Tang San's First Soul Ring

There was no need to make up any excuse. The shopkeeper did not ask where the snake venom had come from; as long as it made him money, that was enough.

After verifying the venom's authenticity and purity, the shopkeeper offered to buy it for half a Gold Soul Coin per bottle.

Lu Shi sold six bottles and received three Gold Soul Coins.

The entire transaction went very smoothly.

Yu Xiaogang had Tang San buy a large quantity of white radishes and store them in the Storage Soul Tool.

Of course, as the Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang was naturally the one paying in Copper Soul Coins.

When they arrived at the Soul Hunting Forest, Luo Sanpao, whose appearance resembled a pig-dog, scouted ahead while the two followed behind, walking side by side.

Even though he knew he should not be asking a work-study student for advice, Tang San could not suppress the curiosity in his heart. He hesitated before saying, "Teacher, although I know it seems impossible, I still want to confirm something with you in person."

Yu Xiaogang remained alert to their surroundings. He glanced at him and waved a hand. "As long as I know it, I will not hide it from you."

This was his good disciple, his hope. Naturally, he had to teach him well and hold nothing back.

"Last night, there was a student in my dormitory named Lu Shi. He was holding what looked like a very rare book and said he had traded it to Teacher in exchange for an explanation of Martial Soul knowledge..."

How could that possibly be true? He was merely a work-study student...

Unexpectedly, after three seconds of silence, Yu Xiaogang admitted, "It is true."

"Ah, I knew it had to be false... What!"

Tang San was greatly shocked. How was that possible?!

"Isn't Teacher a grandmaster of Martial Soul theory? How could a work-study student possess knowledge that even Teacher does not understand?!"

Naturally, Yu Xiaogang could not admit that the plan he had prepared for Tang San came from Lu Shi. "That Lu Shi happened to obtain an ancient tome in a hidden cave years ago. It recorded some little-known knowledge about Martial Souls."

He placed one hand over his abdomen, his tone profound:

"Xiao San, even if everyone in the Soul Master world respectfully calls me Grandmaster, I cannot possibly know everything. That is called humility. Even when dealing with a work-study student, I exchange knowledge equally with him. That is called eagerness to learn. I have not lied to you either. That is called honesty..."

"Xiao San, I hope you can become as humble, eager to learn, and honest as I am."

At that moment, Yu Xiaogang truly seemed like a fine teacher, setting an example as he educated his disciple.

After hearing this, Tang San was so moved that he nearly cried. So that was how it was...

So his teacher was this great!

He lowered his head, deeply ashamed. "This disciple was wrong. I should not have been so competitive."

Yu Xiaogang waved a hand, and a faint smile appeared on his stiff face. "If disciples had no flaws, what would they need teachers for?"

For a time, master and disciple were incomparably harmonious.

Even Tang Hao, who was hiding in the shadows, nodded slightly. It seemed his son had found a good teacher.

After chatting for a few moments, Yu Xiaogang returned to the main topic. "Xiao San, do you know what Soul Beast suits you best?"

Tang San shook his head.

"A venomous snake."

He said firmly, "One of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul I proposed is the Martial Soul Mimicry Theory. A plant Martial Soul does not necessarily have to absorb a Soul Ring from a plant Soul Beast, and a beast Martial Soul does not necessarily have to absorb only beast Soul Rings. One major advantage of Blue Silver Grass is that it is non-exclusive. It can accommodate any kind of Soul Ring without rejection, only accepting and absorbing it. Do you still remember what kind of Soul Ring we are looking for?"

Tang San answered, "It must be highly venomous, and it must have toughness!"

The Soul Hunting Forest had been established by the empire, and its Soul Beast varieties were not abundant. There were few poison-attributed Soul Beasts to choose from. Yu Xiaogang's research had found that the plants here were less toxic than the animals, and the most poisonous were venomous snakes.

Then they would choose a venomous snake as the Soul Ring.

They searched as they walked, and by evening, they could only set up camp.

Finally, on the morning of the second day, master and disciple found a suitable Soul Beast in the tree canopy: Bamboo Leaf Green.

