"That's right. Teacher, didn't you say Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo was well suited to my Blue Silver Grass martial soul?" Tang San nodded.
"But..."
"There's no need to say anything else, Teacher."
Before Yu Xiaogang could finish, Tang San interrupted him.
"We still don't know whether that Mandala Snake outside has left."
"It'll be hard to find another soul ring suited to me now."
"Besides, this Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo might not be so bad. I've seen its toughness and defenses firsthand. Even the Mandala Snake had trouble smashing through it."
"My Blue Silver Grass martial soul has enough control, but it lacks toughness. This Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo will make up for that weakness perfectly."
Tang San stroked the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo beside him and finally made up his mind.
It was only a ten-year soul ring.
But just as Yu Xiaogang had said, it really was well suited to his Blue Silver Grass.
"But..."
"I know what you mean, Teacher. We can't possibly beat the Mandala Snake outside, and I haven't even caught a glimpse of my first soul ring yet."
"Are we supposed to stay here forever? Neither of us knows whether we'll run into it again next time."
Tang San believed that even with a ten-year ring, he could still grow stronger.
Blue Silver Grass wasn't his only martial soul, after all.
With his Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record as well, he wouldn't necessarily fall behind anyone else.
"Besides, Teacher, didn't you say there were only useless soul masters, not useless martial souls?"
"I..." Yu Xiaogang gave Tang San an awkward look.
With the conversation having reached this point, what more could he say?
Yu Xiaogang didn't know what to say anymore.
Tang San had said everything himself, leaving him seemingly at a loss for words.
Sigh. Couldn't Little San let me finish speaking?
Yu Xiaogang looked utterly aggrieved. What could he possibly say now?
Was he supposed to argue back?
Wouldn't that be openly telling Tang San his own theory was wrong?
He would never allow anyone to question his theories.
"Sigh. Since you've put it that way, go ahead and absorb it."
"Just as I said, Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo really is well suited to you."
Yu Xiaogang still believed in his own theories.
Its potential might not compare to a soul ring over four hundred years old.
But in terms of usefulness, it certainly wouldn't be inferior.
Tang San nodded silently, then slashed at the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo with all his strength.
Surprisingly, his first strike actually failed.
That only strengthened Tang San's resolve to choose the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo.
Fortunately, he succeeded in the end.
He looked at the white soul ring floating in midair.
Tang San immediately began absorbing it.
As the white light merged into his body, Blue Silver Grass sprouted from the ground all around him.
This Blue Silver Grass was fundamentally different from ordinary Blue Silver Grass, having grown noticeably thicker.
Its surface even carried a faint sheen. It looked hard just at a glance.
Tang San opened his eyes, and a white soul ring lit up beneath his feet.
Gangzi: I ruined a god.
Tang San stood up and stretched.
But his expression looked a little strange.
"Little San, what's wrong?" Yu Xiaogang asked.
Tang San summoned his Blue Silver Grass. Then it slowly thickened and lengthened, developing segments like bamboo.
He gave it a swing, smashing a nearby rock to pieces.
"Sure enough, my theory was correct." Yu Xiaogang's eyes shone at the sight.
It was as though his years of theories had finally been proven.
He looked at Tang San as if he were an experimental specimen.
Look, even Blue Silver Grass has become hard. Even a useless martial soul has gained offensive power.
"What about your soul skill? Little San, what's your first soul skill?"
Remembering the soul skill, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly asked.
Tang San looked rather unhappy as he hesitantly activated his first soul skill.
"Blue Silver Pole Vault!"
Then Tang San vaulted into the air with the help of his Blue Silver Bamboo Pole.
To be fair, he reached quite an impressive height.
Yu Xiaogang was quite pleased. "This soul skill of yours is excellent. You should know that flight soul skills are very rare."
"Yours may not be a flight soul skill, but it's close enough."
Tang San asked hesitantly, "Teacher, is it really that good?"
Why does it feel so unimpressive? He still preferred Blue Silver Entanglement.
Besides, that pole-vaulting pose looked embarrassing.
Whenever he imagined himself pole-vaulting in a fight...
He couldn't even bear to picture the scene.
"Of course. Little San, you must understand that this soul skill lets you leap straight into the air to attack your enemy."
"Paired with those hidden weapons of yours, wouldn't it be like giving a tiger wings?"
After hearing Yu Xiaogang's explanation, Tang San no longer felt embarrassed.
Thinking it over carefully, he realized that did seem to be the case.
