Yu Xiaogang

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yu Xiaogang (玉小刚)
Alias(es)	Master
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Notting Academy (former guest lecturer and resident); Shrek Academy; Golden Iron Triangle 10 47 269
Occupation/Role	Martial Soul theorist, researcher, and mentor
Status	Deceased; killed by Bibi Dong 270
First Appearance	Chapter 7

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Talent-limit breakthrough (exact rank unstated)	7	Bibi Dong recalls that Yu Xiaogang later surpassed the limits of his talent and increased his Soul Power. The solution was not originally his own discovery, but knowledge brought to him by Tang San. 7

Background / History

Early life and Notting Academy

Yu Xiaogang was expelled from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Neither his nor Liu Erlong's Martial Soul inherited the clan's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, leaving the clan without a surviving inheritor after its destruction. 190

He and Bibi Dong once searched extensively for a solution to his talent limitations, but found none at the time. 7 He later became a guest lecturer at Notting Academy, where students gradually stopped attending his lectures after learning his history; his position became nominal, and he remained there as a resident. 10

Embittered by ridicule, Yu Xiaogang sought an exceptional disciple through whom he could prove his theories. He specifically rejected ordinary talents, believing only geniuses could properly verify his knowledge. 10 6 Six years before arriving at Shrek Academy, he refused Su Mo as a disciple after learning Su Mo possessed only Rank 2 Innate Soul Power. 46

Tang San's mentor

Yu Xiaogang recognized that Tang San's Blue Silver Grass and Innate Full Soul Power contradicted his theory that Martial Soul quality and Innate Soul Power must be proportional. He deduced Tang San likely possessed Twin Martial Souls and used that knowledge to persuade Tang San to accept him as a teacher. 13

He became intensely invested in Tang San's success, hoping to train him into a Soul Master who would silence those who mocked him. 15 Tang San's Hundred Year Mandala Snake Soul Ring subsequently proved Yu Xiaogang's theory that a plant-type Martial Soul could absorb an animal soul beast's Soul Ring, earning him recognition among Notting Academy's students. 15

Yu Xiaogang knew from the beginning that Tang San was Tang Hao's son and therefore an enemy of Spirit Hall, but still chose to train and protect him. 15 He later travelled to Shrek Academy specifically to continue guiding Tang San. 40

Shrek Academy and the Soul Master Competition

At Shrek, Yu Xiaogang served as the team's guidance teacher. He established harsh daily training, arranged restricted sparring matches to expose weaknesses, and placed Tang San in command during Team Competitions. 47 49 63

He deliberately targeted Su Mo within the team—not because he considered Su Mo useless, but to preserve Tang San as Shrek's sole “absolute core.” 62 Yu Xiaogang later regretted rejecting Su Mo and failing to retain both Su Mo and Ning Rongrong after they rapidly advanced beyond Shrek's expectations. 46 113 120

After Tang San revealed his Clear Sky Hammer during the competition, Yu Xiaogang sought Bibi Dong's secret for cultivating Twin Martial Souls. Bibi Dong gave him the method after he promised that Tang San would not oppose Spirit Hall. 116

Later years and death

Yu Xiaogang was devastated by Tang San's death at Su Mo's hands and initially regarded Tang San as the only student who truly proved his teaching. 185 189 The annihilation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan drove him to investigate Spirit Hall's involvement and consider uniting the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires against it. 189 190

When Tang San later warned him that Qian Renxue and Su Mo had become Deities, Yu Xiaogang accepted the need to avoid confronting them directly. 242 243 During the final conflict, he joined Flender and Liu Erlong in their Golden Sacred Dragon Martial Soul Fusion Skill, but Bibi Dong killed him shortly afterward. 269 270

Personality

Yu Xiaogang is driven by a profound need to prove his intelligence and theories after years of ridicule. His desire for recognition shapes his choice of disciples, his focus on Tang San, and his determination to use the Soul Master Competition as a public stage for his teachings. 10 15

He is calculating in pursuit of that goal. Yu Xiaogang carefully maneuvered Tang San into accepting him as a teacher, knowingly placed Tang San's potential above the danger of his identity being exposed, and restricted Su Mo to protect Tang San's role in the team. 13 15 62

Despite this ambition, he can acknowledge errors. He regretted rejecting Su Mo, felt responsible after Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer declined in quality, and was shaken by the consequences of losing students he could have nurtured. 46 104 120

Abilities & Skills

Martial Soul theory and analysis

Yu Xiaogang's primary strength is his theoretical knowledge of Martial Souls, Soul Rings, soul beasts, and cultivation.

• Identified Tang San as a probable Twin Martial Souls user from the inconsistency between Blue Silver Grass and Innate Full Soul Power. 13
• Correctly theorized that plant-type Martial Souls could absorb Soul Rings from animal soul beasts; Tang San's Mandala Snake ring verified the theory. 15
• Identified Xiao Wu's Third Soul Ring as originating from a Lightning Rabbit based on her Teleport skill. 52
• Recognized the possible link between Su Mo's Spirit Tool Fusion and Martial Soul evolution. 104 113
• Compiled knowledge drawn from major sects and Spirit Hall, though his work also included personal conjectures that made it vulnerable to criticism. 60

Instruction and tactical guidance

Yu Xiaogang excels at teaching foundations, reviewing battles, and structuring team tactics.

• Designed daily training and controlled sparring exercises for Shrek's students. 49
• Used Tang San's loss to Su Mo to teach the importance of maintaining distance and never underestimating an opponent. 50 51
• Assigned Tang San as Shrek Team's battlefield commander during Team Competitions. 63
• Tang Hao considered Yu Xiaogang's foundational instruction thorough and valuable, but believed Yu Xiaogang could not reliably guide higher-level combat matters because he had never reached Soul Elder level. 140

Golden Sacred Dragon

Yu Xiaogang can perform the Golden Sacred Dragon Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Flender and Liu Erlong.

• Requires all three members of the Golden Iron Triangle. 269
• Their fusion had previously been capable of contending with a Titled Douluo. 269

Equipment / Items

• Spirit Hall honorary elder token — Used to secure an audience with Pope Bibi Dong before the Promotion Tournament. 116

Relationships

• Tang San — His principal disciple and the person Yu Xiaogang regarded as the proof of his teachings. Yu Xiaogang recognized Tang San's Twin Martial Souls, trained him extensively, and was devastated by his death. 13 15 189
• Bibi Dong — Former lover and past research partner in investigating his talent limitations. Yu Xiaogang later sought her help with Tang San's Twin Martial Souls cultivation; she eventually killed him. 7 15 116 270
• Su Mo — A former prospective disciple whom Yu Xiaogang rejected for Rank 2 Innate Soul Power. He later suppressed Su Mo within Shrek's structure to safeguard Tang San's central role, then regretted losing him. 46 62 113
• Flender — Fellow member of the Golden Iron Triangle and a longtime supporter who defended Yu Xiaogang's contributions to Shrek Academy. 40 189 269
• Liu Erlong — Yu Xiaogang's wife and fellow Golden Iron Triangle member. She supported him through Tang San's death and fought beside him through their fusion skill. 189 242 269
• Tang Hao — Tang San's father. Tang Hao approved of Yu Xiaogang's foundational teaching, but chose to personally handle Tang San's higher-level cultivation. 140

Notable Quotes

“There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters.” 62