Hidden weapons? Nothing but cheap little tricks

With his current strength, the Extreme Lightning Thousand Birds could definitely kill Tang San on the spot in a single strike.

But Tang Hao was watching nearby. Once he sensed the power of the Extreme Lightning Thousand Birds, he would certainly intervene.

Since he could not guarantee a hundred percent chance of finishing Tang San off now, he would take his time playing with him.

Jin Jiuxiao wore a smile.

Yet that smile was unbearably grating in Tang San's eyes.

He felt humiliated.

After all, he had only just claimed that Jin Jiuxiao was taking drugs and burning through his future potential.

Could strength like this really come from popping pills?

Tang San would not believe it even if someone beat him to death.

He stole an unobtrusive glance at Yu Xiaogang. It's all Teacher's fault for jumping to conclusions...

He had never underestimated Jin Jiuxiao to begin with.

They both had innate full soul power. How bad could Jin Jiuxiao possibly be?

Yet Yu Xiaogang had led him astray first, causing him to misjudge Jin Jiuxiao's strength as well.

If he had not been careless, how could he have suffered this setback?

Tang San had only recently become Yu Xiaogang's disciple, and their relationship was not yet as close as it would later become.

So he felt a tiny bit of resentment now. That was all.

To him, Jin Jiuxiao's smile looked like a victor's contempt and disdain for the defeated.

The facts had proven that Jin Jiuxiao really had not gained his cultivation by popping pills...

Still, the battle was not over yet.

"Jin Jiuxiao, next, I'll show you my true strength."

"Be careful," Tang San warned him.

One matter was one matter; another was another.

Since Jin Jiuxiao had not pressed his attack despite gaining such an overwhelming advantage just now,

what harm was there in giving him a warning?

Hidden weapons were not something one could defend against simply by wanting to.

Jin Jiuxiao said nothing and merely beckoned Tang San with his hand.

"First soul skill-Blue Silver Entanglement!"

This time, Tang San used more soul power.

Enormously thick blue silver vines kept bursting out of the ground, one after another.

Their speed, however, was nowhere near as swift as when he had first used them against Jin Jiuxiao.

The moment Jin Jiuxiao saw Tang San's movements, he understood what Tang San intended to do.

Whoosh!

Three silver needles shot through the gaps between the blue silver vines in an inverted triangular formation.

They were aimed at Jin Jiuxiao's left shoulder, right shoulder, and abdomen.

If he could hit the shoulders and abdomen, he could take a life as well.

Hidden weapons like silver needles were more than enough to deal with a rank-sixteen Soul Master like Jin Jiuxiao.

Those targets would not prove fatal, but they would teach him a lesson he would not forget.

Tang San simply could not swallow this indignity.

The corners of Jin Jiuxiao's mouth rose slightly as he used Wind Rush, Lightning Speed again.

He caught all three silver needles, lightning curling around them. "It's better to return your things to you."

Hidden weapons? Nothing but cheap little tricks.

Just as Jin Jiuxiao sent the three silver needles flying back, dozens more came at him from every angle.

The next instant,

the crackle of electricity and Tang San's muffled grunt rang out together.

Jin Jiuxiao directly used Electric Discharge, throwing every silver needle off course.

Some were even knocked to the ground.

He was completely unscathed.

Tang San, on the other hand,

was struck almost simultaneously by all three silver needles Jin Jiuxiao had returned.

The uppermost needle skimmed Tang San's scalp, taking a lock of black hair with it.

The needles on the left and right pierced through Tang San's shoulders.

They passed through his flesh without touching bone.

Even so, Jin Jiuxiao felt an aura lock onto him.

He sneered inwardly. You really do have double standards, Tang Hao.

Tang San can do this, but when someone else does the same thing to Tang San, it's wrong. How... revolting.

As a Titled Douluo, how could Tang Hao fail to see what would happen if all of Tang San's hidden weapons struck him?

Now, merely because he had returned the courtesy, Tang Hao had locked onto him?

How amusing.

Still, it did not matter. Tang Hao did not have many years left to live anyway.

