On the way through the academy, Tang San hugged his bedding and silently followed Yu Xiaogang, his steps somewhat heavy and his expression blank.
He was clearly still brooding over his defeat at Lin Yang's hands.
Yu Xiaogang could naturally sense what was on Tang San's mind. He gave a light cough and said,
"Do you know what your problem was today?"
Tang San's lips moved a few times before he said uneasily,
"I'm sorry, Teacher. I shouldn't have attacked someone from behind."
"That's not what I meant." Yu Xiaogang waved a hand, his tone calm.
"Your biggest problem in this fight was that you knew nothing about your opponent."
Tang San abruptly raised his head. "Please enlighten me, Teacher."
Seeing Tang San's sincere attitude, Yu Xiaogang nodded. The boy could be taught.
"Lin Yang is a year older than you and has cultivated for a year longer. It's normal for his physique to be better than yours, not to mention that he has one more Soul Ring than you."
"And judging by the situation, his Soul Power Level is definitely above fourteen. This... is why you lost."
"You weren't prepared at all to face your enemy."
As he walked, Yu Xiaogang analyzed everything in unhurried detail.
Tang San's eyes gradually brightened. So that was it. It wasn't that I was too weak, but that Lin Yang was bullying someone younger.
Pah, what a disgrace of a human being!
Then Tang San couldn't help asking, "Teacher, can a difference of just one Soul Ring really create such a huge gap in strength?"
"Of course." Yu Xiaogang nodded with absolute certainty.
"With every additional Soul Ring, a Soul Master not only gains a new Soul Skill, but also improves his physique and total Soul Power. All of these together naturally take his strength up another level."
He looked at Tang San, an exceedingly strange smile appearing on his stiff face.
"So, Little San, there's no need for you to be discouraged. Right now, all that separates you from Lin Yang is a single Soul Ring."
"Then when can I obtain a Soul Ring?"
"We shouldn't delay. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Soul Hunting Forest. As your teacher, I'll definitely find you a powerful Soul Ring."
At the thought that the theoretical research he had persisted in for so many years would finally be put to use, Yu Xiaogang visibly grew excited.
"Come to my room tonight. I'll explain your future path of development to you in detail."
"Yes, Teacher."
Meanwhile, after leaving the academy, Lin Yang easily found a house that was seeking a tenant.
Although the rent was a little steep, it offered excellent privacy and even came with a small courtyard.
By the time he finished putting everything in order, evening was approaching. Lin Yang switched to his Demon Blood Martial Soul and began his daily surveillance.
This time, however, he discovered that Tang Hao was no longer in Holy Soul Village.
Had he already arrived in Nuoding City?
Lin Yang checked the viewpoints of several other lookouts and finally spotted Tang Hao outside the cave where the Blue Silver Emperor was hidden.
Tang Hao stood outside the cave, rambling on about something, before soaring into the sky and flying toward Nuoding City at tremendous speed.
He was clearly preparing to spy on Tang San.
Sure enough, that hypermasculine father just loved doing sneaky, underhanded things.
Like father, like son!
A cold sneer hung on Lin Yang's lips.
The crow certainly couldn't keep up with Tang Hao, so Lin Yang simply had it continue watching the cave.
As for losing track of him?
Without exaggeration, as long as he dared come to Nuoding City, Lin Yang guaranteed that his every move would fall within his surveillance.
Then Lin Yang took a black robe from his storage ring, covered himself with it, and silently left the room.
As he walked down the street, the people around him paid him no heed.
Eye Concealment could distort the five senses. In everyone else's eyes, Lin Yang was nothing but air.
Lin Yang first visited a trading house and emerged in less than half an hour.
Then he visited other clinics and pharmacies in turn, even making a round of a certain Soul Hunting group's base.
He spent anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour at each place.
By the time he left the last place, Lin Yang's private funds had dwindled by three or four thousand Gold Soul Coins, replaced by more than twenty pieces of whale rubber of varying sizes.
Most were ten-year whale rubber, which was of little use to Lin Yang now.
Four pieces were of hundred-year quality, and one was suspected to be thousand-year whale rubber.
It was only suspected because this piece of whale rubber looked extremely unremarkable. It was as thick as a finger and highly irregular, as though something had gnawed on it.
Yet the trading house had insisted on labeling it thousand-year whale rubber.
After a battle of sharp words, Lin Yang had reluctantly purchased it for five hundred Gold Soul Coins.
But once he left the trading house, Lin Yang's heart nearly leaped out of his chest, and he couldn't hide the delight on his face.
This was because the piece wasn't thousand-year whale rubber at all, but the rarely seen ten-thousand-year whale glue.
He had truly snagged a bargain this time.
After returning to his little courtyard, Lin Yang eagerly took out the piece of ten-thousand-year whale glue.
Then he activated his Breathing Style and slowly heated the whale rubber with his Soul Power.
Whale rubber was tough and couldn't be eaten directly. It had to be softened with high heat.
His Soul Power carried a scorching quality. Using it to melt the whale rubber was slower, but safer.
As time passed, the whale rubber in Lin Yang's hand gradually softened, releasing a peculiar fragrance.
The fragrance was extremely rich, lingering without dispersing.
It enveloped Lin Yang, and a single whiff could excite the mind and greatly heighten sexual desire.
Lin Yang immediately increased his Soul Power.
The unappealing lump of whale rubber began changing color, gradually turning from its original dull gray to a peculiar dark gold.
"Sure enough, this is ten-thousand-year whale glue."
Lin Yang grinned. His luck really was good today.
Once the whale rubber had completely softened, Lin Yang swallowed it in one gulp without minding the heat, then settled with practiced ease into a bathtub filled with cold water.
The instant he sat down, a scorching sensation erupted from his abdomen, waves of heat surging through his limbs and every bone in his body.
Lin Yang's body slowly began turning red. The icy water around him gradually boiled, sending up clouds of white mist.
An unbearable fire of lust rose from deep within him. Lin Yang guarded his mind, striving to empty his head and enter a meditative state.
His long-standing persistence in meditation proved its worth at this moment.
Despite the external interference, Lin Yang still entered meditation extremely quickly.
His somewhat contorted expression began to grow peaceful and serene.
Only the constantly rising water vapor around him silently bore witness to everything.
When Lin Yang opened his eyes again, it was already broad daylight outside.
He flexed his hand, a series of cracks sounding from his palm as a sense of strength welled up within him.
It truly lived up to its name as ten-thousand-year whale glue. Just that tiny piece had improved his physique by nearly thirty percent.
With his physique now, raising the age of the second Soul Ring he could absorb to three thousand years probably wouldn't be a problem.
After briefly adjusting to his body, Lin Yang stood up from the bathtub, quickly got himself ready, and headed to the academy.
What the academy taught was no longer of much use to him, so Lin Yang went straight to the library to find books to read on his own.
On the way there, Lin Yang saw Yu Xiaogang leaving in a carriage with Tang San.
Presumably, they were going to obtain a Soul Ring.
He merely glanced at them from afar, then paid them no further attention.
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