"Then what qualifies you to teach us brothers?"
Yu Xiaogang's spirit trembled!
Questioning my ability to teach?!
Absolutely not!
"Of course, my qualifications come from my theories!" Yu Xiaogang said sternly. "According to my research on Martial Soul Mimicry Theory, even plant-type martial souls can absorb non-plant soul beast rings—"
"Huh?" Tang Lan exaggeratedly interrupted. "Hasn't the soul master world existed for centuries? Are there no cases to reference?"
Yu Xiaogang nodded.
"Of course, there are. The records in the Spirit Hall's archives—"
"Then doesn't that mean it's not your theory?" Tang Lan cut him off again. "At most, you're just summarizing the experience of those before you."
Yu Xiaogang froze!
Damn!
Did I just get tricked into a rhetorical trap?!
"And also," Tang Lan pushed forward, seizing the advantage, "in The Ten Core Martial Soul Theories, you stated that the limit for a first soul ring is around 432 years, correct?"
Yu Xiaogang stiffly nodded.
He was still trying to figure out how to justify this as 'his theory' when—
His eyes widened in shock!
Because—
A purple soul ring emerged beneath Tang Lan's feet!
A thousand-year soul ring?!
For the first soul ring?!
A THOUSAND-YEAR FIRST SOUL SKILL?!
"This is impossible!" Yu Xiaogang lost his composure. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Even Tang San was left dumbfounded!
His brother…
Where did he hunt a soul beast to get this soul ring?!
And more importantly—how did he even absorb it successfully?!
"Seems like you can't explain it, huh?" Tang Lan scoffed. "Then let me ask you one last question."
Yu Xiaogang snapped out of his daze and stared at Tang Lan.
A bad feeling rose in his gut…
"In The Ten Core Martial Soul Theories, you mentioned that a soul master's cultivation does not stop even if they don't absorb soul rings, right?" Tang Lan asked.
Yu Xiaogang nodded without hesitation.
This was one of the theories he was most confident in.
After all, it was based on real experiences.
But then—
Tang Lan dropped a bombshell:
"Then, doesn't that mean… I could just cultivate all the way to Titled Douluo first, and then start absorbing soul rings?"
"According to your theory, the maximum age for a Titled Douluo's soul rings is 100,000 years."
"I wouldn't even need all 100,000-year rings—as long as I start with 10,000-year rings, that should be fine, right?"
Yu Xiaogang: "…"
▄█〓█(╯●Д●)シ!
SOMEBODY HELP!
Is this kid really just six years old?!
Quick thinking is one thing, but why does his reasoning go straight for the jugular?!
Seeing Yu Xiaogang fall into self-doubt, Tang Lan felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction!
He had been waiting to roast this guy for a long time!
Damn, that felt good!
Meanwhile—
Tang San's face had completely turned cold.
Master?
Just a fraud full of empty talk.
"Brother," Tang San said icily, "let's go. This so-called 'master' is just misleading people."
He grabbed Tang Lan and walked out.
Leaving Yu Xiaogang sitting alone in his office—
Stunned.
Lost in a daze.
After a long silence, Yu Xiaogang suddenly snapped back to reality!
Flipping through the student records—
There, in bold letters, was the glaring entry—
"Tang Lan—Innate Soul Power: Rank 3."
"Impossible!"
"His Majesty Hao Tian (Tang Hao) clearly said both his sons were born with innate full soul power!"
"How…?"
"Did I mishear?"
"But if his innate soul power was only Rank 3, then how did he obtain his first soul ring?!"
"Wait!"
"It must be some kind of special encounter!"
"It's not that my theories are wrong—
It's HIM who has a problem!"
"HE'S the problem!!!"
On the Road—
Tang San grumbled: "Father was really careless, picking such a fraud who just boasts and deceives people."
"Luckily, Brother, you're amazing—you exposed his fake theories in just a few words!"
"Otherwise, if I really became his apprentice, my whole life might've been ruined."
His rant was endless!
It was obvious—
Tang San now resented Yu Xiaogang to the core.
[Host has significantly delayed Tang San's apprenticeship under Yu Xiaogang, seizing a moderate amount of Tang San's fortune!]
[Reward: 'Undying Seal Technique (Minor Mastery)'!]
Tang Lan's entire body trembled!
The Undying Seal Technique—he had been practicing it for six years.
But because he lacked a proper sparring partner, he had only just reached the beginner level.
The Undying Seal Technique wasn't a cultivation method, but a combat technique.
It used the rapid alternation of life and death energies to deflect and redirect force.
It could absorb incoming attacks (death energy) and convert them into his own power (life energy).