It was one meter long, emerald green all over, and had a triangular head. It was one of the more venomous Soul Beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest.

The two put on masks.

Yu Xiaogang snorted coldly. He had to display his formidable strength before his disciple and let him understand what a peerless level 29 expert was. "A mere hundred-year Bamboo Leaf Green—farting like thunder, shattering the heavens and splitting the earth, Luo Sanpao!"

With a wave of his hand, a yellow Soul Ring appeared around Luo Sanpao.

Luo Sanpao let out a low growl and frantically inhaled. His pig-like body immediately swelled to twice its original size. Then he abruptly turned around, aimed the most mysterious part of his body at the Bamboo Leaf Green in the tree, and a thunderous blast erupted from that very spot.

Bamboo Leaf Green: "?"

Before Bamboo Leaf Green could react, the foul-smelling shockwave knocked it unconscious. It fell to the ground along with the branch in a rustling heap and was buried beneath it.

Luo Sanpao cried, "Luo luo luo!" as he ran over and picked up the limp Bamboo Leaf Green from the pile of fallen leaves.

Only he did not mind it. Any other Soul Beast would have been knocked out by the stench.

Wearing his mask, Tang San stood frozen in place. There was such an attack method?!

Yu Xiaogang let out a breath. "Xiao San, give me two white radishes."

Tang San did as he was told.

Yu Xiaogang casually tossed them over. Luo Sanpao brought the Bamboo Leaf Green over and set it at his feet, then immediately began enthusiastically gnawing on the white radishes, letting out another stream of "luo luo luo" sounds.

He looked even more like a pig now.

"Sanpao can reduce the drain on my Martial Soul by eating food. Also, he only has the strength for three attacks, so he must replenish himself after each use. After eating two white radishes, he can recover one attack in about half an hour." A bitter smile appeared at the corner of Yu Xiaogang's mouth. "No food can compare to white radishes when it comes to inducing farts..."

That worked too?

Tang San instinctively wanted to laugh and nearly failed to hold it in. Fortunately, his mask hid it, so he was not discovered.

Actually, it did not.

Yu Xiaogang was exceedingly sensitive about this matter. Tang San thought he had concealed it, but even the slightest movement would be noticed. Still, Yu Xiaogang endured it in order to prove himself!

He pretended not to see it.

"Xiao San." He handed over a dagger. "Only by personally killing a Soul Beast can you absorb its Soul Ring. Do it."

According to the records he had read in Spirit Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the age limit for a first Soul Ring was 423 years. This Bamboo Leaf Green was at most 150 years old, far below the limit.

But it was the best one they could find at present. If they went any deeper, they would enter the middle region.

There dwelled fierce beasts that were four hundred, five hundred, or even six hundred years old.

He could not possibly defeat them.

Tang San did not hesitate. He stabbed at the snake's head, and blood flowed out. A moment later, a pure yellow Soul Ring slowly emerged.

He sat cross-legged, summoned Blue Silver Grass, and drew the Soul Ring over it, placing it around his Martial Soul.

Without the slightest surprise, Tang San successfully absorbed the Soul Ring and obtained the Soul Skill: Entangling.

Blue Silver Grass's growth speed and toughness both increased, and it even carried a trace amount of Bamboo Leaf Green venom.

Yu Xiaogang was immensely gratified. After waiting for decades, he had finally found a suitable person.

The first step had already been taken smoothly. Could success still be far away?

He could practically hear the cheers of the entire audience when his good disciple won the National Soul Master Tournament!

Tang San excitedly tested his Soul Skill, controlling Blue Silver Grass to entangle, grow, and spread.

Just as predicted.

He truly had not chosen the wrong teacher!

Tang Hao nodded in the shadows. Even from the perspective of a Titled Douluo like him, there was nothing wrong with Yu Xiaogang's words or the decisions he had made.

With his son entrusted to such a person, he could finally be completely at ease.

The destruction of Spirit Hall was right before his eyes!

For a time, everyone was extremely satisfied, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.