Tang San calmly glanced at Ye Qiu's back as he walked away.
Then he turned his attention back to Yu Xiaogang.
"Since you're not a teacher at the academy, how should I address you?"
"They all call me 'Master.' I've long since forgotten my real name."
At this, Yu Xiaogang paused, his gaze burning as he looked at Tang San.
Time to drop the pretense!
"If you really want to call me teacher, I won't object."
Tang San looked calmly into Yu Xiaogang's eyes, his expression unchanged.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their eyes.
Playing dumb while knowing the truth—he was good at that too.
Yu Xiaogang forced a stiff smile and stroked the stubble on his chin, sizing Tang San up.
Then, without any warning, he dropped a bombshell.
"Besides the Blue Silver Grass spirit, what is your other spirit?!"
!!
Tang San's pupils shrank sharply, his heart in shock.
Beneath his clothes, the hidden sleeve dart on his left wrist had silently re-engaged its safety.
Friend or foe?!
A cold glint slowly rose in the depths of Tang San's eyes.
Murderous intent had awakened, yet his face remained calm as he cautiously asked,
"How do you know?"
Little did Master Yu know—his name had already started flickering on the Book of Life and Death.
Still composed, he smiled stiffly at Tang San, trying his best to seem warm and friendly.
He raised the certificate in his hand that proved his identity as a Spirit Master.
Then launched into a verbose monologue: how he had gone to rural areas, worked in the fields, studied hundreds of Blue Silver Grass spirit users, devoted his life to martial spirit research, and even proposed the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Spirits.
No one understood spirit cultivation better than he did!
He was the undisputed #1 Theorist in the Spirit Master world!
Yu Xiaogang delivered a long, self-glorifying introduction, quoting classics and citing evidence, before firmly concluding:
"So I can say with certainty—you possess another extremely powerful spirit.
You are the third recorded twin spirit wielder in history!"
Tang San's mind trembled violently, his intent to kill crumbling.
Just from a spirit certificate, this man could deduce so much.
No wonder he was hailed as the number one theorist.
He truly deserved the title!
Still, Tang San had one last doubt in his heart.
He extended his right hand, where a small blue blade of grass swayed lightly.
Looking at Yu Xiaogang, he asked:
"Master, everyone says my Blue Silver Grass is a useless spirit.
Can a useless spirit really be cultivated?"
"Heh…"
Yu Xiaogang chuckled, shaking his head.
He clasped his hands behind his back and looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle.
"You must always remember…"
"There is no such thing as a useless spirit—only useless spirit masters!"
At those words, Tang San smiled.
Even MacArthur would've smiled.
This man was worthy of being his teacher!
Tang San silently disabled the sleeve dart's trigger and took a step back, widening the distance between them.
Then, with a thud, he dropped to both knees.
Bang, bang, bang!
He respectfully kowtowed three times to Yu Xiaogang.
Ye Qiu, who was just returning, thought he vaguely heard Tang San shout—
"Father——!"
"If you do not reject me, I would like to take you as my godfather!"
Yu Xiaogang was stunned.
"What are you doing?!
Kneeling and kowtowing is only for kings and parents."
"One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father!
Please, Teacher, accept this bow from Tang San!"
Bang—!
As he spoke, Tang San kowtowed again, this time even harder, his forehead red from the impact.
"Good, good!"
"What a phrase—'one day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father!'"
Yu Xiaogang was overjoyed. He quickly bent down and helped up his new "good son."
"Xiao San, what's this about?"
Ye Qiu walked over slowly, pretending to be surprised as he looked at Tang San.
"Ye Qiu?"
Tang San looked back at him, eyes flickering slightly, but said nothing.
Instead, he asked,
"When did you get back?"
"Huh?!"
Ye Qiu was stunned for a moment.
He felt a chill in his heart as he helplessly shook his still-wet hand.
"Just got back, obviously.
I was just wondering why you suddenly knelt down like that.
Don't tell me you've already abandoned Uncle Mouse?"
Tang San frowned slightly, not wanting to deal with Ye Qiu's nonsense.
He raised his hand and introduced,
"This is the teacher I just acknowledged."
"Just acknowledged?"
Ye Qiu looked at Yu Xiaogang with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
But in his heart, a cold wave rose.
