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The room fell silent. When Yu Xiaogang heard Flender's words, his brows furrowed, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes.
After a moment, he spoke slowly, his tone filled with clear doubt. "Wait, didn't Zhao Wuji say something different? He said the two people who were defeated had a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear spirit and a golden dragon spirit. They were both Four-Ring Spirit Ancestors."
"And that young scoundrel, Tang Chuan, his spirit is clearly Blue Silver Grass. As for that golden-haired woman, she didn't even fight yesterday, so her spirit wasn't revealed at all. How could they be the same group of people?"
Flender was taken aback by Yu Xiaogang's words. His expression shifted, and he nodded in thought. A moment later, he gave a wry smile. "You're right, it really doesn't add up. Maybe I was just overthinking things. But I still feel like they're very similar!"
Yu Xiaogang became quiet for a moment, his gaze growing deeper as if he was remembering something. He slowly lifted a hand wrapped in bandages and gently tapped his knuckles on the edge of the bed.
"What if⊠those two people used some method to disguise their spirits?" Yu Xiaogang's voice lowered, becoming solemn. "What if what Zhao Wuji saw was completely fake?"
"That's possible?" Flender asked, looking at Yu Xiaogang with a confused expression.
Yu Xiaogang nodded, his tone uncertain but serious. "I once read about it in an ancient book in Spirit Hall. In the far north, there's a spirit beast called the Ice Silkworm. It's physically weak, but it has a special ability called 'Simulation.'
It can use its mental power to copy the appearance, aura, and even the abilities of other spirit beasts around it. If a spirit master absorbs this spirit beast's spirit ring, it's not impossible for them to create a spirit illusion for a short time."
Flender's eyebrows rose slightly when he heard this. He lowered his head, a complex expression on his face, and fell into a brief contemplation. A look of helplessness and internal conflict flashed in his eyes. A moment later, he raised his head, his voice low and firm.
"Forget it⊠I don't want to dig any deeper into this." He shook his head as he walked quickly to the door and pushed it open. "After all, he's Tang Hao's son."
The door creaked open, and a familiar figure came into view. "Good morning, Dean." Tang San said, holding a steaming breakfast. His face was full of concern. "Is Yu Xiaogang alright?"
Flender's expression paused. He looked at the young man, forced a smile, and waved his hand. "Your Yu Xiaogang is fine. Nothing serious. Go in and take care of him. I'm going out for a walk to clear my head."
With that, he moved to the side and lightly patted Tang San's shoulder.
"Okay," Tang San said, nodding without asking more questions. A worried look in his eyes, he walked past Flender and entered the room. A faint smell of medicine filled the air.
Tang San gently placed the breakfast on the table, his gaze falling on the familiar figure lying on the bed, covered in bandages. His expression was a bit complicated.
Yu Xiaogang was lying on his side. He looked at Tang San and immediately noticed that the boy seemed to have something on his mind. He slowly raised his hand and waved it. "Little San, come here for a moment."
Tang San was startled, then walked over and stood by the bed.
Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San's slightly gloomy expression. He narrowed his eyes a little and asked, "Little San, are you still thinking about⊠losing to your brother?"
Tang San lowered his head and slowly nodded, not speaking.
"Then do you think he was right?" Yu Xiaogang's voice grew a little heavier.
Tang San frowned, a hint of confusion on his face. He didn't respond for a long time.
Yu Xiaogang sighed, then continued, "Flender just told me that your brother and that golden-haired woman are very likely the same two people you encountered before."
"What?!" Tang San's body trembled violently at the news. His eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "But⊠but their spirit ranks don't match, do they? And their spirits are different. My brother uses Blue Silver Grass, that other person's spirit was a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, and then there's that golden-haired woman..."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered, and he spoke slowly. "Have you ever heard of the Ice Silkworm?"
Tang San was stunned and shook his head.
Yu Xiaogang gazed up at the ceiling and said in a low voice, "I once learned from an ancient book that in the far north, there is an extremely rare spirit beast called the Ice Silkworm. It can use changes in its surroundings to simulate its appearance and aura.
In other words, if someone hunts it and absorbs its spirit ring to use its ability, a spirit master could also disguise their spirit and spirit power rank for a short time."
"There's actually such a strange spirit beast in this world?" Tang San's breath hitched, and a shocked look appeared in his eyes.
"The world is vast," Yu Xiaogang said, his gaze deep as he nodded. "There's nothing strange under the sun."
Tang San's brows furrowed, and his voice held a hint of hesitation and unease. "Yu Xiaogang, then do you mean⊠that my brotherâŠ"
Yu Xiaogang's gaze deepened, his tone low but full of weight. "It's very likely. Do you still remember? We saw it with our own eyes back at Nuoding Academyâyour brother's first spirit ring was a ten-year white spirit ring. But yesterday, his first spirit ring was already at the hundred-year level."
He paused here, a hint of solemnity in his eyes. "Little San, this kind of change isn't something that normal cultivation can achieve. I only know of one possibility, and that's to advance through an evil path of cultivation."
When he heard this, Tang San's eyes instantly widened, and his heart trembled violently. He had noticed the change in Tang Chuan's spirit ring yesterday but had never understood why it had changed.
"Then⊠then my brother, has he really already�"
Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San, whose expression was almost collapsing. He sighed and said in a low voice, "Little San, if your brother truly became a fallen one, an evil spirit master⊠what would you do?"
Tang San's body trembled slightly, as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer. He froze in place, his throat moved, but he said nothing.
"Little San, I understand that it's hard for you to accept this right away. But we haven't confirmed anything yet." Yu Xiaogang slowly raised his hand and stroked Tang San's head. "Perhaps, I'm just overthinking. Let's investigate this later."
"Okay," Tang San nodded, a hint of confusion in his eyes as he tried to calm himself.
Seeing that his words had an effect, Yu Xiaogang continued, "I watched your spirit battle with Tang Chuan yesterday. His strength has improved terrifyingly fast. His innate spirit power was only rank one, but now he has already broken through to over rank thirty. Other than some evil cultivation method, I really can't think of any other possibility."
"Even you are not his opponent. Little San, you must believe that my years of research and guidance on your Blue Silver Grass spirit are not wrong."
Tang San lowered his head, his expression showing a slight struggle, seemingly still unable to accept it.
Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang slowly sat up straight, his tone becoming low. "Your brother was able to defeat you yesterday, and it's highly likely because he embarked on an evil path, which caused his strength to surge. If it were normal cultivation, with his innate rank one spirit power, it would be impossible to achieve this kind of breakthrough and reach the realm of a Three-Ring Spirit Elder in just a few years!"
"Did you know? My innate spirit power rank⊠is only a mere 0.5."
When he heard this, Tang San looked up, his eyes filled with shock.
Yu Xiaogang simply smiled lightly, without a hint of inferiority in his tone. "Although my spirit power rank hasn't broken through for many years, when I was young, I relied on that little innate spirit power to cultivate to the Great Spirit Master realm."
A certain pride flickered in Yu Xiaogang's eyes at this point. "Throughout history, I, Yu Xiaogang, am probably the only one who could achieve this. So how could my spirit theory be wrong? For others, with only half a rank of innate spirit power, they might not even be able to break through rank ten spirit power in their entire lives.
But I did it. Isn't that also a kind of genius in some sense? So, how could my spirit theory be wrong? Your loss to your brother yesterday was very likely due to him using some evil method to increase his strength, rather than what he said about my spirit theory having a problem!"