Back in the present, Fu Shiyan's indifferent gaze swept over the still-shaken faces of the Duke and Duchess of Long and Snake. When he finally spoke, his voice was cool and detached:
"I think you have misunderstood something."
He paused, deliberately drawing out his words,
"I have no relation to this boy."
As soon as these words left his mouth, the Duke and Duchess of Long and Snake froze for a moment, followed by a strange, inexplicable sense of relief--thank goodness!
Thank goodness this deadly powerhouse was not Tang San's relative or friend, otherwise, today's matter would have been impossible to resolve peacefully!
However, Fu Shiyan's tone immediately shifted, carrying a hint of unquestionable majesty:
"However!" His gaze shifted to the battered but stubbornly enduring Tang San at the side, "I am rather interested in his martial soul."
He looked back at the Duke and Duchess of Long and Snake, his tone carrying a faint hint of admonition:
"I originally had no intention of interfering in the grievances between you. But to ruthlessly attempt to slaughter a twelve-year-old youth of exceptional potential just over the ownership of a mere soul beast... this is not the behavior of the strong."
Hearing this, cold sweat instantly drenched the backs of the Duke and Duchess of Long and Snake. They hurriedly bowed and responded:
"Senior's lesson is correct! We were reckless! Thank you, Senior, for your magnanimity!"
At this moment, they only wanted to leave this place of trouble as quickly as possible.
Fu Shiyan also seemed to have no intention of entangling further with them, waving his hand casually.
As if granted an imperial pardon, how could the Duke and Duchess of Long and Snake dare to say more? They hurriedly clasped their fists in salute, and then, leading Meng Yiran--whose face was filled with lingering fear--they practically deployed their movement techniques, fleeing toward the outer fringes of the Star Dou Great Forest without looking back.
After such a fright, how could they still have the peace of mind to continue hunting for soul rings? They only felt that this forest was fraught with peril and wanted to leave as soon as possible.
As for Meng Yiran's third soul ring, they could only make plans for it in the future.
Only when the figures of the Duke and Duchess of Long and Snake disappeared into the depths of the dense forest did Fu Shiyan slowly turn around. His gaze landed on Tang San, a faint, ambiguous smile playing at the corners of his lips.
"Have you seen enough, boy?"
Tang San shuddered all over, snapping back to reality from his immense shock and complex thoughts.
Enduring the severe pain in his body and the weakness of his exhausted soul power, he struggled to stand straight, bowed deeply to Fu Shiyan, and spoke with utmost sincerity:
"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life! Tang San will surely remember this for the rest of his life! If there is ever a time when Senior requires Tang San's service, this junior will certainly not hesitate!"
Hearing this, Fu Shiyan let out a light laugh, dripping with indifference:
"What could I possibly need a rank thirty boy like you to do?"
His tone shifted, his gaze landing on Tang San's right hand, "However... if I am not mistaken, your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, correct?"
"Replying to Senior, this junior's martial soul is indeed Blue Silver Grass."
Tang San did not dare to be negligent. With a thought, a blue light flickered in his right hand, and that Blue Silver Grass--which had become extraordinary due to absorbing the Datura Snake and Ghost Vine soul rings--quietly emerged.
The Blue Silver Grass at this moment had subtle barbs along the edges of its leaves, its entire body gleaming with a faint blue luster. The leaves were thicker and tougher, and a toxic, dark light faintly flowed within its veins. Its overall form leaned more toward an aggressive vine, already vast and completely different from ordinary, frail Blue Silver Grass.
Fu Shiyan closely scrutinized the Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's hand. An inquiring look first surfaced in his eyes, which then turned into a soft sigh as he shook his head.
Tang San's heart thumped, and he could not help but ask:
"Senior, is there... some problem with my martial soul?"
Fu Shiyan did not hide anything either, pointing it out directly:
"If I am not mistaken, you must have added a poison attribute, or even an animal-type soul ring, to this martial soul of yours, right?"
Tang San was startled in his heart. The other party had actually seen through the source and characteristics of his soul rings at a glance!
But on second thought, given the strength and understanding of Blue Silver Grass this person displayed, it was not that surprising he could see it.
