind at ease, had been following them from behind.

When he saw Yu Xiaogang accompany Tang San here to hunt for a Soul Ring, Tang Hao had not revealed himself.

As long as Yu Xiaogang did not make Tang San absorb an overly trashy Soul Ring, he would not interfere.

Although Tang Hao knew that Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was actually the Blue Silver Emperor.

How could the Blue Silver Emperor compare to the Clear Sky Hammer?

As long as the Soul Ring was usable, there was no need to be overly selective. Any random Hundred-Year Soul Ring would have been enough.

Yet even though he had already been more than tolerant enough, he never expected Yu Xiaogang to search for days, only to choose a Ten-Year Lone Bamboo for his son in the end!

Xiaogang, you have courted death!

Tang Hao's eyes turned bloodshot, and he panted like a bull as he suddenly leaped from the bushes, preparing to interrupt Tang San's absorption of the Ten-Year Soul Ring.

The son of him, Clear Sky Douluo, was not allowed to absorb a Ten-Year Soul Ring and disgrace him!

ROAR—

At that moment, apparently disturbed by something, a Hundred-Year Black-faced Bear roared and charged toward Tang San and Yu Xiaogang.

"Who was it?!"

Tang Hao frowned, hurriedly stopped himself, then changed direction. Holding the Clear Sky Hammer, he killed the Black-faced Bear with a single blow.

He looked around in all directions, yet never found a single person.

"Could it be that no one had done this, and this Black-faced Bear had simply gone mad?" Tang Hao's frown deepened.

What Xiaogang had encountered these past few days carried a hint of abnormality. He had noticed it as well, but he had never found anyone's traces.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Yu Xiaogang naturally heard the commotion from nearby, and his hair instantly stood on end in fright.

Looking at Tang San, who was currently absorbing the Soul Ring, he found himself caught between advancing and retreating, unable to decide whether to take him and flee.

"Master."

A cold voice suddenly rang out.

Yu Xiaogang looked in the direction of the voice and saw Tang Hao slowly walking out from the woods, a massive hammer in hand.

"You are?" Yu Xiaogang froze for a moment, his voice trembling slightly. "The Clear Sky Hammer... could you be... Your Excellency Clear Sky?"

"It's me. Xiao San is my son." Tang Hao's tone was as cold as ice.

Yu Xiaogang immediately understood. With a thud, he dropped to both knees and said in panic, "Your Excellency, I did not intentionally make Xiao San absorb the Ten-Year Lone Bamboo. I truly had no other choice."

"If I had known earlier that Xiao San was your son, I would have taken him to the Great Star Dou Forest."

Tang Hao looked coldly at Tang San, whose Soul Ring absorption had already stabilized. "Some time has passed. Could it still be interrupted?"

"This... Your Excellency, you absolutely must not interrupt it!"

Yu Xiaogang looked panicked. "Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass has already begun fusing with the Soul Ring of the Ten-Year Lone Bamboo. If it is interrupted now, even if he survives, I fear his body will be left with lasting damage."

Tang Hao's eyes were bloodshot, and he panted like a bull. "Since it can't be interrupted, why did you choose a Ten-Year Soul Ring for Xiao San?!"

Yu Xiaogang's body trembled as he timidly made something up. "Y-Your Excellency, letting Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass absorb a Ten-Year Soul Ring was not entirely without benefits."

"What did you mean by that?" Tang Hao paused.

Seeing that Tang Hao was willing to hear his excuses, Yu Xiaogang secretly sighed in relief and continued, "Your Excellency, I once had a relationship with Bibi Dong, the current Pope of Spirit Hall."

"Bibi Dong also has Twin Martial Souls. Her Twin Martial Souls were only successfully cultivated under my careful guidance."

"I am completely confident in teaching Xiao San how to cultivate Twin Martial Souls."

Tang Hao nodded slightly. He had heard about the matter between Bibi Dong and Yu Xiaogang back then.

He simply had not expected Bibi Dong to possess Twin Martial Souls as well.

However, he was only half-convinced that Bibi Dong's successful cultivation of her Twin Martial Souls had been due to Yu Xiaogang.

Tang Hao did not interrupt and signaled for him to continue.