Douluo; Zhongli Adventures in Mortal World with Paimon

"This isn't an excuse for betraying your master and ancestors!"

Yu Xiaogang tried to feign composure, though it was clear he was at his wits' end.

If Tang San had decided to be heartless and ungrateful, then Yu Xiaogang saw no reason not to drag him down as well.

Among all the grievances he could raise against Tang San, the accusation of betraying one's master and ancestors was Yu Xiaogang's best leverage.

On the Douluo Continent, the bond between a master and disciple was sacred.

Someone like Tang San, turning against his own master and kicking him when he was down, was bound to be scorned by society.

Even if Yu Xiaogang was a vile person, Tang San's actions painted him as disloyal and treacherous, making him just as untrustworthy.

This accusation of betraying one's master and ancestors? It wasn't entirely unfounded.

However, Tang San remained calm. He had long prepared his response, and this was the moment he had been waiting for.

"Yu Xiaogang, you accuse me of betraying my master and ancestors, claiming that I owe you everything. But I ask you this—are you truly worthy of being my teacher?"

Tang San's tone was composed, but a flicker of contempt crossed his eyes.

"I, Yu Xiaogang, have taken care of you with meticulous attention. How am I unworthy?" Yu Xiaogang retorted, stubbornly clinging to his dignity.

"Meticulous attention? Is that really what it was?"

"Or was it just you satisfying your desire to control a genius, compensating for the fact that you could never become one yourself?"

The moment these words left Tang San's mouth, the entire arena fell silent again.

This pair of master and disciple...

Goodness, what a pair indeed!

"Yu Xiaogang, let me ask you this: of all the spirit rings I've acquired, which one did you help me obtain?"

Tang San's voice remained steady as he continued to press forward.

If Yu Xiaogang claimed to be his teacher, then wasn't it only natural for a teacher to help their student obtain spirit rings?

Yu Xiaogang froze, his face turning visibly uneasy.

He couldn't deny it. Not a single one.

Tang San's four spirit rings—Yu Xiaogang hadn't played much of a role beyond offering advice about which spirit beasts were appropriate. When it came to the actual hunting, he was entirely uninvolved.

The first spirit ring? Tang San had risked his life to hunt the spirit beast himself.

The second spirit ring? Yu Xiaogang had to ask the dean of Nuoding Academy to help. Tang San's status as a star student at Nuoding Academy meant Yu Xiaogang's involvement was hardly crucial.

The third spirit ring? Again, Tang San hunted it on his own.

As for the fourth spirit ring? The Shrek Academy teachers had handled that.

"My first spirit ring, I, Tang San, nearly lost my life to acquire. I even saved your life in the process!"

"A four-hundred-year-old Datura Snake—you couldn't even handle that. What qualifies you to call yourself my teacher?"

Tang San's tone rose slightly as he delivered this cutting remark.

Yu Xiaogang had guided him with theories, but Tang San had saved Yu Xiaogang's life, which more than balanced the scales.

"Hiss—"

The crowd collectively sucked in a breath.

This useless Yu Xiaogang had actually taken Tang San, a Blue Silver Grass spirit master, on a spirit ring hunt!

And in the end, Yu Xiaogang almost lost his life. A six-year-old Tang San had to kill a four-hundred-year-old Datura Snake on his own!

No wonder Tang San held such resentment.

What a ruthless individual!

And to think that the Datura Snake was one of the most fearsome low-level spirit beasts, a nightmare for countless novice spirit masters.

Yet Tang San, with what many saw as a "trash spirit"...

Fine, a dual martial spirit genius, but without any spirit rings at the time, managed to slay a four-hundred-year-old Datura Snake alone.

Terrifying!

"Speaking of this, Yu Xiaogang, your theories could certainly be focused on more practical matters," Tang San remarked, his expression shifting slightly as though he had just remembered something.

"What?! You dare to call my theories useless, you ungrateful brat!"

"All of your achievements today are thanks to my guidance!"

"Yes, I couldn't help you hunt spirit rings, but without my guidance, would you have achieved what you have today?"

Yu Xiaogang's voice trembled with anger, his pride in his theories the only thing he could cling to. Insulting his character was one thing, but questioning his theories? That was crossing the line!

"Yu Xiaogang, one of your theories states that plant-based spirits can absorb spirit rings from animal spirit beasts."

Tang San, unruffled, continued in a calm tone, "Isn't that just common sense?"

"My second spirit, the Clear Sky Hammer, is a hammer! Are you suggesting I should go find a hammer beast to kill and absorb its spirit ring?"

"And Ning Rongrong's spirit is the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. Should she go looking for a pagoda beast?"

The crowd's faces twitched. Tang San's words... actually made an absurd amount of sense!

"You're just twisting words!"

"A plant-based spirit is a plant!"

"It follows a different path compared to other tool spirits..."

Yu Xiaogang wasn't entirely incompetent and immediately countered with an explanation.

Besides, his theory wasn't necessarily wrong, was it?

Tang San responded calmly, "I didn't say you were wrong. I just think it's pointless!"

At this moment, Zhongli who had originally intended to stay out of the "debate" was compelled to step in.

This theory was dangerous. It could mislead inexperienced spirit masters, and he couldn't let that happen without clarification.

The reasoning might be sound, and absorbing animal-based spirit rings with a plant-based spirit was indeed possible.

But what about the "bloodline" compatibility of plant-based spirits?

Take Tang San as an example. If his first four spirit rings had been from proper plant-based spirit beasts, his spirit should have naturally awakened by now!

Instead, he had to rely on the Blue Silver King for a second awakening.

"Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment," Zhongli interjected, standing up.

The entire venue was suddenly engulfed by an invisible aura of majesty.

This presence was noble, sacred, and brimming with authority, yet it did not make anyone uncomfortable. Instead, it instilled a profound sense of calm and tranquility.

The weight of stone. The solidity of earth.

"Lord Martial God!"

"Could it be... Could it be that the Martial God is about to present another groundbreaking discovery?"

"If that's the case, then this ticket was worth every coin!"

The audience was abuzz with anticipation, though none dared to voice their thoughts aloud.

Even Tang San and Yu Xiaogang fell silent.

Their feelings toward Zhongli were complicated.

Yu Xiaogang, having plagiarized Zhongli's theories in the past, had long anticipated eventual retribution. However, he hadn't expected the consequences to be so severe.

Losing an arm? He considered himself lucky to get off so lightly.

Tang San, on the other hand, harbored resentment but kept it buried deep. The mere thought of voicing dissent against Zhongli terrified him.

Zhongli surveyed the now-quiet crowd before continuing: "Plant-based spirits can indeed absorb spirit rings from animal-based spirit beasts. This is common knowledge to many."

For noble families, major sects, and prominent clans, this wasn't a secret.

"But what most people fail to understand," Zhongli said, pausing for emphasis, "is that spirit masters and their spirits possess subtle bloodline inheritances."

"A plant-based spirit absorbing rings from plant-based spirit beasts is far more beneficial for the spirit's evolution."

"Throughout the process of cultivation and spirit ring absorption, the spirit undergoes gradual evolution..."

The crowd swallowed nervously. These revelations—were they even meant for them to hear?

Would they... would they be silenced afterward?

Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin's faces turned pale. This... this was treading dangerously close to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's secrets about dragonification!