Xiaotian was slightly stunned. "Ah? My intuition... Look, not only did I defeat you in battle, but I also said many things against your views—like about the Spirit Hall."
Xiao Wu was silent for a moment, then said, "That's true. But first, you won the fight fair and square, even if you were a bit shameless in the middle! As for what you said, after thinking it over, it makes sense. We should focus on training hard and ignore trivial things. As for the Spirit Hall... I'm reserving my opinion."
Then she smiled slyly. "But Xiaotian, I'm really not interested in those small matters. What I care about most is being the big sister. Though I now know you're probably stronger than that Xiao Chenyu, even if your soul power isn't as good as mine."
She continued, "How about this? You stop practicing sword skills all the time, and we do some real combat training occasionally. If I win, you have to call me Sister Xiao Wu. Deal?"
Xiaotian couldn't help but smile. "And if you lose?"
Xiao Wu tilted her neck confidently. "I won't lose next time. If I do, you can do whatever you want to me!"
"Oh? Anything I want?" Xiaotian teased, his eyes slowly scanning her body before saying with fake regret, "Forget it, I'm not interested in a little loli like you—you have no breasts and no legs."
Instantly, Xiao Wu's face flushed red with shame. She subconsciously kicked Xiaotian's waist.
"Asshole Xiaotian! You're always talking about me. Your mind is full of dirty thoughts! I'm still growing! Which kid at this age could satisfy you? You're crazy and perverted sometimes!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, still mad after I told you the truth? Fine, I won't tease you anymore. It's not impossible for me to fight you, but be ready to get beaten like today. And since it's a real fight, don't cry if you get hurt!"
Quick and sharp, Xiaotian easily caught Xiao Wu's kicking foot.
"Hey, if you're a vegetable, just train harder! But alright, we've reached the cafeteria. I won't bother you anymore. Let's eat!"
Xiao Wu was a little angry and embarrassed. Xiaotian was handsome with a great figure, but his mouth was huge! Did people who practiced swordsmanship really speak so bluntly?
She glanced down at her small chest and looked at her feet.
"Xiaotian, buy me some papaya later. My mom said it helps with sleep!"
Through gritted teeth, she added this demand.
Xiaotian couldn't help but laugh at her unexpected reason.
"Okay, no problem. Oh, and papaya is best with milk! Hahaha! Consider this money you owe me."
Yu Xiaogang and Tang San watched from a distance, feeling awkward.
They exchanged looks, and Yu Xiaogang sighed, "Ahem, it's time to eat anyway. Let's go."
He lingered long enough to excuse himself but was clearly unhappy with Xiaotian's attitude.
Of course, the only reason he was willing to consider accepting Xiaotian as a registered disciple was because of Xiaotian's martial spirit.
Over the years, apart from his Luo Sanpao, Xiaotian was only the second person he'd met with a spiritual martial soul, which fascinated him!
Tang San said Xiaotian's martial soul looked like an ordinary iron sword but had innate level five power, which struck Yu Xiaogang as unbelievable.
How could a plain Iron Sword Martial Spirit reach level five innateness?
After all, his Luo Sanpao only gave him half a level's worth of soul power!
Even though Xiaotian's martial soul seemed unimpressive, it carried real dragon blood.
Yu Xiaogang had no doubts that his own weakness was due not to his martial soul but to his own shortcomings.
Those terrible soul rings given to Luo Sanpao ruined him.
Dragon bloodline martial spirits were typically strong, which created an unspoken rule: soulring hunters should target soul beasts carrying dragon blood.
This was the consensus among all dragon-type soul masters on the continent—but Yu Xiaogang didn't follow rules!
Luo Sanpao's downfall wasn't anyone else's fault.
"T-Teacher, are you really planning to accept Xiaotian as your disciple?" Tang San asked, curious.
He didn't have a good impression of Xiaotian. Originally, he thought having memories of the Tang Sect's knowledge in his previous life made him strong. Even if he couldn't exceed his level, he'd be invincible among peers!
But losing his first battle to Xiaotian, whose innate soul power was only level five, had unsettled him.
Moreover, seeing Xiao Wu walk so close with Xiaotian made him feel gloomy for unknown reasons.
Yu Xiaogang watched Xiaotian disappear from view and said lightly, "He's not really my disciple—only a nominal one. I'm only interested in his martial spirit. His level five innate power doesn't make him worthy of true discipleship. I'll only have one last disciple in my life, and that's you, Tang San!"
Yu Xiaogang smiled secretly. Tang San was the most talented he'd ever seen aside from Bibi Dong, and his second martial soul, the Clear Sky Hammer, was a formidable weapon.
He imagined Tang San with a ten-thousand-year spirit ring equipped on his Clear Sky Hammer. Coupled with the Clear Sky Sect's secret skills, even Bibi Dong wouldn't be his match!
Yu Xiaogang heard Xiaotian used his spirit to defeat Tang San today.
He didn't care much—increased martial soul advantage was normal. But when he took Tang San to the Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow to get the first spirit ring of the Blue Silver Grass, Xiaotian wouldn't even get close.
That was the power of a control-type martial soul.
Even ordinary Blue Silver Grass was a natural counter to strong attack types like Xiaotian.
After all, a sword cultivator who controls his sword casts no threat himself, unlike owners of beast martial spirits who might break control if they unleashed all their strength.
Chen Xin: Are you sure?
Tang San's powerful background meant Tang Hao and the Haotian Sect needed his input before letting him test his theories.
But to Xiaotian, he was just a six-year-old kid. Did he really understand how to absorb spirit rings or know much about spirit beasts?
In the end, he had no choice but to listen—and fortunately, he would make a good experimental subject!
It was their first meeting today, and it was a bit awkward—something Xiaotian had not expected.
P.S. This chapter reveals Yu Xiaogang's narcissism and his selective acceptance of Xiaotian as a nominal disciple due to his spirit's rarity. It exposes the uneven power dynamics among disciples, rivalries stirred by losses and jealousy, and the subtle strategy behind spirit ring acquisition, setting tensions that will shape future contests and alliances.
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