Xiao Wu, I want you to help me cultivate

Yu Xiaogang's grand vision was immense. In his account, under his tutelage, Su Lin could even become a supreme powerhouse among Titled Douluo.

Xiao Wu sat beside them, staring dumbfounded at the grandiloquent Yu Xiaogang, not daring to breathe too loudly. She only felt that this man who called himself Grandmaster was terribly impressive, and feared that one careless slip would expose her true identity as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who had taken human form.

"Uh, sorry, but please allow me to refuse."

Just as Yu Xiaogang was speaking confidently, as though the future lay entirely in his grasp, Su Lin quietly raised his little hand.

The glow on Yu Xiaogang's face abruptly froze. Clearly, he had not expected his heartfelt projections to earn such a clean, decisive rejection. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he asked somewhat awkwardly, "Can you tell me why? Do you find my theories untrustworthy, or do you have other concerns?"

"There's no particular reason. I just don't plan on taking a master for now," Su Lin said matter-of-factly.

"Well..." Yu Xiaogang was momentarily at a loss for words. He had come forward himself to take on a disciple, thinking that a six-year-old child would surely agree with delight upon hearing his reputation and promises. After all, this was an opportunity countless Soul Masters could only dream of obtaining. He had never imagined being rejected so bluntly, and could not help growing a little anxious.

Such a unique symbiotic Martial Soul was simply a perfect specimen bestowed by heaven for validating his theories. If he could take Su Lin under his wing, his theory of the Ten Core Competencies might well advance another step. He might even complete the Soul Beast symbiosis system. Missing out would truly be a pity.

But he also knew that taking a disciple could not be forced. Pressing too hard would only provoke resentment, making it an inferior approach instead.

With no other choice, he suppressed his emotions, slowly straightened in his seat, and nodded with feigned composure, softening his tone. "That's all right. Cultivation should follow your own heart; it cannot be forced. I live in west room three of the staff dormitory. Whenever you come around, you can come find me at any time. Day or night, I'm generally there."

"West room three. I'll remember that." Su Lin repeated it to show that he understood.

"Mm." Yu Xiaogang nodded, managing to keep his mask of composure reasonably steady. After one last complicated look at Su Lin, he turned and headed toward the stairs.

Only after his figure had vanished completely around the bend in the stairs did Xiao Wu let out a long breath, swallow the food in her mouth, and tilt her head toward Su Lin, her face full of confusion. "He just said he wanted to teach you things, and that he could make you a really, really powerful Soul Master. Why didn't you agree? Everything he said sounded so well-reasoned. He seemed really impressive."

"You said it yourself. He only seemed that way." Su Lin pulled out a napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth, not taking Yu Xiaogang's promises to heart at all. He casually joked, "Old Zhao, who guards the gate at our village entrance, used to say when he was young that he'd become a Titled Douluo sooner or later."

Xiao Wu gave an "Oh," only half understanding, and did not dwell on it. Turning away, she scooped up a large spoonful of egg drop soup and drank it with relish, throwing the little incident to the back of her mind in an instant.

They swept through the meal like a gale sweeping away clouds, leaving the plates on the table empty. Xiao Wu leaned back in her chair, rubbed her round little belly with her small hands, and gave a tiny, satisfied burp, her cheeks rosy.

Seeing her like this, Su Lin could not help smiling. He leaned closer and asked solemnly, "Xiao Wu, do you have anything else to do this afternoon?"

Xiao Wu blinked and shook her head blankly. "I'm free. Why? Do you need something?"

"Yes!" Su Lin nodded emphatically. Under Xiao Wu's increasingly curious gaze, he said each word distinctly, "Xiao Wu, I want you to help me cultivate."

"Huh?"

Ten minutes later, Su Lin brought Xiao Wu to a clearing on the mountain behind Nuoding Academy.

"This is the spot." He turned to face Xiao Wu, hefted the Poké Ball in his hand, and asked with a cheerful smile, "Ready?"

Xiao Wu stood on the opposite side of the clearing, loosening her wrists and ankles, her long scorpion braid tossed behind her. At his question, she nodded vigorously. "Ready! Bring it on!"

Although Su Lin had stopped her at the entrance to Dorm Seven and kept her from fighting, now that she really could stretch her muscles, the little bit of fighting spirit she had suppressed began bubbling up again.

Of course, as a fellow Soul Beast, she also knew that a three-hundred-year Soul Beast corresponded to a Soul Grandmaster above rank twenty.

Although that rank was not particularly powerful among humans, for her, having only just taken human form, it was already an extremely troublesome opponent that required careful handling.

"All right!" Su Lin grinned, drew his arm all the way back, and hurled it forward. The Poké Ball traced a beautiful arc through the air as it flew toward Xiao Wu.

"I choose you! Pikachu!"

The Poké Ball flew to a point three feet in front of Xiao Wu. The ring of silvery-gray metal around its center flashed, and with a click, the ball opened to either side along the boundary between red and white. A streak of golden light shot out, bounced once on the grass as it landed, and planted four short little legs firmly on the ground. Its cheeks puffed slightly as it let out a fierce Noble Roar-

"Squeak!"

As for why he had recalled the Lightning Rat, which had already been outside, into its Poké Ball only to release it again...

Naturally, it was for the sense of ceremony.

Su Lin firmly believed that the core experience of using a Poké Ball was calling out the Pokémon's name as you threw it. Skipping that step was like eating hot pot without dipping sauce-utterly tasteless.

Pikachu's short golden fur bristled slightly, and a fine layer of golden electrical arcs appeared over his body, crackling and dancing within a small area. Even the air around him grew slightly hot under that faint power of lightning.

At this point, Su Lin retreated to the edge of the field and folded his arms, adopting the air of a spectator directing the course of the world. He lifted his chin toward the center of the field. "Pikachu, quick, use Lightning Sucker Punch on Xiao Wu!"

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

Pikachu roared and kicked hard with his hind legs, leaving two shallow paw prints in the turf as his entire body shot forward in a streak of golden light.

Xiao Wu shifted her footing. Although ninety-nine percent of the foundation she had accumulated over a hundred thousand years as a Soft Bone Rabbit had been sealed after she took human form, the remaining one percent still gave her agility and flexibility far beyond an ordinary six-year-old child's. With a slight twist of her waist and a sudden burst of force from her calves, she launched herself away like a released spring, barely avoiding Pikachu's lunging claws.

But speed was Pikachu's forte to begin with. The moment his lunge missed, he turned and flicked his tail. Three golden electrical arcs as fine as hair shot through the air, flying toward Xiao Wu's ankles with faint sizzling sounds.

Xiao Wu reacted extremely quickly, pushing off with her toes and rolling across the ground. Seizing the opening as she dodged, Pikachu exerted himself again, his entire body hurtling toward Xiao Wu's face like a golden cannonball.