Blue Silver Mucus, Gangzi Suffers

Tang Hao grew angrier the more he thought about it. In an instant, he leaped out from the shadows, the Clear Sky Hammer appearing in his hand before he hurled it with all his might toward Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang was still watching Tang San absorb the soul ring and failed to notice the disturbance in the distance.

Suddenly,

a dark shadow came hurtling toward him. It was so fast that Gangzi had no time to react before his abdomen took a heavy blow, sending his whole body flying through the air in a graceful arc.

Fortunately, Tang Hao had not used his full strength. Otherwise, this day next year would have been Gangzi's death anniversary.

Yu Xiaogang flew dozens of meters before slowly falling, ultimately landing butt-first in a rigid sitting position on a severed Solitary Bamboo.

The sharp bamboo stake, with more than twenty centimeters still exposed, happened to line up with Gangzi's anus. Under the pull of gravity, the entire stake drove straight into it.

Not just anyone could enjoy that kind of exquisite agony.

Gangzi, who had nearly blacked out from the hammer blow, instantly jolted awake when he felt the excruciating sting from his anus.

His mouth twisted into a huge O, while the stiff muscles in his face scrunched together from the overwhelming pain. Cold sweat poured out nonstop.

Even Xu Peinian in the distance involuntarily clenched his buttocks at the sight, sweating on Yu Xiaogang's behalf.

Who would have thought there would be such an unexpected delight? Gangzi had truly turned ass-purple now.

The sudden pain made Yu Xiaogang's already twisted face turn a deep purplish red.

"Aah!!!"

The next moment, a pig-slaughtering howl tore through the sky.

"Master."

Just then, a cold voice entered his ears, neither loud nor soft.

Yu Xiaogang's howl stopped abruptly. He struggled to raise his head and looked toward the voice, only to see Tang Hao slowly walking toward him with an enormous hammer in hand—a Pro Max version of Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer.

His buttocks, having pulled the bamboo stake out halfway, dropped back down when his legs went weak. Yet Yu Xiaogang did not even have time to grimace before he asked in a trembling voice,

"The Clear Sky Hammer! You... are you His Excellency Clear Sky?"

"It's me."

Tang Hao's voice was icy, and his expression was equally grim.

"Xiao San is your...?"

"That's right. He's my son."

Yu Xiaogang's face turned deathly pale. Enduring the pain, he pulled the stake free from his buttocks, then immediately knelt before Tang Hao and explained in a panic,

"Your Excellency, I regard Xiao San as my only direct disciple and have absolutely no intention of harming him. Having him absorb a twenty-year slug was truly unavoidable."

It would have been better if he had not explained. The moment Tang San's white soul ring was mentioned, Tang Hao's face darkened further.

"You still have the nerve to say that! You made Xiao San absorb the soul ring of a worthless soul beast. That slug isn't even as useful as a broken piece of bamboo! Is this how you treat your only disciple?!"

Feeling the increasingly violent aura emanating from Tang Hao, Yu Xiaogang was terrified. He pressed his crew-cut head firmly against the ground and said timidly, his entire body trembling,

"Y-Your Excellency, having Xiao San absorb a ten-year soul ring is not without its benefits."

"Hm?" Tang Hao exhaled heavily in anger, but he did not take any further action.

Yu Xiaogang glanced up and saw that Tang Hao was willing to hear his defense. He secretly let out a breath of relief before continuing,

"Your Excellency should know that I was once a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Over the years, I have accumulated extensive knowledge of martial soul theory."

"Moreover, I was once close to Bibi Dong, the current Pope of Spirit Hall. You should know that Bibi Dong also possesses Twin Martial Souls. It was with my help that she achieved success in her cultivation."

"So I am quite confident in cultivating Xiao San's Twin Martial Souls. Please rest assured, I will never waste Xiao San's talent."

Gangzi invoked the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Pope Bibi Dong, speaking with utter sincerity and complete confidence.

Tang Hao had heard a little about Yu Xiaogang and Bibi Dong's past, but he had not expected Bibi Dong to possess Twin Martial Souls as well.

As a result, Tang Hao believed Yu Xiaogang's words somewhat, though this alone was not enough for him to entrust Xiao San entirely to the man.

Tang Hao nodded slightly, signaling for him to continue.

Yu Xiaogang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Ignoring the pain in his buttocks, he continued,

"Blue Silver Grass itself is merely an ordinary martial soul. It may not be able to withstand the energy impact of a high-age soul ring."

"Having Xiao San absorb a slug was a helpless choice, but it is safe. A slug is soft and sticky, and it will help Xiao San absorb higher-age soul rings in the future. At the very least, its elasticity can resist the impact of that energy."

"In that way, it will greatly benefit the future development of both Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer."

"So this was not meant to harm him. On the contrary, it was paving the way for his future. After all, he is not only your son, but also my only disciple."

Tang Hao was a brute by nature, and Yu Xiaogang's few words left him completely fooled. He then nodded in agreement almost subconsciously.

Tang Hao's eyes were no longer red, and the violent aura around him fully receded. Instead, he politely said to Yu Xiaogang,

"Master, I misunderstood you. I'm sorry for hurting you. Take this."

As he spoke, Tang Hao handed over a high-ranking Spirit Hall token engraved with six symbols.

"From now on, Xiao San is in your care. Keep watching over him. I'll be leaving first. Remember not to tell him that I came, and do not reveal my identity."

With that, Tang Hao glanced at Tang San, who was absorbing the soul ring, and vanished in the blink of an eye, as though he had never been there.

"Phew—hiss!"

Yu Xiaogang had just wanted to relax, but the pain from behind prevented him from doing so. He could only tend to the wound briefly, then clench his buttocks as he stood guard beside Tang San.

In the distance, Qian Jun Douluo, hidden in the shadows, broke out in a cold sweat as well.

Even from so far away, he could recognize that scruffy, bearded man who had appeared just now.

That was the ruthless man who had killed their former Pope, and Spirit Hall's most wanted fugitive—Tang Hao.

Qian Jun Douluo then felt fortunate that his good disciple, Xu Peinian, had stopped him from going to teach Tang San and Yu Xiaogang a lesson earlier. Otherwise, he would not be standing here today.

Xu Peinian continued watching Tang San's situation and failed to notice the grateful, approving look his teacher Qian Jun Douluo cast his way.

A quarter of an hour later.

Tang San's condition had stabilized. Since the soul ring's age was very low, the entire absorption process went smoothly.

He slowly opened his eyes. A violet gleam flashed through them, and as he exhaled a breath of turbid air, Tang San fully regained his senses.

With the joy of breaking through his bottleneck after absorbing the soul ring, Tang San immediately looked toward his teacher, Yu Xiaogang.

Yet he discovered that something was wrong with his teacher. His face remained stern and stiff, but his complexion alternated between green and white. Cold sweat occasionally slid down the side of his face, while his legs were forced into a pigeon-toed stance as he barely stood in place.

"Teacher, what's wrong?"

Yu Xiaogang forced an ugly smile and said,

"It's nothing. I accidentally sat on a broken piece of Solitary Bamboo earlier and suffered a little flesh wound. It's no big deal."

Embarrassed, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly changed the subject.

"Ahem, Xiao San, what is your first soul skill?"

"Teacher, my first soul skill is Blue Silver Mucus. Blue Silver Grass secretes a sticky liquid and flings it out. Once it hits an enemy, it can slow them down."

Tang San answered respectfully, but there was one thing he did not say: after using his first soul skill, the soul master's own body would also secrete a thin layer of mucus.