"I wasn't looking at anything. It's a book of theories my teacher gave me. You don't even like reading this stuff."
"I-I never said I didn't!"
Xiao Wu and Tang San's bickering filled the others in Dorm Seven with envy. They had never seen a girl as pretty as Xiao Wu.
Meanwhile, both Tang San's way of speaking and his way of handling things were undergoing subtle changes.
And it was all thanks to the comic template.
"Tang San, did you go hunting Soul Beasts with your teacher?"
"You could tell?"
Xiao Wu suddenly seemed a little down, but she still rallied her spirits and asked, "Then do you think Soul Beasts are hateful and evil?"
"What kind of question is that?"
Tang San found Xiao Wu rather baffling. Who would even ask a question like that? He felt that, apart from himself and his teacher, no Soul Master would think Soul Beasts weren't hateful.
Still, since Xiao Wu had asked, he patiently answered, "That depends on the person. Some people think Soul Beasts are evil by nature, but others think some of them yearn for peace too."
"You belong to the latter group, Xiao Wu. After all, apart from me and my teacher, you're the third person to study this question."
At those words, Xiao Wu froze, and the rabbit ears on her head immediately stood upright.
Just who was Tang San's teacher?
"Tang San, who's your teacher? It's not that Grandmaster Yu, is it?"
Just then, after hearing that Tang San had a teacher, Wang Sheng immediately tried to warn him. "If it's Grandmaster, I think you should cut ties as soon as possible. Grandmaster is just a freeloader!"
Who at this academy didn't know Yu Xiaogang's background? He had gotten into the academy through the back door thanks to the headmaster, and spent all day studying those theories of his.
He wasn't even a patch on Teacher Li. Both their Martial Souls were small animals, so why was Teacher Li the only strong one?
"No, no, my teacher isn't Yu Xiaogang. It's Li Changsheng, Teacher Changsheng!"
"Teacher Li?! Then you've really struck it lucky, Tang San! Who doesn't know Teacher Li is the handsome young man around here? All that talent of his is enough to make anyone envious!"
Once Li Changsheng came up, Wang Sheng's mouth fired like a machine gun, spitting out every flattering word he could find.
Xiao Wu was growing impatient beside them. Is Teacher Li your dad? Do you have to kiss up to him this much?
But when she turned her head, she saw that Tang San was actually listening with relish.
"Tang San, why are you so engrossed in this?"
"You don't understand. Teacher Changsheng has helped me so much. Naturally, I need to learn more about him. Otherwise, how am I supposed to repay him in the future?"
Tang San's biggest goal now was to grow stronger, then get to the bottom of every question concerning himself, and finally repay Teacher Changsheng's kindness.
"Oh, right, you don't know this, but even though Teacher Li is so handsome, he's still single. The shopkeepers outside the academy all want to introduce their daughters to him!"
Single?
Tang San's eyes lit up. That's right! Apart from cultivating, what was Teacher Changsheng missing now? Wasn't it a virtuous wife?
Cultivation was so exhausting, dull, and tedious. But with a partner by his side, making progress together-that would be the ideal life!
"Wang Sheng, thank you!"
"What are you thanking me for?"
Tang San shook his head. He knew how to repay Teacher Changsheng now, but it was still too early, so he could only keep it tucked away in his heart for the time being.
"By the way, Wang Sheng, do you know if there's a smithy nearby?"
Tang San wanted to find a part-time job. He needed materials to make Hidden Weapons. Although Li Changsheng had given him plenty of Gold Soul Coins, Tang San treasured them. He didn't want to squander money like some wastrel young master, and would save wherever he could.
Besides, in the time before he left Holy Soul Village, Tang Hao had taught him a hammer technique for forging. This could count as part of his training too.
"A smithy? There is, brother, there is. There's one on the shopping street outside our academy."
Seeing the two boys chatting away happily, Xiao Wu left Tang San's side and returned to her bed on her own.
She opened a small bundle. A wooden comb lay quietly inside, something her mother had left behind.
She looked at Tang San, then lowered her gaze to the comb. An inexplicable emotion flickered through Xiao Wu's pink eyes.
Early the next morning.
Tang San rose early to cultivate his Purple Demon Eye as usual. Only when the Purple Qi vanished did he set off for Li Changsheng's quarters.
Knock, knock!
"Teacher, are you there?"
The door opened, revealing Li Changsheng's incomparably handsome face. "Little San? What brings you to your teacher so early?"
Li Changsheng shifted slightly to let Tang San inside.
He plopped down on a chair, then motioned for Tang San to sit as well. Only then did the latter explain his idea.
"Teacher, I'd like to work part-time at the smithy outside the academy. What do you think?"
"I won't just be focusing on forging. I want to use their scraps to make Hidden Weapons, things like yesterday's silver needles!"
Li Changsheng had seen his Hidden Weapons before, so Tang San didn't hide this from him. It would be bad if Teacher Changsheng developed any prejudice against him. Tang San didn't want anything to affect their relationship as teacher and disciple.
"Hmm... that's a good idea, Little San. I don't object, but you mustn't shortchange yourself, understand?"
"I didn't give you all those Gold Soul Coins just so you could keep them around to look at. You can buy materials or Soul Tools. Since the money is in your hands, it belongs to you!"
"Teacher!"
Thud!
Deeply moved, Tang San unconsciously dropped to both knees again and kowtowed to Li Changsheng.
He had never felt anything like this before!
Tang San's heart was filled with warmth. Teacher Changsheng was simply too good to him. How fortunate was he to have become his disciple?
[Detected a change in disciple Tang San's disposition. Martial Soul Evolution progress increased. Peak Strike Experience Card ×1] [Peak Strike Experience Card: Upon use, allows the host to unleash one strike at the held template's peak! (Its peak below god level.)]
On Li Changsheng's end, the system rang out in his mind the instant Tang San knelt.
His peak? If I didn't have this template, I might really start cursing. Gangzi at his peak?
The blade he had nearly drawn was sheathed again.
Although it was only one strike, it was the Light Dragon King's peak strike. Setting aside killing someone on Tang Hao's level, it should work on Pufferfish, Snake Lance, or someone on Dugu Bo's level, right?
Did a peak strike roughly mean a ninth Soul Skill with its power maximized?
Li Changsheng wasn't quite sure, but at least he now had a way to save his own life.
And on the system interface, his Martial Soul Evolution progress had changed as well.
[Martial Soul: Luo Sanpao (Light Dragon King, evolution progress: one percent)]
It had finally reached one. Only Li Changsheng knew the "hardships" of this journey!