"Xiao San, what happened to me?"
Yu Xiaogang looked around, his memories still frozen at the moment before he fought the Mandala Snake.
As Tang San bandaged him, he explained, "Teacher, the Mandala Snake ambushed you and knocked you unconscious!"
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang immediately went on full alert and hurriedly asked, "Where's the snake? Why did you come back?"
He propped himself up and stood, walking step by step toward the Mandala Snake's corpse.
"Who did this?"
"Th-this... you actually killed a hundred-year Mandala Snake!"
"This wound struck a vital spot. The technique was incredibly sharp-clearly the work of someone well practiced!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Tang San pointed at Chen An. "It was Xiao An. He used his Soul Skill to kill it while it wasn't paying attention!"
Chen An kept his lips tightly shut, inwardly grumbling, Heh, wasn't it someone else's Tang Sect Secret Arts that did the job? All I did was land the finishing blow!
"Well done, but don't take a risk like that again."
"After all, even I, your teacher, couldn't deal with such a ferocious Soul Beast!"
"Wait!"
"You're saying Chen An has a Soul Skill?!"
Tang San nodded, and both of them turned in unison toward Chen An, who was watching the show beside them.
Chen An took a deep breath and slowly explained, "Teacher, when Xiao San said he was going to find you, I was afraid he wouldn't be able to handle it, so I took it upon myself to absorb a Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo as my Soul Ring!"
"You... honestly!" Yu Xiaogang shook his head, at a loss for words.
Someone with Innate Full Soul Power actually had a white First Soul Ring. People would laugh their teeth out if word got around.
"Teacher, I..."
Chen An wanted to keep playing the sympathy card, but Yu Xiaogang unexpectedly raised a hand to stop him.
He gave a light cough and first comforted Chen An. "It's all right. Plenty of people your age have ten-year First Soul Rings. Besides, you had a reason. I'm also to blame for failing you as your teacher!"
Seeing the matter settled, Chen An quietly let go of the worry hanging over his heart.
Just then.
An unexpected remark from Yu Xiaogang struck him like a bolt of lightning.
"From now on, call me Grandmaster in public. In private, you may call me Teacher!"
Chen An froze.
He stared blankly at Yu Xiaogang, turning those words over and over in his mind.
What the fuck!
What was Gangzi doing?
H-how could he slaughter the donkey the moment it was done turning the mill?!
"Don't overthink it. This will only benefit you, not harm you!" Yu Xiaogang added, patting Chen An on the shoulder.
Seizing the moment, Tang San changed the subject. "Teacher, I want to absorb the Soul Ring produced by this Mandala Snake!"
"Hiss..."
"Theoretically, it's possible!"
Yu Xiaogang nodded. He found Tang San much more pleasing to the eye than Chen An.
"But I have a Plant Martial Soul. Will absorbing a snake-type Soul Ring really not cause a conflict?" Tang San asked doubtfully.
Yu Xiaogang nodded approvingly and brought out his Martial Soul Mimicry Theory:
"Conventional understanding does hold that Plant Martial Souls should absorb plant Soul Rings, while Beast Martial Souls absorb beast Soul Rings. Crossing categories can easily make your body explode.
But Blue Silver Grass is inherently weak and highly accommodating, with almost no rejection. You also have Innate Full Soul Power, and your tolerance falls right around four hundred and twenty-three years!"
Growing more excited as he spoke, Yu Xiaogang stepped forward and grasped Tang San's shoulders. "Xiao San, are you willing to try? The theory is sound, but you'll be the first person to do this. There will be risks!"
Tang San nodded. "Teacher, then let me put your theory into practice!"
Chen An stayed off to one side, watching the two perform, and thought Gangzi really was inhuman.
He was even letting his disciple try out a theory he had pulled out of his fucking ass. Perhaps not being his disciple was a good thing after all.
Chen An sat quietly in meditation.
He would begin cultivating diligently to surpass God King Tang, preparing to seize opportunities and Xiao Wu in the future.
"Chen An, while Xiao San is absorbing his Soul Ring, show me your First Soul Skill!"
Seeing how relaxed Chen An was, Yu Xiaogang couldn't resist wanting to know what his First Soul Skill was.
Fuck!
Weren't you supposed to be guarding God King Tang while he absorbed his Soul Ring?
How did you find the time to turn your attention to me? And you call Tang San by his nickname, but use my full name?!
Blatant double standards! I protest! I protest!
Despite his utter unwillingness, Chen An had no choice but to give in.
He summoned his Martial Soul, Lone Bamboo, and demonstrated his First Soul Skill, Piercing, before Yu Xiaogang.
When he saw the hole in the large tree, Yu Xiaogang suddenly felt that Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo might have been a decent choice.
Had Chen An heard Gangzi's thoughts, he would inevitably have given him another vicious tongue-lashing.
"Wait!"
"Your Piercing also carries elemental power?"
Yu Xiaogang noticed some inexplicable ice grass clinging to the hole in the large tree.
The corners of Chen An's mouth lifted slightly. "Grandmaster, I don't really understand it either. I just feel comfortable in this forest!"
"You... you have affinity too?" Yu Xiaogang felt as though his head would explode.
So choosing Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo had been right after all. Yu Xiaogang secretly gritted his teeth in regret. If only I'd known, I would've had Xiao San choose Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo as his Soul Ring!
What if this Mandala Snake gives poor results or puts him in danger!
Chen An had no desire to know what Yu Xiaogang was thinking.
He silently sat down again to meditate and cultivate.
Ever since the system had granted him the hidden Easter egg, Chen An had discovered that his Soul Power had risen by three levels, reaching level thirteen.
"Teacher, I'm done!"
After quite a while, Tang San finally finished absorbing it.
Yu Xiaogang eagerly stepped forward to ask about his condition and Soul Skill.
After taking a brief look, he thought it was quite good. Blue Silver Grass now carried the Mandala Snake's paralytic effect-a definite improvement.
But deep down, he felt it fell short of the ten-year solitary bamboo.
The ice grass element came with its own affinity. Wouldn't that make cultivation much faster than an ordinary person's?
"What's happening with Xiao An?"
"How did his Soul Power reach level thirteen?"
Tang San noticed that Chen An's Soul Power had risen by almost two levels.
"Ah, what a monster!"
Yu Xiaogang regretted his earlier words. He hadn't expected that even he would one day misjudge someone.
He told Tang San the entire sequence of events, along with his conjectures.
The latter remained stunned for a long time after hearing him out.
He murmured to himself:
"Could Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo really be that powerful?"
"Did I miss out on a great opportunity?"