Rejecting the Grandmaster—You Don't Understand My Path

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

Perhaps because everyone had been exhausted from traveling yesterday, although breakfast had already been prepared, Bai Ge was the only one in the cafeteria.

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

His cultivation had reached its current realm; ordinary food would only accumulate unnecessary impurities in his body.

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

Bai Ge smiled. "Grandmaster, I know. Strictly speaking, you should call my wife's mother Mistress."

"Huh?" Tang San was dumbfounded.

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

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

The Grandmaster had already met Flander 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 was overcome with mixed emotions.

Bai Ge merely smiled without speaking. He was very curious—if the Grandmaster learned the truth in advance, when Liu Erlong and Bibi Dong faced off in the future, would the Grandmaster end up kneeling on a washboard?

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

"Flander lets you eat this?"

The Grandmaster's face seemed to darken.

Tang San said, "This is already very good. The steamed buns are filling, much better than what I had when I was little."

"Nonsense."

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

His temperament had always been unyielding. "You children are at a crucial stage of growth. Your bodies are the foundation of your Martial Souls.

Without strong bodies, how can you endure such intense cultivation?

This breakfast is sufficient for people Flander's and my age.

But for children like you, it is nowhere near enough."

Just as the Grandmaster was losing his temper, Flander's lazy voice drifted in from outside. "Come on, Grandmaster, you're talking like it doesn't hurt when you're standing up.

You know these children are still growing.

Do you know how much they eat in a day?

You can buy delicacies from the mountains and seas in Suotuo City, but how could the academy's financial situation possibly allow me to feed them that sort of food?

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

As he spoke, Flander walked in from outside.

Seeing him, the Grandmaster's expression softened slightly. "I don't care what difficulties the academy has, but since I have decided to stay, as one of its teachers, I absolutely will not let the children suffer.

Flander, leave this matter entirely to me.

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

Flander was delighted inwardly. "What? Xiaogang, you've decided to stay?"

The Grandmaster nodded. "Whether for Tang San's sake or for the sake of 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 before that if I was willing to stay, you could delegate authority to me. Is that right?"

Flander knew the Grandmaster far too well. Seeing his expression, he understood that his old brother was determined to accomplish something major. Though he showed nothing outwardly, inwardly he was overjoyed.

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

You can assign the academy's teachers as you see fit.

Of course, you'll have to tell me beforehand wherever money needs to be spent.

The academy's financial situation is definitely 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?"

Flander froze for a moment, then laughed. "Even someone as rigid as you knows how to be flexible now?"

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

Flander 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 at the academy's training ground.

It was especially lively today. Not only had Flander and Zhao Wuji, the head and deputy headmasters, arrived, but the Grandmaster and the academy's other teachers had also come to the training ground.

Apart from the two headmasters, the academy originally had three more teachers.

They were the three responsible for the first three stages of the entrance examination.

Tang San had met only one of them: the old man who had frightened off quite a few people with his staff Martial Soul.

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

Flander stepped before the seven students, his stern gaze sweeping over them.

"First, I'll introduce the academy's teachers to the new students."

As he spoke, Flander 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 Spirit 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 Spirit Emperor."

The final teacher was younger than the first two and seemed about Flander's age.

"This is Teacher Shao Xin. His Martial Soul is Sugar Bean, and he is a level seventy-one Spirit Saint. He is a food-system Spirit Master. Among the food-system Spirit Masters I know, Teacher Shao is unquestionably among the top five."

Finally, Flander walked to the Grandmaster's side, wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and said, "As for this last one, I need to introduce him properly.

Through his own research, he established the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls. He is hailed as the foremost authority on Martial Soul theory and the wisest Spirit Master.

At the same time, he is Tang San's teacher, Yu Xiaogang.

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

Perhaps you are unfamiliar with his name, but I believe you have all heard his title.

From now on, you may call him the 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, and Tang San naturally had not felt it appropriate to ask.

So his teacher's name was Yu Xiaogang.

Flander said, "Starting today, the Grandmaster will be entirely responsible for your instruction, and we will all cooperate with him.

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

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

Grandmaster, is there anything you wish to say?" His final sentence was directed at the Grandmaster.

The Grandmaster nodded. His stiff face remained as expressionless as ever as he looked at the eight students before him and said calmly, "There are only eight students in the academy. In my eyes, you are a whole.

I have already reviewed your records. I will formulate some 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. "But perhaps your theories do not apply to me.

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

You may not understand my path.

But you can ask Xiao San what Shattering the Void means."

The Grandmaster smiled. "I already know about your situation. My theories truly do not suit 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.

In essence, we are the same kind of people.

Of course I understand. May I ask something presumptuous? Your Martial Soul is likely the legendary god-tier one, isn't it?"

"Yes." Bai Ge nodded.