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Lan Minghua was not a man without a temper. After Ma Hongjun's repeated provocations, did he really think there would be no consequences?
He caught the returning slipper with his foot, then led Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing to the training grounds.
"Alright, toss the arm and leg on the ground."
"Yes, Master."
Lan Minghua aimed a palm strike at the limbs lying before him.
In an instant, the flesh and skin disintegrated, revealing two crystal-clear soul bones suspended in midair.
"Soul bones?!"
Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing's pupils shrank. They never expected to find soul bones hidden inside the severed limbs.
Lan Minghua was a little disappointed—so the soul bones the Clear Sky Clan gave Tang Hao weren't 100,000-year grade after all. Then again, it made sense. The clan had long since declined.
Even if they had been 100,000-year soul bones, he wouldn't have been particularly interested anyway.
Turning to Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing, he said, "Once you've obtained your third soul rings, these two soul bones will be your reward. For now, I'll hold onto them for you."
Lan Minghua had no personal interest in Tang Hao's soul bones; they were far better used as motivation for his disciples.
"Thank you, Master!" Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing were thrilled. These were high-quality soul bones. Even Soul Saints, Soul Douluo, or Titled Douluo would covet them, as both had a minimum age of at least fifty thousand years.
Lan Minghua stored the soul bones in his system space, then turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "I originally planned to give you your apprenticeship gift tomorrow, but since you're here now, I'll give it to you today."
He handed her a gravity-sensing wristband, a Devourer Pouch (ring version), and a book titled Nine Yin Manual.
(Translator's Note: In the source animation, the character Lan Minghua is shown with two handfuls of technique manuals. One set included titles like "Trendy Hairstyles," "Indestructible Vajra Body," "Chrysanthemum Point-Striking Hand," "Blood Demon Blade Technique," and "Turtle Wave Qi Gong" (Kamehameha). The other set was unnamed. To allow for more creative flexibility, the fan-fic author is attributing some famous martial arts manuals from Jin Yong and Gu Long novels to the character.)
Zhu Zhuqing accepted the items respectfully with both hands, examining them with curiosity.
Seeing her confusion, Oscar proudly flashed his own gravity-sensing wristband and Devourer Pouch.
"Zhuqing, these are both soul tools. The wristband is for training, but the ring—that's something special. It's a spatial-type soul tool!"
As a noble, Zhu Zhuqing understood just how rare soul tools were. She never expected Lan Minghua to give her such a precious apprenticeship gift. She immediately dropped to her knees and kowtowed several times to express her gratitude.
Lan Minghua helped her up and said calmly, "Just train hard and don't disappoint my expectations. This Nine Yin Manual will make your path much smoother."
"Thank you, Master!" Zhu Zhuqing felt a warmth spread through her heart. For the first time, she felt the warmth of a home.
"Let's begin cultivating. After everything that happened tonight, I doubt any of you could sleep anyway."
Under Lan Minghua's guidance, Zhu Zhuqing began her training in the Nine Yin Manual.
Oscar watched with deep envy. He, too, wished he could be learning the Indestructible Vajra Body right now.
Lan Minghua slapped the back of Oscar's head in frustration.
"Your physique is still too weak. Get back to training! If you don't, Zhuqing will surpass you in no time."
Oscar's face fell. He regretted his choice; if he had known how difficult this path would be, he would have picked a different manual. But this was the path he had chosen. No matter how hard it got, he had to see it through.
As Lan Minghua watched Oscar running laps, he sighed inwardly. Oscar's physical constitution is just too poor. I suppose it's time to move the plan for the immortal herbs up the schedule.
The immortal herbs were incredibly important for both Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing, as the martial arts manuals would take time to show their full effects.
With Lan Minghua's guidance, Zhu Zhuqing made rapid progress. She didn't let him down. In just one night, she reached the entry-level of the Nine Yin Manual.
Even though it was only the initial stage, her soul power surged by two full levels. Originally a Level 27, Zhu Zhuqing was now a Level 29.
At the same time, a notification sounded in Lan Minghua's mind.
[Ding! Your second disciple, Zhu Zhuqing, has reached the entry-level of the Nine Yin Manual. Reward: 200 Master Points.]
"Only 200 for entry-level? This system is so stingy."
Lan Minghua pouted and grumbled, though he wasn't truly upset. By accepting Zhu Zhuqing and guiding her to this point, he had earned a total of 1,000 Master Points—just enough for a ten-pull from the system's lottery.
Just then, another notification sounded.
[Ding! Your first disciple has reached the entry-level of the Indestructible Vajra Body. Reward: 200 Master Points.]
Lan Minghua was still processing this when Oscar came sprinting over, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Master! Master! I did it! I've reached the entry-level of the Indestructible Vajra Body you taught me!"
Oscar arrived proudly before Lan Minghua and immediately began to show off his new skill. A thin layer of golden light shimmered across his body—it looked quite impressive.
"So, Master? Am I a genius or what?!"
Zhu Zhuqing eyed the golden glow around Oscar with curiosity. It certainly seemed powerful.
Lan Minghua had to laugh. Oscar had barely mastered the basics and was already getting cocky. Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's interest, he issued a command: "Zhuqing, use your second soul skill at full power. Let's see if you can break through his golden light."
"Yes, Master!"
Zhu Zhuqing immediately summoned her martial soul, and her second spirit ring flared to life.
Second Soul Skill: Nether Hundred Claws!
Oscar was supremely confident. He channeled all his power into the Indestructible Vajra Body and declared, "Bring it on, Zhuqing!"
Zhu Zhuqing attacked with her full strength. A series of sharp impacts echoed across Oscar's body, yet none of her strikes could break through his golden shield; they were all deflected.
Oscar smirked at Zhu Zhuqing and teased, "You'll have to train harder, Junior Sister!"
Lan Minghua's mouth twitched. This brat was really asking for a beating.
However, the Nine Yin Manual was divided into two scrolls: the upper scroll focused on internal energy, and the lower scroll taught external techniques. Now that Zhu Zhuqing had reached the entry-level, she had a basic grasp of both.
Seeing her slightly frustrated expression, Lan Minghua said, "Zhuqing, use a technique from the lower scroll and teach your senior brother some humility."
"Yes, Master!"
Zhu Zhuqing vanished into a blur and reappeared in front of Oscar. Using her fingers like claws, she infused them with the internal energy of the Nine Yin Manual. Her fingertips turned pitch black, exuding an incredibly sharp and menacing aura.
Oscar was startled but still trusted his golden light to protect him.
She slashed out.
Golden sparks flew.
Crack! A glaring fracture split across the golden light.
Lan Minghua immediately stepped in to separate them, now having a clearer understanding of their current capabilities. Still, he couldn't resist giving Oscar another exasperated slap on the head.
"Are you an idiot?! When someone attacks you, why don't you dodge?!"
If Oscar became one of those blockheads obsessed with taking every hit head-on, Lan Minghua would be too embarrassed to even admit he was his disciple. That said, his defense was impressive. It was what one would expect from someone with a system talent rating of 95.
Lan Minghua straightened up and said seriously, "I have to leave for a few days. While I'm away, you two will train under Flender's supervision. Understood?"
"Yes, Master," they replied in unison, obediently accepting his command without question.
Lan Minghua nodded in satisfaction. Good disciples really made life easy.
With that, he soared into the sky, his destination the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in the Sunset Forest.
Meanwhile, beside the well, a certain green-robed figure suddenly shivered. He opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings warily.
"Hiss… why do I suddenly have such a bad feeling?!"
(End of Chapter)