Yu Xiaogang

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Yu Xiaogang (玉小刚)
Alias(es)	Grandmaster; Theoretical Master; “Horn of Wisdom”; “Triangle of Wisdom” 27 37 122
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Former teacher at Notting Academy; later resides and teaches at Shrek Academy 36 116 140
Occupation/Role	Martial soul theorist; author of Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul; mentor to Dai Mubai 27 36 140
Martial Soul	Luo Sanpao — a malformed, plump pig-and-dog-like beast martial soul 38 116 120
Cultivation	Level 29 Soul Grandmaster; possesses two hundred-year soul rings 37 116
Status	Active; training Dai Mubai at Shrek Academy 140 142
First Appearance	Mentioned through Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul 27; physically appears at Notting Academy 35

Background / History

Yu Xiaogang was one of the Golden Iron Triangle alongside Flender and Liu Erlong. Both he and Flender loved Liu Erlong, but she chose Yu Xiaogang; their planned marriage later fell apart and the pair separated. Mention of Liu Erlong remains a severe emotional trigger for him. 123

His cultivation stagnated at level 29 due to the malignant mutation of Luo Sanpao, leaving him unable to break through to level 30. Despite this limitation, he built his reputation around Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul and presented himself as a continent-renowned authority on martial soul theory. 27 37 120

Xue Bingchen later accused Yu Xiaogang of compiling Martial Soul Hall predecessors’ research from the Hall’s library and publishing it under his own name. The accusation, coupled with Xiaogang’s level-29 bottleneck, destroyed Tang San’s initial interest in accepting him as a master. 37

Appearance

Yu Xiaogang is a middle-aged man with a buzz cut, plain features, stubble, and a stiff expression. His clothing is generally described as washed-out or coarse, and he frequently adopts a hands-behind-back posture intended to project authority. 35 108 171

• Flat-top or buzz-cut hairstyle. 35 108
• Plain, stubbled, and often disheveled appearance. 36 46
• Wears simple robes or coarse cloth garments. 108 171
• After Li Yusong’s beating, he suffers severe facial swelling, a broken nose, missing front teeth, and multiple broken bones. 118 119

Personality

Yu Xiaogang is intensely prideful and relies heavily on the status of “Grandmaster” to define himself. He treats criticism of his cultivation, martial soul, or theories as a personal humiliation, responding with anger and an urgent desire to prove himself. 37 116 135

He repeatedly seeks exceptionally gifted disciples not only to teach them, but to validate his theories and restore his reputation. His interest in Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Dai Mubai is consistently tied to their talent and potential as proof of his worth. 35 108 135

Rejection and public embarrassment fuel his vindictiveness. After losing Tang San and Xiao Wu to Xue Bingchen, he resolves to cultivate another genius capable of defeating them and forcing acknowledgment of his theories. 108 109

Abilities & Skills

Martial Soul — Luo Sanpao

Luo Sanpao is Yu Xiaogang’s mutated beast martial soul, appearing as a round creature with a pig-like body, dog-like head, and drooping ears. Its innate defect is tied to Xiaogang’s permanent level-29 bottleneck. 38 116 120

• Summoned with the title “Heaven-Shattering and Earth-Splitting.” 38
• Possesses two hundred-year soul rings. 116
• Its first soul skill, Heaven-Shattering Earth-Splitting, releases scentless yellow gas. 39
• The gas was instantly neutralized by Xue Bingchen’s ice barrier without Xue Bingchen releasing a martial soul. 39 40

Martial Soul Theory

Yu Xiaogang authored Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul and promotes its principles as foundational rules of soul master cultivation. 27 36

• Uses his theoretical reputation to recruit disciples. 36 138
• Claims to have identified Tang San as a Twin Martial Souls possessor from his Innate Full Soul Power and Blue Silver Grass martial soul. 40
• Xue Bingchen publicly disputes Xiaogang’s authorship, alleging that the work was assembled from Martial Soul Hall research. 37
• Xiaogang himself forgets the theory concerning equivalent parental martial soul quality and martial soul evolution when Xue Bingchen applies it to Tang San. 40

Golden Iron Triangle Coordination

Yu Xiaogang claims that the Golden Iron Triangle’s strength came from a martial soul fusion skill centered on his theoretical guidance and coordination. 38

