Rejecting the Grandmaster—My Path, You Wouldn't Understand

The next day, Tang San arrived at the cafeteria with a middle-aged man.

Perhaps they had been too exhausted from traveling yesterday, but although breakfast had already been prepared in the cafeteria, Bai Ge was the only one there.

Bai Ge had only taken a bowl of plain porridge and was drinking it leisurely.

At his current level of cultivation, ordinary food would only accumulate unnecessary impurities in his body.

"Xiao Bai, let me introduce you. This is my master."

Bai Ge smiled. "Grandmaster, I know. Strictly speaking, you should call the mother of the woman I'm with your sister-in-law."

"Huh?" Tang San was dumbfounded.

Bai Ge laughed. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not talking about Rongrong."

The Grandmaster also shook his head silently. "We'll talk about it later, Xiao San."

The Grandmaster had already met Flender and knew that Liu Erlong had waited for him alone for twenty years.

If it was not Liu Erlong, then it could only be Bibi Dong.

The Grandmaster's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Bai Ge merely smiled without speaking. He was quite curious—if the Grandmaster learned the truth in advance, when Liu Erlong and Bibi Dong eventually found themselves in a showdown, would he have to kneel on a washboard?

Looking at the breakfast Tang San had placed before him, the Grandmaster frowned deeply.

"Flender only gives you this?"

The Grandmaster's face seemed to darken.

Tang San said, "This is already quite good. The steamed buns fill us up, and it's much better than when I was little."

"Nonsense."

The Grandmaster put down the steamed bun in his hand, anger rising within him.

His temperament had always been unyielding. "You children are at a crucial stage of growing. Your body is the foundation of your martial soul.

Without a good body, how could you possibly endure such intensive training?

This breakfast is enough for people Flender's and my age.

But for children like you, it is far from enough."

Just as the Grandmaster was getting angry, Flender's lazy voice drifted in from outside. "Come on, Grandmaster, it's easy for you to say when you're not the one paying.

You know these children are still growing.

Do you know how much food they eat in a day?

Suotuo City has delicacies from land and sea for sale, but how could the academy's finances possibly allow me to feed them such things?

If you're willing to sponsor us, I have no objections."

As he spoke, Flender walked in from outside.

Seeing him, the Grandmaster's expression eased somewhat. "I don't care what difficulties the academy has, but since I've decided to stay and serve as a teacher here, the children absolutely cannot be neglected.

Flender, leave this matter entirely to me.

From now on, I will decide what these children eat for every meal."

Flender was delighted inwardly. "What, Xiao Gang? You've decided to stay?"

The Grandmaster nodded. "Whether for Tang San's sake or for the little monsters you recruited, I've decided to remain here for a while.

Over the past two days, I've also gained a basic understanding of your current teaching methods. Many areas need improvement.

You told me that day that if I was willing to stay, you could delegate authority to me. Is that right?"

Flender knew the Grandmaster far too well. Looking at him, he understood that his old brother was determined to make major changes. Though he showed nothing on the surface, inwardly he was already overjoyed.

He immediately said readily, "No problem. Whatever you want to do, just notify me first.

The academy's teachers are at your disposal.

Of course, if it requires spending money, you need to tell me beforehand.

The academy's financial situation is surely worse than you imagine."

The Grandmaster frowned slightly. "I know all of you are proud by nature.

But can't you be more flexible and increase your income?"

Flender froze for a moment, then laughed. "Even someone as stubborn as you has learned to be flexible?"

The Grandmaster looked gently at Tang San beside him. "For the sake of these children, what is wrong with being flexible?"

Flender chuckled. "Fine. As long as it doesn't violate my principles, be as flexible as you like."

After breakfast, the bell rang on schedule, gathering all the students on the academy's training ground.

Today was especially lively. Not only had the head and vice headmasters, Flender and Zhao Wuji, arrived, but the Grandmaster and the academy's other teachers had also come to the training ground.

Aside from the two headmasters, the academy originally had three other teachers.

They were the three teachers who had overseen the first three stages of the entrance examination.

Tang San had only met one of them—the old man whose staff martial soul had frightened away quite a few people.

"Good, everyone is here. I have several matters to announce."

Flender walked before the seven students, his gaze sweeping sternly over them.

"First, let me introduce the academy's teachers to the new students."

As he spoke, Flender pointed at the old man Tang San had met before, whose martial soul was a long staff.

"This is Teacher Li Yusong. His martial soul is the Dragon Pattern Staff, and he is a level sixty-three Soul Emperor."

The second teacher was even older, an old man who appeared to be over seventy. "This is Teacher Lu Qibin. His martial soul is Star Luo Chess, and he is a level sixty-six Soul Emperor."

The final teacher was younger than the first two, appearing to be around Flender's age.

"This is Teacher Shao Xin. His martial soul is Sugar Bean, and he is a level seventy-one Soul Sage. He is a food-type soul master. Among the food-type soul masters I know, Teacher Shao is definitely among the top five."

Finally, Flender walked to the Grandmaster's side, put an arm around his shoulders, and said, "As for this last one, I must introduce him to you properly.

Through his own research, he established the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls. He is acclaimed as the foremost authority on martial soul theory and the wisest soul master.

He is also Tang San's teacher, Yu Xiaogang.

Of course, he is also my old brother. We have known each other for decades.

You may not know much upon hearing his name, but I believe all of you have heard of his title.

From now on, you may call him Grandmaster."

Tang San was also somewhat surprised. This was the first time he had learned the Grandmaster's name.

The Grandmaster had never mentioned it before, so Tang San had naturally found it inappropriate to ask.

So his teacher's name was Yu Xiaogang.

Flender said, "Starting today, the Grandmaster will be fully responsible for your training, and all of us will cooperate with him.

You only returned yesterday, so I imagine everyone is rather tired. You will have the day off today, and classes will resume tomorrow.

Ning Rongrong, Ma Hongjun, Zhu Zhuqing, you must also work hard and strive to catch up with the others as soon as possible.

Grandmaster, do you have anything to say?" The last question was directed at the Grandmaster.

The Grandmaster nodded. His stiff face was as expressionless as ever. Looking at the eight students before him, he said indifferently, "There are only eight students in the academy. In my eyes, you are also a whole.

I have reviewed your records, and I will formulate targeted teaching methods afterward.

Other than cooperation, I do not wish to hear any dissenting voices..."

"Sorry, Grandmaster. I mean no offense."

Bai Ge's voice rang out. "However, your theories may not suit me.

The path of the strong is destined to be solitary. All I seek in this life is the pinnacle of martial arts.

My path is one you may not understand.

But you can ask Xiao San what it means to shatter the void."

The Grandmaster smiled. "I already know about your circumstances. My theories truly are not suitable for you.

If I lacked even that much self-awareness, then all my years of researching martial souls would have been wasted.

When you spoke of the pinnacle of martial arts and shattering the void, your expression was the same as mine when I speak of martial soul theory.

Fundamentally, we are the same kind of people.

Of course I understand. May I ask something presumptuously? Your martial soul is probably the legendary God-level one, isn't it?"

"It is." Bai Ge nodded.