Yu Xiaogang

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yu Xiaogang (玉小刚)
Alias(es)	“Grandmaster”
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Shrek Academy — Grandmaster and mentor of its team 135
Occupation/Role	Soul master theorist; teacher and Tang San's master 23
Martial Soul	Luo Sanpao — a malignantly mutated external beast Martial Soul 4 5
Soul Power	Level 29 Soul Grand Master; unable to break through to Level 30 4 5
Status	Incapacitated following his public exposure at the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition 140
First Appearance	Chapter 4

Background / History

Yu Xiaogang was born to Yu Yuanzhen, the Thunder Douluo, and retained a token identifying him with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family even after it had become void. His mutated Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, left him permanently stalled at Level 29; he endured ridicule from the world and cold treatment from his clan. 4

Seeking to restore his reputation, Yu Xiaogang devoted himself to martial-soul theory and promoted the “Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.” His lack of personal strength, however, caused major sects to dismiss his work. 4

He began traveling the continent in search of a gifted “experimental subject” who could validate his theories and make him famous. A confidential report concerning Xue Yao's rare external beast Martial Soul drew him to Farack City. 4

Appearance

Yu Xiaogang is a gaunt, middle-aged man with a rigid expression and a crew cut. He is initially seen in faded gray cloth robes while studying archives at the Farack City Martial Soul Hall branch. 4

• Stiff, unsmiling facial features and a gaunt build. 4
• Usually wears washed-out gray robes. 4
• After returning from the Soul Hunting Forest, he is described as mud-stained, bloodied, foul-smelling, and dressed in torn robes. 37

Personality

Yu Xiaogang is intensely insecure about his stalled cultivation and deeply obsessed with proving that he is not “trash.” He seeks recognition through theory and through the accomplishments of disciples rather than his own strength. 4 23

His pursuit of validation becomes vindictive after Xue Yao publicly rejects him. He presents himself to Tang San as a wronged mentor, omitting his own motives and using Tang San's sense of loyalty and justice to cultivate hatred toward Xue Yao. 23

By the Elite Competition, Yu Xiaogang is willing to exploit tournament rules and endorse lethal poisoned mechanisms to eliminate Xue Yao. Even after Tang San's scheme fails, he attempts to portray Xue Yao as the aggressor. 128 139

Abilities & Skills

Luo Sanpao

Yu Xiaogang possesses Luo Sanpao, a mutated external beast Martial Soul. Its malignant mutation is the stated reason he cannot advance beyond Level 29. 4 5

• An externally manifested beast Martial Soul, rather than a conventional possession-type Martial Soul. 4
• Reacts fearfully to the aura of a Soul Saint. 5
• Is mocked for its limited manifestation, described as being able only to “fart.” 5
• Its mutation made Yu Xiaogang especially interested in studying other mutated external beast Martial Souls. 4

Martial Soul Theory

Yu Xiaogang promotes the “Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul,” including the maxim that there are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters. 4 5

• Correctly deduced that Tang San possessed a second Martial Soul after examining his “Blue Silver Grass, Innate Full Soul Power” certificate. 23
• Offered to tailor spirit-ring configurations and theoretical guidance for Xue Yao, presenting himself as an expert on mutated Martial Souls. 4 5
• Xue Yao later publicly alleges that the core cultivation knowledge behind Yu Xiaogang's theory was stolen from Bibi Dong, the former Saintess of Spirit Hall. 140

Strategic Manipulation

Yu Xiaogang uses Tang San's potential as a means to establish his own reputation and retaliate against Xue Yao. 23 127

• Reframed his rejection at Farack Kingdom Mansion as persecution to provoke Tang San's loyalty and anger. 23
• Proposed using the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition as cover for an attempt on Xue Yao's life. 128
• Suggested exploiting the confined arena and disguising the detonation of the Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Taking Gall as an accident during combat. 128

Equipment / Items

• Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family token — A void token Yu Xiaogang retained from his former status as the young patriarch's son. 4

Relationships

• Tang San — Disciple. Yu Xiaogang identifies Tang San's Twin Martial Souls, accepts him as a student, and places his hopes of reputation and revenge upon him. 23 127
• Xue Yao — Intended disciple turned principal enemy. Yu Xiaogang sought to use Xue Yao as proof of his theories, but was publicly rejected and humiliated. 4 5
• Yu Yuanzhen — Father; the Thunder Douluo. 4
• Bibi Dong — Former Saintess of Spirit Hall from whom Xue Yao accuses Yu Xiaogang of stealing core soul-master cultivation secrets. 140

Story Role / Major Arcs

Attempt to Recruit Xue Yao

After learning of Xue Yao's awakening, Yu Xiaogang arrives at the Farack Kingdom Mansion and claims that only he can properly guide an external beast Martial Soul. He offers to make Xue Yao the continent's brightest star, but Xue Yao exposes his desire to use the prince as an experimental subject and humiliates him over his Level 29 cultivation. 4 5

Tang San's Master

Two years later, Yu Xiaogang meets Tang San at Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy and deduces his second Martial Soul. After accepting Tang San as a disciple, he distorts the story of Xue Yao's rejection, turning Tang San into a weapon for his revenge. 23

Nuoding City Confrontation

Yu Xiaogang encounters Xue Yao again outside Nuoding City and loses control, publicly cursing him. Tang San intervenes on his teacher's behalf but is defeated in a single strike by Xue Yao's Little Griffin, further shattering Yu Xiaogang's hopes. 37 39 40

Elite Competition Scheme and Downfall

Following Tang Hao's death and Tang San's disappearance, Yu Xiaogang falls into despair before renewing his plans once Tang San returns. He advises Tang San to use the Elite Competition and a poisoned Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Taking Gall to kill Xue Yao under the guise of a match. 127 128

Before the Heaven Dou Team One–Shrek Team match, Yu Xiaogang publicly declares that his theories and disciples will break Heaven Dou's “invincible” myth. Tang San's assassination attempt fails, and Xue Yao cripples him in the ensuing battle. 135 138

Yu Xiaogang then accuses Xue Yao of deliberately crippling Tang San, but Xue Yao presents the poisoned needles and mechanism fragments as evidence of the attempted murder. Xue Yao further exposes Yu Xiaogang's alleged theft of Spirit Hall knowledge and his condoning of Tang San's blood-sucking Martial Soul and lethal hidden weapons. 139 140

Spirit Hall bans Shrek Academy from competition for life and orders an investigation into those involved. Yu Xiaogang collapses under the destruction of his public reputation. 140

Notable Quotes

“There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters!” 4 5

“I want to cultivate you into a monster! A monster that far exceeds the understanding of ordinary people!” 23