Soto City
Shrek Academy Cafeteria
Zhao Wuji and a group of teachers were chatting over the latest issue of the Martial Soul Report.
"Ah, I'm not exaggerating, but Master Xiao Yan really has published so many papers!" Zhao Wuji said loudly, each word like a big bun.
Then, realizing it might not be the best idea to speak so freely, Zhao Wuji glanced around. Seeing that the stingy Yu Xiaogang wasn't around, he continued:
"Yu Xiaogang isn't as impressive as Master Xiao Yan. In all these years, he's only published three papers."
Zhao Wuji didn't really understand the practical use of self-condensing soul rings or spirit conduction devices. He was simply comparing the two by quantity.
"Old Zhao, keep your voice down." Shao Xin, with a bun stuffed in his mouth, mumbled, his words unclear.
"Keep my voice down? Down for what?" Zhao Wuji didn't catch the hint and continued loudly.
"Listen, don't tell anyone else. When I bought the Martial Soul Report in Soto City today, I overheard the Soul Masters here talking…"
"What I heard was that, yes, Yu Xiaogang is a master, but compared to Master Xiao Lin, he's only half a master."
"Ha ha ha ha!" Zhao Wuji got carried away and laughed loudly, paying no attention to his manners.
Shao Xin and Li Yusong nearby fell silent, embarrassed.
At that moment, Zhao Wuji suddenly realized something.
As he slowly turned his head, a face as dark as a storm cloud appeared in his vision.
It was Yu Xiaogang, who had come to the cafeteria to eat.
His face was terrifyingly dark, and he was visibly exerting effort to control himself. Zhao Wuji could clearly see him gritting his teeth with force.
Awkwardly, Zhao Wuji scratched his head and forced a laugh:
"Ha ha… Master is eating here too, huh?"
"Mm, I'm only half a master."
Yu Xiaogang walked past Zhao Wuji and the others without even greeting them.
After Yu Xiaogang left, Zhao Wuji whispered to Shao Xin and the others: "See, I told you Yu Xiaogang is stingy!"
Elsewhere, Yu Xiaogang had ordered two buns and was biting into them viciously.
"Damn Xiao Yan… it's you again!"
In his mind, Yu Xiaogang cursed Xiao Yan hundreds of times in just a few seconds.
For Yu Xiaogang, his student was about to mature, and the Soul Master world had re-recognized his status as a master.
He should have been enjoying a great career harvest.
He had even carefully styled his hair in a perfect, pure Shizui-style haircut to look neat and clean when visiting Liu Erlong at the Blue Tyrant Academy with Shrek's geniuses.
But when he woke up, everything collapsed.
That damn Xiao Yan had released new papers, ruthlessly pushing him down.
He would never forget the humiliation Xiao Yan's paper had inflicted on him.
As he thought this, Yu Xiaogang suddenly felt a sharp pain in his teeth.
"Hiss!"
Opening his mouth, he saw a little blood and fragments of teeth on the bun—he had broken a tooth.
"Ahhh! Xiao Yan, you're truly despicable!"
Yu Xiaogang no longer wanted to eat.
Being constantly outclassed by Xiao Yan in professional matters left him with no heart for anything.
He thought: if Xiao Yan saw Xiao Lin and the others during the Advanced Academy tournament and snatched away the disciples he had already selected…
No, he couldn't think about it—he would break another tooth.
Putting down the barely edible buns, Yu Xiaogang stormed out of the cafeteria.
He was determined to find a flaw in Xiao Yan's paper.
Otherwise, he would never be satisfied.
His face flushed red as he ran, panting heavily.
Royal Dou Battle Team
Back at the Tian Dou Royal Academy, Xiao Lin found Tang San and Xiao Wu, who had been training for some time.
"Xiao San!"
Xiao Lin's shout immediately pulled Tang San out of his Xuantian Gong practice.
"Lin Ge! You're back!" Tang San exclaimed, his face full of excitement.
"Lin Ge?"
Xiao Wu, rubbing her eyes, also recognized the familiar figure.
"Xiao San, did you see Grandpa Old Jack after returning?"
Xiao Lin hurried forward and gave Tang San a big hug, then asked curiously.
"Mm, Grandpa Old Jack is in great health and is now a Soul Master." Tang San whispered into Xiao Lin's ear.
But the next second, Tang San noticed something unusual about Xiao Lin.
"Lin Ge, your strength has increased so much… I can barely handle it."
Tang San stepped out of Xiao Lin's hug and observed with a flicker of purple aura.
"Got lucky, found a good Soul Beast. How about you? How have you been?" Xiao Lin asked.
Tang San recounted nearly a month's worth of progress, and Xiao Lin quickly understood.
Tang San and Xiao Wu had gone to the Holy Soul Village, giving Grandpa Old Jack a Zhu Fruit and obtaining a ten-year Blue Silver Grass soul ring for him.
Xiao Wu had acquired a self-condensing soul ring; her fourth soul skill was Invincible Golden Body lasting exactly 10,000 years.
Besides the continuous enhancement of her lightning attribute, her fourth soul ring now also had some array perception.
Tang San's fourth soul ring, with Xiao Wu's help, came from the Demonic Eye Demon Tree.
Its age was 14,000 years, and the soul skill was One Eye Ten Thousand Years, mentally attacking enemies and greatly dulling their senses—tested by Xiao Wu, it slowed them by at least three times.
Additionally, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass regenerated three times faster.
Tang San also learned a new spiritual soul-force attack from the Demonic Eye Demon Tree.
The tree's regeneration allowed it to summon branches continuously, but this new attack differed from his original Purple Extreme Demon Eye attack.
Xiao Lin could also practice this technique, but it required the mental strength of a Douluo level master to use.
Finally, Tang San obtained a nearly 40,000-year-old external head soul bone from the tree—a special soul bone formed through fusion over time.
Its soul skill involved soul attacks and some pollution ability. Tang San did not fuse it yet and stored it in his storage spirit conduction device.
Xiao Lin had also prepared a 10,000-year-old left leg bone, which Tang San declined. He only accepted soul bones of five thousand years or more.
After detailing his progress, Tang San handed over the two soul bones to Xiao Lin, who in turn gave him rare ores.
Tang San wasn't interested in the leg bone but was intrigued by the external head soul bone, hoping Xiao Lin could purify it. Xiao Lin agreed.
Tang San had said it, so now Xiao Lin owed him nothing—he could selfishly keep the other one from the Dark Demon God Tiger and the Evil Eye on the other continent.
Xiao Lin also asked Xiao Wu why she refused the 10,000-year-old leg bone; she only wanted speed-type soul bones.
Helpless, Xiao Lin kept the bones for study and chatted with them about the extreme northern lands.
Hearing about Xiao Lin being hunted, Tang San became furious.
Xiao Donnie had never told him these things, but now, knowing the full story, he had already set his sights on the mastermind.
Tang San clenched his fists, narrowing his eyes: "Lin Ge, don't worry. We'll take down that mastermind together."
"He already has a path to death! I'll make sure he can neither survive nor die!"
At the end, Tang San added a quote from the Xuantian Treasure Record.
"Lin Ge, I'll help too." Xiao Wu quickly raised her hand to make her presence known.
At this point, their levels were: Xiao Lin 45 (after absorbing the Chaos Right Leg Bone, he could strengthen without side effects), Tang San 46, Xiao Wu 48.
(End of Chapter)