Tang San, the Lab Rat

The next morning, Wang Feng, being both a work-study student and poor, was immediately assigned to sweep floors to earn money.

He had no choice. He was still young and had no money.

Xiao Wu, who was also a work-study student, was the same.

As for Tang San, Yu Xiaogang took him out early in the morning.

Since returning last night, Wang Feng had noticed that Tang San was somewhat unfriendly toward him. Even Tang San's gaze had become colder.

Tang San still treated Xiao Wu the same way, and the two of them had a great time playing together.

Wang Feng did not care in the slightest. He had come here to learn, not to put up with Tang San's attitude.

After sweeping the floors and finishing his work, Wang Feng headed to Notting Academy's library.

The knowledge he wanted to understand was there.

While looking through the books, Wang Feng discovered that the library actually held Yu Xiaogang's Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.

After reading through them, he realized that Yu Xiaogang truly deserved the titles of knowledge porter of Spirit Hall and Master.

Put simply, the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul were a summary of all Martial Soul-related knowledge across the Douluo Continent. No one had done this before, so Yu Xiaogang's achievement was indeed impressive.

From what Wang Feng knew from his past life, knowledge in this world was controlled by major powers. Commoners basically lacked understanding of Martial Souls. Looking at it that way, Yu Xiaogang truly had his merits.

To learn more about this world, Wang Feng spent the entire morning holed up in the library. If the librarian had not called out to him, he would have forgotten even lunch and his afternoon class.

The afternoon was not for formal lessons, but for introducing the teachers and explaining cultivation methods to the students.

The ordinary cultivation methods of this world were not as complicated as those of other worlds. They mostly consisted of meditation.

The teachers could only teach ordinary knowledge. After Wang Feng finished learning it, he continued studying his Green Light Martial Soul.

As Wang Feng learned more about his Martial Soul, he discovered that his Green Light Martial Soul was becoming increasingly extraordinary.

Previously, it had directly changed Yu Xiaogang's hair color—and permanently at that.

It could release green light particles with healing properties.

Moreover, Wang Feng discovered that his Martial Soul seemed to have altered his body, giving him a strange feeling. For example, he felt that he could see certain special things.

While Wang Feng continued to study his Martial Soul, Yu Xiaogang had already brought Tang San to the Soul Hunting Forest to search for Spirit Beasts.

"Xiao San, after my examination, I discovered that the limit a Soul Master can endure for their first Spirit Ring is a 423-year Spirit Ring!"

"However, finding one that precise is nearly impossible. Still, I will do my best to hunt a Spirit Beast around four hundred years old for you!"

"The closer one gets to the limit, the greater the power a Soul Master gains, the greater the improvement, and the farther they can go in the future."

"Yes, Teacher. I'll listen to you."

Tang San found that Master's research into Martial Souls was always so precise.

Along the way, Master's teachings made Tang San admire him more and more. Tang San could deeply feel that having such a knowledgeable teacher was absolutely his good fortune. He was also glad that he had taken Master as his teacher.

As for Wang Feng, that shortsighted person would definitely regret not taking Master as his teacher in the future.

After searching for an entire day, they still had not found a suitable Spirit Beast. While resting, Yu Xiaogang noticed Tang San's somewhat nervous expression and smiled. "Xiao San, are you looking forward to your first Spirit Ring?"

"Mm, a little." Tang San nodded. He truly was looking forward to seeing what his first Spirit Ring would be.

"When I obtained my first soul skill, I felt the same way. But don't worry, Xiao San. I will definitely help you find a Spirit Beast close to the limit."

As they talked, something suddenly rustled in the grass nearby.

A snake with a dark green triangular head rose from the bushes. It had small ruby-like eyes and suddenly shot out.

"Xiao San, this is a Mandala Snake. It is highly venomous and extremely resilient, making it very suitable for your Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul."

Seeing the Mandala Snake suddenly emerge, Yu Xiaogang excitedly said to Tang San.

"If its age is suitable, your first Spirit Ring will be from it. If it is unsuitable, we run."

As he spoke, Yu Xiaogang took the initiative to attack. "A fart like thunder, blasting heaven and cracking earth—Luo San Pao!"

Tang San: His Martial Soul is a plant, and this is a snake. Is it really suitable?

Amid a thunderous boom, Luo San Pao's super seismic fart burst forth with overwhelming force.

Luo San Pao struck the Mandala Snake, sending the more than four-meter-long creature flying.

"More than four meters long? Not good. This is a Mandala Snake over four hundred years old! Xiao San, run!"

Reacting instantly, Yu Xiaogang had Luo San Pao hold off the completely unharmed Mandala Snake, then grabbed Tang San and fled.

But the Mandala Snake was not about to give them that chance. It had merely come out to enjoy the moonlight and get some fresh air, only to suddenly get blasted by a fart. Now they wanted to run after blasting it? It would not be that easy.

Seeing that the Mandala Snake was relentless in its pursuit, Yu Xiaogang had Luo San Pao hold it back, just like in the original story. When Luo San Pao could no longer withstand it, Tang San stepped in to save Yu Xiaogang. After another perilous struggle, they finally killed the Mandala Snake.

A yellow Spirit Ring rose from the Mandala Snake's body.

"Xiao San, this will be your first Spirit Ring. Absorb it quickly."

After the danger passed, Yu Xiaogang, still shaken, urged Tang San to absorb the Spirit Ring.

"Teacher, my Martial Soul is a plant, while this Mandala Snake is a beast-type Spirit Beast. Can a plant Martial Soul absorb a beast Spirit Ring?" Tang San asked doubtfully.

