Then Taking One Move from Me Shouldn't Be a Problem, Right?

After that, the appraiser became much more polite to Lu Yuan. A hundred-year Spirit Bone was valuable, he said—worth at least three thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Lu Yuan nodded slightly and eventually sold it to a passing Soul Elder for two thousand eight hundred Gold Soul Coins.

After spending thirty Gold Soul Coins on a house, he used some of the rest to buy furniture and daily necessities, then stocked up on dried food.

Lu Yuan also discovered that Big Luck's Cargo Box could store dried food and other supplies. Like Spirit Beast carcasses, they stayed fresh and would never spoil. The carcasses and supplies were sealed off from one another, so neither air nor odors could pass between them.

Lu Yuan planned to stay in Cangshi Town until he reached level thirty and obtained his second and Third Soul Rings. Only then would he leave.

That evening, Lu Yuan reclined in a chair in the courtyard, one leg crossed over the other, fanning himself.

He had even summoned Big Luck and parked it nearby. In the evening glow, its body gleamed with a dark metallic sheen, like a silent guard.

He had thought he could enjoy a few peaceful days, then enter the Star Dou Great Forest once he reached level thirty to find his second and third Spirit Rings.

Unfortunately, some people were determined not to let him.

Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the gate.

Two figures appeared at the courtyard entrance, one tall and one short: Yu Xiaogang and Tang San.

Through his inquiries, Yu Xiaogang had finally tracked Lu Yuan down.

He stood outside and surveyed the modest courtyard. His gaze eventually settled on the enormous black steel beast inside.

His pupils contracted, but he soon regained his composure.

At his side, Tang San was shaken with fear at the sight of Big Luck.

He had been sent flying by Big Luck himself. He knew exactly how terrifying it was.

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath and pushed open the half-closed gate.

Lu Yuan had heard them coming. He opened his eyes, frowned at Yu Xiaogang and Tang San as they entered, and said, "Oh, it's you again! What's wrong, brat? Didn't get beaten enough last time? You even brought backup?"

Lu Yuan had not expected Tang San to come looking for him again.

He had shown the rude boy plenty of restraint last time. Otherwise, Tang San would not still be on his feet...

Tang San said nothing and stood quietly behind Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang smiled faintly. He approached, stopped about five paces from Lu Yuan, and cupped his hands. "I am Yu Xiaogang, an instructor at Notting City's Junior Soul Master Academy and Tang San's teacher. I heard that your first Spirit Ring is, astonishingly, a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. I came to verify it."

Yu Xiaogang's tone was courteous enough, without Tang San's aggressive edge.

But he could not hide the dogged insistence of a scholar.

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Verify it? Why? What's it to you?"

Yu Xiaogang kept smiling. "You may not know this, young friend, but an iron rule of the Soul Master world states that the upper limit for a first Spirit Ring is four hundred and twenty-three years. If your first Martial Soul truly has a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, that rule has been broken. As a theoretical researcher, I cannot ignore that."

"So?" Lu Yuan lounged in his chair, looking utterly unconcerned.

"So I would like to discuss the matter with you," Yu Xiaogang said solemnly. "I want to show you through theory why that ring of yours cannot possibly be ten thousand years old."

Lu Yuan rolled his eyes. "Say whatever you want. I'm not listening. Believe it or don't. Now you can leave."

Lu Yuan began ushering Yu Xiaogang and Tang San out.

Yu Xiaogang showed no irritation. Instead, he launched into his argument.

He began with the classifications of Martial Souls, explaining in detail the difference between Beast Martial Souls and Tool Martial Souls.

He also described how the two differed when absorbing Spirit Rings.

Then he discussed the relationship between Innate Soul Power and Martial Soul quality. Citing numerous ancient texts and historical records, he tried to prove that someone with zero Innate Soul Power could not form a Spirit Ring at all.

And Lu Yuan, standing before him, appeared to have no Soul Power even now.

Yu Xiaogang went on to analyze the limits of Spirit Ring absorption. He argued from several angles—the strength of a Soul Master's body, their Soul Power capacity, and their mental endurance—laying out each point in meticulous detail.

At last, Yu Xiaogang cleared his throat and concluded, "In short, it is theoretically impossible for a Soul Master born with zero Innate Soul Power and the lowest-grade Tool Martial Soul to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as his first ring."

"The only explanation is that your Spirit Ring is not truly ten thousand years old. It must be some kind of unusual Disguise, or perhaps a rare Visual Illusion."

Yu Xiaogang had spoken for nearly an hour without pause. His mouth was dry, yet he had only grown more excited, his gaze sharper than ever.

He felt he had explained his reasoning so thoroughly that any rational person should be convinced.

Above all, Yu Xiaogang wanted to establish that Lu Yuan's first Spirit Ring could not possibly be a ten-thousand-year ring.

Lu Yuan had spent the entire lecture reclining in his chair. As he listened to Yu Xiaogang's summary, his eyelids twitched, and he nearly fell asleep several times.

When Yu Xiaogang finally finished, Lu Yuan looked at him as though he were an idiot and asked flatly, "Are you done?"

Yu Xiaogang paused, then nodded. "I'm done."

"Oh." Lu Yuan waved a hand. "Then you and your student Tang San can go."

Yu Xiaogang's expression stiffened.

He had expected his theory to leave Lu Yuan stunned. Even if the young man remained unconvinced, surely he would argue a little.

Never had Yu Xiaogang imagined that Lu Yuan would ignore him completely, without even bothering to offer a rebuttal.

That attitude stung worse than a heated argument.

It meant Lu Yuan had not taken his theories or conclusions seriously at all.

Yu Xiaogang suppressed his displeasure and said in a low voice, "If you won't discuss this with me, young friend, I'll have to verify it another way."

He raised his right hand and opened his palm. Yellow light gathered there, gradually taking the shape of Luo Sanpao, a strange, round creature with a pair of tiny wings.

Luo Sanpao hovered in midair, making little "lulu" noises as he looked around curiously with his round eyes.

"This is my Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao," Yu Xiaogang said, his gaze turning cold. "I may only be a Soul Grandmaster, but Luo Sanpao's Thunderous Fart strikes with power comparable to that of a level-thirty Soul Elder! If you truly have a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, you should have no trouble taking one attack from me, should you?"