First Meeting "Grandmaster"

Gu You and Tang San left Spirit Hall and found Old Jack feeding the horses at the stable. After settling the horses, Old Jack led the two of them on foot toward the Junior Soul Master Academy on the western side of Nuoding City.

Just as Old Jack brought them to the gates, the young gatekeeper immediately stopped them.

"Stop. Who are you?"

Seeing that the youth did not look pleased, Old Jack promptly stopped and forced a smile. "Little brother, we're from Holy Soul Village. These two children are this year's Work-Study Students. What procedures do we need to complete?"

"Holy Soul Village?" The youth recalled that the dean had mentioned two outstanding children from Holy Soul Village would be sent over this year. "Where's the certificate issued by Spirit Hall? Let me see it."

Hearing this, Old Jack immediately took out the certificate he had hidden in his clothes and handed it to the youth.

The youth looked it over. What kind of Martial Soul is an Ultimate Conductor Tyranno? And Blue Silver Grass? That can awaken Innate Full Soul Power too? Seeing that it indeed bore Spirit Hall's seal, and recalling the look on the dean's face when he had spoken to him, his expression softened.

"All right, old man, you can go back now. Unauthorized people aren't allowed into the academy. I'll take these two children to register."

Hearing that, Old Jack rubbed Gu You and Tang San's heads. "Study hard here, and listen to your teachers. Niu Dazhuang from the village works as a waiter at a restaurant in the eastern part of the city. If anything happens, you can have him pass a message to me."

Once he saw Gu You and Tang San nod, Old Jack gave their heads another vigorous rub before turning and leaving.

After Old Jack's figure disappeared into the crowd, the youth said, "All right, don't be sad. You can go home in half a year. For now, follow me to complete your enrollment procedures."

The two had only followed the youth for twenty meters when a rather plain-looking, somewhat disheveled man in his forties or fifties slowly approached them.

The youth's expression suddenly became fawning. Bowing and scraping before the man, he said, "Grandmaster, what brings you here?"

"Grandmaster?" Hearing that name, Gu You and Tang San exchanged shocked looks.

Both of them controlled their expressions well. Although their eyes were full of shock, Gu You and Tang San were stunned for completely different reasons.

Tang San was shocked that the person they had just discussed had appeared before him so soon. Seeing what he actually looked like, recalling how Gu You had refuted his theories one by one, and combining that with the fact Gu You had mentioned—that he had been stuck at rank 29 for a long time—Tang San's first impression of Yu Xiaogang was not good.

Gu You, meanwhile, was shocked because in the original story, Tang San and Old Jack had gone straight to the academy, and Yu Xiaogang had only appeared during their conflict with the gatekeeper. Yet now, he had clearly taken the two of them to Spirit Hall, the timing had changed, and the gatekeeper's attitude was tolerable for some unknown reason.

The timing was wrong, and the events were wrong as well. So why had Yu Xiaogang appeared here?

Was it coincidence, so-called fate's inertia, or had Yu Xiaogang arranged this meeting from the start? Gu You's mind raced, but the information from the original story alone was indeed insufficient to uncover the truth.

Yu Xiaogang did not care that Gu You and Tang San had exchanged looks, nor did he notice their gazes. He ignored the youth's question, gave him a sidelong glance, and asked with a trace of arrogance, "These two children are?"

Hearing Yu Xiaogang's question, the youth hurriedly replied, "These are the children Holy Soul Village sent here to study this year. I've already checked them. There's no problem." As he spoke, he handed the two Spirit Hall certificates to Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang accepted the certificates, his pupils shrinking. He said to the youth, "I'll take these two children to complete their enrollment procedures. You can go back."

Hearing Yu Xiaogang's words, the youth did not dare object. Without saying anything to Gu You or Tang San, he nodded and bowed his way off.

Yu Xiaogang watched the youth leave, completely unaware that his hand was trembling slightly and had crumpled the Spirit Hall certificates. Gu You happened to notice that detail.

Yu Xiaogang's encounter with Gu You and Tang San here was, of course, no coincidence. He had arranged it deliberately.

The dean of Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy happened to be his friend. During his decades here, he had used all kinds of methods every year to inquire about the new students' information, all so he could find a commoner child with astonishing talent, take him as a disciple, and use that disciple's achievements to elevate his own reputation.

Outstanding talent—talent that could at least guarantee reaching the Soul Douluo level. Commoner origins—if handled properly, such a child could be made utterly devoted to him, easier to control and use in testing his theories.

Yu Xiaogang was overjoyed. They're finally here. I've endured this miserable little city for so many years, endured the abuse of these worthless Soul Masters who don't understand my precious theories, and even had to call a mere Soul Master Academy dean with Soul Power only in his twenties my brother—all to obtain these two geniuses before me.

I will gain status and fame worthy of my intelligence. As long as these two grow under my guidance, they will certainly become Title Douluos in the future. Spirit Hall, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, I'll make you regret it!! All of you who look down on me will die!!!

"You two are Gu You and Tang San, correct?" Yu Xiaogang forcibly suppressed his excitement, turned around, and lowered his head to look at them. His attitude had changed from the arrogance he showed the youth to one of kindness, and he even forced an ugly smile onto his face. The smile was as stiff as though he had not smiled in eight hundred years.

When Gu You did not answer, Tang San took the initiative. "Hello, teacher. My name is Tang San, and this is Gu You. We come from Holy Soul Village and have come here to study."

Yu Xiaogang glanced at Tang San. Tang San? His Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass with Innate Full Soul Power. Then the one beside him must be Gu You, who supposedly has a top-tier Beast Martial Soul. He may have Twin Martial Souls. I'll try to bait it out of him later. If he does, he'll be my chief disciple. If not, then Blue Silver Grass is just a worthless Martial Soul. Even if it mutated to grant Innate Full Soul Power, it's useless. He can be a test subject and help me raise Gu You while feeling out the path for me.

"Teacher? I am not a teacher at this academy." Grandmaster looked down at Tang San and spoke blandly.

"Not a teacher?" Tang San asked in confusion. "Then why would that gatekeeper hand us over to you?"

Yu Xiaogang shook his head, feeling a hint of displeasure. Though he did not want to answer, he still forced out another of those ugly smiles in order to gain the two geniuses' goodwill. "Who said only academy teachers can take you to register?"

Tang San said, "I understand. Then you must be the academy's principal, or one of its leaders."

Yu Xiaogang laughed. "You're quite clever for a six-year-old child. But you've still guessed wrong."

Tang San asked in confusion, "Then who are you?"

Yu Xiaogang said, "I'm merely a resident here, freeloading on food and lodging. Like everyone else, call me Grandmaster. Everyone addresses me that way. I've even forgotten my own name. The certificate from Spirit Hall says your name is Tang San, correct? Tang San, you must understand that Grandmaster and teacher are worlds apart in meaning. Don't call me the wrong thing again in the future. Unless..."

At that point, he stopped speaking, but a blazing light flickered in his eyes. "Unless you truly wish for me to become your teacher."

Let me first use my theories to win you over, then use a child's competitive spirit to take the one beside you as well.

PS: The Yu Xiaogang in this book only represents the author's speculation regarding Yu Xiaogang's actions as a person. It does not reflect the original author's intent. Please be aware.

I suddenly realized that Fate/Grand Order's Water Monster event had begun. I heard the story for this event wasn't very good, so I decided to skip the plot and grind the event. I'm watching a movie with friends tonight, so the second update will be relatively late. Finally, please vote and bookmark.