Yu Xiaogang's Deception

Xu Yuan smiled helplessly and reached up to ruffle her hair. "It was just a friendly match. Don't make such a big deal out of it."

"How is that making a big deal?" Xiao Wu looked up at Xu Yuan indignantly, the tip of her nose wrinkling. "Didn't you see how enlightened Tang San looked? And Yu Xiaogang—his face turned green with rage. He looked just like a cat whose tail had been stepped on!"

As she spoke, Xiao Wu imitated Yu Xiaogang's tense expression, scrunching up her face dramatically. Xu Yuan couldn't help bursting into laughter.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps between the leaves, falling warmly over them.

Xiao Wu chattered away about the students' reactions at the sidelines, telling him who had been stunned and who had been secretly discussing how powerful Xu Yuan's Blue Silver Emperor was.

Looking at Xu Yuan's hair, Xiao Wu said, "Come to think of it, with your hair and that Blue Silver Emperor from just now, you looked like you'd stepped right out of a painting!"

Xu Yuan stopped walking and looked at Xiao Wu. "So, you're happy I won?"

"Of course!" Xiao Wu nodded hard, her cheeks flushing with excitement. "You're one of my people, so of course I'm happy you won! But..."

Her tone shifted. Leaning closer, she lowered her voice. "Tang San's actually kind of pitiful, too. You beat him up so badly, and he'll probably get chewed out by Yu Xiaogang again when he gets back."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Are you feeling sorry for him?"

"Not at all!" Xiao Wu immediately retorted, sticking out her chin. Then she muttered awkwardly, "I just think... he's had a rough time, too. He was bedridden for half a year, and as soon as he recovered, Yu Xiaogang pushed him to cultivate every day. It's like losing would mean he'd let down the whole world."

Looking at Xiao Wu's awkward expression, Xu Yuan understood.

Xiao Wu might seem carefree, but she had a very perceptive heart.

Xu Yuan patted Xiao Wu on the head. "Don't worry. He's not so easily beaten down. This match might not be a bad thing for him."

Xiao Wu nodded, not quite understanding, then tugged Xu Yuan's arm and pulled him along. "Never mind! A win's a win. I'm treating you to carrot cake to celebrate!"

Meanwhile, Tang San followed Yu Xiaogang back to his office.

Standing behind Yu Xiaogang, Tang San lowered his head in silence, feeling terribly sorry for him.

Yu Xiaogang stood with his back to Tang San, his hands clasped behind him and his shoulders slightly slumped. His back, usually ramrod straight, now seemed to carry a hint of weariness.

The office was so quiet that they could hear the wind outside the window. A book on Martial Soul Theory lay open on the desk, but neither of them was in the mood to read.

After a long while, Yu Xiaogang slowly turned around, his gaze settling on Tang San.

His eyes, usually alight with confidence, now held a complicated mixture of disappointment and unwillingness to accept defeat. More than anything, though, they carried an indescribable heaviness.

"Do you know where you went wrong?" Yu Xiaogang asked hoarsely. His usual sternness was gone; instead, he sounded almost as if he were talking to himself.

Tang San pressed his lips together and lowered his head. "This student... couldn't control his Soul Power as well as Xu Yuan, and his understanding of Martial Souls wasn't deep enough."

He paused, his voice growing quieter. "Also, I was too impatient when I faced the restraints of the Blue Silver Grass."

Yu Xiaogang fell silent, tapping his fingertips lightly against the desk. The dull knocks filled the room.

"You're right, but not entirely." Yu Xiaogang walked up to Tang San, his gaze sharpening. "Your biggest problem isn't anything else. It's your heart."

"My heart?" Tang San looked up, bewilderment in his eyes.

Yu Xiaogang struck the desk harder with his knuckles, his voice turning grave. "Your mind is too muddled. You win one match and start thinking about the next; you lose and rush to win back your pride. A few words from the people around you are enough to throw you off course. With that kind of mindset, how can you possibly settle down and hone your Martial Soul?"

He picked up the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul In-depth Development Manual from the desk, opened it to a page, and pointed to the closely packed annotations.

"What I taught you was a theoretical framework. It was meant to let you stand on the shoulders of giants and avoid unnecessary detours. But what did you do? You either memorized it by rote or let a few casual remarks from someone else lead you astray. You never thought to make that knowledge your own."

He would never admit that he was the one at fault. This was all Tang San's problem.

Tang San's face grew slightly warm, and his fingers tightened around the hem of his clothes.

Just as his teacher had said, Xu Yuan's words had made him doubt the theories his teacher had taught him. Now that he thought about it, he truly shouldn't have.

Yu Xiaogang closed the manual, his gaze suddenly turning sharp, like two knives plunging straight into Tang San. "Do you really think Xu Yuan's Blue Silver Grass techniques are impossible to decipher? His Entanglement technique is essentially the spiral Soul Power output mentioned in Martial Soul Control Theory—he's just given it a fancy new name! If you thoroughly master the Control System Martial Soul Advanced Guide I gave you, then forget his little tricks—even against the domain of a Titled Douluo, you'll be able to find a way to break through!"

Yu Xiaogang slammed his palm onto the desk. The teacups jumped. "Did being bedridden for half a year make you restless? Have you forgotten what you promised me back then? You said you'd engrave the theory into your bones! And what happened? The moment someone changed things up a little, you panicked and started doubting theories that have been tempered through countless trials?"

Tang San lowered his head even further, his fingers digging deep into his palm. "Teacher, I..."

"What do you mean, 'I'?" Yu Xiaogang cut him off, his tone full of exasperation. "Xu Yuan only won because he got lucky. You have Twin Martial Souls. Your foundation is ten times stronger than his! You lost because you haven't yet integrated theory with practical combat!"

Tang San bit his lower lip, his eyes reddening slightly. "This student was too impetuous and let you down, Teacher."

He was beginning to think more and more that he really was foolish—to have doubted his teacher.

Seeing Tang San admit his mistake, Yu Xiaogang's expression softened a little. He patted Tang San on the shoulder. "It's good that you know where you went wrong. Starting today, copy my Foundations of Martial Soul Theory three times a day. Tonight, draw me a breakdown of Xu Yuan's tactics, matching every step to its theoretical basis. I'm telling you, theory doesn't lie. The only ones who lie are people who refuse to settle down and learn. Once you can turn my theories into reflexes, forget one Xu Yuan—even ten of him won't be a problem for you!"

Tang San nodded firmly. "Yes, Teacher. I'll do exactly as you say."

Seeing that Tang San had been thoroughly taken in, Yu Xiaogang felt perfectly satisfied. He had truly been worried that Tang San would believe Xu Yuan's words.

A softened smile appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face. He turned to the bookshelf and unhurriedly pulled out a notebook with a yellowed cover, then handed it to Tang San. "This is a book I spent ten years writing. Take it home and study it carefully. It'll help take your strength to a whole new level."

Tang San accepted the notebook with both hands. As his fingertips touched the pages, he felt a wave of guilt and gratitude at the somewhat hurried yet powerful handwriting.

He secretly swore to work twice as hard and never disappoint his teacher again.