The "Grandmaster's" Splendor, His Boundless "Wisdom"

"Teacher Yu" was the form of address Tang Shan had settled on after careful consideration.

As for calling him Grandmaster Yu, sorry, but Tang Shan simply could not call someone a grandmaster when he had made no theoretical contributions and had nothing to recommend him beyond cobbling together existing information.

Yet Tang Shan had still vastly overestimated a certain person's sense of shame.

"Since you've called me teacher, I won't let that title go to waste. Tell me what your martial soul is, and I'll plan your future cultivation path."

Su Yuntao, who sat nearby listening to their exchange, was already dumbstruck. How could anyone be this shameless?

Su Haichao, who had been watching his son handle the situation on his own, also found it utterly absurd.

It was bad enough that you came trotting over and immediately announced you wanted my son as your disciple. Now it turns out you haven't even figured out what his martial soul is!

Absurd did not begin to cover it.

Tang Shan also felt that his eyes had been opened, but he quickly recovered.

"My martial soul is a body martial soul. My entire body."

At that, Yu Xiaogang's face stiffened, his expression indescribably strange.

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something. Wild delight filled his eyes, and an inexplicable air of confidence settled over him.

"Excellent, excellent, excellent! To think I would encounter someone with twin martial souls in this little Notting City. It seems I'll have to be persistent for once."

Those strangely familiar words made Tang Shan's lips twitch uncontrollably. He had been waiting to hear what "earth-shattering declaration" the man would make. After a moment's hesitation, he asked tentatively, "What do you mean?"

Brimming with confidence, his eyes sparkling with "wisdom," Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back, puffed out his chest, and spoke without hesitation.

"According to my research, the 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul,' a weak martial soul cannot possibly possess high innate soul power. Since yours is a body martial soul, a famously trash martial soul, you must have a stronger martial soul that granted you innate full soul power."

The "Grandmaster" paused theatrically before continuing.

"I know what you're thinking. The tallest tree catches the strongest wind, so you concealed this child's talent. That is indeed sensible. But you never expected to run into me."

As he spoke, he raised his chin slightly, looking smug.

"With my world-shaking wisdom, I saw through the layers of fog concealing your truth long ago. Surely you no longer doubt my knowledge now.

"Tang Shan, I'll give you a chance. Become my disciple now, and not only can I take you to the pinnacle of this continent, I can also obtain a cultivation method for twin martial souls. No one is better suited to be your teacher than I am!"

His final words rang out with resounding conviction, their echoes seeming to linger endlessly.

As his voice faded, a brief silence settled over the room.

Su Yuntao and his father, Su Haichao, were somewhat dazed by the sheer amount of information in that speech. Tang Shan, meanwhile, did not know which hole in the man's argument to start with.

Watching the three fall silent, Yu Xiaogang felt much better. The dejection that the other grandmaster had caused him eased considerably.

Just as I thought, my theories are the correct ones. That so-called grandmaster who came out of nowhere knows nothing about martial soul research.

"Teacher Yu..."

Su Yuntao was the first to break the silence, speaking awkwardly.

He watched the middle-aged man cautiously, afraid that one wrong word might make him collapse right there in their home. His father had told him about this man's background. If anything happened to him, their family would have a hard time explaining it to Spirit Hall.

The man's eyes were bloodshot and his face flushed. He looked rather overexcited.

"Ahem..."

Yuntao cleared his throat, his expression earnest.

"My little brother really does have only one martial soul. It really is a body martial soul, and he really does have full soul power. Teacher Yu, could you have made a mistake?"

"That's impossible. Don't worry, I certainly won't tell anyone."

Hearing that his guess was wrong, Yu Xiaogang blurted out a denial without hesitation. But as he studied their seemingly genuine expressions, an ominous suspicion arose.

Could they be telling the truth?

"I really do only have one body martial soul."

Without hesitation, Tang Shan activated his martial soul, letting his body rapidly swell before their eyes.

"This is my martial soul. Me."

As he spoke, he held both hands out in front of Yu Xiaogang.

"Look. There's no soul mark representing a martial soul on the back of either hand."

Then he pointed to his forehead.

"My body martial soul's soul mark is on my forehead. I can reveal it or hide it."

As he spoke, a coin-sized mark appeared on Tang Shan's forehead, its simple lines outlining a human figure.

Yu Xiaogang stood tongue-tied for a long while, then abruptly clapped his hands.

"I understand now! Little Shan, you must have another martial soul that simply hasn't awakened yet. You can choose to become my disciple, and I can find a way to help awaken your second martial soul."

Good grief. Tang Shan was genuinely stunned by this "Grandmaster's" absurd theories. He really would cling to his own theories to the bitter end. Someone like this was truly...

"Forget it. I understand what you mean. It seems we were fated to meet, but not destined to be together. Perhaps my true disciple still awaits me in the future. I won't trouble you any longer. Farewell."

Who knew what "Grandmaster Yu" had imagined this time? With an expression of profound regret, he shook his head, clasped his hands behind his back, and ambled toward the door.

"Teacher Yu, I'll see you out."

