Luo Chen turned to look and saw a middle-aged man with a crew cut and a short beard standing behind him.
He wore a gray robe washed nearly white. His face was thin, his chin slightly raised as he looked at Luo Chen with disdain.
Luo Chen's pupils contracted slightly, and three words surged up from the depths of his heart:
Yu Xiaogang!!!
"I am Yu Xiaogang, the grandmaster of martial soul theory renowned throughout the continent." Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back, putting on an unfathomable air. "Yesterday, I asked the headmaster to let me look at your martial soul. You're quite good. You qualify to become my disciple."
He paused, then added, "But only an outer disciple."
Luo Chen: "..."
What exactly is this complete idiot Yu Xiaogang trying to do?
Yu Xiaogang failed to notice anything amiss with Luo Chen and continued, "Now, kowtow to me three times before everyone to acknowledge me as your master, and I'll accept you as my disciple."
With that, he stood with his hands behind his back, the very picture of a grandmaster, waiting for Luo Chen's worship.
The surrounding students glanced over and whispered among themselves.
Luo Chen was so angry he laughed.
Kowtow three times?
To a piece of trash like you?
He took a deep breath and flashed a brilliant smile. "Grandmaster, I have a few questions I'd like to ask."
"Of course. Go ahead," Yu Xiaogang said with a magnanimous nod.
"I heard your innate soul power was only rank 0.5?" Luo Chen blinked slyly. "May I ask what rank you've cultivated to now?"
Yu Xiaogang's expression stiffened slightly, but he still stated his rank.
"Twenty... twenty-nine."
"Rank twenty-nine, huh?" Luo Chen nodded. "Then when do you plan to break through to rank thirty?"
At those words, Yu Xiaogang's face froze completely.
His martial soul was Luo Sanpao, a detrimentally mutated martial soul. His innate foundation was damaged, leaving him unable to break through to rank thirty for the rest of his life.
"Haven't decided yet?" Luo Chen spoke with easy confidence. "As a teacher, you haven't even figured out your own future. What ability do you have to teach me how to cultivate?"
A wave of muffled laughter immediately rose around them.
Yu Xiaogang was angry and flustered, his face flushed red as he forced himself to say, "My ten core competitive theories of martial souls can..."
"Your theories?" Luo Chen interrupted with a sneer. "Where did the material for your Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul come from?"
"Well..." Yu Xiaogang had intended to say he had compiled it himself, but looking into Luo Luochen's eyes, which seemed to discern the finest detail, he found himself unable to say it.
Some student remarked that it had been stolen. The surrounding students could no longer contain themselves and burst into uproarious laughter.
Yu Xiaogang's face turned the color of pig liver. His lips trembled, and for a long while, he could not utter a word.
"You... you!" Yu Xiaogang pointed at Luo Chen, his finger trembling.
"What about me?" Luo Chen spread his hands. "I only asked the grandmaster a few questions. Aren't your theories supposed to be amazing? Why can't you answer?"
"I certainly don't want a piece of trash as my teacher."
At that, Yu Xiaogang could no longer stay. He turned and staggered away.
Luo Chen watched his retreating figure, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
So this is the grandmaster of theory?
Nothing special.
Just as he turned to leave, a voice suddenly came from behind him:
"Luo Chen, wait!"
Luo Chen turned and saw Tang San hurrying toward him, his expression somewhat complicated.
"Tang San, what do you want?" Luo Chen watched him warily.
As a transmigrator, Luo Chen knew that Tang San had lived in a feudal society in his previous life.
The belief that a teacher for a day was a father for life had long since seeped into Tang San's bones. Luo Chen had just humiliated Yu Xiaogang in public. Given Tang San's habit of avenging even the smallest slight, had he called out to him now because he wanted to use
the Silent Sleeve Arrow?
"You've misunderstood Teacher," Tang San said earnestly as he walked up to Luo Chen. "He isn't as bad as you say."
Luo Chen: "..."
No, seriously, what are you trying to do by telling me all this?
"He originally didn't want to accept you as his disciple," Tang San continued. "Only after I begged him over and over did he agree to break his own rules and take you in."
Luo Chen could no longer keep his composure.
When did he ever tell Tang San he wanted to become Yu Xiaogang's disciple?
And... God King Tang actually begged Yu Xiaogang for my sake?
What sort of show is this supposed to be?
"I know you don't understand." Seeing no response from Luo Chen, Tang San sighed. "But Teacher really isn't as bad as you say."
As it turned out, after Luo Chen had left yesterday, Tang San had remembered Grandpa Jack's words and gone to wait for him at the school gates.
While he was waiting for Old Jack, a middle-aged man with a crew cut and a beard suddenly approached.
Tang San did not know this man.
