The external Spirit Bone, the Eight Spider Lances, had granted him a new Spirit Ability called Purification. Its effect was deceptively simple: it could instantly clear all status effects from a target, including both positive buffs and negative debuffs, essentially resetting a person to their natural state. It was a divine skill.
He could use it to strip away an opponent's enhancements, like Dai Mubai's White Tiger Vajra Transformation or even Zhao Wuji's Spirit Avatar. He could also use it on himself. If he ate a black garlic and the fifty-percent boost wore off, a single use of Purification would instantly remove the lingering negative side effects. It was perfect.
His third Spirit Ability, which came from the Man-Faced Demon Spider's ring, was a more precise and powerful version of his first. It narrowed the focus of his curses from general effects to targeting specific organs within the human body.
Early the next morning, Ye Yin went to the academy's cafeteria for a standard breakfast of porridge, pickles, steamed buns, and eggs. As he was eating, he saw a familiar face he hadn't seen in a while walk in with Tang San: Yu Xiaogang.
"Oh, Grandmaster is here," Ye Yin greeted him.
"Ye Yin," Yu Xiaogang replied, his usually expressionless face breaking into a rare smile upon seeing him. He was still hoping Ye Yin would help him properly connect with his new disciple, Tang San.
However, as Tang San placed a tray of the standard breakfast in front of him, Yu Xiaogang frowned, and his face darkened. "This is all Flender gives you children to eat?"
Tang San replied, "It's already pretty good. The steamed buns are filling, much better than what I had as a child."
"Nonsense." Yu Xiaogang put down the bun, his temper flaring. He had always been unyielding in his principles. "You are all at a crucial stage of development. Your body is the foundation of your Spirit. Without a healthy body, how can you possibly sustain intense cultivation?"
Ye Yin immediately clapped in agreement. "Breakfast has to be good! At the very least, there should be meat!"
Yu Xiaogang looked at Ye Yin and nodded emphatically. "Exactly! Breakfast should include plenty of meat to supplement your nutrition."
Ye Yin silently took a can of surströmming from his spirit tool. "Grandmaster, you're absolutely right," he said with utmost sincerity. "This is a can of surströmming. It'll give you some extra nutrition. Don't worry, there's a share for everyone!"
Seeing the can, Zhu Zhuqing immediately stood up. "I'm full!" she announced, before leaving the cafeteria without a backward glance. Most of the other students followed her example, making a quick escape.
Even Tang San swallowed nervously. "Grandmaster, I suddenly don't feel hungry anymore."
"Nonsense!" Yu Xiaogang slammed his hand on the table. "Even if you're not hungry, you must eat! You will eat this surströmming—all of it. We'll each have a can. If you don't finish it, don't even think about studying with me."
Licking his lips in anticipation, Yu Xiaogang pried open a small gap in the can. He was a little eager himself.
"Ugh!"
[Resentment from Yu Xiaogang +30!]
The overpowering stench hit him like a physical blow. He thought his sense of smell must be malfunctioning, so he leaned in and sniffed again.
"Ugh!" This time, the retch was even more violent.
[Resentment from Yu Xiaogang +31!]
It wasn't just him. Beside him, Tang San also started dry heaving.
[Resentment from Tang San +22!]
"Ye Yin, the smell of this stuff... ugh! How can it be so... foul!" Yu Xiaogang choked out, nearly suffocating. It was like the smell of rotten rice, decaying fruit, and spoiled meat all mixed together. He had just declared that Tang San had to eat it all. He wished he could slap himself for speaking so rashly.
Ye Yin just shook his head. "That's the fragrance of fermentation. It's a rare delicacy and very precious. It's a great tonic! If you find the smell too strong, you can try mixing it with the plain porridge to make it more delicious."
Tang San and Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. They each dumped their can of fish into a large bowl of porridge, hoping to dilute the smell. Just as they leaned in to try it, two simultaneous gags burst out.
"Ugh!" "Ugh!"
[Resentment from Yu Xiaogang +31!]
[Resentment from Tang San +22!]
Originally, they only had to force down two small fish. Now, the ridiculously odorous task had transformed into eating two fish plus an entire bowl of foul-smelling porridge. Realizing this suggestion had come from Ye Yin, they both wished they could turn back time. How could they have been so careless? This wasn't just bad; it was inhuman.
The school bell rang.
Ye Yin and the others waited on the training grounds for over half an hour before Tang San and Yu Xiaogang finally arrived, looking utterly devoid of life. Their eyes were vacant and bloodshot, and they moved like walking corpses.
"What's wrong with you two?" Flender asked curiously. "Xiaogang, you finally agreed to teach here, but you're half an hour late on your very first day."
Ye Yin excitedly raised his hand. "Report! Dean, I know!"
"Tell me."
"Tang San and Grandmaster supplemented too much nutrition!" Ye Yin declared. "In short, they overdid it!"
[Resentment from Yu Xiaogang +31!]
[Resentment from Tang San +22!]
Flender was stunned. "You can over-supplement? How did they manage that?"
Not only Flender, but every other teacher and student was curious. The cafeteria food was barely enough to fill one's stomach. How could anyone over-supplement with steamed buns and pickles?
"They each ate a can of surströmming mixed with porridge," Ye Yin explained.
Everyone present gasped in unison, and a wave of horrified understanding washed over the crowd.
[Resentment from Yu Xiaogang +31!]
[Resentment from Tang San +22!]
Hearing Ye Yin's explanation, everyone was speechless. That certainly qualified as over-supplementing. They hadn't realized their new teacher was so ruthless. Other than Ye Yin, he and Tang San were the only ones who had ever managed to eat it, and they had eaten it mixed with porridge, which was even more hardcore. Truly worthy of the title Grandmaster.
"Alright, everyone is here," Flender said, walking in front of the eight students and sweeping his serious gaze over them. "Now, I have a few things to announce. First, let me introduce you to... and finally, this is Teacher Yu Xiaogang, known to the outside world respectfully as Grandmaster."
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