Su Haichao, who had remained silent throughout, finally made his presence felt. He escorted the man to the door before returning.

Hearing the door close behind him, Yu Xiaogang paid it no mind. He maintained his air of wounded goodwill until he rounded a corner, then finally let out a relieved breath.

"What a lousy body martial soul. He doesn't deserve to be my disciple at all. Luckily, I was clever enough to mention an unawakened martial soul before they could react and fool them. Otherwise, what if Tang Shan really became my disciple and failed to amount to anything? That would damage my reputation."

Yu Xiaogang considered himself a clever man. Since the whole family insisted there was only one martial soul, and his penetrating insight into people confirmed that they were not lying, why stay?

What future could a trash body martial soul have, even with innate full soul power?

That boy was just lucky, incredibly lucky to awaken innate full soul power. If only that talent had been mine.

As he dwelled on it, uncontrollable jealousy filled our "Grandmaster Yu's" eyes.

He had never considered whether his theories might be flawed. He was the incomparably wise Yu Xiaogang. How could his theories possibly be wrong? Even after reading the currently published "Five Martial Soul Theories," he still believed this.

Everyone was different; no single rule could apply to everyone. Surely someone would awaken twin martial souls consisting of one trash martial soul and one top-tier martial soul, along with innate full soul power. He simply had not met that person yet.

I'll use that soul master with a trash martial soul to show everyone on the continent that there are no trash martial souls, only trash soul masters.

Back home, the father and his two sons exchanged looks, falling into a brief silence.

"Pfft!"

Suddenly remembering something, Su Yuntao could no longer hold back his laughter. He slapped Tang Shan's thigh and burst out laughing.

"Little Shan, hahaha! Little Shan... Little brother, I never imagined this 'Grandmaster' would give you a nickname like that."

A trace of amusement appeared on Su Haichao's face as well. The man's parting form of address had truly floored him.

Tang Shan was rather speechless too. Never mind that inexplicable "Little Shan" from a certain "Grandmaster" before leaving; Tang Shan could never match his ability to seize on the slightest opening and force familiarity. That final "fated to meet, but not destined to be together" had positively given him the chills.

Seriously, you certainly know how to use an idiom. "Fated to meet, but not destined to be together," even? This was our first meeting, wasn't it?

Could that saying actually be true? A little fitness attracts the opposite sex, but too much attracts your own?

Tang Shan hesitantly looked himself over, then glanced at his big brother. His brother had recently begun trying to accept Sisi, so there were clearly no signs of that there. And I know myself even better. Male, interested in women.

Besides, I'm only six. People can't—at least, they shouldn't, right?

Once they finally shook off the shadow a certain person had cast over them, Su Haichao remembered something and looked at Tang Shan.

"Shanzi, your martial soul has already been reported to the higher-ups. Bishop Salas asked whether you would like to attend Spirit Hall Academy."

Tang Shan thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"I haven't thought that far ahead yet. Let's discuss it after I obtain my first soul ring."

Su Haichao nodded slightly, then continued, "Lately, quite a few senior figures in Spirit Hall have been asking whether there will be a 'Sixth Theory of Martial Souls.' What do you think, Shanzi? Will you focus on cultivation, or keep up your identity as the grandmaster?"

"I'll keep it up for a few more years and see. It won't take much time anyway. I already have an idea for the sixth theory."

A hint of mischief appeared on Tang Shan's face. Remembering how a certain person had said "trash martial soul" at every turn made anger well up inside him.

Because of a certain mentally unstable Holy Maiden, I can't very well criticize you to your face. But what does publishing theories under an alias have to do with you? They just happen to refute your views on trash martial souls. If you get angry, that's hardly my problem.

Back in his room, Tang Shan felt in peak form. Perhaps it was the "Grandmaster's" provocation, but ideas seemed to pour forth like a spring.

In no time, he had written a lengthy "Sixth Theory of Martial Souls."

"Sixth Theory of Martial Souls":

Today, a rival's reminder granted me a moment of insight, giving rise to this sixth theory.

Previously, I stated that the level of innate soul power was related to the quality of the martial soul itself.

If so, how should one explain Blue Silver Grass with innate full soul power, or a body martial soul with full soul power?

I hypothesize that such martial souls are not truly trash martial souls. Rather, as their awakened innate soul power suggests, they possess immense potential; a suitable method of cultivation and development has simply not yet been found.

I shall leave body martial souls aside for now, saying only that their future holds promise and that they lack the proper cultivation methods. I shall use Blue Silver Grass as an example.

While traveling the continent, I encountered a hundred-thousand-year soul beast whose true form was, astonishingly, Blue Silver Grass: the emperor among Blue Silver Grass, the Blue Silver Emperor.

Thus, I hypothesize that if a soul master awakens Blue Silver Grass with full soul power, it is by no means a trash martial soul. It is very likely the Blue Silver Emperor, possessing tremendous vitality...

P.S. Thanks to DRTrue Red K, Texas Family, 52HERTZ929, and Book Friend 20251003093817176 for the recommendation votes. This humble author asks for recommendation votes, bookmarks, continued reading, and monthly votes.