Douluo: Blade Template, Death Omen Approaching

Chapter 41 Tang San's Second Father? (Part 2)

Inside the office, sunlight streamed through the half-open curtains, casting patterns of light and shadow on the mottled floor.

Yu Xiaogang sat behind his large desk, his eyes fixed intently on Tang San, who stood opposite him.

He strained to open his missing front tooth, revealing a slightly comical yet gratified smile.

"Gifted and so intelligent, it seems I must be determined this time!" Yu Xiaogang's voice trembled slightly, as if he was excited about his decision.

Yu Xiaogang's voice is like the rubbing of old tree bark, rough and full of the marks of time.

He deliberately adopted the air of a reclusive sage, the swivel chair beneath him creaking as if cheering him on, until his back completely blocked Tang San's view.

Immediately at that moment, Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and uttered the words that would shock Tang San's mother for a hundred years: "After all, you are only the third person in a hundred years to possess twin martial souls!"

The words were like a bolt from the blue, instantly plunging Tang San's spirits from the clouds into despair. His initial excitement vanished in an instant, as if doused with ice water.

A sharp killing intent flashed in his eyes, and his left hand unconsciously went behind his back, his fingertips lightly touching the hidden weapon inside his clothes.

He silently recited the Tang Clan's double standards in his mind:

"The first principle of the Tang Sect's Mysterious Heavenly Treasure Record: Never let someone you cannot fully trust know your true strength!"

Just moments ago, Tang San had thought this pretentious master might be useful to him, but now his heart was in turmoil, his killing intent boiling. This "master's" existence was like a time bomb, ready to detonate his secrets at any moment; such a threat could not be allowed to remain!

He instantly felt that the bald man in front of him had crossed his bottom line; he was practically courting death! He was already on the verge of suicide!

Tang San frowned, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes. His gaze turned icy cold, and a wave of remorse washed over him.

He gritted his teeth, a firm resolve rising in his heart: he should have crippled this guy back then, even if he guessed the slightest thing, he should never have given him a chance to speak!

Tang San was mentally prepared. To protect his secret, he was considering whether to take action secretly, even if it meant bloodshed. In the office filled with sunlight and shadow, the atmosphere instantly became extremely tense.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Fortunately, Gangzi's movements were surprisingly swift, and he didn't overdo it. Before Tang San's killing intent could fully solidify, he turned back to the swivel chair, wearing a mysterious and profound smile. His shiny head was particularly eye-catching under the light.

"Aren't you wondering why I know you have twin martial souls?" Gangzi's voice was deep and powerful, and his eyes seemed to be able to see into people's hearts as he stared straight at Tang San.

Tang San's brows were furrowed, like two sharp swords crossed. Although he tried his best to keep his face calm, he still couldn't hide the traces of killing intent that were leaking out.

He stood there quietly, waiting for the bald master's explanation, while his left hand, behind his back, was clenched into a fist, his knuckles white, seemingly silently telling of his inner tension and determination.

His mind was racing, trying to figure out how to deal with Yu Xiaogang, this potential threat, without making a sound.

Yu Xiaogang, however, remained unhurried. He reached out and picked up the certificate from the Spirit Hall on the table, a smug look in his eyes, as if everything was under his control.

"It's because of this certificate," he began slowly, "that I conducted an in-depth investigation of 647 people who possessed the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, and only 16 of them were able to possess Soul Power. Among these 16 people, not one of them had Soul Power exceeding Level 1, while you, on the other hand, were at Level 10 with innate full Soul Power."

He paused, his gaze deepening as if recalling his research process. "According to one of the ten core competencies of martial souls that I've researched—that innate soul power is directly proportional to martial soul quality—Blue Silver Grass clearly cannot meet this condition. Therefore, I'm certain that you should have another martial soul."

At this point, Yu Xiaogang's voice rose slightly, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes, "Moreover, it must be an extremely powerful martial soul!"

His words were like a stone thrown into a lake, stirring up ripples in Tang San's heart. Shock and unease quickly spread through Tang San's mind.

Tang San's eyes narrowed slightly, but his heart was churning with turbulent emotions.

Soul power? He pondered to himself, unsure if this so-called soul power was connected to the Xuan Tian cultivation technique he practiced. But this bald master had actually researched the so-called ten core competencies of a martial soul?

