The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul Reappear

Now, then.

After Yu Xiaogang left the Star Dou Great Forest, he headed south all the way, eventually reaching the territory of the Star Luo Empire.

The journey was long, and he had traveled at full speed the entire way. By now, more than half his Soul Power had been depleted.

The sun blazed high in the sky, and the heavens stretched clear for miles.

Yu Xiaogang finally stepped through the gates of Star Luo City. Gazing at how much the city had changed, he sighed with emotion.

"Compared with Star Luo City ten thousand years ago, it's changed so much."

The one thing that hadn't changed was that, even though it was the middle of the day, the streets were still bustling with people, lively as ever.

Yu Xiaogang stood by the roadside, watching one iron-and-gear monstrosity after another pass him by. He was a little surprised.

There were no horses pulling these things, yet they could move on their own. Every now and then, they even let out a loud "beep beep."

"Could these be the Soul Tools that have become popular across Douluo Continent? How fascinating!" Yu Xiaogang exclaimed, then continued on his way.

In the past, he might have thrown himself into researching them. But now, he was a man who had once become a god. He had long since lost interest in such worldly possessions.

Along the way, quite a few people stared at him strangely and pointed at him.

Only then did Yu Xiaogang take a good look at himself. The scholar's robe he wore, battered by the road, was already in tatters, with several sizable holes in both the front and back.

His trouser legs were caked in mud. He looked utterly disheveled.

How could this do?

Yu Xiaogang found a secluded street corner, intending to change into a fresh set of clothes.

But no matter how long he traced patterns in the air with his hands, he still couldn't open his pocket dimension.

"Oh no!"

Yu Xiaogang had forgotten that both his divine power and his divine position were sealed. Never mind his pocket dimension—he couldn't use even a trace of divine power.

With no other choice, he activated the Storage Soul Tool he hadn't used in ages.

It was an exquisite necklace he had worn for years, with thirty square meters of storage space inside.

Emperor Xue Beng had given it to him especially when he served as imperial tutor to the Heaven Dou Empire.

He had treated the thing as little more than a keepsake. He couldn't even remember what was inside.

Still, he figured there ought to be a few personal belongings.

But the truth was... it was completely empty. There wasn't a single piece of clothing, and there were barely any Gold Soul Coins.

"How is this possible!"

Yu Xiaogang wanted to curse someone—not himself, but that damned Xue Beng!

He had clearly forgotten that he had long ago moved everything inside into his pocket dimension.

The only reason a few Gold Soul Coins remained was that he had become a god, and they were useless to him.

"There are only a hundred Gold Soul Coins in total. That should be enough for a simple scholar's robe. I ought to have a little left over for a good meal, too."

Yu Xiaogang brushed some dust off himself, tidying up his appearance as best he could, then walked out of the alley.

He looked around. Clothing stores weren't hard to find; there were several right by the roadside.

Yu Xiaogang picked one with an unremarkable storefront, pushed the door open, and went inside.

All kinds of clothes hung on the walls: long robes, short jackets...

His gaze swept over row after row of clothes, then suddenly stopped.

At the very back of the shop, right in the center, hung a scholar's robe.

It was black, too, with thick fabric and strange patterns embroidered around the collar and cuffs.

Wasn't this a replica of the one he was wearing?

"You have a good eye, sir." A portly, middle-aged man came over with a smile.

Yu Xiaogang nodded. "I'll take this one. You... hurry up and get it for Grandmaster!"

The middle-aged man grinned from ear to ear and promptly took down the scholar's robe and handed it to him.

Yu Xiaogang unfolded it and put it on with practiced ease. Quite pleased, he asked, "How many Gold Soul Coins is this?"

The middle-aged man's eyes shifted. His face lit up with delight. "Congratulations, sir! You've won the grand prize!"

The grand prize?

Yu Xiaogang paused.

What grand prize? Was he going to give this robe to Grandmaster for free?

Well, Grandmaster supposed he could accept it as a favor...

The middle-aged man continued, "As the thousandth customer of our shop, you're entitled to a top-tier discount."

So it was just a discount.

Yu Xiaogang immediately lost interest.

It was only a scholar's robe. How expensive could it be?

Even one like this, made of the warmest material, wouldn't have cost more than ten Gold Soul Coins ten thousand years ago.

How much of a discount could there be?

The middle-aged man immediately picked up an abacus and rattled off a series of rapid clacks.

Yu Xiaogang waited impatiently. "It's only a few Gold Soul Coins. Do you really need to calculate it? Forget it—I don't need the discount."

"Sir, please don't rush."

After replying, the middle-aged man's hands moved even faster.

Soon, he finished calculating and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That'll be 9,999 Gold Soul Coins. Will you be paying in cash or with a Gold Soul Card?"

"What!"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes bulged in disbelief. It was just a scholar's robe, yet it cost him 9,999 Gold Soul Coins!

"You call that winning the grand prize?"

"You're the one who won the grand prize! Your whole family won the grand prize!"

The middle-aged man had clearly expected this. He explained, "This scholar's robe is no ordinary garment."

"It's an exact replica of the robe worn ten thousand years ago by that Grandmaster who taught eight gods. This is a genuine treasure!"

"The original price is 10,000 Gold Soul Coins. After your discount, it's only 9,999."

At this, most of Yu Xiaogang's confusion instantly faded, and the corners of his mouth lifted without him realizing it.

That explained it! They were cashing in on his fame...

No wonder it was such a treasure!

It was only one Gold Soul Coin cheaper!

A mere piece of woven clothing could fetch the staggering price of 10,000 Gold Soul Coins.

That was just how impressive Grandmaster was!

Heh!

Foolish mortals.

If you knew I was that very Grandmaster, I wonder how you'd feel right now?

"Not bad. I'll take it." Yu Xiaogang no longer cared about the price.

His pride was deeply satisfied in that moment, a feeling he had never experienced in the Divine Realm.

As for the Gold Soul Coins?

Yu Xiaogang wasn't actually worried.

The man before him admired him so much. He couldn't very well leave him at a loss.

Thinking this, Yu Xiaogang reached into his crotch and pulled out a slightly yellowed book.

It was his proudest work, The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.

"Take a look and tell me how much this book is worth. You can keep the change."

The middle-aged man took the book Yu Xiaogang handed him, looking disgusted, and began to examine it closely.

"The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul? It looks pretty old."

At this, Yu Xiaogang's nose nearly reached the sky. He was clearly enjoying the feeling of showing off in front of someone.

Now all he had to do was wait for the man to recognize who he was.

He waited for the man to praise him to the skies, ready to claim everything that should have belonged to him.

"Sir, normally, this piece of junk wouldn't even be worth a single Silver Soul Coin."

"But I think this book has a nice, solid look to it, and I happen to need something to prop up a corner of my table..."

"How about this? I'll buy it for one Gold Soul Coin. What do you say, sir?"

Yu Xiaogang: ???

The theories he had spent the first half of his life researching were worth only one Gold Soul Coin now!

You blind fool!

Are you trying to insult Grandmaster?

At that thought, Yu Xiaogang could no longer contain the anger in his heart.

A god must not be insulted!