Xiao Wu

Jiang Che punched Xiao Wu, interrupting her first Soul Skill.

But Jiang Che's assault was not over. He followed up with several more punches to Xiao Wu's abdomen.

Xiao Wu instinctively tried to put some distance between them, but to her surprise, Blue Silver Grass vines instantly coiled around her ankles, making her stumble and fall.

Just as Xiao Wu was about to get up, Jiang Che kicked her squarely in the face, sending her flying several meters.

As expected of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, her body really could take a beating. Jiang Che had not held back at all, yet he had not inflicted much damage on her.

"Hmph!" Xiao Wu was clearly angry for real now.

This time, she was on guard, making it much harder for Jiang Che to land a hit. She caught him by the ankle, closed in, and locked both thighs around his neck, crying out, "First Soul Skill, Waist Bow!"

Her Yellow Soul Ring flashed, and she threw herself into a sweeping backflip, trying to slam him down like a dog with its belly to the sky.

But Xiao Wu had completely underestimated Jiang Che's current strength.

Exerting all his strength in midair, Jiang Che actually broke free of Xiao Wu's hold, grabbed her ankle, and slammed her viciously into the ground.

Xiao Wu was now in an utterly sorry state. Her arms and back burned with pain; there was no need to think about it-Jiang Che's slam had definitely injured her. Xiao Wu spat out a mouthful of clotted blood.

"Stop! Both of you, stop fighting! Sister Xiao Wu, you attacked the wrong person!" A girl rushed over and helped Xiao Wu up as blood spilled from her mouth.

But by now, Sister Xiao Wu was completely blinded by battle fury. Ignoring her injuries entirely, she was about to charge at Jiang Che again.

"What are you all crowding around here for? Disperse!" A thin, middle-aged man walked slowly through the crowd, his face stern and his eyes bright and piercing.

The newcomer was none other than the theoretical Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang.

"Take Xiao Wu away to rest," Yu Xiaogang told Wang Xiaohua.

Seeing that the newcomer was Yu Xiaogang, much of Xiao Wu's anger dissipated. She still held considerable respect for Tang San's teacher.

Looking in the direction Xiao Wu had left, Jiang Che shouted, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river! Don't bully a youth because he's poor!"

Sooner or later, I'll turn that hundred-thousand-year thug rabbit into spicy rabbit head.

Yu Xiaogang's gaze returned to Jiang Che, and he said in a profound tone, "If I'm not mistaken, your first martial skill should be a support-type Soul Skill. You hunted a Plant-type Soul Beast, didn't you?"

Jiang Che watched Yu Xiaogang warily, unsure what nasty scheme this little Gangzi was cooking up now.

Could he be planning to use me as Tang San's control group after learning that my Martial Soul is also Blue Silver Grass?

In fact, Jiang Che had guessed correctly. After learning that Jiang Che's Martial Soul was also Blue Silver Grass, Yu Xiaogang had entertained the idea of making him a test subject for Tang San.

Yu Xiaogang naturally noticed the wariness in Jiang Che's eyes.

Clasping his hands behind his back, he put on an air of profundity. "You should know who I am. I am the theoretical Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang. The Ten Core Theories of Martial Souls are my masterpiece!"

"Blue Silver Grass belongs in the Control System. It already has a clear role and cultivation path. If I were you, I wouldn't have absorbed a plant Martial Soul for my first Soul Ring. You should have absorbed an animal-type Soul Ring instead."

The corner of Jiang Che's mouth twitched. This Gangzi really had a thick skin, calling plagiarized theories his own. Besides, what fucking cultivation path did Blue Silver Grass have? Before Tang San awakened his Blue Silver Grass, who had ever cultivated Blue Silver Grass to Soul Grandmaster?

"Grandmaster, as you said yourself, you aren't me. What Soul Ring I absorb shouldn't have anything to do with you, should it? Besides, I don't think that set of Martial Soul theories of yours is of much use."

Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang bristled like a cat. "You dare question my Martial Soul Theory!"

"How could my Martial Soul Theory be wrong? Blue Silver Grass should follow the Control System path! Following the healing path will only make Blue Silver Grass even more useless!"

Jiang Che raised his eyebrows. "Grandmaster, weren't you the one who said there are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters?"

Saying this made Jiang Che want to laugh. He'd insulted himself twice in a single sentence.

Yu Xiaogang choked, his expression furious as he panted like an ox. "What does a little brat like you know? Blue Silver Grass already possesses a certain degree of toughness. The Soul Ring I've prepared for Tang San is precisely a Mandala Snake's, giving Blue Silver Grass the traits of Entanglement and poison."

"If my guess is correct, your Blue Silver Grass's healing effect can't be much good, either."

Jiang Che was not foolish enough to spell out every detail of his Soul Skill's effects.

"Grandmaster, you said Plant-type Martial Souls aren't necessarily unable to absorb animal Soul Rings. I agree with that. But let me ask you: there are also Plant-type Soul Beasts with toughness and poison, so why insist on choosing a snake rather than a Plant-type Soul Beast's Soul Ring?"

"If you really want to follow the Control System path, why must you absorb an animal Soul Beast's Soul Ring? Why not let it follow a true plant's path instead, with something like Ghost Vine, pink flower stamens, or highly poisonous vines...?"

In one breath, Jiang Che listed many naturally poisonous, exceptionally tough Plant-type Soul Beasts, including no shortage of better choices than the Mandala Snake.

Grandmaster's face flushed with anger. "Unreasonable! Utterly unreasonable! I originally valued your honest nature and thought I might reluctantly take you as a nominal disciple, but I never imagined you would be so arrogant as to dare question my Martial Soul Theory!"

Faced with Yu Xiaogang's impotent rage, Jiang Che remained calm, ignored him, and turned to leave.

Watching Jiang Che leave, Yu Xiaogang grew even angrier. "Hmph! Arrogant, conceited brat! I'll show you what a mistake it is to go without my guidance."

Jiang Che did not return to Dorm Seven. Instead, he headed for a medicine shop in the north of the city called the Hundred Medicine Pavilion.

For the time being, Jiang Che planned to return to the small room he rented in the north of the city and lie low.

Today, he had beaten up Xiao Wu and offended Yu Xiaogang. Once Tang San learned of this, he would definitely come looking for trouble.

With Tang San's habit of repaying even the smallest slight, Jiang Che might end up dead without even knowing how it had happened.

Tang San's Hidden Weapons were too insidious, and Jiang Che was not yet capable of dealing with them. He still remembered the Gatekeeper who had offended Tang San two years ago, only to die suddenly the following night.

Before long, Jiang Che arrived at the Hundred Medicine Pavilion. From what he had learned, the Hundred Medicine Pavilion was backed by a major merchant association in Heaven Dou City, so he was not worried about buying counterfeit goods. He had bought half the medicinal ingredients for the Soul-Enhancing Pill here.

He walked into the Hundred Medicine Pavilion. Its decor was thoroughly classical, with wine-red flooring covering the ground and intricately patterned flame lamps hanging from the ceiling and walls. Rows of glass display counters held a dazzling array of goods of every kind.

The Hundred Medicine Pavilion's sales assistant immediately greeted Jiang Che warmly when she saw him. She still remembered this young-looking child spending a Gold Soul Coin on a large quantity of medicinal ingredients a few days earlier, earning her a sizable commission.

Jiang Che looked up at the sweetly smiling sales assistant, who was around twenty, and pretended to take something from his pocket. In reality, he took the Strange Fruit he had obtained in the Star Dou Great Forest last time out of his System Storage.

"Big sister, do you know what this is?"

The sales assistant leaned closer and carefully examined the fruit in Jiang Che's hand.