Mutual Devotion

"Teacher, can you announce the result now?" Lin Qing withdrew his Martial Soul and looked at the referee.

"Oh, the winner is Lin Qing!" the teacher announced.

"Big Brother Lin is awesome!"

"I knew that kid with the Blue Silver Grass couldn't beat Big Brother Lin."

Listening to the mockery from the students beneath the Dueling Platform, Tang San's eyes turned bloodshot as he panted like a bull. He climbed to his feet, pointed at Lin Qing, and roared, "Lin Qing, just you wait! I, Tang San, swear here and now that I will defeat you and wash away today's humiliation!"

Lin Qing had just turned around and was about to leave the Dueling Platform when he heard Tang San's furious roar.

After hearing Tang San's words, the students and teachers in the stands also stopped talking and looked at him with strange expressions.

Lin Qing did not turn back. He merely stopped, clasped his hands behind his back, raised his head at a forty-five-degree angle to gaze at the sky, his eyes filled with a sharpness that looked down upon all things.

"Those defeated by my hand have never been worthy of being called my opponents. I will give you time to catch up—until you can no longer even see my back!" With that, Lin Qing strode straight off the Dueling Platform.

"Damn! Big Brother Lin is way too domineering!"

"Yeah, from now on, if I win a duel, I'm using that line to show off too."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. As expected of Big Brother Lin. He made showing off look completely natural."

The surrounding students all marveled at how cool Lin Qing's grandstanding was, while the teachers sighed that the Soul Master world had gained another rising star.

"Lin Qing, that line you said just now was so cool!" As soon as Lin Qing stepped down, Xiao Wu came to his side and linked her arm through his.

"Yeah, Boss, you were seriously so cool just now!"

"Especially that last line. How many lifetimes would I have to live before I could come up with something that domineering?"

The admiration of the others was nothing, but the awe in the eyes of the boys from Dorm Seven made Lin Qing feel uncomfortable.

After all, Lin Qing had not come up with that line himself. It had been spoken in his youth by that peerless powerhouse who had stood alone across eternity when facing an opponent.

"Third Brother, are you all right?" While Lin Qing's side was celebrating, Yu Xiaogang also came over to Tang San and helped him up.

"Teacher, I lost..." Tang San felt deeply ashamed. In the end, he had still failed to live up to his teacher's expectations.

"Third Brother, you needn't be discouraged. Your Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was inferior in quality to Lin Qing's blade to begin with. But you still have another Martial Soul!" Yu Xiaogang comforted him. "You must understand that temporary strength does not mean true strength. Only the final victor gets to laugh last."

"That's right, I still have another Martial Soul. If I had cultivated my hammer Martial Soul instead, today's outcome might not have been certain."

"Third Brother! You must never entertain such dangerous thoughts!" Yu Xiaogang broke out in a cold sweat at Tang San's words.

"You must know that the advantage of Twin Martial Souls is that after becoming a Titled Douluo, you can add nine Spirit Rings over ten thousand years old to your second Martial Soul. You must never think of cultivating your second Martial Soul too early!"

Seeing Yu Xiaogang teach him so earnestly, Tang San felt warmth fill his heart, and even much of the frustration from being defeated by Lin Qing dispersed.

"Teacher, I understand. I won't waste my potential over a moment of anger," Tang San said obediently.

"Very good. That is the mindset a true powerhouse should have." Only after seeing that Tang San no longer harbored the dangerous thought of cultivating the Clear Sky Hammer did Yu Xiaogang finally breathe a sigh of relief.

After comforting Tang San, Yu Xiaogang turned his gaze toward Lin Qing's group, who were preparing to leave.

"Lin Qing, wait a moment!" Yu Xiaogang called out to Lin Qing.

"Teacher, why are you calling Lin Qing?" Tang San asked in confusion when he saw Yu Xiaogang stop him.

