While Tang San was reorganizing the Sea God Island, Ma Hongjun hurriedly ran outside a dilapidated wooden hut.
At this time, Yu Xiaogang was outside chewing on tree bark. Hearing his disciple's call, he immediately hid the bark behind his back in embarrassment.
"Teacher, I have good news. My assessment has been terminated."
Ma Hongjun hugged Yu Xiaogang's frail body, his face full of excitement and the relief of surviving a disaster.
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang froze for a moment.
After recovering, he grabbed Ma Hongjun's shoulders and asked excitedly, "Does this mean you no longer have to worry about the punishment for failing the assessment?"
"That should be the case. The mark on my forehead is gone."
Ma Hongjun pointed to his forehead, where the black mark representing a black-tier trial had vanished.
If nothing unexpected happened, it was likely the first generation Sea God passing his position to Tang San that indirectly terminated his assessment.
"Hongjun, this is an opportunity given to us by heaven. Since we survived this hurdle, we will definitely be able to turn things around in the future!" Yu Xiaogang said with certainty.
For the past half year, he had worried every day that Ma Hongjun would drag him down to die together.
Although his situation was already miserable, he did not believe he lacked a chance to recover.
In his view, if Ma Hongjun's talent wasn't so poor, his wisdom would have been enough to nurture a peerless genius into a god.
Unfortunately, Ma Hongjun was a disappointment, unable to even pass the Sea God's fifth test.
Fortunately, he always believed that as long as he didn't give up, he could earn an opportunity. Now, that opportunity had delivered itself to his door.
Although it was due to Tang San ascending to Sea God, it at least brought a ray of hope for survival.
As long as Ma Hongjun wasn't restricted by the Sea God's trials, there was still a possibility of obtaining a divine inheritance. If that failed, they could still return to the continent and live normal lives.
"Teacher, Tang San has already become the Sea God. We must leave Sea God Island immediately."
When mentioning Tang San, Ma Hongjun's eyes held three parts jealousy and seven parts fear.
Having witnessed the deaths of Oscar and Dai Mubai, he had completely lost any thought of confronting him. Furthermore, Tang San had become a god, so he had no chance of resisting at all.
Even if he obtained a divine inheritance, it would likely be more than ten years later, and becoming a god would take an unknown amount of time.
By then, even if Tang San hadn't entered the God Realm, his strength would have reached a height he could hardly match.
"Hongjun, you're right. This Sea God Island is already their territory, so we really shouldn't stay long. But how are we going to leave?"
Yu Xiaogang frowned deeply.
Years ago, they arrived at Sea God Island by boat. After so much time, that boat was long gone.
If it were only Ma Hongjun, he could try flying to a nearby island.
However, if he brought along a burden with no cultivation, the risk factor would skyrocket. Once attacked by sea soul beasts, Ma Hongjun might just throw him into the sea.
Thinking of this, Yu Xiaogang tentatively looked at Ma Hongjun and said, "Hongjun, you won't abandon your teacher, right?"
"Teacher, what are you saying?"
Before he finished speaking, Ma Hongjun put on a respectful demeanor.
Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang breathed a sigh of relief. Although Ma Hongjun's talent wasn't great, he at least respected him as a teacher.
After a brief pause, Ma Hongjun changed the subject and said coldly, "Teacher, you've screwed me over so many times. How about you stay on Sea God Island for your retirement?"
Although his life was indirectly saved, his disgust for Yu Xiaogang hadn't disappeared.
However, considering their many years as master and disciple, and that Yu Xiaogang had saved his life before, he wouldn't kill Yu Xiaogang himself.
For this useless teacher, the best way to handle him was to leave him to fend for himself on Sea God Island.
Seeing Ma Hongjun turn hostile, Yu Xiaogang's expression changed, and he said in disbelief, "Hongjun, I am your teacher. You being able to cultivate to your current realm is inseparable from my teaching."
However, these words completely ignited Ma Hongjun's anger. He immediately roared hysterically, "Bullshit!"
"My innate soul power was rank nine, and my martial soul is the mutated Evil Fire Phoenix. Even without your teaching, I could still cultivate to a Titled Douluo."
"If you hadn't made me absorb an ice-attribute soul ring, would my martial soul have been almost ruined?"
"And if that wasn't enough, my dignity as a man was destroyed along with it. If you hadn't said there was a chance of recovery, I would have dragged you down to hell with me long ago!"
These words had been buried in Ma Hongjun's heart for years. He had always fantasized about restoring his body.
In his heart, a complete body was even more important than cultivation. If Yu Xiaogang hadn't guaranteed a recovery and cut off his retreat, he would have turned on him long ago.
To his surprise, Yu Xiaogang actually considered himself a benefactor.
This was simply a massive joke!
If not for his reservations about their master-disciple relationship, he would have already killed this man who caused him so much harm.
Seeing that Ma Hongjun had no regard for their master-disciple bond, Yu Xiaogang's lungs were about to explode from anger. This rebellious disciple actually had the nerve to blame him.
"Bullshit Evil Fire Phoenix, it was clearly just a flaming dirty chicken!"
"To solve your evil fire problem, I painstakingly researched for a long time to come up with that solution. If you had just tried harder, you could have purged the evil fire."
"And after your martial soul was half-ruined, I was the one who went to Spirit City to beg Bibi Dong so you could regain your combat abilities."
"I gave everything I had for you. In the end, you were the one who failed to live up to expectations, and now you have the gall to blame me. It's utterly ridiculous!"
At this point, Yu Xiaogang stopped pretending. Since this rebellious disciple didn't plan to take him off Sea God Island anyway, there was no point.
After seeing Yu Xiaogang's true colors, Ma Hongjun snorted coldly. Too lazy to waste words on this old thing, he turned around and flew directly toward the sea.
In truth, he still had a trace of pity in his heart.
If Yu Xiaogang had a better attitude, he would have considered taking him along. But now that they had completely fallen out, there was no room for reconciliation.
Watching Ma Hongjun's retreating figure, Yu Xiaogang's eyes turned red. Breathing heavily like a bull, he cursed, "I really raised an ingrate. All years of my hard work was wasted."
Right at this moment, a figure suddenly appeared over the sea, blocking Ma Hongjun's path.
The person who arrived was Tang San.
Since he became a god, nothing on Sea God Island could escape his divine consciousness.
Although Tang San hadn't changed into his Sea God armor, his entire body still emitted an imposing pressure that left Ma Hongjun unable to move.
"Ma Hongjun, to prevent you from leaking the Sea God Island's secrets, a portion of your memories needs to be erased."
Tang San didn't come to look for trouble with Ma Hongjun. To stop him from talking nonsense in the future, he had to wipe the important memories.
After handling this matter, Tang San allowed Ma Hongjun to leave.
At this moment, Yu Xiaogang quickly walked over and flattered, "Tang San, I used to teach at Nuoding Academy. I can be considered half a teacher to you..."