Grandmaster

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Yu Xiaogang 18
Alias(es)	Grandmaster
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Notting Academy; Shrek Academy 6 13 75
Occupation/Role	Martial soul theorist; instructor, Tang San's master, and Shrek Academy's unified-training instructor 6 8 75
First Appearance	Chapter 6

Power Progression

Chapter	Advancement / Status	Details
12	Two-ring Soul Grand Master	Grandmaster is stated to possess two soul rings, leaving his personal combat power limited against threats such as Martial Soul Hall's pursuit of Tang Liu. 12

Background / History

Grandmaster intervenes when Tang San and Tang Liu are stopped at Notting Academy's gate, admitting them and handling their registration. He accepts Tang San as an apprentice after recognizing the implications of his martial soul, while Tang Liu declines formal apprenticeship, considering his brother's master equivalent to his own. 6

He accompanies both brothers into the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain their first soul rings. After assessing Tang Liu's frail constitution and support-type Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor, he identifies a roughly 300-year Spirit Cat as a suitable target and guides the brothers in exploiting its catnip weakness. 8 9

After Tang Liu absorbs the ring and reveals his hidden abilities, Grandmaster learns that he has the Clear Sky Hammer, Innate Level 20 Super Soul Power, and what Tang Liu presents as a third martial soul capable of producing its own blue-black soul rings. 11 12

When Martial Soul Hall begins investigating Tang Liu, Grandmaster cooperates with Tang San's deception, corroborating the claim that Tang Hao took Tang Liu away and had him withdrawn from Notting Academy. 12 13

Grandmaster later arrives at Shrek Academy and assumes responsibility for unified instruction of its students. He establishes that the Shrek Seven Monsters and Tang Liu must train as a single group, while accepting Tang Liu's request to remain an additional member rather than disturb the established order of the Seven Monsters. 75

After examining Tang Liu's martial souls and rings, Grandmaster identifies Mental Power control as the central weakness limiting Ethereal Stealth. He subsequently adapts Tang Liu's intended specialized training after Tang Liu opens a Sea of Spirit during three months of Deep Meditation. 76 79

During the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Spirit Battle Tournament, Grandmaster directs Shrek's lineups and concealment strategy, initially preserving Tang Liu as a trump card. He later adapts to Spirit Hall's revised tournament rules by registering Mu Jing as Shrek's eighth contestant and planning around the new battle formats. 129 177 191

Personality

Grandmaster is observant, scholarly, and highly analytical. He rapidly identifies the Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor's intangible, support-oriented nature from a brief examination and becomes intensely excited when confronted with Tang Liu's unprecedented third martial soul. 6 12

He is also cautious and protective. Upon recognizing the danger posed by Martial Soul Hall's search, he helps Tang San conceal Tang Liu's whereabouts and later advises that Tang Liu cannot safely remain at Notting Academy. 11 12 16

As an instructor, Grandmaster is demanding, disciplined, and direct. He subjects the Shrek students to harsh training, openly criticizes tactical errors regardless of the student's talent, and insists that individual strength must serve team coordination. 75 82 154

Grandmaster is pragmatic in his strategic decisions. He is willing to withhold powerful students and abilities to preserve Shrek's advantages, but adapts when a situation requires Tang Liu's intervention or a revised team composition. 91 129 157 177

Abilities & Skills

Martial Soul Theory

Grandmaster possesses extensive practical and theoretical knowledge of martial souls, soul beasts, soul rings, and soul-skill compatibility.

• Identified the Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor as an intangible mutated martial soul that traded attack and control capabilities for support potential. 6
• Assessed Tang Liu's physical limit for his first soul ring based on his weak constitution. 8
• Described the Spirit Cat's age markers, ethereal ability, weakness to spirit power, and vulnerability to catnip. 8 9
• Recognized the exceptional nature of Innate Super Soul Power and the unprecedented implications of a martial soul that produces its own rings. 11 12
• Understands that ordinary cultivation can continue even without immediately obtaining a new soul ring. 30
• Correctly identified that Tang Liu's mentally based invisibility suffered from inadequate precision rather than an inherently unsuitable soul-ring choice. 76
• Recognized the extraordinary rarity of a Sea of Spirit, explaining that it is ordinarily attainable only by mental-type Soul Masters, those with exceptional opportunities, or Title Douluo-level Soul Masters. 79
• Assessed Tang Liu's advantages—including Innate Level 20 Super Soul Power, exceptional Mental Power, and the Haolan Spell—while recognizing that the Third Martial Soul's consumption is exceptionally severe. 91
• Determined that Tang Liu's strength had surpassed that of an ordinary Soul King after observing his restrained sparring against Flender and Zhao Wuji. 154

Tactical Guidance

Grandmaster applies his knowledge directly in dangerous situations.

