Yu Xiaogang Arrives

With a wave of Lu Shi's hand, the Mandala Snake obediently slithered over. Even though he knew it was completely loyal to him, the sight was still incredibly striking.

The stench hit him as soon as it opened its mouth. Its fangs could pierce straight through his head, radiating a chilling menace.

When it straightened up, it stood a head taller than him.

Its body, thicker than a thigh, could easily constrict any Soul Beast to death.

Lu Shi took one look at its color, its shape, its species...

Wasn't this Snivy?!

He patted its dark green scales. They felt cool and smooth beneath his hand, and he could sense the astonishing power contained beneath them.

"Work hard. Of all my Soul Beasts, I have the highest hopes for you. Don't disappoint me."

In a couple of years, I'll turn you into a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and evolve you into a King Snake.

Well, now that he looked at it, it really did resemble one more and more.

The Mandala Snake seemed to understand him. It lowered its head and rubbed against him, its eyes exceptionally lively.

Its expression was full of affection, containing nothing but obedience and gentleness.

It was completely unlike the savage Soul Beasts people usually imagined.

Lu Shi was not worried that the Mandala Snake lacked combat power. He knew that only he deserved to enjoy its loyalty.

Once he gave the command to kill, the Mandala Snake would expose its cruelty and ferocity once more.

He could already imagine the enemy's reaction when, in the middle of battle, he suddenly summoned a vicious giant snake.

With a thought, he summoned his Soul Ring, warm and yellow.

Lu Shi examined the Soul Skills he had obtained and found that there were two. In other words, capturing Soul Beasts was similar to contracting Soul Spirits:

Soul Skill One: Strength and speed increased by fifty percent, while Soul Power recovery speed increased by one hundred percent.

It was a passive skill.

Soul Skill Two: Intimidation Generation, or in other words, a mental attack. It inflicted damage on an enemy's mind, making the victim believe they were surrounded by a sea of snakes and suffering the punishment of being devoured by ten thousand serpents.

Those with weak or unstable minds would faint on the spot.

Of course, even the strong-willed would display symptoms of poisoning—neurotoxins, cytotoxins, blood toxins...

It had every kind of toxin.

It could actually poison someone from a distance. It was simply too powerful.

Lu Shi sighed in admiration. Poké Balls really were amazing.

After recalling the Mandala Snake, he did not linger. He turned and left, heading to the market to sell his bow and sword. They were useless now, so he might as well exchange them for some money.

After returning to the academy, he was notified to visit the third floor of the Academic Affairs Office.

Lu Shi was puzzled. I just got here and haven't done anything. Why are they calling for me?

When he arrived outside the office, he knocked politely.

"Come in."

The voice from inside made him sigh.

...As expected.

He pushed open the door. A middle-aged man in his forties or fifties stood with his back to him, gazing out the window. He wore a gray robe and a black scarf, had an average build, and had not shaved his stubble cleanly, making him look somewhat disheveled. His hands were clasped behind his back, giving off an unfathomable air.

This man was the foremost theoretical Grandmaster in the Soul Master world, the Horn of Wisdom of the Golden Iron Triangle, an honorary elder of Spirit Hall, and Tang God King's teacher—

Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang was in an exceptionally good mood today. In a single day, he had encountered three once-in-a-century geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power!

That student named Xiao Wu was utterly ordinary, so he paid little attention to her. The other two, however, were different.

They actually both possessed Waste Martial Souls with Innate Full Soul Power!

According to the theories he had painstakingly researched, they were either Twin Martial Souls or possessed Martial Souls of extraordinarily high quality.

Tang San's case had already proven to be Twin Martial Souls, and Tang San had even acknowledged him as his teacher.

That only left Lu Shi.

As long as he taught them to become stronger and led them to win the Soul Master Tournament, his title as the number one theoretical Grandmaster of the Martial Soul world would be firmly established.

I'll slap the faces off those people from Spirit Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!

Yu Xiaogang slowly turned around, forcing a faint smile onto his face and deliberately creating an air of mystery. However, his expression seemed somewhat stiff, and his smile looked even worse than crying.

Thinking about it, he had been looked down upon since childhood. There truly had not been much in his life that could make him smile.

Until today.

