Gangzi, You've Even Taken on an Apprentice?

Gangzi smiled with the air of a man who had everything under control. Looking at the stunned Tang San and the still-expressionless Hei Ranbai, he thought, Hei Ranbai may be a little quiet, but he's still so calm after having his secret exposed. He has a steadier temperament than Tang San.

But the name left a bad taste in the Grandmaster's mouth. It reminded him of Bai Ranmo, who was always harassing and insulting him.

Returning to the matter at hand, Gangzi began explaining his research on Blue Silver Grass.

Tang San was awestruck. I've met a real Grandmaster!

Seeing Tang San's shocked expression, the Grandmaster smiled as though he had already won him over, then turned to Hei Ranbai. "As for you, Hei Ranbai... As far as I know, most people with an ordinary Shadow Martial Soul have only Grade 1 or Grade 2 Innate Soul Power. But you have Innate Full Soul Power. Just like Tang San, you must have another, far more powerful Martial Soul besides your weak Shadow Martial Soul."

Only then did Tang San snap out of it and stare at Hei Ranbai in shock. He had been so amazed by the Grandmaster's vast knowledge that he hadn't realized Hei Ranbai also possessed Twin Martial Souls.

After hesitating for just one second, Tang San dropped to his knees and knocked his head against the ground three times. "Teacher, please accept me as your disciple!"

With Tang San, a boy with Twin Martial Souls, kneeling before him and asking to become his disciple, Gangzi could not suppress his grin.

If my second uncle and father were here, I'd throw this right in their faces. See? The 'failure' you talked about has taken on a disciple with Twin Martial Souls. Hei Ranbai will ask to become my disciple next. I, Yu Xiaogang, am not a disgrace to the family!

Hei Ranbai looked uncertain, as though something was holding him back.

Gangzi first put on a gratified expression and pulled Tang San to his feet. "Silly boy, why did you kowtow just to become my disciple? Don't you know that's a gesture reserved for rulers and parents? A bow would have been enough."

Tang San said solemnly, "A teacher for a day is a father for life. You deserve my respect."

Even Gangzi was moved. Apart from Bibi Dong, Liu Erlong, and Flender, no one had ever believed in him like this.

He took a deep breath. "Good child. I knew I'd chosen the right person. From now on, you're my disciple."

As he spoke, the Grandmaster patted Tang San's shoulder with satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Hei Ranbai.

He gave him a gentle smile. "Ranbai, do you still have doubts or concerns?"

Hei Ranbai appeared to hesitate for a moment. In truth, he was using his last [Limited-Time 10-Minute Infinite Points Card].

He had originally planned to use it when he awakened his Martial Soul in Holy Soul Village. But then he had remembered Tang San's apprenticeship. It would be the perfect chance to harvest Emotion Points from Tang San, Gangzi, and Tang Hao, so he had forced himself to wait until now.

"Grandmaster, my situation isn't what you described. I don't have Twin Martial Souls, but my Martial Soul is unusual." Hei Ranbai spoke with apparent respect for Gangzi's learning.

"Oh?" Gangzi looked at him, puzzled.

"My Martial Soul is called the Ten Shadows Technique. Besides absorbing Soul Rings to gain Soul Tools like an ordinary Soul Master, my Martial Soul is connected to ten beings called Shikigami. I can also perform a ritual called Subjugation. If I defeat a Shikigami with my own strength, it will obey my commands."

"Divine Dogs!"

As he spoke, Hei Ranbai formed a hand sign resembling a dog, perhaps worried that Tang San and the Grandmaster would not understand otherwise.

Shadows stirred. Two enormous wolfdogs, one black and one white, appeared before them.

"These are the Shikigami called Divine Dogs. They don't require Subjugation. They excel at scouting, they're formidable in combat, and they grow stronger as I do. Even if they die, they won't stay dead. They'll revive after some time."

This differed from the original rules of Jujutsu Kaisen. There, every Shikigami's strength was fixed, and when one died, it stayed dead, its power passing to the others. But now that he was in Douluo, Bai Ranmo had adjusted the rules a little. It was an upgrade.

He could wait for their skill cooldown to end and let them revive, or merge their power into another Shikigami. Even after merging them, he could separate their power again and put them back on cooldown.

Gangzi's eyes lit up.

His first thought was, If someone with such an unusual Martial Soul becomes my disciple, I can publish this case in the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul without anyone questioning it!

Tang San was surprised too. He had never expected Hei Ranbai's Martial Soul to be so unusual. Judging by his teacher's expression, even he had never heard of anything like it.

I should get along with Hei Ranbai. We have no quarrel, and we came from the same village.

[Yu Xiaogang experienced an intense emotional fluctuation. Points +500]

[Tang San experienced an intense emotional fluctuation. Points +400]

[Tang Hao experienced an intense emotional fluctuation. Points +500]

Bai Ranmo was clearly dissatisfied with the rate at which he was gaining Emotion Points.

Then it's time to make my move!

Time to send out the Clone made specifically to mock Gangzi!

Gangzi had begun wondering how to show off his knowledge and talk the boy with this unusual Martial Soul into becoming his disciple when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a figure racing toward them!

Gangzi went rigid. Beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.

How? That guy hasn't been around these past few days. I only walked through the school's front gate so openly because I thought Bai Ranmo had stopped waiting there to corner me.

Why did he have to show up today?

Of all times!

"Well, well, if it isn't Gangzi! We haven't seen each other in days. Come on, Master, let's catch up!"

Gangzi's entire body went taut. His teeth even began to chatter as he stared at the approaching figure.

"Teacher, who is he?" Tang San immediately noticed something was wrong and fixed Bai Ranmo with a wary stare.

Could he be here for revenge?

Gangzi had no idea what to say or do. Could he abandon these two prospective disciples and run? What would become of his plans to take them on?

Those few seconds of hesitation cost Gangzi his last chance to escape.

"What? Kid, what did you call Gangzi? Teacher? Hahaha... You became Gangzi's disciple? Well, look at you, Gangzi! You've even taken on an apprentice. You're something else. You made it past fifty without reaching level thirty, and you still found yourself a disciple! 'There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters'—you managed to insult yourself twice in one sentence. Incredible!"

Gangzi's face froze completely.

Tang San blinked. What did he mean, past fifty without reaching level thirty?

Was this teacher really that weak?

For a moment, Tang San regretted his decision. A person's theoretical knowledge mattered, but surely actual strength mattered more!