Yu Xiaogang stroked Tang San's head and said, "Third Brother, Lin Qing has taken the wrong path. If he continues relying solely on his own cultivation, he will only reach Soul Douluo—or perhaps even just Soul Sage—in this lifetime."

"Lin Qing possesses Innate Full Soul Power. He is a future pillar of the Soul Master world, someone with the potential to become a Titled Douluo. As your teacher, I truly cannot bear to see such a genius stagnate merely because he lacks proper guidance."

Hearing that Yu Xiaogang intended to guide Lin Qing, a trace of dissatisfaction and jealousy flashed through Tang San's heart.

"Spirit Hall is becoming increasingly overbearing. At a time when the Soul Master world needs existences like Titled Douluo to contend against Spirit Hall, for the sake of the greater good, I do not mind giving him a little guidance and helping him return to the right path," Yu Xiaogang said.

"So that's how it is. Teacher is willing to guide Lin Qing for the sake of the entire Soul Master world. I actually felt a trace of jealousy just because Teacher was willing to guide him. I really shouldn't have!" Tang San said remorsefully.

"Haha, Third Brother, there is no need to apologize. Anyone would feel unhappy when their teacher wanted to guide their enemy. It is only human nature," Yu Xiaogang said. "But for the sake of the entire Soul Master world, Teacher can only ask you to endure this grievance for now." Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San apologetically.

"It's all right, Teacher. You're doing this for the greater good. Suffering a little grievance is nothing."

"What a good child."

"If you have something to say, say it. If you want to fart, fart!" Lin Qing had no favorable impression of Yu Xiaogang whatsoever.

Yu Xiaogang did not become angry at Lin Qing's attitude. He still maintained a calm and unruffled expression.

At the side, Tang San was already on the verge of exploding with rage upon seeing Lin Qing disrespect his teacher so openly. If his teacher had not believed Lin Qing could still be saved, Tang San would have long since gone over to teach this man, who knew nothing of respecting his elders and teachers, a lesson.

This time, Tang San directly ignored the fact that he could not beat Lin Qing.

"Lin Qing, you have taken the wrong path."

Yu Xiaogang opened with that one sentence, making Lin Qing roll his eyes.

"Gangzi, I don't want to argue about this with you. Whether I've taken the wrong path or not is none of your concern. To put it plainly, how I walk my path is none of your damn business!" With that, Lin Qing ignored Yu Xiaogang's reaction and left with Xiao Wu and the others.

Seeing Lin Qing behave so rudely and leave without another word, and seeming to finally realize that he had no hope of taking Lin Qing as a disciple, Yu Xiaogang became furious as well. "This Lin Qing is utterly foolish! He abandoned a living opportunity like me just like that. Someone like him will never become a powerhouse in this life!"

"Teacher, there is no need to be angry over someone like Lin Qing. Rest assured, Teacher, I will definitely defeat Lin Qing in the future and let him know just how great a loss it was to refuse your guidance. I will make him regret today's choice!" Tang San clenched his fists and declared passionately.

Seeing Tang San's fighting spirit blaze so fiercely, Yu Xiaogang stroked Tang San's head with great satisfaction and said, "Good, Third Brother. To have received such a filial child as you for a disciple is a blessing I must have cultivated over three lifetimes. I have decided that from this day onward, I will devote all the knowledge I have accumulated in my life to teaching you. And Third Brother, you will become the only disciple of my life, Yu Xiaogang."

"Thank you, Teacher. I believe that under your guidance, I will surely stand at the peak of the Soul Master world and clear Teacher's name within the Soul Master world!"

Watching Tang San and Yu Xiaogang devote themselves to each other, witnessing Tang San change from the dejection of defeat to being filled with fighting spirit, Tang Hao was also greatly relieved.

"It seems that leaving that child named Lin Qing behind that day was a wise decision. He has brought such a tremendous transformation to Third Brother." Thinking this, Tang Hao looked again at Lin Qing's group as they moved farther away. "Since you have brought such great benefits to Third Brother, then you are qualified to become Third Brother's follower as well."