The gatekeeper stood haughtily.
Tang San's eyes narrowed slightly as his hands moved toward his waist.
The third rule of the Xuan Tian Treasure Record...
Gu La, unwilling to waste time arguing with the gatekeeper, summoned his Groudon martial soul. A three-meter-tall red phantom hovered in mid-air.
"Scram!"
A quiet but authoritative command echoed, carrying the weight of a divine beast. The gatekeeper nearly lost his soul in fright, his legs buckling as he collapsed backward onto the ground, his face pale.
"Watch your mouth next time. Xiao San, let's go."
Gu La didn't spare another glance at the gatekeeper—a mere small fry, not even worth the effort of defeating, like a Bug Catcher who wouldn't yield rewards when defeated. He strode directly toward the academy gates.
Tang San relaxed his guard and murderous intent, casting a brief glance at the gatekeeper before quickly following Gu La.
"Wait!" A deep male voice called out from behind them.
It was Yu Xiaogang. As usual, he had gone to the Spirit Hall to check if his thesis had been published, but after nearly a month, there was still no news. His hopes were dwindling.
He had been in a foul mood, but upon seeing Gu La's martial soul, his spirits lifted immediately.
Yu Xiaogang didn't recognize the Groudon martial soul, but Gu La hadn't concealed his soul power fluctuations. As a twenty-nine-level Great Soul Master, Yu Xiaogang could tell that Gu La's cultivation level was definitely above ten.
Gu La stopped, turned around, and saw the stiff-faced middle-aged man. Recognizing Yu Xiaogang, he made no effort to hide his impatience. "What do you want?"
Yu Xiaogang was momentarily taken aback. What an arrogant kid.
Still, were children these days really so rude? He glanced at their patched clothes and decided not to make an issue of it.
Forcing a strained smile—his facial muscles clearly struggling—he gave off an air of insincerity and condescension.
"Children, may I see your martial soul certificates?"
"Are you a teacher here?"
Tang San cast a worried glance at the gatekeeper, thinking Yu Xiaogang might be looking for trouble.
"No, I'm a friend of the principal. I saw what happened earlier—it wasn't your fault."
Yu Xiaogang's expression turned stern as he barked at the gatekeeper, "Get out of here!"
The gatekeeper scrambled to his feet and hurried away, head bowed.
Tang San's expression softened, and he handed over his martial soul certificate.
Gu La's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't intervene.
Yu Xiaogang took the certificates. When he saw Tang San's full innate soul power and Blue Silver Grass martial soul, his heart skipped a beat. It felt as though fate had smiled upon him.
Then, upon seeing that Gu La also possessed full innate soul power, with a martial soul named Lava Behemoth, and that the description on the certificate matched the imposing martial soul he had just witnessed, his excitement soared.
"Two geniuses with full innate soul power—could this be divine favor bestowed upon me?"
Yu Xiaogang's heart raced with excitement, but outwardly, he maintained a calm demeanor, only gripping the certificates slightly tighter in nervousness.
Suppressing his excitement, he calmly pocketed the certificates, making no move to return them. "I happen to have some free time. I can take you to register."
Gu La remained indifferent, while Tang San thought it would be convenient to have someone familiar with the academy guide them, so he nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, sir."
Under Gu La's tutelage, Tang San had begun to grasp basic manners. Though Gu La himself wasn't much of a role model, Tang San cherished the feeling of being guided and disciplined, always holding himself to strict standards.
Yu Xiaogang nodded with a faint smile and led the two into the academy.
Upon entering the gates, the scene opened up dramatically. The road was a full twenty meters wide, flanked by lush trees and flowers. The fresh air carried a hint of floral fragrance—a blend of scents that was vibrant yet not overwhelming, leaving one feeling refreshed and at ease.
"So you two are friends from the same village?"
Yu Xiaogang chatted comfortably with Tang San, learning about their origins.
Halfway through their walk, feeling they had become acquainted enough, Yu Xiaogang dropped a bombshell: "Xiao San, you actually have a second martial soul, don't you?"
Tang San was startled, his right hand instinctively dropping to his side, ready to fire a hidden sleeve arrow. His guard against Yu Xiaogang shot to its peak.
Remembering his father Tang Hao and Gu La's warnings, he feigned confusion. "What are you talking about? Don't all soul masters have just one martial soul? How could I have a second one?"
Yu Xiaogang hadn't expected to fail at intimidating a child. His expression darkened, but he forced a smile.
"You don't need to hide it. I've studied six hundred forty-seven Blue Silver Grass soul masters, and none of them had soul power exceeding Level 1. The only explanation for your full innate soul power is that your second martial soul is of extremely high quality, elevating your innate soul power."
A flicker of disdain passed through Tang San's eyes. Yu Xiaogang's analysis paled in comparison to Gu La's.
This man didn't even understand the Blue Silver King, yet he dared claim to have studied Blue Silver Grass soul masters. What arrogance.
Despite his disdain, Tang San had no intention of offending a friend of the principal. He continued to play dumb. "But my martial soul is the Blue Silver King. Even the Spirit Hall officials mistook it for something else."
"What? The Blue Silver King!?"
Yu Xiaogang's confidence wavered.
Gu La raised his hand, pretending to adjust nonexistent glasses, his eyes gleaming sharply as he delivered a chilling blow. "That's right. Xiao San's ancestral bloodline caused his martial soul to mutate. Haven't you heard of that?"
The dagger struck deep. Yu Xiaogang staggered mentally, unwilling to accept reality.
"Did I really guess wrong? It's not a twin martial soul but a mutation caused by ancestral bloodline return?"
Yu Xiaogang's confidence faltered. On reflection, twin martial souls were a one-in-a-million occurrence. Why would he, an unlucky man, stumble upon such a rarity?
He let out a bitter laugh, his aura heavy with dejection.
But Yu Xiaogang had faced countless setbacks before and quickly composed himself.
Whether it was a twin martial soul or a bloodline mutation, a Blue Silver Grass soul master with ancestral bloodline return was still exceedingly rare—perhaps even rarer than a twin martial soul. This was the first case he had ever heard of, perfect for proving his theories to the world.
Clearing his throat as if the awkwardness moments ago hadn't been his, Yu Xiaogang spoke, "Ah, the Blue Silver King—I know of it, the king among Blue Silver Grass. Many spirit beast species experience this kind of bloodline elevation, becoming stronger than ordinary beasts."
"A beneficial martial soul mutation enhances your innate talent, but it's also a double-edged sword. Without predecessors paving the way, do you know how to cultivate a Blue Silver King martial soul?"
Yu Xiaogang launched into a monologue, assuming that Tang San, who came from a small village, knew nothing about soul master knowledge.
He dangled bait boastfully: "Blue Silver Grass is inherently weak, but after bloodline elevation, it can at most reach the strength of an average plant-type martial soul."
"So if you want to become a soul master, the best route is to attach poison-attribute soul rings to the Blue Silver King."
"For example, soul rings from spirit beasts like the Red Chain Snake or Rattlesnake can add poison attributes, turning you into a control-type soul master. In the future, you can attach soul rings from top-tier spirit beasts like the Datura Snake, Human-Faced Demon Spider, or Medusa Queen."
"One of the Title Douluo has the title 'Poison,' proving that the potential of toxins rivals any other attribute—and it's relatively easy to acquire later. I wouldn't tell just anyone this."
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