A Soul Ancestor at fifteen, a Soul Emperor for life?

[Ding! Tang San's negative emotions have intensified. Reward: upgraded Mysterious Jade Hand-Heavenly Mystic Jade Hand.]

[Heavenly Mystic Jade Hand: when activated, your hands become like heavenly mystic jade, incomparably hard, immune to fire and poison, and capable of catching attacks far more powerful than yourself barehanded.]

"Huh?"

"Why did I suddenly get another reward?"

"And more soul power, too? Come on! I only just got that rank forty-four soul power under control. During the process, I seemed to generate another rank of soul power, reaching forty-five. Now there's another rank on top of that, shooting me straight to forty-six!"

"Give me a break! How's this little body of mine supposed to take it?"

"No, I need to grind this ten-thousand-year whale glue into powder and take it as soon as possible."

Feeling the soul power inside him swell to the verge of bursting once again, Yang Jian immediately took the piece of ten-thousand-year whale glue containing dragon bloodline out of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stems Jade Belt.

"Boss, what's that?"

"Also, where'd you get that insanely cool jade belt? It looks like a soul tool, too!"

"Some blind old fool gave it to me. Why are you asking? Go on, go pack your things. We won't be back from this trip for at least ten days or half a month." Yang Jian casually took out his herb-grinding tools, tossed the ten-thousand-year whale glue inside, then gripped either side with his hands and began grinding, pushing hard up and down.

"That long? Then I really need to prepare. I've got to ask Xiao Hong for some time off."

With that, Fatty hurried toward the village as though his backside were on fire.

The sight made Yang Jian smile faintly despite himself.

In this life, thanks to his intervention, Ma Hongjun's evil fire could be released through acupuncture.

He no longer needed to visit the pleasure houses, which also allowed him to save plenty of face in the village.

Beyond that, even his cultivation had advanced further than in his previous life. He had reached rank twenty-nine a month ago.

However, Ma Hongjun had kept it carefully hidden. Yang Jian had no interest in exposing him and simply pretended not to know.

It hardly took any thought to realize that Dean Flender must have been behind this. Ma Hongjun was actually a little younger than Tang San, yet both had already reached rank twenty-nine.

Presumably, he was saving it to show off properly once Yu Xiaogang, the Fart God, arrived.

If I hadn't caused such a commotion yesterday and triggered that whole string of events, Flender would probably have made a "grand" introduction of this personal disciple of his.

Tsk, forget it. I can't be bothered with him.

I'd better focus on grinding my ten-thousand-year whale glue. If I prepare about twenty days' worth and strengthen my body some more, I might be able to set my sights on a thirty-thousand-year soul beast.

If my fourth soul ring can reach the threshold of a thirty-thousand-year soul beast, perhaps I can unlock even more of Xiaotian's bloodline power.

"Woof, woof, woof-"

Just as Yang Jian was lost in thought, Xiaotian suddenly wagged his tail at him and licked his feet.

"Heh."

Yang Jian chuckled, put his chores aside for the moment, and bent down. Sliding both hands under Xiaotian's front legs, he picked him up.

"Huh?"

"A few more dragon scales?"

"Woof, woof-"

"All right, all right, you're the best. I'll get you something good in a few days. Go play for now."

After stroking Xiaotian's fur, Yang Jian set him down with a smile and resumed grinding the ten-thousand-year whale glue.

Before long.

The sun had risen almost directly overhead, and everyone began gathering one after another in the clearing before the dormitories.

"You should all know why I called everyone here today, right?"

Standing at the very front, Flender excitedly called out to everyone in the line of students.

"Yes, Dean, we know! Boss has broken through to rank forty, so we're heading to the Star Dou Great Forest to find him a suitable soul ring."

Ma Hongjun answered immediately.

The others all smiled and nodded.

Except for Yu Xiaogang, whose face remained dark the entire time, and Tang San, who stood silently at the corner of the line, lost in unknown thoughts.

"That's right. Besides that, there's another piece of good news: Ma Hongjun has also reached rank twenty-nine."

"Well, damn! Fatty, when did you break through to rank twenty-nine? You even kept us in the dark?!"

"Exactly, Fatty! That's not fair!"

"..."

After some joking and horseplay, everyone finally turned their attention to Yang Jian.

"Yang, would you like to come up and say a few words?"

Flender asked with a smile.

Yang Jian smiled faintly and stepped out from the front of the student line. Facing everyone, he called out, "Let's go!"

"Off we go!"

"Let's go! Let's go!!"

"..."

Time was like a wild donkey: once it started running, it never stopped. In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.

Yang Jian's party of eleven entered the Star Dou Great Forest.

Over the past few days, Yang Jian had been taking ten-thousand-year whale glue and had no time to bother with Yu Xiaogang or Tang San, giving Flender some room to work.

With Flender deliberately deferring to him and singing his praises, much of Yu Xiaogang's earlier misery had faded.

Without those emotions weighing him down, he returned to his old habit of playing the teacher.

"Teacher, how is the Star Dou Great Forest different from the forests where our Heaven Dou Empire keeps soul beasts in captivity?"

This was Tang San's first time in a place like this, so he knew little about it. Seeing his teacher in high spirits, he immediately asked.

"Mm, a good question."

"The Star Dou Great Forest is one of the three most renowned forests on our Douluo Continent. It covers an enormous area, stretching across two great empires. Tens of thousands of soul beasts live here, and their strength is truly extraordinary."

"They say that hundred-thousand-year soul beasts preside over the depths of this forest. Even along its edges, traces of ten-thousand-year soul beasts can be found."

"Never mind their strength-even their ferocity far exceeds that of soul beasts raised in captivity."

"You could say that, provided your luck is good enough, you can hunt down every soul ring you need here, from Soul Scholar all the way to Titled Douluo."

At this point, Yu Xiaogang suddenly paused again and turned toward Yang Jian, who sat cross-legged nearby, seemingly digesting something. "The dragon flesh and blood he regularly feeds that feral dog must also come from here."

"Otherwise, how could those captive soul beasts provide anything like that?"

"What a pity. That little bastard refuses to listen, squandering all that talent."

"He's let that feral dog eat so much fresh dragon flesh and blood."

Yu Xiaogang pointed at the little Golden Dog patrolling beside Yang Jian and continued, "Tang San, look. That feral dog is clearly vicious, but lacks intelligence. It's obvious that he's been eating the wrong things."

"Think about it. He's only a dog. How could he possibly digest food containing dragon blood?"

"Even my Luo Sanpao, whose bloodline mutated from the world's greatest beast martial soul, cannot enjoy such things and can only eat radishes..."

At this point.

Yu Xiaogang paused, his eyes seemingly ready to spit fire as he ground out each word. "What. Makes. Him. Worthy?!"

"You're right, Teacher," Tang San immediately agreed.

Neither of them spoke loudly, but they made no effort to keep others from hearing, either. By now, they had drawn most people's attention.

And so.

Yu Xiaogang immediately reined in his hostility, shook his head, and affected a soft sigh.

"Tang San, just wait and see. Within ten years, that feral dog will turn on him. When that happens, he'll be nothing more than a Soul Emperor at the very most."

"A Soul Ancestor at fifteen, a Soul Emperor for life. Wouldn't you say that's an absolute tragedy?"

At those words.

Everyone resting nearby wore strange expressions, except for Yang Jian, who continued silently refining the ten-thousand-year whale glue in the distance without reacting at all.

Flender, in particular, walked over to Yu Xiaogang with a worried expression. "Xiaogang, is everything you just said true?"