The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul Reappear

So it is said.

Ever since Yu Xiaogang left the Star Dou Great Forest, he had traveled straight south, eventually arriving within the borders of the Star Luo Empire.

Because the journey was long and he had been traveling at full speed, more than half of his soul power had been exhausted.

At this moment, the sun hung high in the sky, and the heavens were clear for ten thousand miles.

Yu Xiaogang finally stepped through the gates of Star Luo City, his expression filled with nostalgia as he gazed at the drastically changed city.

"Compared to the Star Luo City of ten thousand years ago, the changes are truly immense."

The only thing that remained unchanged was that even though it was midday, the streets were still bustling with pedestrians, lively as ever.

Yu Xiaogang stood by the roadside, watching as iron-clad, gear-driven monsters rolled past him, feeling a sense of surprise.

These things had no horses pulling them, yet they could move on their own, occasionally emitting loud "beep-beep" sounds.

"Could this... be the Soul Tool technology that has risen on the Douluo Continent? Truly marvelous!" After sighing in wonder, Yu Xiaogang continued on his way.

If this were in the past, he might have truly exerted himself to study them, but now that he was a man who had once attained godhood, he had long since lost interest in such worldly trifles.

Along the way, many people looked at him with strange expressions, even pointing and whispering.

Only then did Yu Xiaogang begin to examine himself. The travel-worn scholar's robe he wore was already tattered and torn, with several large holes in the front and back.

His pant legs were covered in mud, and he looked utterly disheveled.

This simply would not do!

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

But no matter how long he gestured in the air with his hands, his personal dimension refused to open.

"Disaster!"

Yu Xiaogang had forgotten that his divine power and godhood had been sealed; now, let alone his personal dimension, he couldn't even muster a single shred of divine power.

With no other choice, he could only open the storage Soul Tool he hadn't used in a long time.

It was an exquisite necklace he had worn for a long time, containing an internal storage space of thirty square meters.

This item had been a special gift from Emperor Xue Beng back when Yu Xiaogang served as the Imperial Preceptor of the Heaven Dou Empire.

He had previously treated it as nothing more than a souvenir, and he couldn't quite remember what was inside.

But he figured there should at least be some personal belongings.

However, the reality was... it was empty. Forget about a change of clothes; even the Gold Soul Coins were pitifully few.

"How is this possible!"

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

He had clearly forgotten that the contents had long since been moved into his personal dimension by his own hand.

The only reason a few Gold Soul Coins remained was because he had already become a god, and such trifles had been useless to him.

"One hundred Gold Soul Coins in total. It's enough to buy a simple scholar's robe, and there should be enough left over for me to have a hearty meal."

Yu Xiaogang brushed the dust off his body, considering his appearance tidied, and stepped out from the corner.

He looked around; clothing stores were not hard to find, with several right along the street.

Yu Xiaogang chose a shop with a modest storefront and pushed the door open to enter.

Various clothes hung on the walls inside, including long robes and short jackets...

His gaze swept across rows of garments and suddenly froze.

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

The garment was black, made of thick fabric, with peculiar patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs.

Was this not a replica of the one he was currently wearing?

"The guest has a good eye," a stout middle-aged man said with a smile as he walked over.

Yu Xiaogang nodded. "This one. You... quickly bring it over for this Grandmaster!"

The middle-aged man grinned from ear to ear and hurriedly took down the scholar's robe to hand to him.

Yu Xiaogang skillfully unfolded it and put it on, feeling quite satisfied, and asked, "How many Gold Soul Coins for this?"

Seeing this, the middle-aged man's eyes rolled, and he said with feigned joy, "Congratulations, guest! You've won the grand prize!"

A grand prize?

Yu Xiaogang was slightly stunned.

What grand prize? Could it be that he intended to give this robe to this Grandmaster for free?

In that case, this Grandmaster would reluctantly accept...

The middle-aged man continued, "As the 1,000th customer of our shop, we will provide you with a top-tier discount."

So it was just a discount.

Yu Xiaogang immediately felt it was of no consequence.

It was just a scholar's robe; how expensive could it possibly be?

Even for this one, despite using the most insulating materials, its price would never have exceeded ten Gold Soul Coins ten thousand years ago.

How much of a discount could there really be?

The middle-aged man immediately picked up his abacus, which clattered loudly as he worked it.

Yu Xiaogang grew impatient waiting and said, "You still need to calculate for such a small amount of Gold Soul Coins? Forget it, I don't even need the discount."

"Customer, please don't be so anxious."

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

Soon, he finished his calculations, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, "The total is 9,999 Gold Soul Coins. Will you be paying with cash or a Gold Soul Card?"

"What!"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. A mere scholar's robe was costing him 9,999 Gold Soul Coins!

"You call this a grand prize?"

"You're the one who hit the jackpot! Your whole family hit the jackpot!"

The middle-aged man was clearly prepared for this and explained, "This scholar's robe is no ordinary garment."

"It is a one-to-one replica of the robe worn by that Grandmaster from ten thousand years ago who mentored eight gods. This is a fine item indeed!"

"The original price was ten thousand Gold Soul Coins; after the discount, it only costs 9,999."

Hearing this, most of Yu Xiaogang's confusion vanished instantly, and the corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily.

That explains it! So it was leveraging my own fame...

It truly is a fine item!

It's only one Gold Soul Coin cheaper!

To think that a mere woven garment could fetch a high price of ten thousand Gold Soul Coins.

I truly am worthy of being the Grandmaster!

Heh!

Foolish mortals.

If you knew that I am that very Grandmaster, I wonder what you would think now?

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

His vanity was greatly satisfied at this moment, a feeling he had never experienced in the God Realm.

As for the matter of the Gold Soul Coins?

Yu Xiaogang was not actually worried.

Since the person before him admired him so much, he couldn't treat him poorly in return.

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

It was none other than his proudest work, Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.

"Help me see how much this book is worth. You don't need to give me any change for the rest."

The middle-aged man took the book Yu Xiaogang handed over with a look of disgust and began to examine it carefully.

"Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul? It looks like it has some age to it."

Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang's nose practically pointed to the sky; he clearly enjoyed this feeling of showing off in front of others.

He was now waiting for this man to recognize his identity.

He waited for him to praise him to the heavens, ready to accept everything that should have belonged to him.

"Customer, normally speaking, this piece of junk isn't even worth one Silver Soul Coin."

"However, I see this book is quite thick, and my table happens to be missing a book to prop up a wobbly leg..."

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

Yu Xiaogang: ???

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

You blind fool!

Are you trying to humiliate this Grandmaster?

Thinking of this, Yu Xiaogang could no longer suppress the anger in his heart.

A god cannot be insulted!