"What?!" Tang San gasped aloud.
Shock, disbelief, and a tangle of emotions surged across his face.
He still remembered clearly—back then, the three of them had all awakened with innate full soul power.
And yet now… only he was falling behind.
His gaze darkened as a shadow passed through his heart.
'Teacher… is it that my Blue Silver Grass martial soul is just too weak? Or… could your theory be wrong?'
'Could it be that Blue Silver Grass really wasn't meant to have poison-type spirit rings attached to it?'
The moment that thought surfaced, Tang San felt as if a core belief within him had suddenly collapsed.
Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead, and his expression shifted rapidly between confusion, frustration, and despair. Watching from the side, Qi Lin and Xiao Wu were completely bewildered.
Qi Lin exchanged a look with Xiao Wu, both puzzled.
Qi Lin: What's up with him?
Xiao Wu: I have no clue…
Qi Lin: You think we hit him too hard with the news?
Xiao Wu: Ehh… Little San can't be that fragile, right?
But they were spot on.
Tang San had, indeed, taken a serious blow from their insane cultivation speed. For the first time, he began to doubt Grandmaster's theory—and even his own path of cultivating Blue Silver Grass.
But Tang San's mental resilience was formidable.
Within moments, his eyes regained clarity and determination.
'No—Teacher's theory isn't wrong!'
'If it were, how could a trash martial soul like Blue Silver Grass possess such powerful offensive strength?'
'Even if I'm slower than Qi Lin and Xiao Wu now, I still have my twin martial souls. I just need to push forward with Blue Silver Grass for now. Once my soul power is high enough…'
'I can begin adding spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer!'
'When that time comes, with a Clear Sky Hammer full of ten-thousand-year rings—who would dare challenge me?'
Having thought it through, a forced but sincere smile crept onto Tang San's face.
"Your cultivation speed is really impressive. Congratulations to both of you."
Qi Lin beamed. "Same to you! You're not slow either. I bet you'll hit Rank 30 before graduation."
Qi Lin spoke honestly, but to Tang San, the words were strangely hurting.
Still, he forced a smile. "Thanks. I'll take that as a blessing."
As they left, Xiao Wu turned back playfully and waved.
"Come on, Little San—keep at it!"
Then she skipped off after Qi Lin.
Once they were gone, Tang San didn't hesitate. He headed straight for Yu Xiaogang's quarters.
Knock knock knock!
He raised his hand and knocked. Inside, Yu Xiaogang's steady voice replied almost immediately.
"Come in."
Tang San opened the door and stepped inside.
Despite the years that had passed, Yu Xiaogang looked not older, but more spirited. Taking in a disciple like Tang San had clearly done wonders for his mental state—he even seemed to be exuding a kind of renewed vitality.
Seeing Tang San, a smile lit up the Grandmaster's face.
"Ah, Little San. It's you."
"Is there something you don't understand? Come—ask your teacher."
Tang San nodded, his face slightly heavy.
Noticing his mood, Yu Xiaogang's expression turned serious. He gestured toward the chair beside him.
"Come, sit. Tell me everything."
"Mm." Tang San sat down and shared his earlier encounter with Xiao Wu and Qi Lin.
"What? Both of them broke through already?"
Yu Xiaogang's reaction was even more intense than Tang San's.
Regret welled up inside him.
'If only I had accepted Qi Lin and Xiao Wu as disciples too…'
'Twenty years from now, when their names resound across the continent, I—Yu Xiaogang—could have been remembered as the one who nurtured them. What a legacy that would have been…'
'What a pity!'
He sighed heavily.
Meanwhile, Tang San said quietly, "Teacher… We were all born with full soul power. Why is my cultivation speed falling so far behind?"
Yu Xiaogang glanced at him once—and that was enough.
He understood Tang San's thoughts in an instant.
He spoke gently, but firmly. "Little San, I know what you're thinking. I know how anxious you must be right now. But—"
"You must understand: you are different from them."
Tang San's eyes lit up. He stared at Yu Xiaogang, eager for answers.
The Grandmaster sighed and began his explanation.
"First of all, the reason your cultivation is slower than Xiao Wu and Qi Lin's is actually very simple."
"It's because your Blue Silver Grass is a trash martial soul—while theirs are not."
"At first, I suspected Qi Lin had twin martial souls like you. But as he began to reveal his terrifying talent… I realized I was wrong."
"He's fundamentally different from you."
"Your innate full soul power comes from your twin martial souls."
"But Qi Lin's martial soul is a rare and extremely fortunate mutation of Blue Silver Grass. It evolved from trash to a top-tier martial soul—one of the strongest auxiliary types in the world."
"In fact, I must admit, I was wrong from the start. Qi Lin does not have twin martial souls."
"His innate power comes entirely from his mutated Four-Leaf Clover martial soul—so powerful, it even outclasses the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda."
"And you already know this, Little San: cultivation speed isn't determined only by innate soul power—it's also affected by the quality of one's martial soul."
"That's why, even though all three of you had full innate power, Qi Lin is the fastest, followed by Xiao Wu. Her martial soul isn't top-tier, but it's still stronger than your Blue Silver Grass."
"So now you understand why your cultivation is lagging behind."
As Yu Xiaogang explained, he had risen and stood with his hands behind his back, facing away, exuding calm authority and wisdom. His figure seemed imposing—like a still mountain, steady and unmoving.
Tang San was overcome with awe.
'Teacher's analysis is spot on… And I actually dared to doubt him earlier?'
'Shame on me!'
Guilt and remorse filled Tang San's heart.
Just then, Yu Xiaogang's deep, steady voice sounded again.
"Little San, I know you're anxious. But there's no need to compare yourself to Qi Lin or Xiao Wu."
"No matter how gifted Qi Lin is, he's still an auxiliary-type soul master. He poses no threat to your path."
"And Xiao Wu—her soul power may surpass yours for now. But how much longer can that last?"
"In twenty, thirty years, when you all become Titled Douluo… she'll be nearing her peak. But you—"
"You'll still be able to add spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer."
"With two martial souls and eighteen spirit rings… who in the entire continent could stand against you?"
Those words struck Tang San like lightning.
He shot up from his seat, eyes bright with sudden clarity.
Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees with a loud thud.
"Teacher! I was wrong! You've planned everything for me so carefully, and I actually doubted your theory!"
"Please—scold me!"
Yu Xiaogang tilted his head toward the ceiling, sighing deeply before turning to face him.
"Little San, get up. I never blamed you."
"If I were in your place, I might've had doubts too."
He stepped forward and helped Tang San to his feet.
Tears welled in Tang San's eyes as he looked at Yu Xiaogang with heartfelt gratitude.
"Teacher…"
Yu Xiaogang looked back with equal emotion.
"Little San…"