Fate had finally favored him.

"A Waste Martial Soul, yet you possess Innate Full Soul Power. Don't you want to know why?"

Yu Xiaogang spoke in a hoarse, weathered voice.

"Your Martial Soul is very rare. It has no discernible characteristics. Its material is not jade, it does not resemble metal, and it is certainly not made of wood. Few people in the world understand it, but I just happen to..."

"I've seen it before."

This was the description of Lu Shi's Martial Soul on Spirit Hall's certificate.

Lu Shi's expression remained calm as he asked, "Grandmaster, are you trying to take me as your disciple?"

You've seen a Poké Ball? Those who know you would say you fancy yourself a Martial Soul research Grandmaster. Those who don't would think you fancy yourself a Pokémon Master.

"I investigated six hundred and forty-seven people with Waste Martial Souls. Among them, only sixteen possessed Soul Power, a probability of less than three percent. And among those sixteen, not a single one had Innate Soul Power above rank one.

"One of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul that I painstakingly researched and published states that Martial Soul quality is linked to Innate Soul Power. Either your Martial Soul is extremely powerful, or you possess Twin Martial Souls!"

"I can see through your Martial Soul, and I can give you the best theoretical guidance."

In the quiet office, his firm, confident voice echoed through every corner.

Lu Shi shook his head. "I don't want to."

I know far more than you do.

Yu Xiaogang froze, somewhat stunned. He had not expected such a sincere offer to be refused. After taking a deep breath, he immediately came up with another argument. "There has never been an ordinary ball with Innate Full Soul Power. Perhaps your Martial Soul was originally ordinary, but something unexpected happened."

"That unexpected event is Martial Soul Mutation."

He tried to find a look of surprise on Lu Shi's face, but unfortunately failed. So, with a threatening tone, he said:

"Martial Soul Mutation raised your Innate Soul Power and may even accelerate your cultivation in the future. This mutation may seem beneficial, but as time passes, it could develop in a harmful direction and even cause irreversible damage to your body!"

Yu Xiaogang walked over slowly. "You know, everyone in this world calls me Grandmaster because my research into Martial Souls far surpasses anyone else's. Of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul that I released, two happen to correspond exactly with your current situation."

"In the future, I can also guide your cultivation and help you obtain Soul Rings."

Standing with his hands behind his back, he said confidently, "Well? Are you willing to take me as your teacher?"

After that whole speech, he had nearly convinced himself.

Yu Xiaogang believed Lu Shi had no reason to refuse.

Unexpectedly, Lu Shi did not answer. After pondering for a moment, he asked a question:

"Since Grandmaster is so professional, your Soul Power Level must be very high, right? May I ask whether you're a Soul Douluo or a Titled Douluo?"

If Tang San were allowed to grow normally, he would become a major threat in the future. Since Yu Xiaogang had delivered himself to Lu Shi's door, Lu Shi did not mind setting Tang San up.

Yu Xiaogang's smile instantly froze on his face. The hands behind his back trembled slightly as he forced himself to answer, "Like yours, my Martial Soul underwent an Innate Mutation, but mine was harmful. My Innate Soul Power was only half a rank, and I have been stuck at rank twenty-nine my entire life, unable to break through. That is why I devoted myself to Martial Soul research. No one on the entire continent can surpass me, and that is why I am called Grandmaster."

Tearing open his own scar was a torment Yu Xiaogang could never grow accustomed to, but in order to prove himself, he endured it.

Lu Shi looked at him innocently, his gaze crystal clear. "Grandmaster doesn't even have experience absorbing a third Soul Ring. How did you conduct your research?"

Lu Shi acknowledged that Yu Xiaogang had contributed to the Soul Master world.

He had spread knowledge that had previously circulated only among major clans and powerful factions throughout the continent, breaking the information gap and helping many people, especially lower-class Soul Masters.

He had indeed been of great help.

But passing off plagiarized theories as his own also proved that his character was lacking.

Before Yu Xiaogang could explain, Lu Shi continued, "Since Grandmaster claims to have researched Martial Soul Mutation, I once found a Soul Beast manuscript in a hidden cave. It also recorded some matters related to Martial Soul Mutation. May I ask Grandmaster a few questions? Could you answer them?"