After fusing with that spider three months ago,
he had gained two new abilities.
One of them was a heightened sensory perception far beyond that of normal people.
Tang San's murderous intent—no matter how subtle—could not escape his perception.
This little brat was way too cautious.
He had already given Tang San enough space and deference.
Hmph.
Give him an inch, and he wants a mile!
So this is what Tang Hao meant by "taking care of him"?
With a silent sleeve dart?!
Yu Xiaogang exchanged a look with Ye Qiu.
Seeing the clarity in the boy's eyes, his thoughts stirred again.
"According to your spirit certificate, your name is Ye Qiu, right?"
"Yes."
Ye Qiu nodded.
Yu Xiaogang showed another cryptic smile and said meaningfully,
"Do you really think your martial spirit is a useless one?"
"Hm?"
Ye Qiu raised his brow, throwing him a puzzled look but saying nothing.
At this moment, Tang San was struck by realization.
He had twin spirits—and Xuan Tian Gong.
But what about Ye Qiu?
Why did he have innate full soul power?
Yu Xiaogang had considered this long ago.
According to his theories, the reason he could deduce Tang San had twin spirits was because he was certain:
Tang San's spirit had not mutated—it was indeed just ordinary Blue Silver Grass.
But Ye Qiu's spirit was one he had never seen before.
Although it looked like a useless spirit, Yu Xiaogang refused to believe in such luck—
The odds of encountering two twin spirit geniuses in one place were astronomically low.
So…
There could only be one truth!
Yu Xiaogang, full of confidence, declared:
"Ye Qiu, I've never seen your spirit before…
But I can say for sure—it's a mutated martial spirit.
Otherwise, as a commoner, there's no way you could have been born with innate full soul power!"
"Mutated spirit?!"
Ye Qiu's eyes widened in feigned surprise—internally, he was rolling them hard.
Tang San also came to a sudden understanding.
So Ye Qiu's spirit was a mutated one.
Master truly deserved his reputation as the number one theorist!
Yu Xiaogang was deeply satisfied with their reactions.
In the Spirit Master world, few listened to him speak so earnestly, let alone showed expressions like this.
People often dismissed him as a fraud.
But that only made him more determined to teach powerful disciples and prove them wrong!
"Ye Qiu, when it comes to spirit research—especially mutated spirits—I'm the top expert.
You're new to this world and still know little.
Having a good teacher and friend on the road of cultivation is a great blessing.
So…
Would you be willing to take me as your master?"
Yu Xiaogang struck a grandmaster's pose, looking calmly at Ye Qiu, awaiting his answer.
Though Ye Qiu's talent didn't match Tang San's,
he still had innate full soul power.
Yu Xiaogang could use him to test theories and gain experience, helping Tang San walk a straighter path and nurturing even more talented students!
In other words, he wanted to take in another useful godson.
Tang San also looked to Ye Qiu.
Though he didn't quite understand what Tang Hao meant by "look after Ye Qiu,"
if they became fellow disciples under the same master, then everything would fall into place.
"I'll pass," Ye Qiu said with a shrug.
"Xiao San already acknowledged you. I don't want to be second.
Unless he's willing to be my junior brother."
Tang San frowned.
He already didn't like this younger boy calling him "Xiao San,"
and he certainly wouldn't lower himself to junior brother status for him.
Yu Xiaogang frowned as well.
After all that effort, and still no godson—it was a real pity.
But as a Master, he had his pride. He would not press the matter.
He was giving Ye Qiu an opportunity, not begging for his approval.
"Very well.
In the Spirit Master world, a person may only have one teacher in their life.
Such a thing… deserves careful thought!"
His words held double meaning.
They seemed directed at Ye Qiu,
but were actually meant for Tang San—
Even if I'm just a Grandmaster,
you've already kowtowed to me—
you're stuck with me now, kid!
"All right, come with me. I'll take you to register."
Yu Xiaogang composed himself and stopped dwelling on it.
Getting twin-spirited Tang San was already more than enough.
Ye Qiu and Tang San followed Yu Xiaogang to complete their registration and receive their uniforms.
Then they parted ways with him and walked toward their dormitory—
The place where everything begins… Dorm Seven!