But when the middle-aged man saw that Tang San's martial soul was Blue Silver Grass, yet his soul power was innate full soul power, he immediately wanted to take him as a disciple.
Tang San did not want to take a master yet. He wanted to find a truly formidable teacher whose guidance could help him become a Titled Douluo.
So he asked, "What rank is your soul power now? Can you help me hunt a hundred-year soul beast?"
Before the man could speak, Tang San added, "My innate soul power is full soul power. Soul Douluo is my minimum requirement."
The middle-aged man's expression changed at those words, but he quickly regained his composure.
"My soul power level is indeed somewhat low, but remember this: there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters."
Tang San's pupils abruptly contracted. Those words-there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters-pierced deep into his heart.
Although he had learned from Luo Chen that there was definitely something unusual about his Blue Silver Grass, at this moment, Blue Silver Grass was still Blue Silver Grass, a useless martial soul.
It could be said that these words from Yu Xiaogang sustained Tang San on his path before his Blue Silver Grass transformed.
Tang San still wanted to blurt out a denial, but Yu Xiaogang gave him no chance.
"According to my martial soul theory, the amount of innate soul power is directly proportional to the quality of the martial soul. Your innate soul power is full soul power, yet your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass." The middle-aged man smiled slightly. "Once all the wrong answers are eliminated, only twin martial souls could account for this situation."
At these words, Tang San was utterly shocked.
He had never revealed to anyone that he had a second martial soul.
This man had actually seen through it at a glance?
Could he... really be a master living in seclusion?
Tang San's resolve wavered.
Seeing Tang San begin to waver, the middle-aged man raised the stakes.
"Do you know the drawbacks of twin martial souls?"
"Drawbacks?"
"Indeed. Although twin martial souls allow someone to cultivate rapidly, they can also cause the martial souls to clash, making the body explode and resulting in death. Across the entire continent, I may be the only one with a way to resolve the conflict between your martial souls."
Squatting off to one side, Tang Hao smiled at those words. "Although his theories are pretty lousy, as long as he can solve Xiao San's twin martial soul problem, letting Xiao San become his disciple isn't entirely unacceptable."
Tang San was even more shocked to hear this. Being able to recognize twin martial souls showed that this man understood martial souls profoundly. He was indeed qualified to be his teacher.
So he gritted his teeth, knelt, and kowtowed three times.
"Your disciple Tang San pays his respects, Teacher."
The man nodded in satisfaction and slowly spoke:
"My name is Yu Xiaogang. People call me Grandmaster. From now on, you may address me as Teacher."
Tang San's entire body stiffened.
Yu... Xiao... gang?!
Isn't that the Yu Xiaogang Luo Chen mentioned, with rank 0.5 innate soul power, who can never break through to rank thirty?
Did I just take a good-for-nothing as my master?
"Pfft!"
Tang San spat out a mouthful of blood. His vision went black, and he fainted on the spot.
"Disciple? Disciple, what's wrong?" Yu Xiaogang panicked. "Could he have been overwhelmed by my reputation?"
If the unconscious Tang San had known what Yu Xiaogang was thinking, he might truly have died of anger.
After Tang San woke up, he had wanted to reject this master. But deeply influenced by the belief that "a teacher for a day is a father for life," and having already kowtowed, he found it difficult to go back on his word.
"Teacher's theories really are useful. As for the matters between him and Spirit Hall..." Tang San said with a bitter smile, "his hatred for Spirit Hall... makes me believe he isn't the sort to fawn over the powerful."
"Then why did you ask him to take me as his disciple?" Luo Chen asked in confusion. "We're not that close, are we?"
"Well..." Tang San's face reddened slightly. "I just wanted you to let go of your prejudice against Teacher."
With that, Tang San quietly watched Luo Chen, waiting for his answer.
"I think I understand what you mean," Luo Chen said calmly. "But I don't intend to take a master."
"Why?" Tang San grew anxious.
"Because I have my own path to walk." Luo Chen turned and headed toward the library entrance. "Just keep following Yu Xiaogang. I hope he can really teach you something."
"Luo Chen!"
Tang San caught up. "Won't you really consider it?"
"No."
With that, Luo Chen left without looking back.
Tang San stood where he was, watching him go, wanting to speak but holding back.
In the end, he sighed, turned, and left.
Back in the dormitory, Luo Chen lay down on his bed, thoroughly satisfied.
Tang San has become Yu Xiaogang's disciple. Although the process was wrong, the result was right. It seems the future will still follow the course I know.
Tomorrow, I'll go to the library again to read up on soul beasts and try to find the most suitable soul beast for the Netherworld Scorpion Emperor.
With those thoughts, Luo Chen peacefully drifted off to sleep.
What he did not know, however, was that because of what he had done today, a fierce argument had erupted between Yu Xiaogang and Tang San.