In front of the principal's office at Shrek Academy.
After admiring Tang San's third Soul Skill and External Soul Bone, Yu Xiaogang's stiff face had finally brightened. His grin stretched almost from ear to ear.
"Haha, Xiaogang, congratulations on taking such a fine disciple!" Shrek Academy's principal, Flender, said with a hearty laugh. He walked up to Yu Xiaogang carrying two breakfasts and clapped him on the shoulder.
"All of this is the result of his own hard work. I merely provided a little help, which may or may not have mattered," Yu Xiaogang said. He was being modest, but the corners of his mouth curled upward, unable to hide his pride and delight. That was right—this was his disciple, Yu Xiaogang's: a peerless genius with Twin Martial Souls, whose third Soul Ring had already broken the limits for Soul Masters, and who had obtained an External Soul Bone, one in ten thousand.
Once Tang San made a name for himself across Douluo Continent, Yu Xiaogang would finally be able to wash away his past humiliation. He would use his theories to prove to the world that he, Yu Xiaogang, was no good-for-nothing.
"Come now, you can't put it that way. If it weren't for your theoretical guidance, how could Little San have achieved what he has today? Even though he has Twin Martial Souls, you and I both know Blue Silver Grass is a textbook Trash Martial Soul. He's made it this far thanks to your excellent teaching," Flender continued, heaping on the praise.
Yu Xiaogang slowly nodded, making no attempt to deny it. Then Flender asked, "You won't leave this time, will you?"
"I'll stay here until Little San graduates," Yu Xiaogang replied. "Tell me, how is Shrek Academy doing?"
Flender sighed. "The academy's finances are in dire straits."
Yu Xiaogang looked displeased. "That's not what I asked. I meant the students."
"There are seven students, counting Little San. Together, they cover the Power Attack System, Agility Attack System, Control System, Food-type, and Support System. One of them even has the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. You could say they make up the most perfect seven-person team, and every one of them is a rare genius in this era." A hint of hesitation passed through Flender's eyes. "But quite a few of them are difficult. There's a girl named Zhu Zhuqing..."
Yu Xiaogang furrowed his brow. "Did she fail to complete the coursework assigned by the academy's teachers?"
Flender shook his head. "No, she did very well. In fact, in terms of diligence alone, there's hardly anyone in the whole academy who can match her."
"Then what's the problem?" Yu Xiaogang asked, puzzled.
Flender looked troubled. "She seems a little too withdrawn, and she can't seem to tolerate even a speck of dust in her eyes. She doesn't agree with some of the academy's rules."
"For example, last time Zhao Wuji led a group to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt Soul Rings. They passed an inn and ran into students from Blue Sunshine Academy. Mu Bai and Hongjun followed Shrek Academy's principle that 'those who don't dare cause trouble are good-for-nothings' and provoked them. Maybe they just couldn't keep their mouths shut, but they even harassed a female student from Blue Sunshine Academy."
"Zhu Zhuqing thought they were bullying the weak and stirring up trouble for no reason, so she chose not to intervene. Ning Rongrong, who's close to her, didn't step in either."
Yu Xiaogang said, "From the way you describe her, she really is difficult. That's fatal for a good team. But it doesn't matter. Just leave all their training entirely to me when the time comes."
Flender's eyes lit up. "Xiaogang, what do you have in mind?"
"You'll find out when the time comes." A glint of wisdom flashed in Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
"You really do love keeping people in suspense. Never mind, let's eat first. Afterward, I'll introduce you to those Little Monsters so they can get to know you. With a theoretical master like you teaching them, I'm sure they'll be thrilled."
Flender shook his head helplessly, handed Yu Xiaogang a breakfast, and the two entered the principal's office.
After breakfast, the class bell rang right on time. All of Shrek's teachers and students, Yu Xiaogang included, gathered on the academy's training field.
Flender's stern gaze swept over the seven students before he began introducing the academy's teachers one by one.
"This is Teacher Li Yusong. His Martial Soul is the Dragon Pattern Staff, and he's a sixty-third-level Soul Emperor."
"This is Teacher Lu Qibin. His Martial Soul is Star Luo Chess, and he's a sixty-sixth-level Soul Emperor."
"This is Teacher Shao Xin. His Martial Soul is Sugar Bean, and he's a seventy-first-level Soul Saint. He's a Food-type Soul Master, and among the Food-type Soul Masters I know, he's without a doubt one of the top five."
When it came to Yu Xiaogang, Flender didn't mention his Martial Soul or Soul Power Level. Instead, he introduced him in different terms.
"And finally, this man is even more impressive. Through his own research, he came up with the Ten Great Martial Soul Competitiveness Rankings. He's hailed as the greatest authority on Martial Soul Theory and the wisest Soul Master, and he's also Tang San's teacher: Mr. Yu Xiaogang. Of course, he's an old friend of mine, and we've known each other for decades. You may not recognize his name, but I'm sure you've all heard his title. From now on, you can call him Grandmaster."
At the far right of the seven students, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help frowning as she listened to Flender's introduction. So this is that Grandmaster A-Si once told me about?
She recalled all the things Lan Si had said about Yu Xiaogang, how he'd voiced his dissatisfaction with him. Almost without thinking, Zhu Zhuqing raised her right hand.
"Student Zhu Zhuqing, is something the matter?" Flender asked, frowning. A vague sense of foreboding stirred in his heart.
Zhu Zhuqing asked solemnly, "Principal, what is Grandmaster's Martial Soul? And what's his Soul Power Level? If he can teach a 'remarkable' disciple like Tang San, does that mean he's even stronger than you and Teacher Zhao Wuji?" From what she'd observed lately, Tang San seemed to possess some quality similar to Lan Si's. More accurately, on some level, she saw a part of Lan Si in him.
If Yu Xiaogang really was as useless as Lan Si had said, then Tang San's rise in strength probably had nothing to do with Yu Xiaogang.
At Zhu Zhuqing's words, the other Shrek students perked up and turned their gazes toward Tang San. Although they didn't know Yu Xiaogang, they'd all seen how outstanding Tang San was. How could a teacher who produced a disciple like him not be outstanding?
Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, and Flender all darkened at once. The atmosphere turned strange in an instant.
Yu Xiaogang was especially affected. He'd planned to sternly reprimand the seven students after Flender introduced him, establishing his authority as their teacher. Instead, he wilted on the spot.
His birth into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, his Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, and the fact that his Soul Power had been stuck at level twenty-nine for his entire life—each and every one of these was a wound he would carry forever.
It was because of that damn birth, that damn Martial Soul, and that damn Soul Power Level that the world called him a good-for-nothing.
After a long while, the awkward atmosphere finally broke when Flender spoke. "All right, you're dismissed. You only got back from the Star Dou Great Forest yesterday, so take today to rest. Meet here tomorrow morning. Grandmaster will put you through special training."
The students could tell that something about the atmosphere was off. Hearing Flender's words, they didn't press for answers and dispersed.
"Zhuqing, do you have any plans today? I was hoping..." As soon as they were dismissed, Dai Mubai eagerly invited Zhu Zhuqing out. But she couldn't be bothered to acknowledge him. She took Ning Rongrong with her and quickened her pace, and the two soon vanished from his sight.
Dai Mubai was left behind, howling in impotent rage.
P.S. Extra chapter. Thanks to [Saving Girls from Tragic Lives] for the 1,500 Qidian Coins!
Thanks to [Just Reading, Not Tipping] for the 1,500 Qidian Coins!
Thanks to [Undying Owl] for the 100 Qidian Coins!
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