Chapter 158: 176. Tang San Takes a Master
Although he knew Yu Xiaogang had fooled him, Tang San felt he still should take this fool as his master because he needed Yu Xiaogang as a protective umbrella.
Only with the identity as Yu Xiaogang's disciple would that madwoman Bibi Dong hesitate when making a move against him.
Gang Zi, that's your only use.
In the previous life, after awakening the Blue Silver Emperor, Tang San knew he had been fooled by Gang Zi, but because of Gang Zi's relationship with Bibi Dong, this waste still had value, so Tang San didn't act.
The higher Tang San's status became, the more he always touted labels like being pure and upright, respecting teachers, and the waste martial soul's counterattack. As his identity and status rose, the image he had built early on became more and more ingrained in people's hearts. These images, in turn, morally bound him.
Moreover, damn it, the god position he inherited was one that extremely relied on faith—the Sea God position.
This made it so that even after Bibi Dong's death, Tang San had no place to turn against Yu Xiaogang even if he wanted to.
Just think: he, who touted "once a teacher, forever a father," suddenly bullying and destroying his ancestors after becoming a god—what would the world think of him?
No way around it; in the previous life, he could only pamper Gang Zi like an old father, holding him up and respecting him.
People's desires are hard to fill. After shedding the waste name, gaining the Grandmaster title, and finally becoming a waterlogged Titled Douluo, Yu Xiaogang's pursuits grew higher, and in the end, he wanted eternal life.
But this played right into Tang San's hands.
Finally, when heading to the God Realm, Tang San waited for his chance to get revenge on Gang Zi. He only heard him say righteously to Yu Xiaogang, who was full of expectation for going to the God Realm to enjoy eternal life: "Gang Zi, the spots to the God Realm are limited. Although I am the God King of the God Realm, I can only bring two. I can't disregard my father and mother, can I?"
The implication was: Gang Zi, although once a teacher, forever a father, this teacher's father ultimately isn't as close as one's biological father!
At that time, Yu Xiaogang was of course unwilling. He asked: "You're at least a God King; can't you make an exception for your master?"
Then Tang San refused to open that exception for Yu Xiaogang, citing that rules could not be broken, and righteously rejected him (of course, this also affected Ma Hongjun's beloved wife, Bai Chenxiang).
One could only wonder if Yu Xiaogang, dying alone of old age in his later years on the Douluo Continent, regretted it. If he had stood by Bibi Dong's side and helped eliminate himself, after Bibi Dong became a god, she certainly wouldn't have left him behind.
Unfortunately, there are no ifs in this world.
Leaving Yu Xiaogang to die alone of old age on the Douluo Continent was Tang San's greatest mercy toward him.
It's not that I, Tang San, didn't want to deal with you; rather, Gang Zi, you should be grateful that you have a Bibi Dong who loves you.
Although that opponent was long gone, Tang San still felt lingering fear toward Bibi Dong. She was a woman who used any means necessary and was ruthless and decisive.
He had tasted death twice, and one of those times was at that woman's hands.
With Yu Xiaogang as a protective umbrella, that madwoman could still kill him once. What if there was no umbrella?
However, although he decided to take Yu Xiaogang as master, Tang San had no intention of proactively suggesting it. In this lifetime, he didn't plan to build the image of respecting teachers as "once a teacher, forever a father."
Therefore, him proposing to take a master was completely different from Yu Xiaogang requesting to accept him as a disciple.
Thus, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, this pair of future master and disciple, fell into a strange contest.
Yu Xiaogang bar-la-ba-la showed off all the "talent" he had, while Tang San quietly listened on the side, unmoved like a stubborn rock.
Finally, Yu Xiaogang couldn't hold out any longer.
His voice hoarse, he asked, "Are you willing to take me as your master?"
Tang San said, "Master, if you want to take me as your disciple, how much strength do you have?"
"I..."
Tang San continued to press, "I have innate full soul power and will soon need a soul ring. My first two soul rings need to be hundred-year rings, the third and fourth need thousand-year rings, and after that, I need ten-thousand-year rings. Can you satisfy that?"
Yu Xiaogang roared inwardly: You lowly-born cheap seed, lucky one who gained innate full soul power due to martial soul mutation—I, the direct descendant of the Blue Electric Overlord Dragon Sect and a Spirit Hall-certified master, am willing to take you as disciple; that's your honor. Where do all these questions come from? Why not just kowtow and take me as master? Besides, I've already shown you so many crystallizations of my wisdom—can you stop fixating on strength?
"I can, I can satisfy you." Yu Xiaogang avoided the issue of his own strength. As for how to solve Tang San's soul rings, Gang Zi already had a plan. Although he, Gang Zi, lacked strength, he had connections.
Tang San's first soul ring didn't require pulling strings; as a Great Soul Master, solving Tang San's first soul ring was a piece of cake. For the second, he could ask the dean for help. As for later soul rings, he thought of Flandre running Shrek Academy.
If all else failed, he could swallow his pride and beg Bibi Dong from Spirit Hall.
Although back then, in the two-choose-one choice, he had hurt Bibi Dong once, but Dong'er loved him so much; she should understand, right? After so many years without seeing each other, she must miss him dearly.
"Ahem." Gang Zi coughed lightly twice and said, "More than that, I think the knowledge I can give you is priceless. On the entire Douluo Continent, those who can be called masters are few and far between; I am one of them. With my key guidance, on the path of soul master, you can avoid many detours."
Hehe. Tang San asked, "Master, are you really as amazing as you say?"
Yu Xiaogang had his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with wise light. "Of course."
"If the master is truly as amazing as you say, then I, Tang San, will take you as my master." Tang San said.
This was also Tang San leaving himself a loophole for turning against Yu Xiaogang in the future: If you're really that amazing, then taking you as master is no harm. But conversely, if you're fooling and deceiving me, then in the future, I can settle accounts with you.
"Hahaha, good. As expected, you're exceptionally talented and so intelligent. Looks like I must take on a disciple this once." Yu Xiaogang had his hands behind his back. Although he was just a waterlogged fake, when it came to fooling people and putting on airs, Gang Zi always nailed it. At this moment, he appeared just like a hidden great talent moved to emerge from seclusion and accomplish something earth-shattering.
Thus, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San hastily completed this apprenticeship ceremony. Of course, there was a third person in this ceremony: Tang Hao, hidden in the shadows.
"Strange, why is the apprenticeship in this life a bit different?" Tang Hao said somewhat surprised.
However, the result was good. He didn't want his child, who already had a biological father, to go and recognize a righteous father!
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/LightKira10