A chance rescue of Zhu Zhuqing, settling in Suotuo City

Xiaotian Village, Blue Silver World.

Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks and shouted at Tang San, who sat cross-legged in cultivation, "Little San, stop cultivating. Take me to Suotuo City for a look around!"

She was genuinely furious.

In the fifteen days since Li Sen had left, Tang San had bought a whole month's worth of food in one go, then hunkered down to cultivate without budging.

He dressed it up as waiting for his master.

As a rabbit, she was restless by nature. When life got boring, she wanted to play.

Unfortunately, Tang San was like a shut-in, far too good at staying home. She had been calling on him for days without moving him.

Listening to Xiao Wu chatter beside his ear, Tang San opened his eyes helplessly.

"Xiao Wu, the resources Master left came with written instructions. They'll last another five days of cultivation."

"Since he wrote down how to use them and left enough for a specific number of days, he must want me to finish them."

"Just bear with it a little longer."

"He told you to cultivate, so why did he tell you not to let me out? Isn't that imprisonment?!"

"If I'd known, I would've checked what he left as soon as he went away and torn up that note!"

Tang San corrected her. "Master didn't tell me to imprison you. He just told me to protect you and not let you leave alone."

"He said it would be very dangerous for you to go out alone."

Xiao Wu was deeply displeased. She felt Tang San had already been brainwashed, with nothing but his master in his eyes.

She was a Soul Master too. What danger could there be?

Tang San smiled helplessly and was about to say something when he suddenly spotted a figure flying toward them from afar.

"Master!"

Tang San called out excitedly and stood up.

Li Sen, who had hurried back, smiled at the sight of Tang San.

"Not bad, Little San. You haven't slacked off these past few days. You're already rank thirteen."

At the praise, Tang San scratched his head.

"It's all thanks to your arrangements, Master."

Life had been wonderful lately. He could buy materials for crafting hidden weapons to his heart's content.

With him consuming medicinal ingredients in great quantities, his Blue Silver Grass strengthening after gaining a Soul Ring, and his Mysterious Heaven Skill breaking through, his cultivation speed had soared.

Tang San had reached rank thirteen in just over ten days.

Facing a master who treated him even better than his father did, Tang San wanted only to repay him. He eagerly asked, "Master, is there anything I can do for you?"

Li Sen smiled. "I don't need help, but it's time for your training to begin."

"If you want to absorb Soul Rings beyond your rank, whale rubber alone won't be enough. You have to train!"

Under Tang San's bewildered gaze and Xiao Wu's terrified one, Li Sen began Tang San's hellish training.

Every body had a limit to how much medicine it could absorb. It had to be pushed to accelerate digestion.

Running and the like were far too outdated. Li Sen pressed his Soul Power aura directly onto Tang San and personally beat him until his whole body was covered in injuries.

Afterward, he had Tang San use Blue Silver Grass to communicate with plants and draw on their vitality to recover, replenish his body with medicinal baths, and fuel it with Soul Beast meat.

Six years passed in the blink of an eye. Tang San's cultivation and strength were worlds apart from the original story, with his Soul Power rising by one rank every two months or so on average.

He had reached rank thirty-seven, with yellow, purple, and purple Soul Rings, and could fight a Soul Ancestor.

Of course, the speed and effectiveness of Tang San's physical strengthening still could not compare to Li Sen's.

After all, Luo Sanpao was far too broken, effectively serving as a clone that helped him cultivate.

Without divine trials to assist his Soul Power cultivation, and with all his Soul Ring energy going toward Martial Soul Evolution, Li Sen had still reached rank fifty-nine.

Luo Sanpao had found only three Dragon Beast Soul Rings, yet had evolved once more, gaining combat power comparable to a Soul Saint.

He had even strengthened Li Sen to the point where opening the Eight Gates would let him suppress a Soul Douluo.

By now, Li Sen could absorb Soul Rings under two hundred thousand years old.

Li Sen looked toward Suotuo City, his eyes gleaming.

Immortal herbs, here I come!

Dugu Bo could not defeat Titled Douluos, but he crushed Soul Douluos.

With his current strength, even if Li Sen could not win, he was confident he could escape.

Looking at Tang San, who had just emerged from cultivation, Li Sen spoke directly.

"Xiao San, doesn't Xiao Wu like to have fun?"

"Starting today, I'll take you both to Suotuo City."

"You just need to fight some Soul Masters a few times at the Soul Fighting Arena."

"Remember, in a little while, a girl with a Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul will come to participate in team soul fighting."

