Who Knows?

Yu Xiaogang was both arrogant and insecure.

He was proud of his status as the legitimate son of the Thunder Douluo, a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Yet he felt inferior because of his pitiful half-level Innate Soul Power, his ugly Martial Soul, and his embarrassing Soul Skills.

In the end, he chose to run away. Hoping to find a way to solve his Martial Soul problem, he left the clan and went to Spirit Hall.

Bibi Dong, Spirit Hall's Saintess, was undoubtedly a heaven-blessed prodigy. Their Soul Power Levels were worlds apart, and they should have belonged to entirely different worlds. Back then, Bibi Dong was focused solely on cultivation and paid no attention to this outsider who spent all day in Spirit Hall's Library Pavilion.

But researching Martial Souls didn't go as smoothly as he'd expected. Spirit Hall only let him read ordinary books. He wasn't qualified to view the more precious, out-of-print texts, and his research hit a dead end.

It was around then that the disheartened Yu Xiaogang met Bibi Dong. She was a beautiful, innocent, and lively young woman. Though exceptionally talented and of noble status, she had few friends her own age because of it.

She was curious about the outside world—its scenery, food, and stories—and as an outsider, he was just the sort of person who could intrigue her.

As a child, Yu Xiaogang had also been regarded as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's future young master, a position that came with high expectations. He was well-spoken and worldly, with a refined, handsome bearing.

Bibi Dong fell for him, and Yu Xiaogang liked the genius beauty too.

They talked about everything under the sun and made plans to travel together. They discussed what to eat that day, and shared their opinions and perspectives. They were like soulmates.

Yu Xiaogang also got his hands on those precious confidential texts and continued his "research."

Before long, their relationship came to light. Yu Xiaogang wasn't worried. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was on good terms with Spirit Hall, and with Spirit Hall's sense of justice, it wouldn't kill someone from an allied clan.

That was true even though he had violated the unspoken rule against marriage between members of major powers of equal standing on the continent—and his partner was Spirit Hall's Saintess, no less.

Besides, Bibi Dong loved him. Yu Xiaogang was sure she would never leave him. He was confident in his own charm. There were many women in the Yu Clan, and he knew what sort of man they couldn't resist. Many of his uncles had used their handsome faces and silver tongues to charm these women into willingly bearing their children.

As for whether anything would happen to Bibi Dong?

Yu Xiaogang hadn't even considered it. How could anything happen to Spirit Hall's Saintess?

At worst, their relationship would take a hit. She wouldn't be in any danger.

But, to his surprise, Spirit Hall's Pope seemed to go mad and announced the Saintess's death.

Then he stripped Bibi Dong of her Soul Bones, made her sign an impossibly long bill, and kicked them both out.

The Pope also confiscated the precious texts and Saintess Token from Yu Xiaogang's Space Soul Tool.

Bibi Dong was weak after having her Soul Bones stripped away. Yu Xiaogang knew she needed to see a healing-type Soul Master and a physician for proper treatment, followed by a long period of rest.

But he couldn't afford a healing-type Soul Master capable of treating such injuries. If he wanted one, he'd have to ask the clan for help.

Just then, his father, the Thunder Douluo, came looking for him and gave him a tongue-lashing. He'd harmed relations between the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Spirit Hall over a woman. He was useless enough as it was, and now he'd caused such a huge mess, and so on.

Yu Xiaogang parted with his father on bad terms. He didn't return to the clan, and he couldn't find a high-level support-type Soul Master, so he could only get someone to tend to Bibi Dong's injuries.

Afterward, the two of them set off on the trip they'd planned. Though her injuries hadn't healed and she still looked terribly haggard, Bibi Dong seemed happy.

Yu Xiaogang went along with her, but his mind was elsewhere. He was still thinking about his research and wanted to prove to his father that he wasn't useless.

Then, at the end of the first month, Bibi Dong received Spirit Hall's bill. She was distraught, counting each expense one by one, unable to believe that so much money had been spent on her.

Yu Xiaogang only needed one glance to know the bill was genuine. The gemstones on her clothes, the crystal ornaments in her hair, and the Saintess's formal robes had all cost a fortune. Then there were the cultivation resources she'd received over the years, as well as the exorbitant fee for a Titled Douluo to protect her while she hunted for the perfect Soul Ring. All told, it came to about a kingdom's worth of annual tax revenue.

Their lives grew difficult.

Later, they ran into Flender and Liu Erlong, and Yu Xiaogang invited them to travel together.

The three of them got along well. Bibi Dong wasn't part of their group; she didn't like anyone coming between them and wanted to keep their intimate routine as a couple. Yu Xiaogang thought she was being unreasonable, and their relationship turned tense.

During this time, Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong got along very well, and admiration slowly appeared in her eyes.

Bibi Dong soon noticed. The two women often clashed. Bibi Dong was stronger, but Liu Erlong had Flender and Yu Xiaogang, Bibi Dong's boyfriend, on her side, so their fights always ended in a draw.

Then, one day, they encountered danger, and Bibi Dong used her Martial Soul Avatar...

Yu Xiaogang realized he didn't like Bibi Dong quite as much anymore. He was wondering how he could force himself to keep going despite his fear.

His father came to find him and asked when he planned to marry Bibi Dong and come home.

Yu Xiaogang fell silent. He didn't want to marry Bibi Dong.

His father sighed and left. He said he'd already given Yu Xiaogang enough time, and told him not to interfere with what happened next.

Yu Xiaogang felt uneasy. Before long, disaster struck: Bibi Dong was attacked, and she called out to him.

