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At Shrek Academy, hidden in the shadows, Tang Hao let out a huge sigh of relief when he confirmed the two Titled Douluos had not come. Tang Hao didn't know if Xiao Wu's feelings for Tang San were the same as the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin's had once been for him; Ah Yin had willingly sacrificed herself. Whether Xiao Wu would do the same for Tang San, he didn't know. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Tang Hao didn't want to tell her the truth, instead choosing to drag things out to let her and Tang San build their bond over time.
Stepping from the darkness, Tang Hao entered Yu Xiaogang's dormitory. At that moment, Yu Xiaogang was snoring thunderously. Already worried about Tang San, Tang Hao felt anger rise in his heart. Little San foolishly went to get a century-old soul bone, and you have the nerve to sleep so soundly?
A wave of oppressive pressure washed over Yu Xiaogang, who began to tremble as if experiencing sleep paralysis. A moment later, he jerked awake from the nightmare.
"Who!?"
"It's me," Tang Hao said in a low voice.
"Your Excellency Clear Sky!" Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up at the sight of his idol. "Are you here to see Little San?"
"I can't see him yet. I left him in your care, so what kind of care have you been providing?" Tang Hao demanded.
"Little San? Did something happen to Little San?" Yu Xiaogang asked in a panic. It was safe to say that aside from Tang Hao, no one in the world was more concerned about Tang San than he was.
"Nothing has happened, but aren't you supposed to be the continent's number one theoretical master? Why didn't you teach Little San more about soul bones? He nearly absorbed a century-old one."
"What? Little San recently obtained an external soul bone, and that wasn't enough for him? He actually wanted to absorb a century-old soul bone? Doesn't he know how difficult they are to replace after absorption?" Yu Xiaogang was incredulous. He never imagined Tang San would be so reckless in his pursuit of power, or that he would do so without consulting him. In the past, Tang San always asked for his opinion.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang's worried expression, Tang Hao knew that he had been doing his best; it was his son who was too desperate for power. He asked, "Did anything significant happen with Tang San recently?"
"The most important thing was that Xiao Wu was abducted by the Titan Giant Ape and was missing for a while. Thankfully, the Titan Giant Ape encountered the Sky Blue Bull Python, which allowed Xiao Wu to escape. Since then, Little San has been restless and, in his desperation for power, even absorbed an over-aged spirit ring. Luckily, his fortune was excellent. Not only did he succeed, but he also gained an external soul bone: the Eight Spider Lances." Yu Xiaogang spoke of Tang San's achievements with pride, as if it was his guidance alone that enabled the absorption of an over-aged ring.
Titan Giant Ape? Sky Blue Bull Python? So those are Xiao Wu's companions, are they? Tang Hao's eyes gleamed at the thought. The spirit rings for Little San's Clear Sky Hammer are settled. Tang Hao didn't dare imagine how powerful the Clear Sky Hammer would be with several 100,000-year spirit rings. By detonating his own single 100,000-year ring, he could match the battle power of a Super Douluo. Once Little San fully matured, it would be the day the Spirit Hall was destroyed.
"I understand," Tang Hao said. "Little San is too emotional. You need to guide him more in this respect. Also, give this 40,000-year Left Leg Soul Bone to him. Didn't you want him to absorb a poison-attribute spirit ring? This soul bone happens to be a poison type." Worried that Tang San's desire for power would consume him, Tang Hao decided to satisfy his craving directly. In his early years of roaming the continent, he had killed many spirit beasts over ten thousand years old; Tang Hao was not lacking in soul bones.
Yu Xiaogang excitedly took the soul bone and asked, "Should I mention you?"
"Do not reveal my identity to him. Just tell him that his father is a Titled Douluo, and that this is a birthday gift from me," Tang Hao said.
"Alright, I will have a heart-to-heart with Little San. I'll give this to him personally."
"I'm leaving him to you. Don't disappoint me."
With his head lowered, Tang San kicked at pebbles as he walked distractedly into the academy. Ye Lan's strength had been a great blow to him. Even with his Eight Spider Lances, Tang San doubted he could win. Since his rebirth on the Douluo Continent, he had always followed the Tang Sect's creed, and Ye Lan was now on his kill list. If he didn't cripple Ye Lan, it would become an inner demon he could not shake off.
Suddenly, Tang San felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up. Yu Xiaogang, his face covered by a full beard and his eyes filled with melancholy, looked at him with a kind expression. "Little San, come with me."
Tang San said nothing and silently followed him.
Once they were inside, Yu Xiaogang asked, "Little San, you used to ask my opinion on everything. Why didn't you mention the matter of the century-old soul bone to me this time?"
"I..." Tang San was too ashamed to admit he had planned to steal Ye Lan's soul bone. No matter how one looked at it, the Tang San who thought of himself as pure as ice and jade did not want someone so close to him to know of the filth in his heart.
Yu Xiaogang thought Tang San no longer trusted his theories. He had read Ye Lan's work and felt a mixture of anger and shame. He was angry because some of Ye Lan's theories seemed to target him directly, and ashamed because his decades of research were inferior to those of a fifteen-year-old. Lately, Yu Xiaogang didn't even dare go into Soto City, afraid that people would recognize him and compare him to Ye Lan. But he firmly believed that as long as he nurtured Tang San into a Titled Douluo, he would become the true number one theoretical master. After all, a mere Great Spirit Master cultivating a Titled Douluo would be major news no matter how you looked at it.
"Have you lost your trust in your teacher?" Yu Xiaogang asked, his voice full of disappointment as he began to spout nonsense. "My 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls' is only a part of my theory. It was useless to tell you certain things too early. For instance, the fact that ten-thousand-year rings can cause soul shock—did you think your teacher didn't know that? Once you reached the Soul Ancestor realm, I naturally would have told you."
"Really? Teacher!" Tang San's face lit up as if he had found Ye Lan's weakness. "Does that mean Ye Lan plagiarized your theories?"
Yu Xiaogang's ears turned red. As thick-skinned as he was, he couldn't bring himself to claim Ye Lan had plagiarized him. That would be like a Titled Douluo learning how to fight from a Spirit Master.
"Plagiarism is going too far," Yu Xiaogang said. "My theories were never written down. The fact that Ye Lan's theories overlap with mine can only mean that great minds think alike."
"Besides, Ye Lan's theories are not without flaws," Yu Xiaogang added, pressing his advantage. "Didn't I analyze for you a while ago that the age limit for absorbing a ring is related to one's compatibility with the martial soul? The soul power of the Man-Faced Demon Spider is anything but gentle, so that theory of Ye Lan's must be wrong."
Tang San nodded eagerly, a happy expression on his face. "That's exactly what I thought, Teacher! When I was reading Ye Lan's theory yesterday, I realized the same thing. No matter how you look at it, the Man-Faced Demon Spider can hardly be classified as a gentle soul beast!"
(End of Chapter)