Liu Erlong angrily took Subei and Xiao Wu away, drawing much attention.
People gathered around the master's room, whispering:
"What happened?"
"Did the master offend someone?"
"That hot goddess... Is the master messing around outside with children? That kid's pretty!"
"If that's the case, I want to take him."
"I've always thought the master has blind self-confidence, pretending to be good despite having a waste martial spirit—he deserves this!"
"But he dared to slap such a goddess—it can't be a waste of life. I envy him."
Boom!
The master slammed the door, startling passersby and growling, "Calm down!"
Little did they know of Yu Xiaogang's emotional torment.
He slumped on his seat, face haggard and aged, mumbling:
"What do you know... none of this happened. They all wanted to save me on the wedding night, but none followed me. Though I tried, I couldn't see them from behind."
"But they all fell in love with trash like me. I leaned in eagerly for youth, only to retreat in shame..."
Thump thump—knocking shattered the silence, bringing Yu Xiaogang back.
"Who is it?" he asked uneasily.
Could it be Erlong regretting and returning to apologize?
"It's me, Tang San," came the voice at the door.
The boy recently rescued from the concierge.
Yu Xiaogang felt disappointed but tried to mask it with anger:
"Come in."
Tang San respectfully approached Yu Xiaogang, feeling wary but polite:
"Teacher, thank you."
Yu Xiaogang looked at the shameless boy remembering his martial spirit: Lan Yincao, innately full of spirit power.
As Subei predicted, Yu Xiaogang's mind flickered, considering whether Lan Yincao was a twin martial spirit.
He felt pride at such insight, seeing being born full of spirit power as a worthy disciple.
Then Yu Xiaogang corrected:
"I'm not a teacher here, Tang San. Understand there's a difference between teacher and master; don't misuse it unless…"
Looking at Tang San, fiery light flickered in his grey eyes:
"Unless you truly want me as your teacher."
Tang San's heart raced. The handsome boy was right—the master wanted to accept him as apprentice.
Though grieved, Tang San said,
"My martial spirit's considered waste. I'm low status. I doubt I'd be accepted as disciple."
"Modest and polite—good!"
The master stood, legs trembling, still shaken by Liu Erlong.
Like old Jack, he ruffled Tang San's hair.
Tang San stepped back, feeling it was premature for such familiarity.
Yu Xiaogang regarded it as mere childish fear.
"You're calmer and smarter than most children. You're the third twin spirit martial artist in a century, so you can be my disciple."
"Also, no spirit is wasteful—only spirit masters wasteful. Don't feel inferior because of your spirit."
This was Yu Xiaogang's self-comfort disguised as advice.
Tang San chuckled inside but wondered if it was subjective judgment.
He thought this master might be unbearable.
His heart surged: If Yu Xiaogang figured Tang San was a twin spirit, maybe he should listen to the handsome boy and treat him as teacher instead.
Yu Xiaogang smiled faintly, asking,
"Wondering why I knew you're a twin spirit?"
He shook Tang San's soul master certificate.
"Others might miss the flaw, but if I didn't see the mystery, I wouldn't deserve the title of master."
Yu Xiaogang began to expound madly on his research.
Tang San's expression became complicated, matching what the handsome boy had said.
He said indifferently,
"My ten core martial skills show innate spirit power relates to martial spirit rank."
"Blue Silver Grass is unsatisfactory. I deduce your other spirit must be powerful."
Yu Xiaogang seemed proud, lost in his flawless reasoning.
Tang San countered, "What if I'm a special case?"
"How can that be?"
Yu Xiaogang argued furiously that only twin spirits explained Tang San's reality.
Tang San's skeptical look made him uneasy.
He added,
"A person's martial spirit depends on their parents' martial spirits. Twin spirits arise when their parents' spirits are compatible—a mutant martial spirit."
"If you conclude I'm a twin spirit and the other must be top-level to coexist, then your Blue Silver Grass is top-level too. Makes sense, right?"
Yu Xiaogang thought carefully, finding it reasonable.
"If his other spirit is top-level, why would it coexist with a waste martial spirit?"
"It's like having untold wealth but living with beggars—is that acceptable?"
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed.
The kid's reasoning was sound.
"But can I lose to a six-year-old?"
"I am a master!"
He had no time to find an excuse.
--
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