It sounded quite intimidating, as if it were very powerful, but Tang San knew in his heart that he would not be easily fooled.

Upon careful consideration, he realized that Yu Xiaogang's words did not seem entirely unreasonable. Although the Blue Silver Grass martial soul was considered useless, his hammer martial soul in his left hand was incredibly powerful.

Since I don't have any resources to lose anyway, I might as well listen to what this bald master has to say. If this guy dares to play me for a fool in the future, then don't blame me for being impolite! This bastard dares to play me for a fool, I'll make sure he dies a good death!

Having made up his mind, Tang San remained expressionless. To test whether Yu Xiaogang truly possessed the depth of his research, he first posed his question, his voice calm yet tinged with a hint of provocation:

"There are always exceptions, so why can't I be one?"

Tang San sneered inwardly. If this bald man couldn't answer, or only gave a perfunctory answer, or even stammered, then this guy was most likely a fraud, a worthless crook! Then he wouldn't be so polite; he'd make this guy know the price of deceiving Tang San! He'd be ready to die at any time!!

Who knew that Yu Xiaogang actually possessed valuable information about the Spirit Hall? He placed the scrolls in front of Tang San with an air of confidence, as if he were lecturing an ignorant country boy.

These are facts that someone like Xiao Bie San, who comes from a remote rural area, could never know. Yu Xiaogang used this as an example to provide evidence to prove his point.

"That's right! There are always exceptions!" Yu Xiaogang's voice was firm and powerful, his gaze piercing as he stared directly at Tang San.

"In the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, although only two cases of twin martial souls have appeared in the last hundred years, nineteen cases of innate full soul power have emerged!"

As he spoke, he flipped through the documents in his hand, and every word revealed his familiarity with them.

"I have carefully studied the martial souls of each of them, and every single one of them is a powerful being. Even the youngest one has already reached the level of a Great Soul Master!" Yu Xiaogang's tone revealed an unquestionable authority.

"Among these nineteen individuals, five are special cases; they possess mutated martial souls."

Based on my years of research on mutated martial souls, I can assert that no martial soul can mutate with the Blue Silver Grass martial soul! Yu Xiaogang's voice became even more firm, and his gaze was even somewhat burning, as if he were talking about his most beloved career.

"From my observation, your Blue Silver Grass martial soul is just the most ordinary Blue Silver Grass, with nothing special about it."

Therefore, I can be absolutely certain that my judgment is correct! Yu Xiaogang's last conclusion was like a hammer striking an anvil, powerful and resounding, forcing Tang San to re-examine this seemingly ordinary bald master.

At this moment, Tang San, who knew nothing about martial souls, was stunned and bewildered by Yu Xiaogang's in-depth analysis.

Although his understanding of martial spirits was still limited, Yu Xiaogang's explanation, based on the information he currently had, seemed to have no logical flaws overall.

Tang San slowly retracted his clenched fist from behind his back, his fingers unfurling one by one, and the vigilance and hostility in his heart gradually dissipated.

He thought to himself: Not bad, this guy seems to have some real skills. He has data to support his claims, examples to prove them, and clear conclusions. He has all the essential elements, which makes him almost believable.

At this moment, Tang San felt as if he were the protagonist who had just left the beginner village and was about to usher in a great opportunity in his life.

He naturally seized this opportunity and used any means necessary to learn the valuable knowledge from this master.

In this regard, Tang San possesses unparalleled talent and determination!

As someone who had been born into the Tang Clan, he was very familiar with this!

Thinking of this, Tang San did not hesitate at all. He bent his knees and slammed them heavily on the ground with a "bang".

His gaze was fixed firmly on Yu Xiaogang, his eyes filled with the same resoluteness and devotion he had when he first entered the Tang Clan.

Yu Xiaogang feigned ignorance, though inwardly he was overjoyed. He asked calmly, "What are you doing?"

Tang San did not answer, but instead demonstrated his determination through his actions.

Without hesitation, he lowered his head and kowtowed three times with firmness and decisiveness, as if expressing his deepest respect and determination to the master.

These three prostrations not only demonstrated Tang San's thirst for knowledge but also his unwavering belief in his future.

