"Do you really think this one soul tool can compare to our past master-disciple relationship?"
Lin Mu glanced at the "Twenty-Four Bridge Moonlit Night" belt. A hint of joy flashed across his face, but outwardly he feigned dissatisfaction and hesitation.
In reality, his entire setup to deceive Yu Xiaogang was for this specific soul tool.
Soul technology wasn't advanced yet on the Douluo Continent. Storage soul tools were incredibly rare, and a high-capacity one like this, with twenty-four cubic meters of space was a treasure worth more than 100,000 Gold Soul Coins.
Seeing that the other party was still unsatisfied, Yu Xiaogang almost spat out blood. "You're kidding me! You've only known each other for a few days; what deep master-disciple relationship could you possibly have established?"
Clearly, this guy was just trying to extort him for an exorbitant price.
"These Gold Soul Coins are all my life savings. Is that enough?!"
Yu Xiaogang took out a money bag. It looked quite heavy and bulged with coins, clearly showing he intended to gamble everything he had on this bet.
"I didn't expect you to be so rich."
Lin Mu knew Yu Xiaogang had no real job or source of income; these Gold Soul Coins could only be the saved-up subsidies from Spirit Hall.
Even a mere Great Soul Master could receive a monthly stipend of ten Gold Soul Coins from Spirit Hall. Over decades, this would accumulate into a considerable sum for someone with few expenses.
"Alright, it's a bit little, but consider it a favor to you, Gangzi. The bet is settled."
Lin Mu agreed with a look of reluctance.
Seeing this reaction, Yu Xiaogang felt he had gotten a good deal.
In his view, these things were ultimately just material possessions. They were nothing compared to a disciple with Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power.
Besides, if he won the bet, he would not only get the perfect disciple but also wouldn't have to give up the soul tool or the coins. It was a win-win.
"It's a deal," Yu Xiaogang said immediately, afraid the other party would renege.
Seeing that the fish had taken the bait, Lin Mu smiled. He turned to Tang San behind him and said, "Xiao San, use your First Soul Skill on him."
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang's heart skipped a beat. Why was this guy so decisive, without any hesitation?
Could it be that he was really that confident?
'No, that's simply unrealistic,' Yu Xiaogang thought. 'With my Level 29 Soul Power, how could I possibly be completely controlled by a mere First Soul Skill from a novice?'
"Wait! I need to release my Martial Soul first," Yu Xiaogang hurriedly shouted.
Tang San immediately looked at his Master beside him and only stopped channeling Soul Power into the Blue Silver Grass after seeing Lin Mu nod.
At this moment, a hint of hesitation appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face as he looked around, seemingly worried about making a fool of himself in public.
After confirming that there was no one else around the academy entrance, he clasped his hands together in front of his chest, then quickly separated them downwards, shouting:
"Come out, Luo Sanpao!"
With a *poof* sound, a creature resembling both a dog and a pig appeared in front of Yu Xiaogang. Its pig-like head immediately began rubbing affectionately against Yu Xiaogang's thigh.
"So it really is a pig," Tang San blurted out upon seeing this incredibly strange Martial Soul.
Previously, his Master had said that this old man's Martial Soul was a pig. Tang San hadn't quite believed it then, but it turned out to be literally true.
Lin Mu didn't mock him. His gaze fell on Luo Sanpao's forehead, where a noticeable bulge was visible.
Aside from Lin Mu, probably no one else really understood what it was.
If nothing unexpected happened, this should be the nascent form of dragon horns. Just as a snake transforms into a dragon through many stages, this bulge was one of the symbols of potential evolution.
This meant that Luo Sanpao possessed the potential to transform into a dragon but was held back by Yu Xiaogang's own limitations.
The useless one wasn't Luo Sanpao, but Yu Xiaogang. As he often said, "There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters." This saying was most fitting for himself.
Lin Mu squinted, his gaze towards Yu Xiaogang now tinged with open mockery.
Faced with their disdainful looks, even the thick-skinned Yu Xiaogang felt a pang of embarrassment.
He would never have released Luo Sanpao if he wasn't worried about things going wrong.
If he were truly controlled later, Luo Sanpao could help him break free; with the weak tensile strength of standard Blue Silver Grass, the beast could easily bite through the vines.
After a moment, Yu Xiaogang managed to calm down and urged, "We can begin."
"Blue Silver Grass, Bind!"
Tang San didn't use his Soul Skill immediately. Instead, he channeled his Soul Power to control the growth of the Blue Silver Grass. Within a few breaths, vines as thick as a baby's fist completely bound Yu Xiaogang.
On the way back from the Star Dou Great Forest, Lin Mu had frequently instructed Tang San on how to control his Martial Soul manually. Even without the specific "Bind" Soul Skill, he could use the grass to wrap targets with ease.
Soon, Yu Xiaogang began to struggle. After a few seconds of testing, he discovered that the Blue Silver Grass's toughness had indeed increased considerably compared to normal grass.
But that was all. Given the current strength of the vines, most one-ring Beast Soul Masters could break free with a burst of strength.
At this moment, Yu Xiaogang was brimming with confidence. He couldn't help but sneer inwardly: 'Blue Silver Grass is ultimately just Blue Silver Grass. To think it can control a Level 29 Great Soul Master is simply wishful thinking!'
To prevent Lin Mu from becoming enraged by a quick loss, Yu Xiaogang deliberately pretended to be struggling hard to break free.
But the next second, he was dumbfounded.
"First Soul Skill: Blue Silver Crystallization!"
In an instant, the Blue Silver Grass binding him hardened like diamond, encasing him in a rigid prison. Even with all his might, Yu Xiaogang couldn't budge an inch.
Mainly, Yu Xiaogang was too physically weak; any other two-ring Beast Soul Master might have been able to crack it, but he was helpless.
"How is this possible?!"
After struggling in vain until his face turned red, Yu Xiaogang looked utterly bewildered. It took him a long time to recover his breath before he looked at Lin Mu and asked, "What kind of Soul Ring did you attach to him?"
"Why should I tell you? Do you really think I'm some kind of sucker like Spirit Hall, giving away knowledge for free?"
Lin Mu sneered. It was only because Spirit Hall had repeatedly tolerated Yu Xiaogang, this thief of knowledge, that he had any reputation at all. If it were up to Lin Mu, he would have ruined Yu Xiaogang's reputation long ago.
These words pierced Yu Xiaogang's fragile heart again. His cheeks flushed red like a pig's liver, his eyes turned bloodshot, and he gasped for breath.
In reality, the resources Yu Xiaogang enjoyed were beyond the reach of ordinary people for a lifetime, yet he showed no gratitude whatsoever.
Spirit Hall gave him access to all sorts of books and materials, and he used that knowledge against them. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan poured resources into him, and he refused to go home or contribute. Calling him an ingrate would be an understatement.
"Don't you know anything about humility?"
Yu Xiaogang could no longer suppress his anger and questioned him sharply.
"Humility?"
Lin Mu was taken aback for a moment, but quickly recovered and sneered, "I'm a Soul Ancestor, and you're just a Great Soul Master. Why should 'I' be humble in front of 'you'? You should be the one showing humility to your superior."
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang looked slightly stunned; logically, in the Soul Master world, there was truth to that.
Listening to their conversation, Tang San seemed thoughtful, thinking to himself, 'Indeed, every word my Master says contains a profound truth.'
Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He couldn't admit defeat yet; otherwise, not only would he lose his disciple, but he wouldn't even have money to eat.
'Right, I still have Luo Sanpao!'