Chapter 100: The God King Tang Returns to His Old Trade

Unlike before, this time when Tang San heard Yu Xiaogang’s encouragement, he didn’t indulge in the usual harmony of a devoted teacher and disciple. After taking the elixir, Tang San’s mind was already in turmoil, so much so that Yu Xiaogang’s words of wisdom barely registered.

As a disciple of the Tang Sect, Tang San was different from the other Shrek students who, after taking the medicine, were solely concerned with checking their cultivation. Through his keen observation and an assessment of the elixir’s effects, Tang San made a startling discovery.

Immortal herbs!

Within this elixir was the peculiar power of immortal herbs. Judging by its properties, it seemed to contain trace amounts of Chrysanthemum Mystica and Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid. However, their presence was exceedingly slight, likely just a dusting of pollen from the blossoms. If not for his meticulous attention, Tang San might have missed it entirely.

With this revelation, Tang San could not possibly be as optimistic as Yu Xiaogang. Considering Xiao Yu’s strength, Tang San surmised that his rival must have consumed a whole stalk of the highest grade immortal herb. He would never face the cultivation bottleneck that Yu Xiaogang had predicted. On the contrary, as the medicinal effects fully integrated into his body, Xiao Yu’s future progress would far surpass that of any soul master with equal talent!

Damn it!

Immortal herbs, treasures born of heaven and earth and blessed with unmatched power, should have belonged to him. How could they fall into the hands of that loathsome Xiao Yu? In his heart, Tang San was already screaming with frustration.

“San, San!”

Yu Xiaogang finally lost patience after Tang San remained silent for so long, his expression growing stern.

After several calls brought him back to his senses, Tang San quickly apologized, “Teacher, I’m sorry, I was distracted!”

At this point, Tang San still treated Yu Xiaogang with deep respect, as if he were his own father. Although Yu Xiaogang’s analysis of Xiao Yu was completely mistaken, it was only because he was unaware of the immortal herbs. In Tang San’s eyes, only someone with his own knowledge of the Xuan Heaven Treasure Record could truly understand the effects of these rare plants.

Of course.

Suddenly, a moment of clarity dawned on Tang San. The Xuan Heaven Treasure Record, the secret manual penned by his previous incarnation in the Tang Sect, held secrets of immortal herbs that no one in this land could possibly know. Even if the Nine Star Palace had claimed some hidden trove, they couldn’t possibly recognize every species of immortal herb. This realization gave Tang San room to maneuver.

Chrysanthemum Mystica and Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid—these were bound to be discovered for their obvious effects, and likely couldn’t be saved. But herbs like Blazing Apricot and Eight-Spoked Black Ice Grass, deadly poisons by nature, would surely be left untouched by the Nine Star Palace, who lacked the knowledge to safely harvest them.

Yu Xiaogang, of course, had no inkling of Tang San’s hidden calculations. Yet seeing his disciple, whose soul power had already reached thirty-seven—nearly ten levels above his own—even after taking the elixir, still showing him such respect, Yu Xiaogang, so often plagued by feelings of inadequacy, was quite content.

With a few more words of caution, urging Tang San not to rush and to solidify his cultivation, Yu Xiaogang left.

With less than a year left before the Soul Master Tournament, Master Yu—who previously knew only its name—now had to study the rules and procedures in detail, lest he make a fool of himself when the time came.

After Yu Xiaogang departed, Tang San, eager for more immortal herbs to boost his strength, immediately turned his attention to Ning Rongrong. Of all those present, only Ning Rongrong, heir to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, knew anything about the Nine Star Palace—such as its location and internal layout.

Tang San, the so-called God-King, was proverbially penniless—he couldn’t even afford elixirs, let alone immortal herbs. To enhance his cultivation, he had only one choice: to return to his old trade. He’d done it so many times in his previous life, and was intimately familiar with every trick.

“Immortal herbs are gifts of the earth, not the private property of the Nine Star Palace. Why should they claim them all? Besides, the ones I need—Blazing Apricot, Eight-Spoked Black Ice Grass—are deadly poisons. The Nine Star Palace, ignorant of their properties, would only bring disaster upon their disciples by harvesting them blindly. By taking them myself, I can prevent such tragedy. They ought to thank me!”

With such rationalizations, Tang San quickly convinced himself that his actions were justified.

...

More than a month later, on a dark and windy night in the Sunset Forest.

Tang San, deft and agile, used the shadows to his advantage. His Sky-Soaring Claw shot out, hooking onto a tree branch ahead, allowing him to glide between the trees as he approached the Nine Star Palace’s branch.

Though Ning Rongrong was the young heir to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, she was still a child and had visited the Nine Star Palace only a handful of times, paying little attention to the layout of their inner sanctum.

Still, Tang San hadn’t come away empty-handed. He’d learned from Ning Rongrong that soul tools were produced at the Nine Star Palace’s headquarters in Seale City, while the elixir business was managed by its branch in Heaven Dou City—saving him the trouble of a wasted trip to headquarters.

The branch of the Nine Star Palace was deep within the Sunset Forest, but it did not bar visiting soul masters from entering the forest to hunt for soul rings. In fact, if a soul master found the hunt too difficult, as long as the price was right...

...

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