They Were Getting Desperate

Did humans develop... mature this quickly?

Xiao Wu swallowed and struggled to look away.

Her little face flushed crimson.

She looked around, only to discover she had no clothes she could use to cover him...

Fortunately, though, that reaction soon subsided.

The stimulation from the whale rubber had merely activated it prematurely.

An hour later.

Under Yu Xiaogang's drowsy gaze.

Tang San, who had been absorbing his Soul Ring, finally stirred, his hands beginning to move through changing gestures.

The Soul Ring, already absorbed to the point of transparency, instantly lit up!

The change snapped Yu Xiaogang wide awake, excitement flashing in his eyes.

He had known a Soul Ring of this level would never be too much for Tang San.

"Little San, how do you feel?"

Leaning on his wooden stick, Yu Xiaogang limped over to Tang San.

Tang San flexed his hands, his face brimming with delight.

"Teacher, I feel wonderful!"

Not only had his soul power broken through, but his Mysterious Heaven Skill had also advanced.

It feels so good to grow stronger!

With a thought, a stalk of blue silver grass appeared in his right hand, while a Yellow Soul Ring emerged beneath his feet.

However, this stalk of blue silver grass had changed considerably.

The entire plant had turned from blue to purple.

Its roots, stem, and leaves had grown much thicker, and their texture was rough, like the roots of a Demon Vine Tree.

An eerie, sinister air radiated from every part of it.

Yet Yu Xiaogang nodded in satisfaction as he looked at the blue silver grass.

"Excellent. Your blue silver grass has already begun to evolve. At this rate, it will one day become a powerful martial soul."

"It's just a pity that the Demon Vine Tree still fell somewhat short of that Mandala Snake's Soul Ring..."

Yu Xiaogang still believed the four-hundred-plus-year-old Mandala Snake would have been better.

That Soul Ring had been close to the theoretical limit.

Tang San: "..."

I think you're just trying to get me killed!

Soon, however, his attention shifted to Xiao Wu and Ye Fan nearby.

"Teacher, why is Ye Fan absorbing a Soul Ring too?"

Tang San spoke in surprise.

Could something unexpected have happened while I was absorbing mine?

Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang waved a dismissive hand.

"He probably gave up on himself and picked some random Soul Ring to absorb. Don't pay him too much mind."

He hadn't heard any sounds of fighting.

That meant the soul beast this brat had found most likely had no offensive power at all.

It might even have been a ten-year-old soul beast!

Random?

Tang San stared at the purple Soul Ring circling Ye Fan and opened his mouth.

Unless his eyes were deceiving him, that Soul Ring's color didn't seem quite right.

"Teacher, are hundred-year Soul Rings always yellow?"

"Of course. A Soul Ring's color is determined by its age.

"White for ten years, yellow for a hundred, purple for a thousand, black for ten thousand, and red for a hundred thousand... Why are you suddenly asking?"

Tang San glanced at Yu Xiaogang, then pointed at Ye Fan.

"But... Teacher, didn't you say the upper limit for a first soul ring was four hundred and twenty-three years? Why is the Soul Ring Ye Fan is absorbing purple, then? Won't something happen to him?"

Yu Xiaogang: "???"

What purple?

He staggered as he turned around, and his eyes instantly widened.

How is that possible?!

That brat Ye Fan actually has a purple Soul Ring around him?!

The sight, so rich with significance, filled Yu Xiaogang's heart with terror.

What the hell...

With no time to think, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly limped toward Ye Fan, wanting to examine him closely.

But before he could approach, something whistled through the air.

The sole of a small shoe appeared right in front of Yu Xiaogang's face, forcing him to stop abruptly.

It was Xiao Wu.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Keeping her leg raised, Xiao Wu stared at Yu Xiaogang in displeasure.

This man calls himself Grandmaster, yet he doesn't know someone absorbing a Soul Ring mustn't be disturbed?

Or...

Is he doing it on purpose?

At that thought, Xiao Wu's gaze instantly turned dangerous.

"You don't understand! We have to interrupt him now! I don't know how he's absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, but if we delay any longer, someone will definitely die!"

Yu Xiaogang looked anxious on the surface, and in truth, he was anxious inside as well.

This anomaly must never be allowed to exist!

He could accept someone absorbing a Soul Ring beyond the age limit later on, but absolutely not for their first soul ring!!

Because... the audience for his theories consisted precisely of commoner soul masters who could only ever absorb one or two rings!!

He began trying to frighten Xiao Wu with his words.

He hoped to make her back down in the face of difficulty.

Tang San arrived in time to hear their exchange.

Naturally, he knew Yu Xiaogang was lying through his teeth.

After all, although Ye Fan had sweated a little, he was still in good condition. His breathing was steady, and there was no sign of anything wrong.

Besides, given that he was a reincarnator, it wouldn't be strange for him to possess some method of absorbing Soul Rings beyond the age limit.

...Damn it! He has a method like that, yet he didn't tell me?

At that thought, Tang San instantly understood Yu Xiaogang's intentions.

Namely.

Ye Fan must never be allowed to succeed!

Yu Xiaogang had taught him that a soul master absolutely must not be disturbed while absorbing a Soul Ring.

At best, their cultivation would go berserk. At worst, their cultivation would regress, leaving them unable to absorb another Soul Ring for the rest of their lives...

He too joined the battle to persuade Xiao Wu.

"That's right, Xiao Wu! Ye Fan is in terrible danger right now! Hurry and let us through. You don't want anything to happen to him either, do you?"

Looking at this master and disciple, Xiao Wu found their faces utterly revolting.

Wouldn't I be able to tell if something was going to happen to Ye Fan?

Even I can see it. How could this fake Grandmaster not?

Xiao Wu frowned and refused to step aside.

"Mind your own business. This was Ye Fan's choice. It's not your place to make decisions for him."

But the man she faced was the "righteous" Yu Xiaogang.

Pointing at Xiao Wu, Yu Xiaogang angrily rebuked her with righteous conviction.

"Foolish girl! Little San... hold her back! We can't let a living person die because of her!"

Tang San frowned.

Why is Yu Xiaogang insulting Xiao Wu?

But right now, he had no room to say anything more.

"Sorry, Xiao Wu. Teacher only wants what's best for Ye Fan. Stay over here for a little while."

With that, Yu Xiaogang ignored the searing pain of his injuries and ran straight toward Ye Fan.

Compared with Ye Fan, what did this little bit of pain matter?!

Tang San raised his hand and summoned his blue silver grass, choosing to restrain Xiao Wu.

There was no helping it. Yu Xiaogang couldn't possibly hold Xiao Wu back.

Besides... rather than act himself and needlessly earn Xiao Wu's resentment, it was better to let Yu Xiaogang do this.

Xiao Wu had just started to give chase when Tang San blocked her.

The two could only become entangled in a fight.

By then, Yu Xiaogang had already reached Ye Fan.

"Boy, count yourself lucky to have met this Grandmaster... No soul master can absorb a thousand-year ring as his first!"

Yu Xiaogang raised his wooden stick high. From his posture, he didn't look as though he intended merely to interrupt Ye Fan, but to beat him to death outright.

His gaze brimmed with venom as he looked at Ye Fan.

"Come back!!!"

As the words left his mouth, the wooden stick in his hand came crashing down.