"Her name is Dugu Yan. She's a control-type Soul Master who specializes in poison. Challenge her and defeat her serpent poison."

Tang San straightened his expression, his eyes brimming with excitement. "Yes, Master."

This was the first request Li Sen had made of him. He would carry it out perfectly!

With a Soul Tool available, the three traveled light.

Like a wild horse freed from its reins, Xiao Wu bounced around Tang San. "I stayed with you for six years. You have to buy me delicious food and nice clothes!"

Tang San smiled. "All right, all right."

As he spoke, his expression changed. The Blue Silver Grass he had communicated with for years suddenly sent him information.

Violent Soul Power fluctuations were coming from two kilometers away, heading in their direction.

Tang San immediately said, "Master, some fighting Soul Masters are coming this way!"

Li Sen smiled. "Xiao San, you handle this."

His sensitivity to Blue Silver Grass was even stronger than Tang San's. This encounter with fighting Soul Masters was a perfect opportunity to see how Tang San would respond after six years of instruction, and what his character was like.

Tang San agreed.

Since Li Sen had not left, he meant for Tang San to face the matter rather than avoid it.

Several hundred meters away, two male Soul Elders and a female Soul Grandmaster came into view.

Seeing the girl's cat ears and black leather outfit, Tang San murmured.

"Hell Spirit Cat. Someone from the Star Luo Empire."

"Master said that with more friends, there can be fewer enemies.

"The Star Luo Empire is powerful. An enemy who dares oppose it might not be weak. Should I help, or drive them away?"

While Tang San was hesitating, Zhu Zhuqing, who was fleeing nearby, spotted them and warned, "Leave, quickly!"

The two men behind her shouted orders instead. "Soul Masters up ahead, stop that girl immediately! The Star Luo Empire will reward you."

"Otherwise, you're making enemies of us!"

Hearing the man's commanding tone, Tang San's expression darkened.

These two men were so arrogant that they barked orders at strangers on sight. Clearly, they were the sort who treated human lives like weeds.

Master said not to stir up trouble, but not to fear it either. When villains bully others, if it offends your heart, you can act decisively!

Before acting, judge the difference in strength. If you can win, don't disgrace yourself!

Tang San decided to help the girl and summoned his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.

Yellow, purple, and purple Soul Rings rose around him, leaving both Zhu Zhuqing and the men pursuing her stunned.

"What the hell is that soul ring configuration?"

The faces of the two men who had just barked orders at Tang San turned livid.

A young man with two children, all dressed in seemingly ordinary clothes—and it turned out the children were Soul Elders.

They had kicked an iron plate. Who could understand their pain?

The two hastily changed their tune.

"Friends up ahead, we're members of the Star Luo Imperial Family."

"This is an internal dispute. We hope you won't interfere!"

Tang San sneered in disdain.

Had they said that when they first met, he certainly would not have chosen to interfere. Nor would he have needed to leave, which would have fulfilled his master's request.

But now... after throwing their weight around and issuing orders, they wanted to back out once they realized they had kicked an iron plate? Too late.

He had already revealed his Martial Soul!

"Blue Silver Entanglement!"

Tang San shouted, and the Blue Silver Grass on the ground grew wildly.

The two men tried to dodge, only to discover Blue Silver Grass all around them. Their hands and feet were entangled in an instant.

They drove their Soul Power and Soul Skills to the limit. Just as they broke apart the Blue Silver Grass, a chill touched their necks, followed by blooming sprays of blood.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Tang San's Soul Rings, none of which had flashed, and fell silent.

A self-created Soul Skill. In fewer than two exchanges, he had killed two Soul Elders of the same realm.

If she possessed such strength, she could survive the struggle within the imperial family on her own.

Zhu Zhuqing quietly stepped forward and said to Tang San, "Thank you for helping me."

"My name is Zhu Zhuqing. If you ever need anything, just ask. I'll help."

Tang San waved a hand. "Your fight affected us. I was only handling the matter on my master's orders."

Thinking of Tang San's strength, Zhu Zhuqing could not resist asking, "Who is your master? Is he still accepting disciples?"

Tang San looked toward Li Sen at her question and said with a touch of pride, "He's my master."

"Of course, I don't know whether he's accepting disciples."

At that, Zhu Zhuqing looked toward Li Sen.

He had a youthful face and an upright bearing. Even among Soul Masters, he belonged to the younger generation, who normally were not particularly strong.

Yet having witnessed Tang San's strength, Zhu Zhuqing did not underestimate him.