Seeing Tang San like this, Yu Xiaogang was overjoyed. He pretended to be calm on the surface, but the satisfaction and joy in his eyes were impossible to hide. This kid not only has some talent, but also some awareness. It seems that the beatings he suffered before were not in vain. Today, he actually got two geniuses for free! Yu Xiaogang secretly rejoiced, feeling that he had really struck gold.

After kowtowing, Tang San shouted loudly without hesitation, "Please accept me as your disciple!!" His voice was loud and sincere, echoing in the room.

Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang finally couldn't help but burst out laughing, his laughter filled with pleasure and mockery. "Haha, silly boy, why do you have to kowtow when you become a disciple? Don't you know that's the etiquette for bowing to a king or your parents? A simple bow is enough. Get up." He said, waving his hand to signal Tang San to stand up.

Tang San's gaze remained firm and serious as he replied, "A teacher for a day is a father for life!! You should kneel before me!!" As he spoke, a slight smile played on Tang San's lips. He secretly thought to himself, "By saying this, Gangzi has become my second father, and even more so than a biological father! Surely Gangzi will be more generous than my previous father and teach me everything without reservation?"

Tang San was eager to become stronger because he knew there was an enemy outside the door whom he hated to the core—an enemy he wished would die a thousand times over! His previous father couldn't help him fulfill his wish, but now, surely you have some ability?

Looking at Tang San's determined eyes, Yu Xiaogang felt even more joy. He knew that he was determined to take Tang San as his disciple, and that this disciple would be his most prized creation.

Soon, Yu Xiaogang felt that he had finally succeeded in accepting the relatively easy-going genius in front of him. He coughed twice, cleared his throat, and gestured for Tang San to come closer.

His eyes gleamed with shrewdness as he began to inquire about the man named Ren outside the door.

"Ahem, come a little closer. From now on, I'll call you Xiao San." Yu Xiaogang's voice carried a hint of intimacy. "By the way, Xiao San, are you familiar with the Blade outside the door?"

Tang San approached as instructed, and upon hearing Yu Xiaogang mention the blade, his body tensed instantly. He clenched his teeth, his fists clenched slightly, and his knuckles turned white from the force.

Although Tang San was annoyed, he maintained an unusually calm tone: "We're quite familiar with each other, right? Why are you asking him, Teacher?"

Yu Xiaogang rolled his eyes, clearly unaware of the deep-seated hatred between Tang San and Ren. He was simply planning for his next genius disciple, continuing to lay the groundwork for his scheme, and began his grand deception.

"Ren's temper seems to be not very good. I see that you come from the same place and were brought along by that old gentleman. I want to learn about his situation through you, so that I can take care of him as well."

Moreover, this way you can all learn well here, and you can also look out for each other.

Yu Xiaogang's words carried the tone of an elder's concern, as if he genuinely cared for his student. His expression was sincere, and his eyes revealed anticipation for the future, seemingly unaware of the profound impact his words had on Tang San's heart.

Upon hearing this, Tang San immediately understood the intention of the bald teacher he had just recognized; he clearly wanted to recruit Ren as his disciple.

The thought flashed through Tang San's mind, and his expression changed slightly.

How could this be? Tang San gritted his teeth inwardly. If he really let Ren into the sect, not only would Ren take away his teaching resources, but he would also have to face this guy who made him swallow his anger every day. Wouldn't Tang San's status plummet?

If Ren were truly accepted as a disciple, wouldn't Tang San be both Yu Xiaogang's son and Ren's grandson in this trio of master and disciple? Just thinking about such a situation made Tang San's teeth itch with anger!

He's the main character!

Thinking of this, Tang San's anger flared up like dry grass being ignited.

He began racking his brains to recall every bad record about Ren, every possible way to smear or slander him. He was determined to make his master, Gangzi, who was always looking for something better, understand that Ren was not a character he could easily control!

He couldn't handle it!

At this moment, Tang San was like a resentful woman about to catch her husband cheating in bed. Faced with her husband's infidelity, her heart was filled with jealousy and resentment. That resentment and unwillingness intertwined, making his eyes sharp and cold, as if he was ready to unleash a storm at any moment.

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(End of this chapter)