Yu Xiaogang Was Just a Leech Who Lived Off Women. How Did He Deserve to Be Called a Grandmaster?

Deep in the mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Qian Anci sat cross-legged on a slab of bluestone, Death Qi slowly circulating around him.

The Soul Ring of the thousand-year-old Death Scythe Dragon Lizard had just been fully absorbed. He was quite satisfied with the power of his first Soul Skill, "Guidance of the Underworld Path."

But what he cared about more was the Death Dragon's First Soul Ring.

"Castorice."

He called softly in his heart, and his consciousness sank into that desolate Underworld.

Her pale purple figure stood quietly atop the Bone Dragon, the Underworld Flowers on her skirt appearing and disappearing in the gray mist.

She lowered her eyes to look at him.

"Anci, you called for me."

"Has the Second Martial Soul's Soul Ring finished condensing?"

Castorice gave a slight nod and lightly tapped the empty air with her slender finger.

In an instant, the phantom of a pale purple Soul Ring slowly rose behind her.

"Pollux's first Soul Ring—[Dragonfall Ring]."

Her voice carried a trace of distant resonance.

"Negative emotions flowed through the Dragon Clan's bloodline when the Dragon God fell.

"Anger, unwillingness, resentment... After countless years, they settled into the purest source of death."

"This ring was condensed through the authority of the Underworld."

Qian Anci's pupils shrank slightly.

The negative emotions left behind by the Dragon God's fall?

That was the lingering resentment of the legendary ruler of the Soul Beasts, the Divine Realm's God of War!

"What abilities does this Soul Ring have?"

Castorice's lips curved slightly. "It's simple—"

"All dragon-type Soul Beasts and Martial Souls will be suppressed in your presence."

She paused, her voice turning more solemn. "As for the Soul Skill..."

"[Dragon Fall Breath]."

"Guided by the Resentment of the Dragon God, everything withers with a single breath."

Qian Anci's heart shuddered.

This was practically a divine skill made specifically to counter the Dragon Clan and dragon-type Martial Souls!

There were so many dragon-type Martial Souls on the Douluo Continent: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Bone Dragon, Fire Dragon...

If this Soul Ring truly had such power, wouldn't he have the upper hand against those opponents in the future?

"However..." Castorice paused. "With your body as it is now, using this ring will consume even more of your strength than your First Martial Soul."

"And since this is only a Ten-Year Soul Ring for now, it can suppress only dragon bloodlines below five thousand years old."

"When you reap more death in the future, it will grow on its own."

"That's enough."

Qian Anci slowly opened his eyes, a flash of gray light vanishing from them.

He rose to his feet and looked toward the depths of the forest. Mist churned there, and the low growls of beasts could be heard from afar.

"My First Soul Ring is already a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. My Second Soul Ring..." He paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Naturally, it can't be any weaker."

"I need to find a suitable Soul Beast, at least three thousand years old."

He dusted off his robe and turned to the two Titled Douluo standing with their hands behind their backs.

"Azure Luan Douluo, Golden Crocodile Douluo, I'd like to go deeper."

Azure Luan Douluo furrowed his brow. "Young master, your First Soul Ring is already a thousand years old. If your Second Soul Ring exceeds the limit as well..."

"I know what I'm doing."

Qian Anci's expression remained calm.

"Besides, my First Soul Ring is already a thousand years old. If my Second Soul Ring is less than a thousand years old, won't people laugh at me?"

Golden Crocodile Douluo grinned, baring his gleaming white teeth. "Good lad!"

"I thought you were already planning to hunt a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for your Second Soul Ring!"

Qian Renxue stood to one side, a complicated look in her golden eyes.

She opened her mouth but ultimately didn't stop him. Instead, she said softly, "Anci, don't push yourself."

"Don't worry, Sister."

Qian Anci gave her a slight nod, then turned and headed deeper into the forest.

Half a day later.

The four of them reached the edge of a valley.

Unlike the dark swamps on the outskirts, this place was lush with vegetation and teeming with life. The air was thick with a powerful vitality.

Yet lurking in this place of abundant life was an extremely dangerous Soul Beast.

"That's..."

Azure Luan Douluo's pupils contracted slightly as he pointed to a huge slab of blue rock in the middle of the valley.

A crimson giant python coiled atop the rock. A horn sprouted from its forehead, and bumps beneath its belly hinted that it was on the verge of transforming into a flood dragon!

Its scales flickered like flames, and with every breath, scorching dragon's breath poured from its nostrils.