Yu Xiaogang hesitated. He didn't want to disobey the father who had always doted on him.

He did nothing until Liu Erlong forced her way in and dragged him out. She and Flender then performed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with her as the lead.

The three of them didn't have much rapport yet, and Luo Sanpao wasn't the core as he had been before. The Martial Soul Fusion Skill was unstable and much weaker than usual. Even so, Liu Erlong forced the Golden Sacred Dragon to hold back the Thunder Douluo.

In the end, the Martial Soul Fusion Skill was broken. His father spared Yu Xiaogang's sake, but Flender was nearly beaten to death by the enraged man.

The Golden Iron Triangle went their separate ways after that.

Yu Xiaogang couldn't forget the look in the eyes of Liu Erlong, the woman who had once admired him, as she left. That look of disappointment.

He had seen it countless times...

In the eyes of his clansmen and father when his Martial Soul was awakened...

In the eyes of his teacher when he reported the Soul Skill he'd gained from his Soul Ring...

In the eyes of his clansmen, teacher, and father when he still couldn't break through to level thirty...

Yu Xiaogang was despondent for a long time, wandering from place to place. In the end, he chose the small Nuoding Academy as a place to settle down and continue his research. He desperately needed to verify his theories and achieve some success to fill the emptiness of his insecurity.

But after all these years, Yu Xiaogang had thought his father had long since forgotten about him. Yet, of all things, he'd sent a letter.

"The clan leader said this letter is very important and asked that you read it. I'll wait for you at the Nuoding Hotel." After handing over the letter, the Soul Elder turned and left.

Who knew?

In a dormitory at Nuoding Academy

The envelope before him bore the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's dragon-shaped wax seal.

Yu Xiaogang stared at it for a long while, then finally opened it.

The letter contained no reprimands, only his father's concern and questions.

It was as though their past arguments and disagreements had never happened.

In truth, Yu Xiaogang had always known that his father treated him very well.

Although the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had many members, the most valued were the direct descendants of its clan leader and elders.

No matter how talented the other branches were, they could never surpass them.

Even though his Martial Soul wasn't the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul that the clan took pride in, he still enjoyed the very best treatment.

And because he was his father's youngest child, his mother was also favored. His father doted on him greatly—even his eldest brother, the heir, wasn't as beloved.

His father had practically spoiled him, giving him whatever he wanted.

The reason Yu Xiaogang had kept his distance from the clan all these years wasn't that the clan had pushed him aside. It was that his proud nature couldn't bear to stay there.

He couldn't stand watching one clansman after another surpass him, or their sidelong glances and comments, so he chose to run away.

After the words of concern came the real purpose of the letter.

Yu Xiaogang read on patiently. As he took in the words, his eyes widened in disbelief.

How could this be?

A Soul Power Breakthrough Pill!

Spirit Hall had actually managed to develop something like this.

Why hadn't he seen any information about it when he'd read through the texts at Spirit Hall? Had they really been keeping it from him?

But the more important question now was how to get a Soul Power Breakthrough Pill.

Ever since what had happened between him and Bibi Dong, relations between Spirit Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect had grown extremely hostile.

From time to time, he heard through the clan's intelligence network about Spirit Hall attacking the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's businesses.

Bibi Dong, his former lover, was even involved in some of those attacks.

Spirit Hall talked a good game, but in truth, it was petty and vindictive.

Even Bibi Dong had changed. She'd become ruthless and cruel.

The young descendants in the clan were innocent, yet they'd been brutally killed in retaliation for what he had done.

In these circumstances, he couldn't just go to Spirit Hall and claim their favors as casually as before.

But his father had asked him to come home. He must have a way to help him get a Soul Power Breakthrough Pill...

Thinking this, Yu Xiaogang stood up, intending to leave at once and find the clansman at the Nuoding Hotel so he could take him home.

He didn't plan to pack. He wasn't short of money, and all his important belongings were in his Space Soul Tools. He even had a spare one he could give Tang San, his disciple.

But just then, someone knocked on the dormitory door. "Teacher, are you there? It's me, Xiao San."

That young, familiar voice instantly dashed his hopes.

Tang San—and Tang San's father, Tang Hao.

He'd have to think carefully about how to leave.

By now, Yu Xiaogang had completely forgotten about his theories and research.

A chance to break through was right in front of him. He didn't even want to keep wasting time on this half-human, half-beast disciple.

No matter how much one cultivated the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, it was still grass. It wasn't suited for combat in the first place.

Blue Silver Grass Soul Masters with Innate Soul Power were rare, but they did exist. They were almost always the weakest at their level, with abysmal combat strength—not even as good as his Luo Sanpao.

Tang San had fought at Nuoding Academy over the years, too, winning mostly through physical strength and agility. The Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was purely decorative and supportive.

But for the sake of making a name for himself and proving his theory right, Yu Xiaogang had still chosen Soul Rings for Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul that weren't compatible with it, but could greatly boost its combat power.

The stronger the Soul Beast, the more powerful the Soul Skill from its Soul Ring would be. But there was a condition: the Soul Ring had to be compatible with the Martial Soul.

There was a precedent on Douluo Continent. A fire-type Soul Master hunted a rare, high-year water-type Soul Beast. Unwilling to waste it, he absorbed its Soul Ring, only for his Martial Soul to weaken and even regress. His Soul Skills developed problems, too.

After that, most Soul Masters tried to hunt Soul Beasts whose attributes matched their Martial Souls.