"Flames, huh..."
Yu Xiaogang stared at Xiao Bai, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
Clearly, Xiao Bai's quality far surpassed Luo Sanpao's.
For one thing, Yu Chen had innate full soul power, marking his martial soul as a beneficial mutation.
For another, Xiao Bai possessed an innate ability to wield flames, whereas Luo Sanpao had initially seemed utterly unremarkable, leaving him to figure everything out step by step.
"Improving a martial soul primarily involves obtaining energy from soul rings. For your martial soul, I have at least three training plans."
Yu Xiaogang smiled knowingly, his eyes brimming with confidence.
Cultivating martial souls was precisely what he did best!
"Please explain, Grandmaster."
Yu Chen spoke calmly.
Seeing how confidently Yu Xiaogang carried himself, he wondered:
Could I have met the comic-version Grandmaster?
"First, choose fire-attribute soul beasts to strengthen your martial soul's flame abilities. I recommend hunting soul beasts such as Flame Turtles and Blazing Fire Wolves."
As Yu Xiaogang spoke, he observed Yu Chen's reaction.
But the boy merely watched him quietly, without a trace of surprise or admiration on his face.
Dashan mentioned that Yu Chen has loved reading since childhood. These basic theories really aren't enough to impress him.
Yu Xiaogang thought to himself.
At the same time, his determination to take Yu Chen as his disciple grew even stronger.
This was innate full soul power!
An unparalleled genius who appeared only once in a hundred years!
If he trained Yu Chen into a Titled Douluo, who would dare question his theories again?
"The second method is to choose subdragon soul beasts and strengthen your martial soul origin."
Yu Xiaogang continued.
He had learned this method within his clan.
Those with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul only chose subdragon soul beasts for their soul rings. Once their soul power reached rank thirty, they could use a skill called Dragon Transformation.
"Grandmaster, which soul beasts are classified as subdragons?"
Yu Chen asked.
He had read quite a few books about soul beasts, but they only documented ordinary ones.
Special attributes such as subdragon, light-type, and space-type...
There were no records of them to be found.
Yu Chen suspected that the great clans monopolized all this knowledge, leaving ordinary commoners with no access to it.
"I'll teach you about that gradually in the future."
Yu Xiaogang spoke, excitement welling up within him. In his eyes, Yu Chen had already been drawn in by his theories.
However, this knowledge was a closely guarded secret.
Even within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, only disciples of the main family could study it.
Otherwise, if every soul master went hunting subdragon soul beasts, the main family's disciples would find no suitable soul rings years later, and the Dragon Transformation skill would also be lost.
"The third method is also the theory I've studied most extensively in my life, and the one I'm most confident in. With the right combination of soul rings, you'll gain another terrifying ability."
Yu Xiaogang spoke confidently, deliberately keeping him in suspense.
"What is it?"
Yu Chen asked curiously.
"Poison!"
Yu Xiaogang brought his hands together before his chest, then swiftly swept them apart and downward.
"Come out, Luo Sanpao."
With a puff.
A creature appeared before him.
He looked much like a dog, but his bulk more closely resembled a pig's.
He was over a meter and a half long, and his waist probably measured about the same. He had four short, thick legs, pale purple fur all over, and two little drooping ears.
This is...
When Xiao Bai saw Luo Sanpao appear, her formerly languid eyes instantly lit up.
The Golden Sacred Dragon's bloodline!
But why is his body full of impurities?
Once gods and divine beasts perished completely, their power would disperse entirely.
Some of it merged with heaven and earth, forming wondrous phenomena.
Some fell upon soul masters or soul beasts, strengthening their bloodlines-a different sort of inheritance.
"This is my martial soul, Luo Sanpao."
Yu Xiaogang stroked Luo Sanpao's large head, a flicker of pain passing deep within his eyes.
"Sanpao is a harmful mutation, which left me with only half a rank of innate soul power. But I forged a different path and had Sanpao absorb two poison-type soul rings."
"Hmph! My family's elders did everything they could to stop me back then, but I still stood by my theory!"
"How could a bunch of hidebound old fools stand in the way of my resolve?"
"That was precisely how I managed to become a rank-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster despite having only half a rank of innate soul power. You should know that some people with a full rank of innate soul power never even reach rank ten in their entire lives."
Yu Xiaogang's face was filled with pride.
His theories might not have been accepted, but his strength was indisputably real.
In Nuoding City, he was publicly recognized as the third-strongest expert!
Second only to the dean and the city lord.
What...
After hearing Yu Xiaogang's words, Yu Chen was somewhat dumbfounded.
No wonder both of Luo Sanpao's skills involved farting. Yu Xiaogang had brought it on himself!
Besides, what the hell did cultivating from half a rank of soul power to rank twenty-nine have to do with his choice of soul rings?
Without his family's support, he would probably have been the one who never reached rank ten in his lifetime.
Yet now he was turning around and mocking the people who had helped him.
