Year-End Competition and the Grandmaster's Doubts

At the same time, in a separate teachers' office.

Yu Xiaogang sat in his office, holding a student file with his brow tightly furrowed.

Lin Yi's name was written prominently on the file.

"Lin Yi, six years old, martial soul: Myriad Star Core (support type), Innate Soul Power level three, parents unknown, recommended for enrollment by the Nuoding City Welfare Guild..."

It was a very ordinary file, nothing special about it.

But Yu Xiaogang was no fool. He always felt that something was off.

During class today, he had clearly sensed a change in the students' attitudes toward him.

During theory lessons before, the students were either absent-minded or on the verge of falling asleep.

But today, every one of them had listened attentively—one could even say with complete concentration.

Moreover, many of them had asked questions, and the questions had all been quite professional.

That should have been a good thing. It meant his theories were gaining recognition.

Yet Yu Xiaogang felt things were not so simple.

Those students' gazes... had been constantly focused on the boy named Lin Yi.

And the other teachers, who usually scoffed at his theoretical knowledge.

Today, nearly all of them had come to sit in on the lesson.

Likewise, those teachers seemed to be focused on Lin Yi as well.

All the signs indicated that this was highly abnormal.

"There's nothing special about him." Yu Xiaogang muttered to himself. "Could my research have made some breakthrough and drawn attention?"

But he quickly rejected that thought.

His research had never made any progress, and his theories had never been recognized by the mainstream Soul Master world. How could they suddenly attract attention?

"Grandmaster, are you in?"

Just then, a knock suddenly sounded from outside the door.

Yu Xiaogang gathered his thoughts. "Come in."

The door opened, and Teacher Li walked in with a notebook in his hand.

"Teacher Li, what is it?" Yu Xiaogang asked.

Teacher Li's expression was somewhat complicated. He glanced at the file in Yu Xiaogang's hand, hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "Grandmaster, are you looking at Lin Yi's file?"

Yu Xiaogang was taken aback. "How did you know?"

"I saw you borrow that file from the archives earlier," Teacher Li explained.

Yu Xiaogang nodded and did not deny it. "During class today, I noticed that this student was rather unusual, so I wanted to learn more about him."

"He certainly is unusual," Teacher Li said meaningfully.

Yu Xiaogang keenly sensed the hidden meaning in his words. "Teacher Li, do you know something?"

Teacher Li fell silent.

He did know something, but he could not say it.

The information he had heard from Lin Yi's Heart Voice was too shocking, and its source was unknown. He did not dare spread it carelessly.

"Grandmaster, what do you think of Lin Yi as a student?" Rather than answer directly, Teacher Li changed the subject.

Yu Xiaogang thought for a moment before replying, "He's very intelligent and highly observant, but his Soul Power talent is average. He only has level three Innate Soul Power, so his future achievements will likely be limited."

That was his honest assessment.

On the Douluo Continent, Innate Soul Power determined a Soul Master's upper limit.

Level three Innate Soul Power meant Lin Yi would, at most, become a Soul Grandmaster in his twenties. Breaking through level thirty would be difficult.

"What if..." Teacher Li suddenly said, "what if his martial soul has something special about it?"

Yu Xiaogang frowned. "Myriad Star Core? I've never even heard of that kind of martial soul. And it's a support-type martial soul, such a useless type at that. What could possibly be special about it?"

"Perhaps." Teacher Li neither confirmed nor denied it. "But sometimes, the quality of a martial soul cannot be judged by its appearance alone."

The remark came out of nowhere, leaving Yu Xiaogang completely confused.

"Teacher Li, what exactly are you trying to say?" Yu Xiaogang asked bluntly.

Teacher Li opened his mouth, but in the end, he merely shook his head. "Nothing. I was just saying."

He could not tell Yu Xiaogang that he had heard information about the Golden Sacred Dragon from Lin Yi's Heart Voice.

If that information was true, Yu Xiaogang's tragedy could have been avoided.

But the question was, was that information true?

Teacher Li did not dare be certain.

So he chose to keep it hidden for now and wait until he had gathered more information.

Moreover, Yu Xiaogang could not hear Lin Yi's Heart Voice. Teacher Li did not know whether he should tell him the truth.

Yu Xiaogang could see that he was hiding something. He was somewhat displeased, but did not press the matter further.

"If there's nothing else, then Teacher Li, please leave." Yu Xiaogang issued a dismissal.

Teacher Li shook his head slightly and looked at him with some sympathy. Then he handed over the notebook in his hand. "Grandmaster, this is the schedule for the Year-End Competition two days from now. Please take a look."

"Mm, leave it there." Yu Xiaogang responded without even looking at Teacher Li.

"Then I'll be leaving first. Please carry on, Grandmaster."

Teacher Li turned and left. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and glanced back at Yu Xiaogang.

"Grandmaster, sometimes letting go of certain things may allow you to gain even more."

With that, he pushed open the door and left.

Yu Xiaogang froze for a moment, repeating those words to himself again and again.

Let go of certain things?

What did he have to let go of?

His dignity?

Or that pitiful shred of self-esteem?

Yu Xiaogang gave a bitter smile.

He had once considered returning to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan for help, but whenever he thought of the mocking faces of those clan members, he would retreat.

He would rather remain stuck at level twenty-nine for the rest of his life than return and suffer that humiliation.

After Teacher Li left, Yu Xiaogang sat alone in the office, his gaze falling back on Lin Yi's file.

Outside, the sky gradually darkened. The afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the window and fell across the desk, dyeing the thin file with a layer of gold.

Yu Xiaogang's fingers lightly tapped against the desktop, producing a rhythmic tapping sound.

"Myriad Star Core..." he muttered. "A support-type martial soul, level three Innate Soul Power. With talent like that, he should not draw anyone's attention."

Yet the strange atmosphere in class today, along with Teacher Li's hesitant expression, both made him feel that something was wrong.

As a theoretical researcher, Yu Xiaogang hated the unknown most of all.

He was accustomed to fitting everything into his theoretical framework, using data and logic to explain every phenomenon.

But Lin Yi was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, disrupting all his expectations.

Knock, knock, knock.

Another knock sounded, interrupting Yu Xiaogang's thoughts again.

"Come in." He raised his head.

The door was pushed open, and Tang San stood in the doorway with a notebook in his hand.

"Teacher." Tang San bowed respectfully. "I've finished the notes on soul beast habits that you asked me to organize."

"Come in." Yu Xiaogang nodded, a faintly gratified smile appearing on his face.

Among all the students, Tang San was the only one who truly respected him and acknowledged his theories.

This child was exceptionally gifted and diligent in his studies. Most importantly, unlike the others, he did not look at Yu Xiaogang through prejudiced eyes.

Tang San entered the office and placed the notebook on the desk. His gaze inadvertently swept over the file before Yu Xiaogang.

"Lin Yi?" Tang San frowned slightly. "Teacher, are you looking at his file?"