Chapter 56: Yu Xiaogang Takes a Shot at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!
Seeing that he had obtained Ning Rongrong's Ring Fusion talent, the corner of Lin Yuan's mouth couldn't help but curl upward.
This talent was excellent!
Ring Fusion—just as the name implied—meant instantly fusing the energy of multiple soul rings, concentrating everything into a single burst, unleashing destructive power far beyond one's current level.
Just imagine it.
If all nine of his soul rings were skills like his First Soul Skill—God Killing Pierce and Void Stasis—skills that provided percentage-based amplification or inflicted negative status effects…
Then, at the very instant combat began, with all buffs stacking simultaneously—
Even his basic attack might achieve the effect of a nuclear explosion!
But in the end, that was nothing more than a beautiful fantasy.
Reality, however, was brutally unforgiving.
Amplification-type soul skills were indeed powerful, but their soul power consumption was equally terrifying—especially when amplifying beyond one's level or stacking multiple effects. The drain would be like a breached river, pouring out uncontrollably.
Just look at Ning Rongrong.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was strong precisely because of its high amplification ratios.
Yet its weakness was just as fatal—it couldn't be maintained for long, and it placed an enormous burden on the soul master.
That was why the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect possessed a secret art like Heart Separation Control—to meticulously calculate and optimize every bit of soul power usage.
'If I really went down a full amplification route, then the moment all nine rings activated…'
'That state would probably be similar to something like 'One-Strike Asura' or the 'Eight Gates Technique,' right?'
'Sure, it would look cool, and the power would absolutely be world-shattering.'
'But after that one second of being a true powerhouse, I'd probably collapse from soul power depletion—or even bodily overload—and be left lying on the ground, waiting to be slaughtered.'
This kind of all-or-nothing, gambling-style combat wasn't Lin Yuan's way.
So, the best soul ring configuration he had come up with so far—aside from the Seventh Soul Ring being a Martial Soul True Body—was as follows:
He would equip five soul skills that purely provided different forms of amplification. His current First Soul Skill already offers two effects: Armor Break and Healing Suppression.
Future amplification skills could be oriented toward boosting attack power, strength, attributes, and so on.
As for the remaining three soul ring slots—two would be attack-type skills, and one would be defensive.
Ideally, those three soul skills would also come with secondary amplification effects. That would be perfect.
'Five amplifications + two attacks + one defense + one true body.'
'And with Ring Fusion on top of that—instantly injecting the energy of five amplification skills into one or two attack skills…'
Just imagining that scene made Lin Yuan shudder.
The power would be absolutely explosive!
Pulling his thoughts back to reality, Lin Yuan glanced at Yu Xiaogang, who was still standing there stiffly like a wooden stake, and put on a perfunctory yet polite smile.
"Alright, Master. I won't take up any more of your time. I still need to take my newly acquainted friends to explore other parts of the academy."
"You can stay here and continue guiding Tang San's cultivation."
...
Watching Lin Yuan and the others gradually walk away until they disappeared at the end of the tree-lined path—
Tang San, who had been keeping his head lowered the entire time, finally raised it.
His eyes, once ordinary and unremarkable, now carried an eerily oppressive gloom.
"Teacher…"
Tang San's voice was hoarse, tinged with suppressed fury.
"Who exactly are they?"
"The so-called Upper Three Sects… the so-called Titled Douluo… are they all this arrogant?"
"How dare they humiliate you like that!"
In Tang San's heart, Yu Xiaogang wasn't just his teacher—he was like a father.
To insult his teacher was to insult Tang San himself!
They were courting death!
Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, doing his best to suppress the waves of humiliation churning within him.
He shook his head, patted Tang San's shoulder, and spoke in a heavy, earnest tone:
"Xiao San, watch your words."
"This world ultimately revolves around strength."
"The one dressed in white is one of the two guardians of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—Sword Douluo Chen Xin, known as the strongest attacker in the world. A rank ninety-six Super Douluo!"
"As for the other, he is Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, whose poison arts dominate the world—a level ninety-one Titled Douluo."
"In their eyes, we truly are no different from ants."
When he mentioned those two names, a trace of irrepressible envy and reverence flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
That was a realm he had pursued his entire life—yet would never reach.
Looking at Tang San, Yu Xiaogang's eyes reignited with hope.
"In the future, when your twin martial soul talent gradually reveals itself…"
"When you stand at the peak of the continent…"
"Only then might you be qualified to speak to them as an equal—or even make them look up to you!"
Tang San nodded heavily, engraving the names "Chen Xin" and "Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect" deep into his heart.
"Oh, right."
Yu Xiaogang seemed to recall something and abruptly changed the subject.
"Xiao San, I remember that aside from cultivating your soul power, you often go to the blacksmith shop in the city to forge metal, correct?"
Tang San paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes, Teacher."
"My father taught me a hammer technique called the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method. I'm already a senior apprentice at the blacksmith shop."
"In my spare time, I use leftover materials from the shop to craft some small self-defense tools."
As he spoke, Tang San subconsciously touched the Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges at his waist, inside which lay carefully crafted sleeve arrows, bone-piercing nails, and other hidden weapons.
These were the trump cards of a Tang Sect disciple.
A strange glint flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes as he spoke with pointed intent:
"Xiao San, I've told you this before."
"Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is wealthy beyond measure and the richest among the Upper Three Sects…"
"Heaven is fair. It grants them the strongest auxiliary martial soul, but also strips them of the possibility of possessing powerful offensive capabilities."
"Their direct disciples largely lack self-preservation ability, and on the battlefield, they are often the first targets to be eliminated."
At this point, Yu Xiaogang glanced at the soul tool at Tang San's waist.
"The hidden weapons you've been tinkering with—while crude—have decent power and don't require soul power to activate."
"If you ever find yourself short on money in the future, or plan to sell them…"
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would be the perfect customer. They would be waving gold soul coins, begging to buy them."
Hearing this, Tang San frowned slightly, puzzled.
"Teacher, I know the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is rich."
"But that Sword Douluo humiliated you like that just now. He clearly doesn't think much of us."
"How could I possibly sell hidden weapons to them?"
Though Tang San had lived two lives and possessed deep scheming, when it came to "respecting one's teacher," he was still rather stubborn—at least on the surface.
Yu Xiaogang, however, wore a bitter and helpless smile.
Turning his back, he gazed up at the sky, assuming the posture of a seasoned, world-weary expert.
"Pride?"
"Xiao San, remember this."
"Respect is never something bestowed by others—it must be earned through one's own strength."
"I've been expelled from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect for twenty years now."
"I've been mocked by the world and looked down upon by the strong—and that is only natural."
"Because I'm a waste… a Soul Grandmaster who can't even break through rank thirty."
At this point, Yu Xiaogang's voice trembled slightly.
"But!"
"I'm not reconciled to this fate!"
"So, Xiao San—you must succeed!"
"If in the future, you can rely on hidden weapons and twin martial souls to make the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect beg you for cooperation…"
"Then even if this teacher of yours has to suffer a bit of humiliation, what does it matter?"
"That will be the moment when they are truly forced to see you in a new light!"
—
End of Chapter