Grandmaster

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yu Xiaogang 152
Alias(es)	Grandmaster (大师); Master Yu
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Formerly associated with Notting Academy, though he states that he is not one of its teachers; later teaches at Shrek Academy and joins its exchange to Heaven Dou Royal Academy; formerly a member of Martial Soul Hall 5 87 118 153
Occupation/Role	Self-styled Soul Master theorist; Tang San's teacher; Shrek Academy instructor and strategist 5 9 116 118
Martial Soul	Luo Sanpao, a wild dog-type Martial Soul 174
Status	Alive; held under strict guard on Tang Yuehua's orders after Tang San exposed and assaulted him, then tortured to near death for information about Tang Hao's legacy 252 253 259
First Appearance	Chapter 5 5

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 29; two yellow Soul Rings	174	Summons Luo Sanpao to climb the waterfall after losing his arms. 174
Soul Ancestor	249	Returns with restored arms, renewed vitality, and a breakthrough beyond the Soul Grand Master rank he had previously failed to surpass. 249 250

Background / History

Notting Academy

Grandmaster first intervenes when the Notting Academy doorman mistreats Old Jack and the incoming children. After verifying Tang San's proof of admission, he apologizes for the academy and takes Tang San, Lu Yu, and Lu Fei inside. He immediately distinguishes himself from the academy's teachers, insisting that he is not a teacher. 5

When Lu Yu questions both his character and qualifications, Grandmaster defends his standing by citing the Ten Core Competencies of Soul Masters as his achievement. The confrontation ends with Lu Yu verbally provoking him into coughing blood and fainting. 5 6

Despite Tang San's doubts, Tang Hao directs his son to study Grandmaster's theoretical knowledge while retaining his own judgment. Tang San consequently accepts him as a teacher, although their relationship is marked by resentment and utility from an early stage. 6 8 9

Shrek Academy and the Royal Academy Exchange

After Tang San considers leaving Notting Academy, Grandmaster persuades him to investigate Shrek Academy by presenting its selective admissions, high-level faculty, and concentrated instruction as advantages. He also states that he will teach there himself. 86 87

At Shrek, his attempts to discipline the students meet open resistance. Ning Rongrong rejects his authority outright, and the students later ignore his punishment order in favor of lunch. 116 117

Grandmaster proposes an exchange with Heaven Dou Royal Academy so that Shrek's students can receive better cultivation resources and gain eligibility for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. Although Flender initially resists, Grandmaster's arguments about the academy's lack of resources and tournament qualification persuade him to accept. 118

Detention and Public Confession

Seeking a solution to Tang San's Twin Martial Soul problem, Grandmaster travels to Martial Soul City using an Elder Token. Lu Yu has already warned the Palace Guard Knights about a Soul Grand Master using such a token for fraud, resulting in Grandmaster's arrest and delivery to Lu Yu. 138 139

Lu Yu exposes Grandmaster to his own Soul Ring configuration and pressures him over the shortcomings of his theory. Grandmaster is later released only after agreeing to make a public apology during the Soul Master Grand Finals. 139 144

At the finals, Grandmaster is forced to identify himself as Yu Xiaogang and publicly admit that the Ten Core Competencies of Soul Masters were plagiarized from Martial Soul Hall's confidential research. 152 153

Blue Silver Emperor Incident and Downfall

Following the tournament, Grandmaster identifies Tang San's Blue Silver Grass as a likely unawakened Blue Silver Emperor and leads him into a forest to search for the Blue Silver King. 172 174

After consuming a withered Blue Silver Emperor plant, Grandmaster regains his arms and appearance while obtaining a trace of its aura. He falsely attributes his recovery to residual origin energy from a naturally withered plant. 175

He later returns to Blue Tyrant Academy intending to display his restored body, improved cultivation, and Tang San's growth. 249 250

Tang San eventually confronts him over the Blue Silver Emperor aura. When Grandmaster admits that he consumed the Blue Silver Emperor, Tang San captures him, has him confined without treatment, and later tortures him for Tang Hao's legacy. 252 253 259

Appearance

Grandmaster's appearance changes drastically over the course of the story. After his arrest in Martial Soul City, he is left armless, aged, and with only five to seven years estimated to remain in his lifespan. 141 146