What a joke!
"Grandmaster Yu, aside from knowledge about absorbing soul rings, do you have any other methods to help Xiao Bai improve? For example, creating a unique soul skill or two for her."
Yu Chen patiently asked another question.
"Self-created soul skills?"
Yu Xiaogang said sternly, "Yu Chen, your main task right now is cultivation. You mustn't entertain any ideas about creating your own soul skills!"
"History has no shortage of geniuses who created their own soul skills. But there were also many conceited people with merely decent talent who wanted to create soul skills, only to waste their time and ultimately sink into mediocrity."
Yu Chen nodded, understanding dawning within him.
Gangzi!
It really is you!
The comic-version Grandmaster Yu had many admirable qualities.
One of them was his wildly imaginative thinking, which allowed him to develop a self-created soul skill for each of the Shrek Seven Devils.
As for Gangzi...
He would call for Spirit Hall's destruction at the slightest disagreement!
"Grandmaster Yu, I would like to study theory with you, but Xiao Bai seems a little opposed to it."
Yu Chen said with a smile.
At the same time, he issued a command in his mind:
Xiao Bai, burn him!
The next instant, a surging flame gathered in Xiao Bai's mouth.
Ming Dashan stamped his right foot and summoned his Long Sword martial soul.
His second soul ring lit up, forming a Wind Wall in front of Yu Xiaogang.
Boom-
The flames exploded.
The wind wall blocked the blast, but its fierce force swept outward, overturning the tables and chairs in the room.
"What incredible explosive power!"
Ming Dashan exclaimed delightedly.
As a Soul Ancestor, he was naturally uninjured; even his clothes remained undamaged.
Yu Xiaogang beside him, however, had received quite a fright.
Yu Chen's innate soul skill is actually as powerful as my first soul skill!
Yu Xiaogang was so shocked that he remained speechless for a long time.
"Dean, Grandmaster, I'm sorry. I still can't fully control my martial soul."
Holding Xiao Bai, Yu Chen lightly patted her bottom a few times.
"Eeya-"
Gu Yuena squirmed, vehemently expressing her displeasure.
Yu Chen had clearly been the one who told her to attack.
"I-it's fine."
Yu Xiaogang wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked tentatively, "Then, about becoming my disciple..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Bai made as if to breathe fire again.
Yu Xiaogang hurriedly ducked behind Ming Dashan.
"Grandmaster, I still greatly admire your theories on soul beasts. But Xiao Bai and I share a mental connection. If she refuses, there's nothing I can do."
Yu Chen spoke with feigned helplessness.
Even if he coveted that advanced theoretical knowledge, he had no desire to become Gangzi's disciple.
If Yu Xiaogang was already like this, that offered a glimpse of what Tang San-whom he had yet to meet-would be like.
Yu Chen wanted nothing to do with them. It was better to keep his distance.
Sects, revenge killings, romances between humans and beasts...
All of you, stay away!
Yu Chen only wanted to grow stronger quickly alongside Xiao Bai. Their journey lay among the stars and across the vast seas!
"Your martial soul is opposed? Is that so..."
Hearing this, the light in Yu Xiaogang's eyes immediately dimmed.
Naturally, he knew the characteristics of martial souls that existed outside the body. Luo Sanpao was quite intelligent too, and sometimes even disobeyed his orders out of mischief.
But...
He simply couldn't accept letting such an exceptionally gifted disciple slip away.
"Yu Chen, I live in Teacher Dormitory Room 307. If you encounter any problems with your cultivation, you can come and ask me."
Yu Xiaogang spoke with affected generosity.
He was on good terms with Ming Dashan, and Yu Chen came from the dean's hometown. They would have plenty of opportunities to interact in the future; there was no need to rush.
After spending some time with me, Yu Chen will surely be won over by my theories!
Yu Xiaogang thought to himself.
"Grandmaster, Dean, if there's nothing else, I'll be going."
Yu Chen said.
"Go ahead."
Inside the office.
Ming Dashan steadied a stool with one hand while gathering the documents scattered across the floor.
Xiao Bai's flame attack had given him quite a shock. He had even felt a sense of pressure from her.
He understood that this was the oppressive aura of a high-grade martial soul.
"Xiaogang, I'm truly sorry you came all this way for nothing."
Ming Dashan said apologetically.
"With our friendship, why bother apologizing?"
Sitting on the sofa, Yu Xiaogang waved a hand, then changed the subject. "Dashan, I heard there are a few other talented children among this year's new students?"
"Yes. Take a look at this."
Ming Dashan handed over a document.
Yu Xiaogang took it, glanced through it, and sprang straight off the sofa. "A Blue Silver Grass martial soul, with innate full soul power!"
"I never would have imagined it!"
"To think I'd encounter such an extraordinary genius!"
"Hahaha!"
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed red, and he was so excited that his words tumbled out incoherently!
Before you continue