• Developed the plan to lure the Spirit Cat with catnip, allowing Tang San to bind it before Tang Liu delivered the finishing blow. 9
• Recognized the strategic value of Ethereal Defense, particularly its ability to preserve Tang San's Blue Silver Grass bindings against external attacks. 10
• Helped assess and respond to Martial Soul Hall's attempt to locate Tang Liu after the Soul Hunting Forest expedition. 11 12
• Supported Tang San's fabricated explanation to Su Yuntao, helping conceal Tang Liu's location and circumstances. 13
• Evaluated Shrek's internal training matches, identifying positional and target-priority errors even when the students achieved apparent success. 82
• Organized combat exercises against Zhao Wuji to develop the eight students' coordination and assessed the tactical impact of Tang Liu's teleportation, restoration, and defensive abilities. 84
• Preserved Tang Liu as a concealed trump card during the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Spirit Battle Tournament, only authorizing his participation when Shrek needed his strength against Elephant Armored Academy. 129
• Analyzed Spirit Hall's tournament-rule changes and adjusted Shrek's roster and strategy for the final-stage formats. 177 191

Instruction and Mentorship

Grandmaster specializes in adapting his instruction to the strengths and limitations of individual students.

• Established unified training for Shrek's students, emphasizing equality, discipline, and collective growth rather than separate junior and senior groups. 75
• Designed separate Mental Power-focused training for Tang Liu after identifying the limitations of Ethereal Stealth. 76 79
• Treated Tang Liu following his Deep Meditation, administered a controlled medicinal regimen, and taught Tang San how to continue his care during recovery. 79
• Conducted harsh practical-combat training before the tournament, using Liu Erlong and other powerful Soul Masters to pressure the students into improving. 154
• Shared the principles of a seven-person Martial Soul combination skill with Yu Tianheng, enabling Heaven Dou Royal Academy to develop its Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon fusion formation. 189

Soul Master Cultivation

Grandmaster is stated to be a two-ring Soul Grand Master. 12

• His personal combat strength is limited compared with the threats surrounding Tang Liu's secret. 12
• He compensates through analysis, preparation, and knowledge of soul beasts and soul skills. 8 9 12
• Despite his limited cultivation, he is trusted to direct Shrek Academy's elite students and formulate strategy against academy teams, Soul Kings, and Spirit Hall's tournament manipulation. 75 177 191

Relationships

• Tang San — His formal apprentice. Grandmaster accepts Tang San as a disciple at Notting Academy and later works with him to protect Tang Liu from Martial Soul Hall's investigation. Tang San regards Grandmaster with father-like affection and remains deeply invested in his teacher's return to Shrek Academy. 6 11 13 75
• Tang Liu — An informal student and ally. Although Tang Liu refuses formal discipleship, Grandmaster guides his first ring hunt, accurately analyzes his martial soul, and assists in concealing his Innate Level 20 soul power. He later provides specialized guidance concerning Tang Liu's Mental Power, cultivation, and combat role within Shrek. 6 8 11 76 79
• Tang Hao — Tang Hao has encountered Grandmaster before and observes him taking Tang San as an apprentice. Grandmaster remains conscious that he must be able to answer to Tang Hao for Tang San and Tang Liu's safety. 18 95
• Su Yuntao — Su Yuntao treats Grandmaster respectfully during Martial Soul Hall's inquiry, while Grandmaster helps misdirect the investigation. 12 13
• Flender — A fellow Shrek Academy instructor and collaborator. Flender and Grandmaster jointly oversee the students' training and discuss the implications of Tang Liu's abnormal development. 75 79 84
• Liu Erlong — His lover and blood relative. Grandmaster's fear of the social stigma surrounding their relationship causes him to distance himself from her despite continuing to love her; Tang Liu later helps Liu Erlong understand this conflict and begin working to overcome it. 102
• Yu Tianheng — His nephew and the heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Grandmaster intends Shrek's match against the Imperial Fighting Team to temper Yu Tianheng's arrogance, deliberately keeping Tang Liu out to avoid crushing his nephew's confidence. 91
• Shrek Seven Monsters — Their principal instructor after his arrival at Shrek Academy. He trains them harshly, demands tactical discipline, and prepares them for increasingly dangerous tournament opposition. 75 82 154
• Mu Jing — Grandmaster registers her as Shrek's additional contestant after Spirit Hall changes the tournament requirement from seven members to eight. 177

Notable Quotes

“Excellent, this soul skill is excellent.” — praising Tang Liu's Ethereal Defense. 10

“This third martial soul of yours... is definitely the first of its kind on the continent.” 12

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