"You used to go on and on about whale rubber. Such a little kid, yet so precocious. Who knows what you've got stuffed into that little head of yours?"
"Grandpa, it's not what you think."
Lu Yuan blushed as he took the whale rubber. In this era on the Douluo Continent, people had yet to discover that absorbing whale rubber could raise the age limit of soul rings they could absorb. They still treated it as an aphrodisiac.
"By the way, Grandpa, what kind of sea soul beast did this whale rubber come from?"
Old Tom gave him a mysterious smile.
"It should be... ten thousand years old."
"What, ten-thousand-year whale glue?"
Although whale rubber was not yet as sought-after as it would be in later generations, ten-thousand-year whale glue was extremely rare. But where had Old Tom gotten the money to buy it?
"Kid, judging by that face, you've underestimated your grandpa, haven't you? Before Douluo Village was founded, I, Old Tom, traveled north and south and built up a few connections. These old bones can still get you a piece of ten-thousand-year whale glue."
"But take it easy, kid. Use it a little at a time. Be careful your body isn't too weak to handle all that nourishment," Old Tom reminded Lu Yuan.
"I will. Thank you, Grandpa."
"Mm." Old Tom nodded.
"By the way, Yuan, once you enter Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy, don't come home for a while. Your grandpa has some important business to take care of."
As Old Tom spoke, his gaze grew heavy, and the atmosphere in the room became unbearably somber.
Lu Yuan stared at Old Tom. They had relied on each other for six years, and with two lifetimes behind him, he had noticed that Old Tom seemed to be hiding something from him.
"Okay. Stay safe, Grandpa."
Lu Yuan did not press him. Seeing how understanding Lu Yuan was, Old Tom nodded with relief. The words about life, death, and parting that he had planned to say caught in his throat.
"Yuan, don't worry. Grandpa will definitely come back alive."
Nuoding City, Heaven Dou Empire.
"So this is Nuoding City?"
Old Tom led Lu Yuan into the bustling city of Nuoding.
Over the past two weeks and more, Lu Yuan had absorbed quite a lot of ten-thousand-year whale glue, greatly improving his physique. In the blink of an eye, the day to enroll had arrived.
With no towering high-rises, Nuoding City somewhat resembled the county town where Lu Yuan had lived in his early years in his previous life. Its architectural style, however, was more European and more ornate.
Its prosperity was on an entirely different level from Douluo Village, where Lu Yuan had spent the past six years.
Grandfather and grandson found their way to the gates of Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy, where a guard stopped them.
"Hey, who are you?"
"Hello, sir. This is my grandson. He awakened innate soul power and is one of this year's work-study students."
Old Tom explained. The guard asked them to produce the Spirit Hall Certificate, and Old Tom complied.
Seeing that Lu Yuan had an unidentified external martial soul and Level 0.5 Innate Soul Power, the guard gave a knowing smile, recalling Yu Xiaogang, who freeloaded at the academy.
Since this was not a blue silver grass martial soul with innate full soul power like Tang San's, and Su Yuntao's signature was on the Spirit Hall Certificate, the guard had no reason to bar Lu Yuan from enrolling.
"He can go in, but you can't." The guard pointed first at Lu Yuan, then at Old Tom.
"All right. I understand the rules."
Smiling, Old Tom handed Lu Yuan the bundle he was carrying. Neither knew how many years it would be before grandfather and grandson met again after this parting, and both wore solemn, serious expressions.
"Yuan, study hard and take good care of yourself. If Grandpa disappears one day, don't come looking for me."
"Grandpa, I... all right."
Not wanting to disappoint Old Tom, Lu Yuan reluctantly agreed.
Old Tom straightened Lu Yuan's collar, patted his small shoulder, and sent him into the academy.
"Bye, Grandpa!"
Lu Yuan said goodbye to Old Tom and entered Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy. Before long, he reached the Academic Affairs Office.
"So you're Lu Yuan, the boy with level 0.5 innate soul power who awakened an external martial soul."
Director Su of the Soul Master Academy took Lu Yuan's Spirit Hall Certificate, examined it carefully, and confirmed that everything was in order.
"The work-study students stay in Dorm Seven. I'll take you there."
"Okay." Lu Yuan nodded.
Director Su led Lu Yuan toward Dorm Seven. In the corridor, they came face-to-face with a middle-aged man dressed in black, his hair cropped short and books in his arms. One look at him, and Lu Yuan immediately guessed his identity.
Isn't this the Divine Master, Yu Xiaogang?
"Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang." Director Su greeted him.
"Director Su, is this boy one of this year's new work-study students?"
"Yes, Grandmaster. This is Lu Yuan, the boy I told you about."
The moment Director Su spoke, Yu Xiaogang's gaze settled entirely on Lu Yuan.
"You're Lu Yuan, the boy who awakened an external martial soul? Would you be interested in becoming my disciple? Not only am I a grandmaster of martial soul research, but I also possess an external martial soul like yours. Taking me as your teacher would benefit you greatly."
Stroking his chin, Yu Xiaogang smugly extended his invitation to Lu Yuan.
"Well..."
Having worked alongside Yu Xiaogang for so many years, Director Su naturally knew something of his arrogance and conceit. He turned to Lu Yuan. This decision still had to be made by the six-year-old boy himself.
"A grandmaster of martial soul research?"
Lu Yuan recalled how Yu Xiaogang had arranged poison-attribute soul rings for Tang San's unawakened blue silver emperor martial soul early on, mistaking it for a blue silver grass martial soul. Not only had those rings been of little use, but they had also been replaced during Tang San's ascent to godhood. He shook his head inwardly.
"Lu Yuan, Yu Xiaogang really is a grandmaster of martial soul research. Have you heard of the 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul' theory? The Grandmaster published it."
Director Su also knew that Yu Xiaogang was not particularly reliable as a teacher, but with the man standing right there, he still had to lend him some support.
"'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul'?"
Lu Yuan knew that Yu Xiaogang had compiled and proposed it using information from the archives of numerous powers, including Spirit Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. It had broken down barriers to knowledge and was indeed highly useful to low-ranking soul masters stumbling around in the dark. But aside from how little of it came from Yu Xiaogang's own research, most of the ten theories were either wrong or flawed.
Whether in terms of strength or intelligence, Lu Yuan had little desire to take Yu Xiaogang as his teacher, let alone considering his cowardly, fickle character. Still, Lu Yuan needed an excuse to turn him down.
How should I put it? Got it!
"Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, may I ask what your soul power level is?"
Yu Xiaogang's eyelids immediately lifted. His features stiffened, his lips trembled slightly, and even his breathing grew heavy and labored.
Lu Yuan feigned innocence. When no answer came, he turned to Director Su with an eager look.
Director Su looked embarrassed as well. Holding his head, he said awkwardly:
"The Grandmaster, well... his soul power level is 29."
"Level 29?"
Lu Yuan's inner actor burst forth. He gaped, then spoke in a daze.
"Then doesn't that mean he isn't even a Soul Elder, just a Soul Grandmaster?"
At Lu Yuan's words, Director Su did not know whether to laugh or cry and suppressed the smile tugging at his lips.
Come to think of it, Yu Xiaogang was older than him, yet weaker in both soul power level and strength. Even so, he had become the dean's friend, received preferential treatment, and secured himself an idle position at Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy.
He had heard that all this also had something to do with the powerful faction behind Yu Xiaogang.
"Who taught you to speak like that? I kindly offered to take you as my disciple, and you treat my good intentions like a donkey's liver and lungs!"