After discovering the signs of cultivating blood and qi power, Tang San added a new research project to his schedule.
He regularly invited Wang Sheng to join him in study sessions.In the process, Wang Sheng also began to grasp basic control techniques, and his strength grew rapidly.
Despite having only level eleven soul power, he could now spar with Xiao Wu, who had already cultivated to level sixteen, and last several rounds.
From thirty seconds to three full minutes.
Though it didn't sound like much, the change frustrated Xiao Wu. Her stamina drained faster each time.
She couldn't help but feel unsettled.
Was she really unsuited for the aggressive route?
Wang Sheng was only level eleven, yet already hard to beat.Her martial soul, despite being the transformation of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, seemed increasingly inadequate against muscular, power-based beast souls.
"Soft Boned Rabbit... too weak in body enhancement," she thought bitterly.
"I've told you already," Tang San said calmly."If you insist on the offensive route, it's not going to work. You're built for crushing tactics—fighting smarter, not harder."
"Against opponents at your level, or even slightly below, if their martial soul's physical power surpasses yours and they know some combat skills, you'll always struggle."
"Taking the aggressive path… it's just wasting your talent."
"...I'll think about it," Xiao Wu muttered. "I still have time before I reach level twenty anyway."
Then she asked, "What level is your soul power now?"
"Twenty."
"What?!" Xiao Wu stared at him, stunned.Her innate full soul power cultivation was already fast, but this guy, with only six innate levels, had actually surpassed her.
"Well, my martial soul is Blue Silver Grass," Tang San replied matter-of-factly."It's everywhere. I'm always surrounded by an environment it resonates with."
He continued, "Innate soul power represents potential and cultivation speed. But to me, it's also a kind of affinity—the connection between soul and martial soul."
"If you can truly understand your martial soul, work with it, not against it, that bond grows. When your affinity reaches a hundred percent, your cultivation naturally speeds up."
"I've been learning from the Blue Silver Grass itself during cultivation. That helps. And I've also developed a method to circulate soul power more effectively."
In the major sects, cultivation involved soul power circulation through the meridians to build internal rhythm. But none of them could compare to the Mysterious Heaven Skill—which could absorb heaven and earth energy even without a martial soul.
Still, even those lesser methods were better than the basic meditation taught in schools.
"A soul power circulation method? Can you teach me?" Xiao Wu asked with stars in her eyes.
"Not right now."
"...So stingy," she pouted.
"If I were truly stingy, I wouldn't even tell you I had one," Tang San replied with a shrug."This means I trust you—at least a little."
"Hmph. You're the worst. Always talking facts and logic... can't you just say something sweet for once?" Xiao Wu grumbled.Her temper had mellowed since the beginning of the semester, but she still had her moments.
"Sorry," Tang San said, "I've never been good at coaxing girls."
And he didn't intend to start.
Even if he and Xiao Wu were to truly end up together one day, their love would need to be mutual, not built on indulgence or dependence.
"Big straight man," Xiao Wu huffed. "You'll never get a wife at this rate."
"Not necessarily," Tang San said casually."I'm smart, I'm a soul master... if I really wanted to, there'd be plenty of girls willing to crawl into my bed."
"...Scumbag." Xiao Wu gave him a deadpan glare of judgment.
He didn't respond, which somehow made it worse.
"I'm going to the Spirit Hall to do research. Want to come?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm coming." Xiao Wu clenched her fists."This time, I'm going to climb higher than you."
"Then try your best."
His nonchalant tone made her even more annoyed—but she followed anyway.
Wang Sheng often trained with them as well. To Tang San's surprise, he got along especially well with Su Yuntao. Perhaps it was their shared connection to beast-type martial souls—they understood each other more easily.
Under Su Yuntao's guidance, Wang Sheng decided to join the Spirit Hall, hoping to access its resources to continue cultivating while protecting Nuoding City and capturing criminals.
There was just one regret.
Despite receiving a powerful first soul skill and absorbing a hundred-year soul ring with Tang San's help, Wang Sheng's talent was simply too average. He wasn't eligible to be recommended to the intermediate Spirit Academy.
But Wang Sheng didn't mind.
He wasn't interested in martial soul theory anyway.And in the future, when he needed help hunting soul beasts, he could just ask his Spirit Hall colleagues—likely more reliable than teachers at an academy.
As for locating soul beasts compatible with his martial soul?
"San-ge will be in Nuoding for at least six more years," he reasoned."And I'm always getting called over to help with experiments. If I have questions, I can just ask him."
In Wang Sheng's eyes, Tang San was more dependable than any teacher.
A month passed quietly.
The semester at Nuoding Academy came to an end. Students began packing their belongings, preparing to return home for the New Year.
Tang San also packed early, planning to return to Holy Spirit Village before Old Jack—who was getting on in years—could make the long journey to pick him up.
"Tang San, can I come to your house?" Xiao Wu asked as she watched the others in Dormitory Seven packing. She walked up to him casually, eyes expectant.
"Missy doesn't want to go home?" Tang San raised an eyebrow."You really did run away, huh?"
Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks."I told you already, I'm not a missy!"
"Sure, sure," Tang San said with a smirk."But I'm warning you now—my place is poor. Grandpa's the village chief, but our home's small. Don't say I didn't warn you if you can't handle it."
"Hmph, I'll eat anything... except rabbits," Xiao Wu said proudly."Used to be grass for me, remember?"
Tang San chuckled but didn't reply.
He turned to Wang Sheng."When you go home, don't mess with your blood and qi flow, or you'll hurt yourself—and I won't be there to fix it."
Wang Sheng grinned."Don't worry, San-ge. I know I'm not that smart—I won't try anything without you."
Over the past month, Tang San had studied Tiger King's Blood Qi Transformation in-depth, eventually devising a basic method for circulating blood and qi.
But for now, it could only be practiced under his supervision.
After saying goodbye to the students in Dormitory Seven, Tang San and Xiao Wu left the school gates and set off along the small country road leading out of Nuoding City.
They would walk back to the village.
Xiao Wu didn't mind.After all, she'd walked all the way to Nuoding Academy from the Star Dou Great Forest.This was nothing.
"Tang San, you're already at level twenty. Aren't you going to hunt for a second soul ring right away?" Xiao Wu asked curiously."...Are you waiting for me?"
"Nope."
Tang San made a gesture telling her not to be narcissistic.
"My cultivation's progressing quickly. If people notice, it might draw unwanted attention."
"Besides..." He looked ahead, thoughtful."I want to strengthen my body first—then I'll go after a thousand-year soul beast for my second ring."
Xiao Wu stopped in her tracks."...Thousand years?!"
"But second soul rings are only supposed to handle up to a hundred years!"
—
The advantage of this book: no rigid level suppression.