The moment Tang Hao locked onto Jin Jiuxiao,

an even fiercer aura locked onto Tang Hao without the slightest attempt at concealment.

Tang Hao raised his eyes and glanced at the cold-faced Zi JI opposite him. After weighing the gains and losses, he withdrew his aura.

Jin Jiuxiao ignored Yu Xiaogang and Tang San, who stood frozen in place, and addressed the old dean. "Dean, didn't you say earlier that the academy had arranged a private dormitory for me as well?"

"This sparring match took quite a lot out of me. I'd like to rest for a while before going to class. Would that be all right?"

The old dean naturally had no reason to refuse. "Of course. I'll take you to your dormitory."

Before leaving, he spoke to Yu Xiaogang as well, patting his shoulder. "Xiaogang, take Tang San to get his injuries treated."

In the old dean's eyes, this hardly even counted as being injured.

How could a little torn skin and flesh count as an injury?

Only after the two had left did Yu Xiaogang gradually regain his senses. "A self-created soul skill... and more than one self-created soul skill..."

His gaze fell on Tang San, who was staring blankly into space. He walked over and called to him several times. "Little San, Little San."

Only at Yu Xiaogang's prompting did Tang San come back to himself. "Teacher, I... lost..."

What he truly found difficult to accept was not that his martial soul was inferior to Jin Jiuxiao's.

Nor was it that his rank fell short of Jin Jiuxiao's.

It was that the Tang Sect Secret Arts had been crushed by Jin Jiuxiao!

His Purple Demon Eye had seen everything clearly. Jin Jiuxiao had not used any hidden weapon technique at all.

The guy was simply fast and strong!

He had intercepted the three silver needles in an instant with Wind Rush, Lightning Speed, then hurled them back with tremendous strength enhanced by lightning.

Their power had been far greater than when Tang San used the Tang Sect Hidden Weapons techniques himself...

Tang San felt that Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and Jin Jiuxiao's Wind Rush, Lightning Speed each had their strengths and weaknesses.

But he could hardly claim an advantage.

Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon and Mysterious Jade Hand had been completely useless...

The Tang Sect Secret Arts he took such pride in had been crushed head-on by Jin Jiuxiao.

The blow this dealt Tang San was nothing like merely losing a sparring match.

Everything he had always taken pride in, always believed in, always felt so proud of, could not even compare to a native of this world???

Yu Xiaogang did not want to watch Tang San sink further into dejection. Forcing himself to rally, he said, "Little San, do you intend to stay this dispirited forever?"

At those words, Tang San looked up at Yu Xiaogang, his eyes filled with confusion.

A flicker of helplessness passed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes.

He truly had not expected a single contest, a single sparring match, to deal Tang San such a devastating blow!

Before, Tang San's eyes had shone with confidence.

But now?

His eyes were vacant, his spirits low, and a faint air of despondency hung over his whole being.

"Little San, you must remember that your talent is absolutely without equal."

"No matter how strong Jin Jiuxiao is, he only has one martial soul!"

Yu Xiaogang looked around, making sure no one was nearby before continuing. "I can tell you a secret now."

"What?" Tang San was plainly distracted.

"Your second martial soul is called the Clear Sky Hammer."

"It is the greatest tool martial soul in the world!"

"Think about it. As long as you can endure with Blue Silver Grass until you become a Titled Douluo-or even just a Soul Douluo-you can begin adding soul rings to your Clear Sky Hammer."

"A Clear Sky Hammer equipped entirely with Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings! Even I wouldn't dare imagine how powerful that would be!"

"Little San, do you understand what your teacher means?"

"You are only falling behind temporarily!"

As Tang San heard those words from Yu Xiaogang, life gradually returned to his eyes.

That's right... I'm only falling behind temporarily.

It isn't that hidden weapons are useless. I simply haven't brought out the Tang Sect's true reserves!

Blue Silver Grass is a trash martial soul, but the Clear Sky Hammer is the greatest tool martial soul in the world!

Tang San kept reassuring himself. "Teacher, I understand."

Yet a trace of doubt still lingered in his eyes.

Doubt in himself, doubt in Yu Xiaogang, doubt in the Tang Sect Secret Arts...

All three were there.