Lin Mo still stood ramrod straight, his voice calm and unruffled as he refused once again. "Thank you for your kindness, Grandmaster.
"However, I feel that my cultivation is going very well at present. I haven't encountered any so-called bottleneck, and I have no plans to take a master for now."
Before Yu Xiaogang could object, he continued, "Besides, my martial soul is fire-attributed, which doesn't match the attributes of your Luo Sanpao, Grandmaster.
"More importantly, Grandmaster, you... are not my ideal choice of teacher."
Lin Mo's words were clear and blunt, every word like a little hammer striking Yu Xiaogang's sensitive pride.
"Leaving theoretical research aside for the moment, just in terms of acquiring soul rings..." Lin Mo's calm gaze swept over Yu Xiaogang's face, which had abruptly darkened at his words, and he continued,
"What I need is a teacher who can give me practical protection and advice when I acquire my soul rings.
"Not a teacher who can only teach me theories. In fact... I can't even be certain whether those theories are true."
At this point, Lin Mo paused again and looked at Yu Xiaogang, his gaze more serious than ever as he said each word distinctly:
"So, no matter how I look at it, Grandmaster, you are not my ideal teacher. Let's not bring up taking you as my master again."
Lin Mo's words left him no face at all, each sentence striking Yu Xiaogang right where it hurt.
"You!" Yu Xiaogang's already stiff face now grew so dark it seemed ready to drip water.
His instinct was to speak up and refute him, to accuse Lin Mo of being arrogant and ignorant, of failing to appreciate an opportunity. He was simply squandering his tremendous talent!
Yet his lips trembled a few times, and he found that he could not muster a single forceful rebuttal.
Because every word Lin Mo had said was an undeniable fact.
His level limitations, the difference in their martial souls... these were all vast chasms standing between him and the image of an "excellent teacher."
A sense of helplessness, along with the shame and anger of having his disguise exposed, instantly engulfed him.
The atmosphere suddenly grew somewhat stiff and awkward.
Just as Yu Xiaogang found himself unable to back down gracefully, Dean Wang Zongchang finally spoke again. He chuckled and stepped in at the right moment to smooth things over.
"All right, all right, Xiaogang, don't be so impatient. Student Lin Mo has his own thoughts and considerations. That's perfectly normal."
Wang Zongchang first soothed the livid-faced Yu Xiaogang before turning his gaze back to Lin Mo, that same inscrutable smile still on his face.
"Lin Mo, to tell you the truth, I really am very curious about that new martial soul that hatched from your egg.
"It was precisely that curiosity that made me bring Grandmaster along to have a chat with you."
Wang Zongchang sounded very easygoing. "But you can rest assured. I understand your concerns. Naturally, Grandmaster and I won't ask to see your martial soul for nothing."
He paused briefly, then offered his terms. "I already know that your soul power has broken through level ten.
"As payment for showing us your martial soul, I can personally help you obtain a hundred-year soul ring suited to your martial soul during the academy's Soul Hunting Operation at the end of this year. What do you think?"
"A hundred-year soul ring?"
At Wang Zongchang's words, clear surprise appeared on Lin Mo's face for the first time. He looked with some astonishment at this dean who rarely concerned himself with affairs.
At Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy, apart from a tiny handful of fortunate students like Tang San and Xiao Wu whose first soul rings were hundred-year ones,
the vast majority of students, including the city lord's son Xiao Chenyu, had only obtained white ten-year soul rings as their first soul rings.
The reason for this situation was not complicated.
The academy's foremost consideration when organizing Soul Hunting Operations was the students' safety.
Taking a group of children who had only just reached level ten and had almost no combat experience into the Soul Hunting Forest to hunt soul beasts already placed enormous risks on the teachers leading them.
They were only a junior Soul Master Academy, after all. Their teaching staff and high-level combat strength were limited. They could not have their students venture deep into the Soul Hunting Forest at the risk of their lives in pursuit of so-called limit soul rings.
Under these various constraints, apart from a few people with special backgrounds or exceptional luck, the first soul rings most students could obtain were essentially all 10-Year Soul Rings.
A hundred-year soul ring was no small temptation to any soul master whose cultivation had just broken through level ten.
After all, the enhancements a 10-Year Soul Ring gave a soul master certainly could not compare with those of a hundred-year soul ring. The latter meant stronger attribute enhancements and more powerful soul skills.
Lin Mo looked into Dean Wang Zongchang's smiling eyes and rapidly weighed the matter.
Just showing Charmander would get a Soul Ancestor-level expert to personally hunt a hundred-year soul beast for me... this deal isn't a loss.
As his main martial soul, Charmander would inevitably have to appear before everyone in the future.
Trading a piece of known information for a tangible benefit now was quite a worthwhile bargain.
Moreover, if he missed this opportunity, it would be very difficult to obtain a hundred-year first soul ring through his own strength later on.
At this thought, Lin Mo no longer hesitated. He nodded to Dean Wang Zongchang and said solemnly:
"Since you've put it that way, Dean, refusing any further would mean failing to appreciate your kindness. I agree to your terms."
"Good! Decisive!" Seeing Lin Mo agree, Wang Zongchang's smile deepened.
Besides curiosity, a hint of appraisal entered his gaze as he looked at Lin Mo.
Lin Mo had taken only half a year to raise his soul power from level six to level ten. That cultivation speed was already enough to show just how outstanding his talent for cultivating soul power was.
If his martial soul's talent was equally remarkable...
Wang Zongchang pondered inwardly, even beginning to consider whether, if this child's martial soul truly had enormous potential,
he would be willing to do him another favor and take Lin Mo to the Soul Hunting Forest alone, helping him obtain the hundred-year soul ring best suited to him one-on-one.
After all, investing in a future powerhouse ahead of time would never be a losing proposition.
Moreover, with his strength as a Soul Ancestor, he had ample confidence that he could take Lin Mo into the Soul Hunting Forest and emerge unscathed, while helping him obtain the most suitable hundred-year soul ring.
Seeing Lin Mo finally relent, Yu Xiaogang's expression eased somewhat, though he clearly was not satisfied with merely taking a look at his martial soul.
He picked up the conversation and offered his own suggestion. "Since we're observing a martial soul, nothing can reveal its abilities and potential more directly than actual combat."
As he spoke, he turned and beckoned to Tang San, who had been quietly waiting nearby. "Xiao San, come here."
Once Tang San had approached, Yu Xiaogang continued, "Lin Mo, why don't you spar with Xiao San?
"Let me see with my own eyes just what your martial soul can do."
At Yu Xiaogang's words, Lin Mo's face remained expressionless, but inwardly, he understood everything.
Sure enough, this was what he had waiting for me.
Tang San was probably here not merely to bring Yu Xiaogang word. More likely, Yu Xiaogang had already arranged for him to serve as the "whetstone" for testing the strength of Lin Mo's martial soul.
He glanced at Tang San and saw that Tang San was also looking at him, his gaze complicated, carrying a trace of apology as well as an eager fighting spirit.
"Sure." Lin Mo calmly nodded, agreeing to Yu Xiaogang's request.
He also wanted to see what kind of combat strength the newly hatched Charmander could display against Tang San, who possessed a hundred-year soul ring and the Tang Sect's secret techniques.