• He invokes the Golden Iron Triangle’s reputation to establish authority over Tang San. 37 38
• Flender identifies him as the group’s “Horn of Wisdom.” 122
• Li Yusong’s respect for the Golden Iron Triangle collapses after seeing Xiaogang’s low cultivation and defeat. 122

Teaching Methods

Yu Xiaogang frames discipleship as strict obedience to his personal cultivation plans. 140

• Requires Dai Mubai to obey him absolutely. 140
• Demands sole authority over selecting Dai Mubai’s soul rings. 140
• Suggests that Dai Mubai absorb Blue Silver Grass as his third spirit ring, despite Dai’s expectations of a feline or canine spirit beast. 140
• Plans to use Zhu Zhuqing as an “outer disciple” and as part of Dai Mubai’s cultivation through their Hell White Tiger martial soul fusion. 142

Equipment / Items

• Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges — a black belt inlaid with twenty-four jade-like pearls; Flender recognizes Yu Xiaogang by it after his beating. 120

Relationships

• Xue Bingchen — Rival and source of Xiaogang’s greatest public humiliation. Xue Bingchen exposes his level, challenges the authorship of his theories, and takes Tang San as his disciple instead. 37 40 116
• Tang San — Xiaogang’s intended disciple because of his Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power. Tang San rejects him after Xiaogang reveals his secret publicly and accepts Xue Bingchen instead. 35 40 41
• Xiao Wu — Another desired disciple due to her Innate Full Soul Power. Xiaogang hopes to use her to defeat Tang San, but she leaves Notting Academy with Xue Bingchen and Tang San. 108 109
• Flender — Old friend, fellow Golden Iron Triangle member, and protector at Shrek Academy. Flender takes Xiaogang in, arranges treatment for his injuries, and helps secure Dai Mubai as a disciple. 120 121 135
• Liu Erlong — Former lover and fellow Golden Iron Triangle member. She chose Xiaogang over Flender, but their wedding did not proceed and they separated. 123
• Li Yusong — Shrek Academy’s Soul Emperor teacher who mistakes Xiaogang for a con artist and beats him severely at the academy gate. 116 118 121
• Dai Mubai — Xiaogang’s disciple at Shrek Academy. Dai accepts strict obedience and Xiaogang’s control over his soul-ring choices in exchange for guidance against Dai Weisi. 140 142
• Zhu Zhuqing — Dai Mubai’s fiancée, whom Xiaogang intends to accept as an outer disciple to develop the Hell White Tiger martial soul fusion. 142

Story Role / Major Arcs

Attempt to Recruit Tang San

Yu Xiaogang waits at Notting Academy’s entrance to approach Tang San after learning of his awakening certificate. He intends to use Tang San’s potential as the foundation for his own comeback, but Xue Bingchen intervenes first. 35 36

During the confrontation, Xiaogang promotes his theory book and Golden Iron Triangle history, only for Xue Bingchen to expose his level-29 cultivation and accuse him of plagiarism. His public disclosure of Tang San’s Twin Martial Souls secret turns Tang San decisively against him. 37 40

Obsession with Xiao Wu

After Tang San’s rejection, Xiaogang sets his sights on Xiao Wu and plans to turn her into a powerhouse who can defeat Tang San in a future academy tournament. He prepares to reveal his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan background, but discovers that Xiao Wu has already departed with Xue Bingchen and Tang San. 108 109

Arrival at Shrek Academy

Humiliated at Notting Academy, Xiaogang travels to Shrek Academy to seek Flender’s help and find new genius disciples. His arrogance toward gatekeeper Li Yusong leads to a confrontation in which he is beaten unconscious and left badly injured. 116 118 119

Flender eventually recognizes him through Luo Sanpao and the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges, then brings him into Shrek for treatment. 120 121

Recruitment of Dai Mubai

Following his recovery, Xiaogang rejects Oscar as a candidate because Oscar is a food-system auxiliary soul master, then focuses on Dai Mubai for his talent and Star Luo royal background. 124 135

Dai Mubai apologizes and becomes Xiaogang’s disciple under conditions of absolute obedience and Xiaogang’s exclusive authority over soul-ring selection. 140

Notable Quotes

“I need a disciple, one who can inherit my mantle and prove my theories to the world.” 135