Saving up something big

"Plenty of people on this continent have tried to absorb a thousand-year ring as their first soul ring, but those fools all ended up exploding and dying."

"We were trying to help you out of kindness, but that little girl stopped us... we only had a little clash with her because we were concerned for your safety.

"Hmph, when it comes down to it, the blame lies entirely with her."

Yu Xiaogang's expression never changed as he turned black into white, as though that really was what had happened.

That look of "I did nothing wrong," "it was all for your own good," and "you should be thanking me" nearly made Ye Fan laugh in anger.

To think someone could be so utterly shameless.

"Y-you're full of shit!"

Seeing Yu Xiaogang turn around and blame her instead, Xiao Wu stamped her feet in fury, nearly rushing over to bite him.

"Ye Fan was clearly about to finish absorbing it! You were the one insisting he was in danger and trying to interrupt him.

"One look was enough to tell you were up to no good, trying to start a dog-eat-dog fight!"

Ye Fan: "..."

He looked at Xiao Wu, somewhat speechless.

If you don't know how to insult someone, you don't have to.

She had dragged him into the insult too...

Facing the furious Xiao Wu, Yu Xiaogang snorted coldly.

"Hmph, naturally, I'm telling the truth. As a grandmaster of theory in the Soul Master World, would I really slander a little girl like you?

"I've said all I have to say. Everyone knows in their hearts what's right and wrong."

With that, Yu Xiaogang folded his arms and turned away.

He actually looked a little weathered by life.

Seeing that Yu Xiaogang had no intention of arguing further, Ye Fan held Xiao Wu back and turned toward the silent Tang San.

"Tang San, what do you have to say?"

Xiao Wu immediately turned to look at Tang San as well.

"Hmph, those two are snakes and rats in the same nest. Nothing but foul wind will come out of his mouth!"

Hearing that, Tang San looked rather miserable.

Still, he could only steel himself, force a smile, and explain.

"Ye Fan... Teacher and I really were worried about you. You heard him too. No one has ever absorbed a Thousand-Year Soul Ring and come out unharmed...

"But you succeeded, so let me congratulate you first."

Then Tang San turned toward Xiao Wu, his face full of remorse.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Wu. Teacher and I only acted a little rashly because we were worried about Ye Fan.

"As for Teacher accidentally hurting you, I apologize on his behalf.

"Considering how long we've traveled together, and that we're classmates, could you please forgive us this once?"

Tang San was clearly planning to take a conciliatory approach.

After all, this incident could be treated as either a major issue or a minor one.

Absorbing a thousand-year ring as one's first was an unprecedented gamble on this continent. It was perfectly reasonable for them not to believe Ye Fan could succeed.

All they needed was to convince Ye Fan that they truly had his best interests at heart.

Although Yu Xiaogang's character did not hold much weight with Ye Fan, surely his own credibility offered some assurance.

So far, he had yet to hear Ye Fan say anything bad about him.

While Tang San was still doing his best to persuade him,

Yu Xiaogang, standing nearby, heard what was going on and chimed in.

"Little San, there's no need to say any more."

"Since they think we weren't doing anything good, there's no need for us to explain ourselves."

Hearing that made Xiao Wu want to hit someone again.

Watching the master and disciple sing in harmony, Ye Fan decided he was done sparing Yu Xiaogang's dignity.

"Grandmaster, actually, there are plenty of ways to prove your innocence... and I just happened to acquire a soul skill that can do exactly that. Want to try it?"

A strange smile appeared on Ye Fan's face, giving Yu Xiaogang an ominous feeling.

The next moment, Ye Fan gave Yu Xiaogang a long, meaningful look.

The runes on his tongue flickered with specks of light.

"First soul skill... Prohibition. For ten seconds, lying is forbidden here, and every question must be answered."

As Ye Fan's voice fell, a golden ripple swept outward from him and vanished.

Nothing happened.

That was it? A thousand-year soul skill?

While the others were still puzzled, Ye Fan put a question directly to Yu Xiaogang.

"Grandmaster, was your reason for trying to interrupt my soul ring absorption really what you said it was?"

Yu Xiaogang flicked his sleeve.

"Hmph, of course." (This was his instinctive response.)

What actually happened was...

"Hmph, of course... not! Watching you about to succeed was worse than being killed! Why should someone with a trash martial soul like you have such damned luck and absorb a thousand-year first ring?

"My life has already been miserable enough! I finally managed to get Tang San as my disciple so he could prove my theories, but your appearance would make my theories wrong!

"What would the world think of me then? I will never allow an anomaly like you to exist!

"Yes, I interrupted you to protect my theories. I did nothing wrong!"

Only the first few words came out of Yu Xiaogang's mouth calmly.

Everything that followed was a performance brimming with feeling, pouring out straight from his heart. The emotion in his words was so intense that, toward the end, he almost howled through tears.

Yet he himself clearly had not realized it...

Only after receiving no response for a long while did he turn toward the others, who were wearing strange expressions.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Tang San was about to say something, but Ye Fan beat him to it.

He clapped his hands, a trace of mockery on his face.

"Nothing, Grandmaster. That was very well said. I admire honest people like you."

"Hmph."

Yu Xiaogang gave a haughty little snort and turned away, the corners of his mouth lifting as smug satisfaction filled his heart.

A little girl thought she could take on the Grandmaster?

Hadn't Ye Fan believed him in the end anyway?

"Ye Fan... why are you just letting him off like that?"

Xiao Wu leaned close to Ye Fan's ear and asked in confusion.

Even if they could not kill him, they should at least shear some wool off him. He had hit Sister Xiao Wu, after all.

Tang San also looked at Ye Fan in confusion, unable to make sense of what he was doing.

Ye Fan merely smiled without answering.

Gangzi needed to be fleeced slowly. Rush it, and the flavor would fade.

He sent Xiao Wu a message through his thoughts.

[There isn't even an audience here. At most, we could beat Gangzi up or demand some compensation. That wouldn't be satisfying at all... as the saying goes, it's not that retribution won't come. Its time simply hasn't arrived.]

Only then did Xiao Wu understand... Ye Fan was saving up something big.

Then Ye Fan turned to Tang San.

"Tang San, show me that soul skill of yours again."

"My soul skill?"

Tang San sounded puzzled, but still chose to demonstrate it for Ye Fan.

Right now, he would not pass up any chance to please Xiao Wu.

"First soul skill, Blue Silver Entanglement!"

As Tang San's words fell, two thick, hard, purplish-black tree roots appeared, their lengths covered in a dense mass of tendrils. They looked grotesque.

They were exactly like the Blue Silver Grass that had attacked them earlier.

Ye Fan: "..."

He had nearly lost his composure the moment he heard the name.

Was this something ordained by heaven?

Tang San's soul skill was Mother's Entanglement again!?

Still, at least his martial soul looked as though it had mutated.

It was filled with an evil aura.

The moment those Blue Silver Grass roots appeared, the plants on the ground instantly withered.