"Yes, Xiao San. One of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul that I proposed is the Martial Soul Mimicry Theory. A plant Martial Soul can definitely absorb a beast-type Spirit Ring."

Yu Xiaogang looked deeply at Tang San. "Xiao San, whether ordinary Soul Masters or those people from Spirit Hall, they have always dismissed my Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul. Would you be willing to give it a try?"

"Teacher, I am willing."

Master's knowledge had long since convinced him. During the danger just now, Yu Xiaogang had also told Tang San to flee first. Based on those two points alone, Master was worthy of Tang San's trust.

"Are you truly willing to help me complete an experiment for my theory, Xiao San?"

Looking at Master's fervent gaze, Tang San respected this man from the bottom of his heart, as well as his research. "Teacher, I am willing. And I believe your research cannot be wrong."

Yu Xiaogang's face filled with gratification. "Good. Then begin absorbing it quickly."

While Tang San became a lab rat for the experiment, Wang Feng was testing his Martial Soul abilities back at the academy.

"Using Soul Power to condense the Martial Soul's light energy into a single point and fire it from my finger—this ability should definitely be possible. But I still can't use it right now. Is it because I'm too weak, or because my physique is too poor?"

"I'm probably missing something. It seems I need to break through level ten first, become a Soul Master, and get a Spirit Ring before trying again."

Over the past few days, after learning about Martial Souls, Wang Feng had constantly been researching his abilities. He wanted to see whether he could create a Self-Created Soul Skill, but he discovered that he still could not.

In his past life, he had always wondered why Soul Masters in this world could only gain skills from Spirit Rings.

Was it really like a game, where absorbing one gave you a skill?

Even Self-Created Soul Skills could only be created after one already possessed soul skills. No one had ever managed to create a soul skill before obtaining one.

Tang San from the original story was different. He possessed the Tang Sect's secret arts, which was why he had multiple abilities.

Wang Feng had a guess. After a Spirit Beast died and formed a Spirit Ring, perhaps the Spirit Ring retained a Soul Skill Path for releasing a soul skill. After a Soul Master absorbed the Spirit Ring, that Soul Skill Path fused with the Soul Master, then was released through the Soul Master's Martial Soul.

If it really was as he thought, then he would have plenty of room to work with.

In his past life, he knew that light had far too many possible abilities. As long as he studied them carefully, combined them with practice, and made use of his Martial Soul's special abilities, he could definitely take his light Martial Soul to unimaginable heights.

Whether it was green or not did not really matter.

"It seems every mystery will have to wait until I obtain my first Spirit Ring to be solved."

Wang Feng knew that he could not possibly hunt a Spirit Beast himself after breaking through level ten. He had no money to hire mercenaries either, so he could only seek help from Notting Academy's higher-ups and apply for assistance in hunting one.

Before that, he needed to carefully investigate what kind of Spirit Beast he needed, since it concerned a whole series of plans afterward.

With that in mind, Wang Feng quickly headed to the library to look up information on Spirit Beasts.

Although Notting Academy was only a junior academy, it had plenty of knowledge about Spirit Beasts. It even had records of the Spirit Beasts raised in the Hunting Soul Forest.

Wang Feng wanted his first soul skill to develop in an offensive direction, and he quickly found a suitable Spirit Beast.

Blade Thorn, a vine-type Spirit Beast. Its skill was to fire a rain of thorns, a group attack soul skill.

According to Wang Feng's idea, if he obtained this type of soul skill, what he fired should be a rain of blades formed from condensed green light.

Whether it was powerful or not did not matter much. What he wanted was the process of condensing the soul skill.

After finding a suitable Spirit Beast, Wang Feng left the library and returned to train his body.

As for hunting the Spirit Beast, he planned to apply tomorrow.

At that moment, in the Soul Hunting Forest.

Buzz—

A flash of light appeared, and Tang San completely finished absorbing the Spirit Ring.

"Teacher, your theory was correct. I succeeded."

The moment Tang San finished absorbing it, he immediately shared the good news with his teacher.

"I knew it. My theory could not be wrong."

Yu Xiaogang grabbed Tang San's hand, trembling with excitement.

It was Tang San. Tang San had helped him complete the first experimental proof of his theory. Then in the future, he would surely be able to complete even more experiments.

Seeing his teacher trembling with excitement, Tang San understood how Yu Xiaogang felt. How could someone not be excited when their theory had been proven?

Tang San raised his head and looked at his teacher. As Yu Xiaogang's body trembled, that head of green hair swayed in the wind beneath the light.

Hmm, something's wrong. Teacher's hair is green, so why has his face turned green too?

No, Teacher has been poisoned!

The next second, Yu Xiaogang collapsed into Tang San's arms with a thud.

"Poison..."

Before passing out, Green Xiaogang spat out one word.

"How could Teacher have been poisoned?" With that question in mind, Tang San quickly examined him and soon discovered the cause.

The Mandala Snake's venom had attached itself to his teacher's Martial Soul. His Martial Soul had been poisoned, and the poison later spread to Yu Xiaogang's own body. Yu Xiaogang had endured the poison all this time so Tang San could safely absorb the Spirit Ring, and it had only flared up now. Thinking of this, Tang San was deeply moved.

"Fortunately, it isn't too serious."

Only after examining him did Tang San finally relax.

As someone born into the Tang Sect, Tang San was extremely familiar with poison. He quickly helped Yu Xiaogang detoxify, and the green color on Yu Xiaogang's face soon faded.

However, that green hair would remain with him forever.