"Red Fire Flood Python. It has a trace of Dragon Clan blood in its veins, and its cultivation is... around four thousand years."

Azure Luan Douluo's expression turned grave. "Young master, this Soul Beast is far beyond the limit for a Second Soul Ring. Even for you, with your First Soul Ring already..."

Before he could finish, a faint rustling suddenly came from the bushes on the other side of the valley.

"Who's there!"

Golden Crocodile Douluo whipped around. His burly body shot forward like a cannonball, and he slammed his palm toward the bushes!

"Wait!"

A clear voice rang out.

Then three figures leaped from the forest and landed at the edge of the valley.

The man in front was tall and thin, wearing a square cap and crystal spectacles on the bridge of his nose. A pair of illusory wings fluttered gently behind him, keeping him suspended in midair.

His gaze was sharp as an eagle's, and he was staring at the purple Soul Ring behind Qian Anci, his face full of shock.

"A thousand-year First Soul Ring?!"

Two people followed behind him.

One was built like an iron tower, with bulging muscles and a face full of bristling flesh. He glared at Golden Crocodile Douluo, Soul Power faintly surging around him.

The other was a young man of about twenty, dressed in a blue-green robe. Handsome and steady in bearing, he studied Qian Anci and the others with some curiosity.

"Dean Flender, this..." the burly man said quietly. "That kid looks no older than six. How could his First Soul Ring possibly be a thousand years old?"

"Shut up, Zhao Wuji!"

Flender barked. His eyes glittered behind his glasses.

"I can see clearly. That's definitely a thousand-year Soul Ring..."

He abruptly looked up at Azure Luan Douluo and Golden Crocodile Douluo, speaking in a grave tone. "Gentlemen, I'm Flender, dean of Shrek Academy, a level seventy-five Soul Saint."

"That Red Fire Flood Python is the target for my student Qin Ming's Fourth Soul Ring. I hope you'll do us the favor of letting us have it."

"Shrek Academy?" Golden Crocodile Douluo sneered. "Never heard of it."

His gaze fell on the burly man. Suddenly, he grinned, baring his gleaming white teeth. "But... Zhao Wuji? I know you!"

Zhao Wuji's expression changed. "You..."

"A few years ago, some brat relied on having a Vajra Bear Martial Soul and a tough hide, and came knocking at the Spirit Hall Branch again and again to cause trouble..."

Golden Crocodile Douluo rolled his wrists, his knuckles cracking. "What, itching for another beating?"

Zhao Wuji's face flushed red. "You old bastard! Back then, your Spirit Hall relied on outnumbering us. What kind of skill was that?"

"That's enough."

Azure Luan Douluo spoke coolly, his icy gaze sweeping over Flender and the other two.

"Dean Flender, my young master had his eye on this Red Fire Flood Python first."

"Shrek Academy... If I remember correctly, it's no more than an obscure third-rate school. You dare compete with Spirit Hall?"

Flender's expression darkened slightly.

Qin Ming stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Seniors, I'm Qin Ming, a level-forty Soul Ancestor. I haven't absorbed my Fourth Soul Ring yet."

"This Red Fire Flood Python is crucial to me. I hope..."

"Level forty?"

Qian Anci suddenly spoke, cutting Qin Ming off.

He stepped forward slowly, his plain white robe standing out against the lush valley.

His deep, unfathomable eyes studied Qin Ming.

"You're level forty, and I'm level eleven."

His voice was calm, yet carried a disquieting indifference. "But you don't seem willing to accept that, do you?"

Qin Ming froze, then gave a wry smile. "Little brother, you're joking. Why would I..."

"Anci!" Qian Renxue cried out anxiously. "What are you doing?"

Qian Anci didn't answer.

He merely raised his right hand. The Scythe of Death formed in his palm, and gray-white Death Qi coiled around him like a thin mist.

Faint dark-red patterns showed along the black scythe blade, radiating a chill that made one's soul tremble.

"Dean Flender."

He turned toward the Soul Saint suspended in midair.

"Didn't you just say that my First Soul Ring went against the 'Ten Core Theories'?"

Flender furrowed his brow. "That's right!"

"One of the Ten Core Theories of Martial Souls proposed by my friend, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, is that the age of a First Soul Ring must not exceed four hundred and twenty-three years.

"Your thousand-year Soul Ring is simply..."

"Yu Xiaogang?"

Qian Anci couldn't help but sneer at that.

"Isn't he just a useless leech who lives off women? How does he deserve to be called a 'Grandmaster'?"