• After consuming a Blue Silver Emperor plant, his arms and outward appearance are restored. 175
• He bears a trace of Blue Silver Emperor aura after the restoration, which ultimately exposes his theft to Tang San. 175 252
• His Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, manifests as a wild dog-type creature. 174

Personality

Grandmaster is highly protective of his title and reputation. He reacts with anger when Lu Yu questions his credentials, expects deference from students and peers, and repeatedly struggles when others disregard his authority. 5 23 116 117

He is also ambitious and capable of practical institutional planning. His push for Shrek's exchange with Heaven Dou Royal Academy is driven by a desire to secure better resources, tournament access, and public recognition for his students and himself. 118

When confronted with evidence that threatens his reputation, Grandmaster tends to deny, deflect, or preserve appearances. Even after his theories are contradicted by Lu Yu's Soul Rings and Lu Fei's growth, he refuses to accept the implications. 139 147

Abilities & Skills

Soul Master Theory

Grandmaster publicly presents himself as the creator of the Ten Core Competencies of Soul Masters. However, Bibi Dong states that he accessed Martial Soul Hall's core archives through deception, and Grandmaster later publicly confesses that the work was plagiarized. 141 153

• Identifies Tang San's Blue Silver Grass as a probable Blue Silver Emperor awaiting awakening. 172
• Uses ancient records to locate the region where the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline can be awakened. 174
• Knows of a method related to resolving the flaw of Twin Martial Souls, though it is tied to Pope Bibi Dong. 109
• His claimed Soul Ring-limit theory is undermined by Lu Yu's seven-hundred-year First Soul Ring and thousand-year Second Soul Ring. 21 34

Instruction and Strategy

Grandmaster acts as Tang San's theoretical instructor and later attempts to direct Shrek Academy's students. 6 9 116

• Recommends Shrek Academy to Tang San based on its faculty and selective education model. 87
• Proposes the Heaven Dou Royal Academy exchange to obtain mimicry cultivation environments, competition eligibility, and tournament rewards for the Shrek students. 118
• Encourages Tang San's team to approach emotionally difficult tournament matches as ordinary competitions. 126
• His authority is limited by the students' lack of respect and by his inability to enforce his instructions. 116 117 162

Luo Sanpao

Grandmaster's Martial Soul is Luo Sanpao, supported by two yellow Soul Rings when he is documented at level 29. 174

• Uses Luo Sanpao's physical mobility to scale a cliff while unable to climb himself. 174
• Possesses insufficient combat presence to intimidate Lu Yu during their first confrontation. 5
• Is later described as having advanced to the Soul Ancestor realm, but no additional Soul Skills are documented. 249

Equipment / Items

• Elder Token — Used to seek an audience with Bibi Dong in Martial Soul City; Lu Yu's prior warning causes the guards to treat Grandmaster as a fraud and detain him. 139
• Blue Silver Emperor plant — Consumed by Grandmaster to restore his arms, appearance, and vitality while granting him a trace of Blue Silver Emperor aura. 175 252

Relationships

• Tang San — Student and nominal disciple. Tang Hao entrusts Tang San to Grandmaster for theoretical instruction, but their relationship deteriorates into suspicion, exploitation, and violence after Tang San learns that Grandmaster consumed the Blue Silver Emperor. 6 8 252 253
• Tang Hao — Entrusts Tang San to Grandmaster while warning Tang San to rely on his own judgment beyond theory. Later rebukes Grandmaster for Tang San's poor progress compared with Lu Yu. 8 108
• Lu Yu — Persistent adversary who first attacks Grandmaster's credentials at Notting Academy, later orchestrates his detention and forces his public confession. 5 139 153
• Bibi Dong — Former connection whose trust Grandmaster exploited to access Martial Soul Hall's confidential archives. She rejects his familiarity and treats him with open contempt after his arrest. 141 153
• Flender — Shrek Academy's dean and Grandmaster's associate. Flender ultimately accepts Grandmaster's Royal Academy exchange proposal, though their priorities repeatedly clash. 87 118
• Liu Erlong — Discusses relocating Tang San's group to Blue Tyrant Academy with Grandmaster and Flender; later has little sympathy for Grandmaster's departure with Tang San. 129 173

Notable Quotes

“I am not a teacher at this academy.” 5

“My name is Yu Xiaogang!” 152

“It is true... all of this was my doing. My Ten Core Competencies of Soul Masters were all plagiarized from Martial Soul Hall.” 153