Polarization: Nuoding City's Oaths and Hatred

Time flew by, and two years passed in the blink of an eye.

In these two years, the ears of every soul master in the Douluo Continent had grown calluses from hearing one name.

Xue Yao.

The Heaven Dou Empire had spared no effort in building up his momentum.

"Viscount Sky Wind," "eight-year-old Soul Grand Master," "peerless pillar of heaven."

All sorts of exaggerated titles were heaped upon him as if they cost nothing.

Even in remote border towns, one could hear legends of this genius on every street corner.

Yet, under the same sky, the joys and sorrows of men are not shared.

The scene shifts.

Fasinuo Province, Nuoding City.

Inside a single dormitory at the junior Soul Master Academy.

A middle-aged man with a buzz cut and a stiff, gaunt face sat upright on a wooden chair.

This man was none other than Yu Xiaogang.

Standing before him was a thin, six-year-old boy.

The boy wore coarse, patched clothing and had an ordinary appearance.

This boy was Tang San, who had just enrolled.

Just a few minutes ago, relying on theories he had pieced together over many years, Yu Xiaogang had made an extremely bold deduction.

Looking at the certificate in Tang San's hand that read "Blue Silver Grass, Innate Full Soul Power," he spoke with certainty.

"You have another martial soul, don't you?"

It was this sentence that completely shattered Tang San's psychological defenses.

Tang San had heard from his father, Tang Hao, that the matter of Twin Martial Souls must never be told to anyone.

Yet, this unremarkable-looking teacher had guessed it just by glancing at the certificate.

Such wisdom was truly unfathomable.

Tang San was thoroughly convinced. Without hesitation, he took a step back, bent his knees, and knelt firmly on the ground.

"A teacher for a day is a father for life."

Tang San kowtowed respectfully. "Teacher, please accept your disciple's bow."

Watching Tang San kneel before him, a rare, excited smile finally squeezed onto Yu Xiaogang's perpetually stiff, zombie-like face.

He reached out a withered hand and gently stroked Tang San's head.

Twin Martial Souls! Innate Full Soul Power!

Heaven had not abandoned him, Yu Xiaogang, after all!

But as he smiled, the look in Yu Xiaogang's eyes shifted.

That trace of excitement was quickly eclipsed by an extremely dark, twisted, and venomous fire.

He stroked Tang San's head, but his mind was filled with nothing but the humiliating disgrace he had suffered at the Farak Kingdom Mansion over two years ago.

He recalled the verdict delivered with endless mockery by that six-year-old child, whose eyes were as cold as ice.

"When you finally break through to become a level 30 Soul Elder, then come talk to me about your laughable theories."

"Now, take your plagiarized trash and get out of my sight!"

For these two years, Yu Xiaogang had lived a life worse than death.

Every time he went out, or went to the Martial Soul Hall branch to collect his meager subsidy, his ears were filled with news of how remarkable Xue Yao was.

That little beast, who had trampled his self-esteem into the dirt, had become the most popular person in the world.

And what of him, Yu Xiaogang?

He remained the same trash, stuck at level 29, pointed at and mocked by others!

He could not swallow this bitterness. He couldn't swallow it even in death.

"Good child, get up quickly."

Yu Xiaogang hid the madness in his eyes. He put on a kind and weary expression as he helped Tang San up from the floor.

"Xiao San, you are a good seedling. What is most rare is that you understand how to respect your teacher."

Yu Xiaogang sighed, his voice filled with a deep sense of grievance and helplessness.

Tang San was observant and immediately noticed that his teacher was troubled.

"Teacher, what is wrong? Is there something bothering you?" Tang San asked quickly.

Yu Xiaogang shook his head and gave a bitter smile.

"It is nothing. Seeing how sensible you are, Teacher was just reminded of a heartbreaking incident from two years ago."

He pulled Tang San to sit down beside him and began his performance.

"Two years ago, I went to a kingdom affiliated with the Heaven Dou Empire. I heard that a child had been born there who awakened a mutated martial soul."

