"Good! Then let's head straight to the academy's sparring ground reserved for teachers. It's quiet enough there that we won't need to worry about being disturbed."
Seeing that both sides agreed, Headmaster Wang Zongchang settled the matter with a bang of the gavel and took the initiative to lead the way.
The four of them passed through the teaching building and headed toward a relatively secluded area behind the academy.
Before long, they arrived at an open-air training ground in a quiet corner.
The grounds were not particularly large, and the floor was paved with hard bluestone slabs. It was clearly intended for teachers to spar or coach senior students.
After entering, Headmaster Wang Zongchang smiled at Lin Mo and said, "Lin Mo, this is secluded enough, isn't it?
"Don't worry. I guarantee that no one besides the four of us will know about the course or outcome of your spar."
When Lin Mo heard Yu Xiaogang propose that Tang San spar with him, his expression remained unchanged, but his mind was as clear as a polished mirror.
He knew perfectly well what Yu Xiaogang was scheming. He merely wanted to use Tang San to probe the depths of his Charmander's abilities.
However, Lin Mo was not opposed to it. He was even a little eager to try.
He also wanted to see just how far he could go against Tang San with Charmander alone, without using his second Martial Soul or the Blood Burst technique.
Before the spar began, however, some unpleasant things still had to be said up front.
Lin Mo looked at Yu Xiaogang, then glanced at the silent Tang San beside him before slowly saying, "I'm fine with sparring, but I have one condition."
Yu Xiaogang's brows rose slightly on his stiff face. Though somewhat surprised, he still listened patiently. "Go ahead."
"Since this is a contest between Soul Masters, we should naturally rely only on our Martial Souls and Soul Skills."
He was, of course, referring to Tang San's hidden weapons.
After Tang San returned from obtaining his first Soul Ring with Yu Xiaogang, things had indeed gone just as Lin Mo had expected.
He had already found work at a smithy outside Nuoding City, not only to support himself, but also to use the available materials and workspace to forge his hidden weapons.
Lin Mo had no desire to be struck out of nowhere by a Silent Sleeve Arrow or a Godly Zhuge Crossbow during their spar.
If those things were coated in poison, they were no laughing matter.
Although Tang San most likely would not use poisoned hidden weapons in an academy spar, one could never let down one's guard against others.
At Lin Mo's words, Tang San's pupils contracted slightly, and a barely perceptible trace of surprise crossed his face.
He knew Lin Mo was aware that he had forged those weapons, but he had never expected Lin Mo to bring it up on such an occasion and forbid him from using hidden weapons.
He had not expected Lin Mo to take his hidden weapons so seriously.
After all, the two people he cared about most, Yu Xiaogang and Xiao Wu, thought the peculiar weapons Tang San tinkered with were of little use, regarding them as nothing more than children's toys.
He instinctively looked toward his teacher, Yu Xiaogang.
After hearing Lin Mo's condition, Yu Xiaogang merely considered it briefly before making the decision for Tang San.
He looked at Lin Mo and said firmly, "Naturally. Since this is a spar between Soul Masters, of course it should only be a contest of Martial Souls and Soul Skills.
"Xiao San's smithing work is merely something he does to make a living. Such things have no place in refined company, and naturally won't be used on an occasion like this."
Subconsciously, Yu Xiaogang did not believe Lin Mo could pose any threat to Tang San.
Although Lin Mo's cultivation had broken through to level ten, without his first Soul Ring, and thus without any Soul Skills, the improvement in his strength was limited.
Even if his Martial Soul was fire-attributed and naturally countered Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, the gap in Soul Power Level and practical combat experience remained.
Yu Xiaogang held his disciple's talent for combat in considerable esteem.
Tang San already possessed an extremely uncanny movement technique, and his first Soul Ring, from a Mandala Snake whose age had approached the limit, had greatly enhanced the toughness and strength of his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.
With his first Soul Skill, "Entanglement," Tang San's strength had undergone a heaven-and-earth transformation compared to before he obtained his Soul Ring.
Under these circumstances, Yu Xiaogang simply did not believe that Lin Mo, who did not even have a Soul Ring, could defeat Tang San, who was already a true One-Ring Soul Master.
An elemental advantage certainly existed, but how could an absolute gap in strength be crossed so easily?
He even felt that Lin Mo had proposed banning those weapons.
Most likely, he lacked confidence and wanted to weaken Tang San as much as possible so he could hold out a little longer and avoid losing too badly.
Seeing that his teacher had already agreed on his behalf, Tang San nodded at Lin Mo as well and said evenly, "I agree. In this spar, I'll only use my Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul."
His eyes were equally confident. Although he was somewhat curious about Lin Mo's Charmander Martial Soul, he had even greater confidence in his own strength.
Even without hidden weapons, he was confident he could win this spar.
Seeing that both sides had reached an agreement, Headmaster Wang Zongchang chuckled and stepped forward to smooth things over while also making his position clear.
"All right, all right. Since the conditions are settled, I'll serve as the referee for this spar." Wang Zongchang wore a genial smile as his gaze swept over Lin Mo and Tang San.
"You two can go all out. With a Soul Ancestor like me keeping watch, there absolutely won't be any accidents, nor will I let anyone disturb you."
He spoke with complete assurance. As a Soul Ancestor, he already ranked among the strongest combatants in a place like Nuoding City.
Supervising a spar between two children who were not even Soul Grandmasters was naturally more than within his abilities.
With the headmaster personally serving as referee and protector, the last of Lin Mo's and Tang San's concerns disappeared.
The two exchanged a glance, each seeing fighting spirit rising in the other's eyes.
Then, under Yu Xiaogang's and Wang Zongchang's expectant gazes, Lin Mo stirred his thoughts.
A flash of red light passed, and the small, orange-yellow dragon-like creature with a flame burning on its tail appeared once more on the ground before him.
It was none other than Charmander!
Charmander seemed to sense the somewhat tense and expectant atmosphere as well. It raised its head, its large blue eyes warily surveying Tang San opposite it.
A low "woah" sounded in its throat, and the flame on its tail shot a little higher with a whoosh, leaving it looking full of vigor and brimming with fighting spirit.
"This is... the Martial Soul that hatched from that egg?" Yu Xiaogang's breathing abruptly caught. His eyes widened in an instant as he stared fixedly at Charmander beside Lin Mo's feet.
Although he had already heard from Tang San that Lin Mo's Martial Soul had hatched, hearing something a hundred times could not compare to seeing it once.
Seeing this living External Beast Martial Soul with his own eyes had a far greater impact on him than merely hearing about it.
This was also Headmaster Wang Zongchang's first time seeing Charmander appear, and he could not help revealing a trace of wonder in his eyes.
Almost instinctively, Yu Xiaogang compared the Charmander before him with his own Luo Sanpao.
The moment he compared them, the difference was clear!