Thus—
It weakened enemy attacks while strengthening himself at the same time.
And if paired with the Nine Yang Divine Art (Great Perfection)—
A martial art that generated an endless, self-replenishing vital force…
Could a swarm of ants take down an elephant?
That's impossible!
Attacks that couldn't kill him would only make him stronger!
The only drawback was that—
The death energy he absorbed could only linger in his body for a short time before it had to be expelled.
It couldn't be used to increase his cultivation level.
"Brother? Are you even listening to me?"
"Huh?" Tang Lan snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Tang San. "What?"
"I was asking—what's the deal with your thousand-year soul ring?" Tang San asked sourly.
A thousand-year soul ring…!
Just in terms of age, one of his was worth a hundred of mine!
At the same time, he was puzzled—
Was this even humanly possible?!
"Oh, that?" Tang Lan replied honestly. "When my Blue Silver Grass evolved, the soul ring just… appeared on its own."
It appeared on its own?
That can happen?!
Tang San's expression turned envious.
Why couldn't he get a lucky break like that?!
"Hey, Xiao San," Tang Lan said with a sly smile. "I just suddenly comprehended a new self-created soul skill—why don't you try attacking me with a soul skill?"
"Alright!"
Tang San summoned his Blue Silver Grass but gave a small reminder.
"First Soul Skill—Whipping!"
His Blue Silver Grass transformed into a long whip and lashed out at Tang Lan's shoulder.
PAH—!
Snap!
The Blue Silver Grass broke on impact.
It was the automatic counterattack from the Indestructible Vajra Body.
Under the conversion effect of the Undying Seal Technique, a small surge of inner energy surfaced, condensing in Tang Lan's palm.
Tang San's eyes widened in disbelief!
That energy—
It was pure, balanced, and unmistakably—
Xuan Tian Gong inner power!
Tang Lan also cultivated Xuan Tian Gong?!
Impossible!
Then…
"Brother, your self-created soul skill—does it let you absorb soul power from attacks?" Tang San asked in shock.
Tang Lan nodded matter-of-factly.
"I call it the Undying Seal Technique," he said with a grin. "Come, Xiao San—I'll teach you how to use it."
Then—
He actually began explaining it to Tang San!
Of course…
He wasn't actually that kind-hearted!
Just like how Huang Rong tricked Ouyang Feng, he deliberately taught it backward!
The Undying Seal Technique was already an incredibly complex and obscure martial art.
Even with six years of practice, Tang Lan had only barely mastered the basics.
Now, he was making Tang San train it in reverse…
A waste of time at best.
At worst? A complete inner energy backlash!
Tang San didn't suspect anything and eagerly absorbed the knowledge.
That very night, Tang Lan reaped his first rewards.
[Host has tricked Tang San into reverse-training the Undying Seal Technique, causing internal energy backlash and internal injuries, seizing a minor portion of Tang San's fortune!]
[Reward: +10 Years to Soul Ring Age!]
Though it was only 10 years,
Tang San seemed to be possessed—
Each time he recovered, he would try practicing again!
Every few days, Tang Lan could farm another reward.
Some gains were small (5 years).
Some were massive (20 years).
By the time the semester ended—
With his own training in the Indestructible Vajra Body, his soul ring age had reached 9,054 years!
Only 946 years away from breaking the 10,000-year threshold!
Besides the system's rewards,
The real game-changer was that both his first and second soul rings were 'life-bound soul rings'!
As his physical body grew stronger,
Their age limit would naturally increase!
Completely overpowered!
"Vacation time!"
"Now it's finally…"
"Time to completely win over Xiao Wu!"
Dormitory—
With school dismissed for the holidays, students all returned home.
The now-empty dormitory—
Xiao Wu sat dejectedly on her bed, staring at the half-empty mattress beside her.
She was lost in thought.
"I knew you'd be here."
Xiao Wu's eyes lit up in delight!
She turned her head and locked eyes with Tang Lan's grinning face.
"Lan-ge, you're back?" Xiao Wu ran over happily. "Did you forget something?"
"Yeah," Tang Lan chuckled. "I forgot you."
"Come home with me?"
As a newly transformed soul beast,
Xiao Wu couldn't stay away from human society for too long.
"Really?!" Xiao Wu cheered. "Yay! I get to eat Lan-ge's cooking again!"
After a whole semester of nightly 'dual cultivation',
Combined with constant care and subtle flirting,
Xiao Wu's affection for Tang Lan was already maxed out.
So, without the slightest hesitation—
She immediately agreed!
Reserved?
She was a soul beast in human form.
She didn't have those stupid human customs!
(End of Chapter)