Organizing his thoughts, he replied respectfully:
"Replying to Senior, your vision is correct. This junior's first soul ring came from a Datura Snake of over four hundred and twenty years, while the second soul ring originated from a Ghost Vine of over six hundred years."
Hearing this answer, the look of disappointment in Fu Shiyan's eyes became even more obvious, and it even faintly revealed a trace of... anger?
"If I am not mistaken,"
Fu Shiyan's voice grew a bit colder, carrying a sense of certainty, "your teacher is that Yu Xiaogang, right?"
"How does Senior know?!"
Tang San was abruptly shocked, his inner mind instantly filled with alertness and doubt.
The other party not only knew his teacher's name but was also clear about their teacher-disciple relationship?
This was simply too much of a coincidence! Cautious by nature, he could not help but begin to speculate about the other party's intentions and background.
Fu Shiyan keenly captured the changes in Tang San's emotions. His expression remaining unchanged, he slowly stated the "reason":
"If I am not mistaken, you should have enrolled in Nuoding Academy six years ago, correct?"
Tang San was stunned again: "Could it be that Senior... knew me before?"
Only then did Fu Shiyan seem to fall into some sort of memory, recounting the past unhurriedly:
"Six years ago, I traveled to Nuoding City. Hearing that Nuoding Academy had produced an innate full soul power Blue Silver Grass soul master, I felt quite curious in my heart and wanted to go see them."
His tone was flat, as if merely stating a past event.
"But when I found the academy and expressed my desire to see you, I was blocked by Yu Xiaogang."
A faint, ghostly smirk rose at the corner of Fu Shiyan's mouth, "Initially, I did not take this Grand Soul Master, whose soul power was halted at rank twenty-nine for life, seriously. However, he did show the Honorary Elder token of the Spirit Hall. Out of respect for this identity, I suppressed my temper and exchanged a few words with him."
"After he learned that my martial soul was also of the Blue Silver Grass lineage, and that I already possessed a peak Soul Emperor cultivation at that time, he seemed quite shocked."
Fu Shiyan's gaze grew profound, "At that time... perhaps he thought I was also a twin martial soul. He asked about my purpose in coming. I did not hide it, stating directly that I was very interested in that innate full soul power Blue Silver Grass soul master, and that perhaps we could exchange pointers. If there was no issue with his character, I also intended to accept him as a disciple."
Speaking up to here, Fu Shiyan's tone abruptly turned cold, carrying a trace of difficult-to-suppress anger:
"And after I stated my purpose, Yu Xiaogang's reaction was immense! His expression fiercely changed, followed by a self-righteous refusal, claiming: 'The child you speak of has already been taken as a disciple by me. I have my own plans for his path of cultivation, so there is no need for outsiders to worry!'"
Fu Shiyan stared at Tang San, asking word by word:
"At that time, did he also say to you... Blue Silver Grass should develop toward 'poison' and the control system? Believing that a plant martial soul absorbing an animal soul ring is an expression of some kind of 'wisdom'?"
Tang San's pupils contracted violently, and a tempestuous wave surged in his heart!
The details Fu Shiyan mentioned were almost completely identical to the theories Yu Xiaogang used to persuade him back then! This senior had actually gone to look for him six years ago?
And... he was forcefully stopped by his teacher, Yu Xiaogang?
An unspeakable sense of absurdity and a faint uneasiness began to spread from the bottom of his heart.
He looked at this senior before him who possessed terrifying strength and a martial soul of the same origin, and then thought of his teacher's set of theories that seemed profound but repeatedly suffered setbacks in actual combat, as well as his behavior of resolutely preventing him from communicating with the outside world...
The unreserved trust he had always held toward Yu Xiaogang shook violently for the first time.
Fu Shiyan took in all the shock, confusion, and struggle on Tang San's face, knowing that the crack had already been created.
He sneered in his heart, but a pained and lamenting expression appeared on his face as he sighed:
"Alas... what a pity! A perfectly good seedling, who should have had a broader future, was led onto a path... that seems clever but has actually severed his true potential by someone using narrow theories!"
These words, like a heavy hammer, struck fiercely against Tang San's heart.