He imagined using hidden weapons against an enemy from the air. They really would be difficult to dodge.
At that moment, Tang San looked at the Blue Silver Bamboo Pole in his hand in an entirely different light.
His gaze returned to the stalk of Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo.
After a moment's thought, he carefully cut it to size and hoisted it onto his shoulder.
The next day.
Yu Xiaogang and Tang San returned to Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy in a sorry state.
Tang San carried a bamboo pole as thick as an arm over his shoulder.
Although he looked somewhat bedraggled, he was still fairly presentable.
Yu Xiaogang, however, was a different story. His clothes were in tatters.
Perhaps he had been in too much of a hurry while fleeing the night before, because he had lost a shoe.
He was limping as well.
Don't ask why they hadn't bought a fresh set of clothes.
Tang San had used all their Gold Soul Coins as hidden weapons.
Even their carriage ride back had been obtained on credit, using Yu Xiaogang's position as a guest official at Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy.
Seeing their disheveled appearances, the guard at the gate couldn't help asking, "Grandmaster, what happened to you two?"
Yu Xiaogang said nothing and walked straight into the academy.
The guard curled his lip in disdain. "Tch. What's with the act? A useless fool like you really thinks he's somebody."
When Tang San and Yu Xiaogang entered the academy, they happened to encounter Su Mo and Xiao Wu.
Seeing Tang San carrying a stalk of Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo, Xiao Wu leaned close to Su Mo's ear and whispered, "Su Mo, do you think Tang San actually hunted down a stalk of Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo?"
Her warm breath tickled Su Mo's ear. "Maybe he really did?"
He wasn't actually sure either.
Looking at Tang San with the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo on his shoulder, the corner of his mouth twitched. Wait, did I actually guess right?
But that's not right. Wasn't Tang San's first soul ring supposed to come from a Mandala Snake?
How did it really turn into Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo?
Could I have a crow's mouth that brings bad luck?
Xiao Wu held it in for a few seconds, but finally couldn't stop herself from laughing aloud.
She seemed to realize she was laughing a little too loudly and hastily covered her mouth.
But the rabbit ears on her head kept twitching, giving her away.
It took a good while before she stopped laughing.
Then she remembered what Su Mo had said the previous night, and her expression shifted. "Su Mo, you really do have a crow's mouth. What you said actually came true."
Xiao Wu instinctively moved away from Su Mo. "See? I was right to tell you to stay away from me."
Su Mo stared at Xiao Wu, speechless. "Did you seriously just take half a step back?"
"Don't forget who clung to me all night and wouldn't let go."
Xiao Wu gave a little huff, a blush flashing across her pretty face. "Wasn't that because your blanket was too small?"
Su Mo curled his lip. "I said I'd go out and buy you a blanket, but you wouldn't let me."
Xiao Wu planted her hands on her hips. "Sister Xiao Wu did you a favor by letting you sleep with her, and you're actually complaining?"
"Besides, it's so cold out. I'd freeze sleeping alone. What if I got sick?"
She would never admit that sleeping beside Su Mo felt wonderful.
She had never felt anything like it before.
She didn't want to sleep alone at all.
Su Mo didn't buy that explanation. He suspected Xiao Wu simply coveted his body.
The sight of Su Mo and Xiao Wu laughing and chatting happened to catch Tang San's eye as he returned.
Tang San gripped the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo in his hand hard.
This time, the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo didn't bend under his grip the way his hidden weapons had.
But when Xiao Wu looked over, he instinctively lowered his head again.
He didn't want Xiao Wu to see him in such a sorry state.
He even instinctively stepped farther away when he saw Yu Xiaogang's wretched appearance.
Noticing Tang San's odd behavior, Yu Xiaogang looked puzzled. "Little San? Why are you standing so far away from me?"
Tang San said nothing. Pretending not to have heard, he continued walking ahead on his own.
He certainly wouldn't admit that walking beside Yu Xiaogang felt a little embarrassing.
Especially with Yu Xiaogang still barefoot on one foot.
Some students nearby were pointing and whispering, too.
Tang San was already beginning to regret going out to hunt a soul ring with Yu Xiaogang.
For some reason, he found himself remembering Wang Sheng's words.
Could my teacher really be useless?
He hurriedly shook his head, banishing the thought.
Tang San, Tang San, how could you think that? He's your teacher. Even if he really is useless, his theories are sound.
Yes, I'll still have to rely on myself when it comes to fighting from now on.
Before you continue