"You know that all my life, I have wanted to study martial souls, especially mutated ones."

"Seeing that the child had good talent, I felt a desire to cherish such potential. I wanted to take him as my personal disciple and teach him everything I know."

At this point, Yu Xiaogang paused, the muscles on his face twitching in pain.

Tang San listened very attentively.

"And then what happened? Did he refuse?"

"If it had been a simple refusal, that would have been fine. Everyone has their own aspirations."

Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth, putting on an expression of having suffered great humiliation.

"But that child, relying on his noble family background, not only refused to appreciate my kindness but cursed me to my face in front of everyone."

"He called me a piece of trash who couldn't even break through level thirty in a lifetime. He said I wasn't even fit to carry his shoes."

"He even set his dogs on me and chased me out of the royal manor as if I were a beggar."

The more Yu Xiaogang spoke, the more agitated he became, his eyes turning red.

Naturally, he did not mention how arrogant he had been at the time, nor did he mention how he had coveted the boy's detached martial soul.

In his version of the story, it had completely transformed into a drama of a "kind mentor with good intentions to take on a disciple, cruelly humiliated by a bullying noble."

After hearing this, Tang San was so angry he felt his lungs might burst.

In his past life, he was an outer sect disciple of the Tang Sect.

Engraved in his bones were the most rigid rules of a feudal sect.

Respecting one's teacher and valuing the path was the primary iron law.

"A teacher for a day is a father for life"—this was not just a saying.

Now, hearing that the teacher he had just pledged loyalty to had been so humiliated by a child of the same age, Tang San felt a surge of righteous fury rush to his head.

"Preposterous!"

Tang San stood up abruptly.

"Just because he has a good background, he dares to be so disrespectful to his elders! This person is arrogant and domineering to the extreme!"

A cold glint flashed in Tang San's eyes.

"Teacher, rest assured. I have recorded this debt for you."

Tang San looked at Yu Xiaogang, his tone extremely firm.

"Regardless of whether he is a noble or some genius, insulting my teacher is to be an enemy of me, Tang San."

"If I ever run into him in the future, I will definitely make him kneel before you and kowtow to apologize!"

Seeing Tang San's righteous indignation, Yu Xiaogang felt incredibly satisfied.

This was the blade he wanted.

A blade that obeyed him completely, was extremely sharp, and could help him wash away his shame.

"Good, good child. Teacher did not misjudge you."

Yu Xiaogang grabbed Tang San's shoulders in excitement, his withered fingers turning white from the force.

"San, remember this. That person's name is Xue Yao."

"He is currently in Tiandou City, being treated like a treasure by the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family. He is enjoying boundless glory."

In the depths of Yu Xiaogang's eyes, a twisted madness finally spilled out, uncontrollable.

"Doesn't he claim to be a peerless genius? Doesn't he look down on me, a piece of trash who can't even break through level thirty?"

"San, all of Teacher's hopes for this life are pinned on you."

"I want to cultivate you into a monster! A monster that far exceeds the understanding of ordinary people!"

"I want to use you to shatter all his pride and destroy everything those hypocritical nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire hold dear!"

Yu Xiaogang stared at Tang San, his voice sounding somewhat hoarse from extreme resentment.

"I want the whole world to see clearly that the disciple taught by me, Yu Xiaogang, can trample him, Xue Yao, underfoot like a stinking bug!"

Tang San was infected by Yu Xiaogang's frantic emotions.

He nodded heavily.

"Teacher, just watch. This disciple will certainly not let you down."

Far away in Tiandou City.

Inside the Viscount Mansion, eight-year-old Xue Yao was lounging on a recliner in the courtyard, basking in the sun.

He suddenly let out a sneeze.

Rubbing his nose, Xue Yao rolled over to find a more comfortable position.

Who's badmouthing me behind my back? Probably some brat from the academy I've beaten up before.

He muttered lazily, not taking it to heart at all.

In this world, he had long since decided to walk a path of crushing everything in his way.

Whether it be Tang San or Yu Xiaogang.

Whoever dared to block his path would simply be crushed.