What Are Those Expressions and Looks?

Gangzi's mentality shattered.

The boomerang he had thrown back then had now struck him in the face. It hurt—hurt terribly, so much that he even felt the urge to flee Nuoding City.

This was hardly surprising.

Back in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, when everyone had mocked him for awakening the Pig Slave Martial Soul, this was what he had done.

When he had put on airs at Spirit Hall and deceived Bibi Dong, only to have Qian Xunji tear the couple apart, this was what he had done too.

When he had married Liu Erlong, only for Yu Luomian to come to his door and curse him for being shameless and incestuous, he had still done the same thing.

Whenever he could not decide what to do, he became like a turtle pulling its head into its shell.

I'll run away!

Without even going out to ask around, Yu Xiaogang could already guess how people outside were mocking him: calling himself a master, declaring that others would be bugs for life and would never break through to become Spirit Masters.

Yet in barely over two years, that person had used his actions to shove a shit-smeared mop straight into his face.

It was as though all his theoretical knowledge was worthless. Not only had he failed to recognize true talent, he had recklessly judged someone else's future—and even predicted it wrong.

This blow hurt him even more than the combined damage of having his self-esteem crushed by Chen Yumo's bugs two years ago and having his fragile heart battered by Hook Literature a year ago.

His hair, already turning gray from age, rapidly became mottled white at a pace visible to Tang San's naked eye. Yu Xiaogang seemed to have aged twenty years in an instant, his vitality and spirit completely drained away, leaving behind only a useless old bastard.

He could not do it. He could do nothing.

Not only had Chen Yumo utterly crushed him in Martial Soul and talent, even the theoretical knowledge he had always been proud of was worthless.

"I think I've become trash." Yu Xiaogang's weak voice reached Tang San's ears.

Tang San: ...

His heart ached!

"Teacher, how could you say that? You were such a proud man!" Tang San cried out in anguish.

"Pride?" Yu Xiaogang repeated the word softly, then laughed at himself.

"What use is pride? I'm still just trash. I'll never break through level thirty in my life, and I'm not even as good as a bug. What can my theories and knowledge do for me?"

After saying that, Yu Xiaogang actually covered his face and began crying miserably.

"I can't do anything..."

Seeing that Yu Xiaogang truly seemed to have had his spine broken and was about to sink into despair, Tang San could no longer worry about respecting his teacher.

He understood that no words of comfort would work now. Only a sharp rebuke could wake Yu Xiaogang up and make him pull himself together again.

I'm sorry, Teacher. Please forgive this disciple's offense!

In an instant, Tang San put on an angry expression, thrust out both hands, and fiercely grabbed Yu Xiaogang by the collar, forcing him to look directly into his eyes.

"What are those expressions and looks? And what are those tears?" Tang San's tone was harsh, carrying a trace of frustration at his failure to live up to expectations.

"Can tears help you evolve your Martial Soul? Can they save your Luo Sanpao?"

Yu Xiaogang bit his lip and stared blankly at Tang San, like an aggrieved little wife.

"Teacher, you can't give up! There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Spirit Masters! This disciple has always believed that you are the greatest person on Douluo Continent. As long as you pull yourself together, you will definitely be able to evolve Luo Sanpao just like Chen Yumo did!" Tang San's gaze was sincere, and his tone was resolute.

"Don't worry, Teacher. No matter what happens, Tang San will definitely help you!"

"Little San!" Yu Xiaogang suddenly hugged Tang San and burst into tears.

But compared with his desperate sobbing earlier, his heart was now filled only with gratitude toward Tang San.

"Teacher!" Tang San could not help shedding tears as well, wrapping his arms around Yu Xiaogang in return.

What a touching scene of a loving teacher and filial disciple, like a pair of star-crossed lovers...

After getting sentimental for a while longer, Tang San finally revealed his plan.

As a master of stolen learning, he knew all too well how to handle matters he could not solve himself. A ready-made success story stood right before him. If he wanted to solve Yu Xiaogang's problem, why not ask Chen Yumo?

But Tang San was no fool. His teacher and he had offended Chen Yumo far too badly before. If they went to ask him directly, they definitely would not get an answer.

Even if they coerced or bribed him into revealing the method of evolution, there was no guarantee that his answer would be correct.

What if that brat still held a grudge and gave them the wrong method for Martial Soul Evolution? Wouldn't they be screwed?

So Tang San chose an indirect approach.

"What? You want me to ask Chen Yumo how his Martial Soul evolved?" Xiao Chenyu pointed at himself with one finger, his face full of bewilderment.

"Yes. You." Tang San pointed at him expressionlessly.

"Oh, shit, how am I supposed to ask that?" Xiao Chenyu's face instantly turned into the Jackie Chan meme as he clutched his head with both hands, disbelief written all over his face.

"Tang San, don't tell me you don't know that every Spirit Master's Martial Soul and soul skills are secrets? Rashly prying into someone else's secrets is the act of a mortal enemy, and you want me to ask him how he evolved his Martial Soul?"

Of course Tang San knew.

But precisely because he knew, he wanted Xiao Chenyu to do it for him.

He had not forgotten that Chen Yumo was also one of Xiao Chenyu's Louse Swarm underlings. He had originally looked down on Chen Yumo for recognizing someone else as his boss, but this actually made it easier for him to ask how to evolve Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul.

"I know you helped him before, and he's one of your underlings. If you ask, he'll tell you." Tang San's tone was calm but firm, leaving Xiao Chenyu no room to refuse.

At those words, Xiao Chenyu's face immediately flushed red.

He was red with anger.

But he also knew very well that he could not afford to offend Tang San. He had understood that ever since two years ago.

Xiao Chenyu could also guess that the reason for asking about Martial Soul Evolution was most likely Yu Xiaogang.

Over the past two years, almost no one at Nuoding Academy had failed to notice Tang San's respect for Yu Xiaogang as his teacher. Naturally, Xiao Chenyu knew as well.

Now that Tang San had spoken up for Yu Xiaogang, Xiao Chenyu had no room to refuse. Otherwise, Tang San would certainly hold a deep grudge against him, and who knew when he might strike him ruthlessly.

So he had to ask.

Xiao Chenyu took a deep breath, looked Tang San directly in the eye, and spoke with a faint sneer. "Fine, Tang San. I'll ask for you. But listen carefully: Chen Yumo may be my underling, but he has no obligation to tell me his Martial Soul's secrets. Even if I can't get an answer from him, that has nothing to do with me!"

"Just go ask." Tang San's voice remained as indifferent as ever. He did not even spare Xiao Chenyu another glance before turning and leaving.

Xiao Chenyu gritted his teeth, shot Tang San's retreating back a cold look, and headed off in the opposite direction.

"You'd better really find out how he evolved his Martial Soul. Otherwise..."

Tang San looked back at Xiao Chenyu disappearing around the corner, a cold glint flashing through his eyes.

For his teacher's Martial Soul, anything was worth doing.