Yu Xiaogang's World Came Crashing Down! His Reputation Was Ruined!

Qian Renxue closed her eyes and let the warm water rise over her shoulders, leaving only her slender neck and delicate collarbones exposed.

As the water rippled, the thoughts in her mind gradually became clearer.

The current situation was obvious—and dire.

Tang San was the Child of Destiny. That was beyond doubt.

That meant opposing him was the same as opposing the destiny of the entire Douluo Continent.

Ordinary schemes, ambushes, and blockades would all be neutralized by that damned destiny. They might even become stepping stones for Tang San's growth.

"So this is the so-called protagonist's privilege."

A mocking smile curled at Qian Renxue's lips.

Had it been before, she might have felt despair, or defiantly tried to defy fate.

But now, with the Life Simulator, she had effectively gained the ability to foresee the future.

Destiny was not unbreakable.

As long as one was powerful enough—powerful enough to crush the rules themselves—destiny was nothing more than a joke.

"And the key lies with Jixia Academy."

Qian Renxue opened her eyes, wisdom glinting in her golden pupils.

There was someone there who could kill a God King in a single move.

If she could obtain Jixia Academy's assistance, even if she merely borrowed a little of its influence, it would be enough to change the doomed fate of both herself and Spirit Hall.

"Jixia Academy cannot be offended. We must befriend them."

That was the foremost principle.

In the previous simulations, both she and Bibi Dong had been far too arrogant when facing Jixia Academy.

One had failed to recruit them and then harbored resentment, while the other had directly resorted to force and threats.

And what had happened?

One had been shut out, while the other could not even touch their shadow and ultimately ended up with her soul destroyed.

"However, I cannot be too hasty."

Qian Renxue scooped up a handful of water and watched droplets slip through her fingers.

That Dean Lu Ming had an eccentric personality and seemed to dislike being disturbed by power and influence.

If she appeared too calculating, she would only provoke his disgust.

She had to strike exactly the right balance.

She needed to show sufficient sincerity without seeming servile, and she absolutely could not make others think she had ulterior motives.

For Qian Renxue, who had grown up amid political schemes and power struggles, that was not particularly difficult.

The difficult part was time.

"There is another terrible issue: after the competition ends, Jixia Academy will disappear."

Recalling the information from the Simulator, Qian Renxue furrowed her brows again.

In both simulations, Jixia Academy had vanished into thin air after the competition ended.

That meant this mysterious force would not remain in the mortal world for long.

"There is not much time left before the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Competition begins. Including the duration of the competition, there is less than a year until it ends."

One year.

For a soul master, it was merely the flick of a finger.

Yet it was also the year that would determine whether she lived or died.

"That means I must establish substantive contact with Jixia Academy within this year—perhaps even make a breakthrough!"

Otherwise, once Jixia Academy disappeared, she would once again have to face Tang San alone, with his twin god positions and destiny's blessing.

That was certain death.

Splash—

Qian Renxue raised an arm from the water. Her skin, nourished by the milk, was pale and smooth like the finest mutton-fat jade.

She gently wiped her body, then lightly raised a flawless bare foot and rested it on the edge of the bath.

Her toes were round and lovely, tinged with faint pink, while her arched foot formed a graceful curve.

Droplets slid down her smooth calf and fell onto the water's surface, sending ripples spreading outward.

She looked at her toes, but her gaze grew increasingly profound.

"Since I cannot attack head-on, I will outwit them."

"Jixia Academy has emerged to take part in the competition, which means they do not truly intend to isolate themselves from the world. As long as they are people, they have desires and weaknesses. Even gods are no exception."

"Fame?"

"Prestige?"

"Or perhaps they want to display their strength?"

Whatever their purpose, their participation in the Soul Master Competition showed that they needed to present themselves on this stage.

"Why not lend them a hand first?"

A sharp gleam flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes.

"I'll first use Crown Prince Xue Qinghe's identity and resources to aggressively promote Jixia Academy's reputation throughout Heaven Dou City."

"I'll elevate them high enough that the entire continent learns of Jixia Academy's existence, filling everyone with longing for this mysterious academy."

"This will be both a probe and a gesture of goodwill."

And as for Tang San...

Since she could not kill him, she would first destroy his will and cut off his wings.

Who did Tang San respect the most?

Yu Xiaogang.

That so-called Master.

In the simulations, she had seen that this supposed theoretical master was nothing remarkable.

Many of his theories had been plagiarized from Spirit Hall's archives, and they were all the most basic of basic knowledge.

Yet Tang San obeyed him unquestioningly and even regarded him as a father.

"Then I'll start with Yu Xiaogang."

"I'll disparage Yu Xiaogang's theories and expose his true face.

I'll let the world know that this so-called Master is nothing but a worthless fraud who stole fame through deception."

"As long as Yu Xiaogang's reputation is destroyed, Tang San, as his disciple, will naturally be implicated as well. Moreover, it will deal a severe blow to Tang San's resolve."

This was also an indirect way of weakening destiny.

Though she could not kill Tang San directly, there was nothing wrong with making him sickened, enraged, and irrational.

As long as Tang San became flustered, he would reveal flaws.

Though destiny protected him, it did not protect those around him.

When the time came, there might not be no room for maneuver.

Having formed a preliminary plan, Qian Renxue felt slightly more at ease.

She submerged herself in the water once more, leaving only her eyes above the surface as she looked at the exquisite mural on the ceiling.

That radiant figure, dazzling like the blazing sun, appeared in her mind again.

"And that imposing existence... who exactly is he?"

On the official road outside Heaven Dou City, the thin morning mist had yet to fully disperse.

Yu Xiaogang walked at the very front of the group with his hands clasped behind his back.

His face, which had always been stiff, was now as dark as the bottom of a pot.

Behind him followed Flender, Liu Erlong, and the students of the Shrek Seven Devils. The entire group marched grandly toward the rumored residence of Jixia Academy.

On both sides of the road, many early-rising passersby and soul masters pointed at them.

Though the murmurs were quiet, they clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Look, that's Yu Xiaogang, that so-called theoretical Master."

"I heard all his theories were copied from Spirit Hall's archives, and they are full of mistakes besides."

"You really can't judge a person by appearances. People used to praise him as if he were some kind of miracle..."

Yu Xiaogang abruptly stopped, his hands clenching into fists so tightly that his nails nearly dug into his flesh.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the rage in his heart. Then he turned to look at Flender and Liu Erlong beside him, his voice hoarse and faintly trembling.