After Yu Xiaogang's repeated urging and recommendations, Tang San, who had no better options at the moment, could only sit before the Mangy Snake's corpse, circulate the Mysterious Heaven Skill, and begin absorbing its Soul Ring.
This Mangy Snake had only just passed the hundred-year mark.
Tang San had practiced the Mysterious Heaven Skill since childhood, and his physical constitution far surpassed that of ordinary people. He was more than capable of absorbing a four-hundred-year Soul Ring, let alone a hundred-year one.
He only felt that the absorption was going exceptionally smoothly.
He thought to himself, Teacher really is Teacher. There's nothing wrong with the Soul Ring he recommended. Absorbing the Mangy Snake's Soul Ring is going so smoothly. It looks like its Soul Ring suits me very well.
But he failed to notice that the Mangy Snake's venomous lumps were also taking the opportunity to merge into his bloodline through the Soul Ring.
Meanwhile, outside!
Yu Xiaogang watched Tang San with excitement filling his eyes.
"Little San hasn't encountered any problems absorbing the Mangy Snake's Soul Ring. My theory is correct. Plant Martial Souls can absorb animal Soul Rings without any obvious rejection."
"Haha, as my disciple, Little San only had the chance to obtain a hundred-year first Soul Ring under my guidance."
"That Li Jin and Xiao Wu simply don't know what's good for them. They actually refused to become my disciples. They must still be agonizing over their first Soul Rings right now."
"Once we get back, when they see that Tang San has a hundred-year Soul Ring while they can only obtain ten-year Soul Rings, and come crying and begging to become my disciples, they'll finally know what they missed..."
Yu Xiaogang's voice was full of malice.
Little did he know that the stronger his malice toward Li Jin grew, the more he himself would lose.
Just then!
A rustling sound came from the woods nearby.
However slow Yu Xiaogang was to react, he noticed something was wrong now.
"Who's there?"
The next instant!
Three burly men dressed like mercenaries walked out of the forest.
They looked at Yu Xiaogang, then at Tang San, who was absorbing his Soul Ring, and more or less guessed what had happened.
"Brother Scar, there's only a Mangy Snake covered in venomous lumps. Nothing worth stealing. Are we making a move?"
The mercenary on the left looked at the one in the middle and asked.
The mercenary in the middle had a scar on his left cheek. That was probably where the name Brother Scar came from.
Brother Scar rubbed his chin, ran his tongue over his lips, and looked at Yu Xiaogang with greed filling his eyes.
That sexy crew cut and sexy full beard, combined with a touch of pale-faced, pitiable charm, truly made his heart race.
"Huzi, don't talk about robbery in front of my darling. If you frighten my darling, don't blame me for getting rough with you."
Hearing Brother Scar say this, the mercenary called Huzi immediately shot Yu Xiaogang a wicked grin. He knew Brother Scar's tastes.
"Got it, Brother Scar."
"We'll keep watch for you. We won't let anyone disturb you."
"You must be pent up after spending so long in this Soul Hunting Forest. As long as you don't set your sights on your brothers, we'll support you no matter who you go after."
Brother Scar walked toward Yu Xiaogang with a wicked grin.
"Darling, you smell so good!"
Yu Xiaogang's expression changed drastically with fright. He had run into a pervert. Backing away, he snapped:
"Do you know who I am? I'm Yu Xiaogang, the Grandmaster renowned throughout the Douluo Continent for Martial Soul Theory. Have you heard of the once-famous Golden Iron Triangle? I'm its core, the Horn of Wisdom. My two followers are both Soul Saints. If you dare touch me, they won't let you get away with it."
Brother Scar was not intimidated and continued advancing toward Yu Xiaogang, step by step.
"Oh! So you're Yu Xiaogang. Then do you know who we are?"
How would Yu Xiaogang know such small fry? He frowned, his expression haughty.
"Why would I know small fry like you? Leave now, and I can pretend nothing happened!"
Brother Scar roared with laughter, his mouth stretching toward his ears in an utterly wicked grin.
"Darling, oh, darling. You don't even know who we are. How will you get revenge on us later?"
"We already know who you are, Yu Xiaogang. If we hear anything that angers us after we leave the Soul Hunting Forest, don't blame us loudmouths for telling the entire Douluo Continent exactly what happened today."
Yu Xiaogang's face turned as white as paper.
His reputation was what he valued most in life. If it was ruined, he would be finished.
Trading his reputation for the lives of these three lowlife scum.
That was something he absolutely could not do.
"Don't try anything! I'm no pushover. Come out, Luo Sanpao!"
Brother Scar's expression chilled. He cast an ill-intentioned glance at Tang San, who was still absorbing his Soul Ring.
"Darling Gangzi, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit."
"You wouldn't want anything to happen to that boy absorbing his Soul Ring over there, would you?"
"Huzi, Old Cat!"
At these words, the other two mercenaries walked toward Tang San with wicked grins.
"No!" Yu Xiaogang cried out. Tang San, who possessed Twin Martial Souls, was his only hope of proving his theories.
He absolutely could not stand by and watch Tang San fail to absorb his Soul Ring.
Two trails of clear tears slid from the corners of his eyes.
"Don't hurt him. I'll agree to anything..."
Overjoyed, Brother Scar waved his hand, and the two mercenaries called Huzi and Old Cat stopped.
"That's more like it, darling Gangzi. I'll be very gentle."
After Tang San woke up, he felt refreshed and clearheaded.
To his delight, he discovered that the bottleneck at the first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, which had troubled him all this time, had finally broken after he absorbed the Soul Ring.
Tang San stood up and scratched his back.
Yu Xiaogang limped over. Seeing that Tang San had successfully absorbed his Soul Ring, he did not appear particularly delighted.
"Little San, how do you feel? What kind of Soul Skill did you obtain?"
Tang San scratched his arm and looked at Yu Xiaogang excitedly.
"Teacher, your theory wasn't wrong. This Mangy Snake's Soul Ring really suits me. I didn't experience any discomfort during the absorption."
"My first Soul Skill is called Blue Silver Entanglement. The Blue Silver Grass gained the Mangy Snake's toughness and potent venom. It can extend freely within a ten-meter range. Once it entangles an enemy, they won't be able to escape."
As he spoke, Tang San scratched his thigh again and summoned his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. A yellow Soul Ring also rose beneath his feet.
The next instant!
The yellow Soul Ring shone.
"First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Entanglement!"
The Blue Silver Grass sprang into action, wrapping around a small tree five meters away.
At last, a flicker of emotion appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face.
"Good. All that I've sacrificed wasn't in vain. Entangling and controlling-this is an essential skill for a control-type Soul Master."
"Little San, let's go back. Let's leave this sorrowful place."
Tang San withdrew his Blue Silver Grass and nodded in response.
"All right."
He kept feeling that something about Yu Xiaogang was different.
His expression always held a complexity Tang San could not fathom.
Precisely because he could not fathom it, Tang San felt ever more awed by Yu Xiaogang.
Neither joy nor anger showed on his face.
He truly was worthy of being his teacher.