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"Big brother Tianchen, what's going on? Why did you spar with Tang San?" Ning Rongrong asked, puzzled.
In theory, sparring matches between students should be arranged by the academy's teachers.
But as it stood, no teacher had appeared on the main training field.
"Consider it a farewell before I leave," Ning Tianchen gently stroked her forehead without elaborating.
What surprised him was that Yu Xiaogang hadn't come to speak with him about anything else. He simply instructed everyone to gather at the main training field after dinner.
"Rongrong, invite Zhu Zhuqing and Oscar tonight. Let's go into town for a meal. After today, we'll return to the sect."
Ning Rongrong nodded in agreement.
---
Tang San followed behind Yu Xiaogang, his face filled with dejection. "Teacher, I'm no match for him."
Hidden weapons were tools meant for surprise attacks. Once their secrecy was lost, their effectiveness diminished significantly.
Tang San didn't believe that relying on ordinary hidden weapon techniques could pose any real threat to Ning Tianchen.
If he were to use more advanced techniques, it would go against the spirit of sparring.
Yu Xiaogang hadn't expected Ning Tianchen to dodge the hidden weapon attacks either. Still, with some reluctance, he thought it might be possible to take him as a disciple.
"Xiao San, he's from a prominent family and has natural advantages in cultivation," Yu Xiaogang consoled him.
Tang San didn't agree. He possessed the ultimate techniques of the Tang Sect and had twin martial souls. Even though Ning Tianchen was a genius with full innate soul power, he didn't believe the latter had an advantage over him in cultivation.
Yu Xiaogang noticed his thoughts, smiled faintly, and explained, "Xiao San, you grew up in the village with your father. When your martial soul awakened, your actual age should have been six years and a few months, right?"
The stewards of the Spirit Hall were responsible for awakening martial souls in numerous villages.
Some stewards in remote areas spent the entire year traveling, barely managing to cover all the villages within a year.
Thus, stewards only visited each village once a year. Typically, very few children had their martial souls awakened immediately upon turning six.
Moreover, children from ordinary families had to wait until the academy opened before they could begin their studies—a process that often took a long time.
"I awakened my martial soul at six years and three months old. Then I waited another three months at home before entering Nuoding Academy. Teacher, is there something wrong with this?" Tang San asked, confused.
Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "It's simple. If you were from a powerful family, your martial soul would have been awakened immediately upon turning six. After measuring your innate soul power, the sect would have begun teaching you directly."
"But before you started formal cultivation, you wasted six months. The lead Ning Tianchen currently has over you is the result of those six months of training."
"Xiao San, if I'm not mistaken, Ning Tianchen's soul power level isn't much higher than yours, is it?"
With this explanation, Tang San perked up.
During the six months after turning six and before officially enrolling in school, he had only practiced the Tang Sect's techniques and hadn't been exposed to any knowledge related to soul masters.
Since coming to this world, he realized that cultivating soul power was the mainstream focus here. The Tang Sect's techniques always had limitations, so he believed it was because of these six months that Ning Tianchen had pulled ahead.
Yu Xiaogang patted his shoulder and said kindly, "Xiao San, knowing the gap means you should work hard to catch up. Starting tomorrow, I will officially lead your training and studies. Just follow my instructions."
Tang San was initially surprised, then delighted.
---
In the evening, at a restaurant in Soto City.
Listening to Ning Tianchen's explanation, Oscar was astonished. "That bald-headed man is Tang San's teacher?"
Earlier, while practicing his soul power in the kitchen, he had encountered Yu Xiaogang. He had assumed the man was a villager borrowing something, never expecting him to have such an identity.
Ning Rongrong wiped the crumbs from her lips and angrily said, "I feel like that guy isn't a good person."
"He just arrived at the academy and made big brother Tianchen spar with Tang San, clearly wanting to give Tang San a practice partner. Moreover, he's not even a teacher at the academy, so he has no right to organize sparring matches among students. And now he's making us gather at the main training field tonight—what gives him the authority!"
Ning Tianchen gently stroked her forehead and added, "Rongrong, by tonight, he might become a teacher at the academy. He might even become our team leader."
"Him? I feel his soul power level isn't even as high as mine," Ning Rongrong said indignantly.
"One shouldn't judge a book by its cover. He might have other strengths," Zhu Zhuqing remarked fairly.
Aside from plagiarizing others' theories, Yu Xiaogang's own theoretical expertise wasn't low. At the very least, it surpassed Flender and the others by several times.
After a pause, he placed Yu Xiaogang's The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls on the table for everyone to see.
"This book is that 'master's' work. Take a look…"
Oscar had very limited exposure to soul master theories. Upon seeing the content of the book, it was as if a new world had opened up, and he continuously praised the theories within.
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong both came from prominent families, and most of the theories in the book were familiar to them through their respective sects.
Ning Rongrong carefully flipped through the pages but found no mention of the sources of the theories.
"Could it be that this shameless man just claimed these theories as his own?" Ning Rongrong exclaimed in astonishment.
How could there be such a brazen person in the world!
"Rongrong, there are some theories he proposed himself. Isn't Tang San a good example?" Ning Tianchen asked with a smile.
"No useless martial souls, only useless soul masters?" Ning Rongrong asked, puzzled.
At first glance, the statement seemed reasonable, but upon closer inspection, it was riddled with flaws.
"Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was considered a useless martial soul, yet Yu Xiaogang managed to teach him to become what he is now. He must have some skill," Zhu Zhuqing analyzed.
Ning Rongrong countered, "Sister Zhuqing, don't forget that Tang San has full innate soul power. With such a foundation, as long as he's not a fool, his cultivation won't be low."
Ning Tianchen interrupted their discussion. "It's pointless for us to dwell on this. We don't need to care what kind of person Yu Xiaogang is."
After all, they would be leaving the academy tomorrow.
Oscar, however, was completely absorbed.
As a commoner soul master, no one craved soul master theories more than he did.
The origins of the theories in the book were all thick ancient texts.
Without a scholar to explain them, ordinary people would find it difficult to grasp their essence.
Yu Xiaogang had simplified them considerably.
Though the book contained elements of plagiarism, overall, the theories were worth referencing.
"Tianchen, can I borrow this book? You know my situation…" Oscar's voice grew quieter and quieter until it was barely audible.
Ning Tianchen placed his hand on Oscar's shoulder and smiled. "Xiao Ao, you'll soon be a member of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect. Besides, we're brothers. There's no need to be so formal."
"If you want to read it, take it, but don't let anyone else know."
Oscar nodded, deeply moved, and held the book tightly with both hands.
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