Yu Xiaogang's Discerning Eye Recognizes Talent

The morning at Nuoding Academy was still tinged with a lingering chill.

The bell for the morning session echoed through every corner of the campus. In the first-year classroom, the once-rowdy students fell silent the moment Gu Tian walked through the door with three girls in tow.

A few days prior, the official students led by Gu Tian had utterly crushed the work-study students, establishing a formidable reputation for him. Coupled with the natural, innate pressure Gu Tian exuded—even when significantly restrained—it still instilled an inexplicable fear in these ordinary young students.

"Gu Tian, Director Su needs the three of you at the administrative office," a senior student called out from the doorway, gesturing toward Gu Tian and the Gu Yue and Na'er beside him.

Gu Tian raised an eyebrow slightly and patted the back of Xiao Wu's hand, signaling her to return to her seat first.

"Gu Yue, Na'er, let's head over. It's likely about our enrollment. Xiao Wu, we'll be back in a moment."

After giving his instructions and ruffling Xiao Wu's hair, Gu Tian turned and headed upstairs. As he departed, the atmosphere in the classroom seemed to loosen.

Tang San, who had been huddled in the back corner, saw his jealous eyes suddenly light up. He stared fixedly at the direction where Gu Tian had vanished, and only after confirming the demon was truly gone did he stand up abruptly and stride toward Xiao Wu's seat in the front row.

At that moment, Xiao Wu was slumped over her desk, her long scorpion braid draped over her chest. Her soft, pink rabbit ears twitched lightly with her breathing, her mind still lingering on the experiences of the previous night.

"Xiao Wu."

A suppressed voice sounded in her ear.

Xiao Wu lifted her head and, seeing it was Tang San, the smile that had been on her lips vanished instantly. She didn't even shift her body, merely glancing at Tang San with indifference before turning her head to the other side, leaving him with a cold, unresponsive back.

Tang San's heart gave a violent twitch. This indifference was more painful to him than being killed outright.

"Xiao Wu, look at me." Tang San's voice carried a hint of agitation and heartache. "What is wrong with you? Is it him... is that bastard Gu Tian threatening you? You weren't like this before; you were never this cold to me."

Xiao Wu ignored him, idly scratching the desk with her pen cap, feeling a sense of irritation. She didn't want to hear Tang San's voice at all, because every time she heard it, she was reminded of the schemes plotted by the father-son duo of the Tang family before her.

"Xiao Wu!"

Tang San finally lost his composure. He lunged forward, pressing both hands heavily onto Xiao Wu's shoulders. Due to the excessive force, Xiao Wu's body was forcibly wrenched around, compelling her to meet Tang San's bloodshot eyes.

"Speak to me! I'm Third Brother! The Third Brother who has always protected you!"

"Let go!"

Xiao Wu was thoroughly incensed. She violently shook off Tang San's hands, her ruby-like eyes filled with fury and disgust.

"Tang San, have you lost your mind? This is a classroom! If you keep pulling at me like this and Brother Gu Tian sees, he'll misunderstand!"

As she spoke, Xiao Wu disgustedly brushed off the shoulder Tang San had touched, as if it had been stained by some filthy dust.

"Brother Gu Tian... misunderstand?"

Tang San froze. Watching Xiao Wu's desperate attempt to avoid him, the thought in his heart finally solidified into reality at that very moment.

Love Gu... it must be Love Gu.

Tang San roared frantically in the depths of his mind. In his view, Xiao Wu's behavior—willing to hurt him for the sake of Gu Tian—wasn't a normal change of heart, but rather her mind being controlled by some sinister, poisonous means.

"Xiao Wu, you're sick, you're truly sick." Tang San's eyes were bloodshot, his tone becoming eerily strange. "Just wait, I will save you. I will tear that bastard who is controlling you into pieces and bring you back to my side!"

"Stay away from me! You lunatic!" Startled by his hateful gaze, Xiao Wu scrambled out of the classroom.

Having absorbed her soul ring, Xiao Wu's current strength far surpassed Tang San's; if not for the fact that they were at school, she likely would have kicked Tang San's head to pieces.

Watching Xiao Wu's terrified expression, Tang San became even more convinced that she was under the influence of a parasite. He didn't pursue her further, instead turning around and stumbling back to his seat.

His individual strength was limited, so Tang San decided to seek help from Yu Xiaogang.

As soon as class ended, Tang San headed straight for Yu Xiaogang's office.

Yu Xiaogang's office was on the top floor of the teaching building. When Tang San pushed the door open, he found Yu Xiaogang sitting behind his desk, holding a tattered ancient text.

His face, stiff as wood, was creased with a deep frown, as if he were contemplating some profound proposition.

"Teacher!"

The door was shoved open violently. Tang San rushed in, gasping for air, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

"San? What's wrong? Didn't I tell you to rest in the dormitory?" Yu Xiaogang asked, surprised. He set down his book and hurried over to steady Tang San.

Tang San grabbed Yu Xiaogang's arm, his voice trembling. "Teacher... Xiao Wu has changed, she has completely changed. She doesn't recognize me as her Third Brother anymore; for that bastard Gu Tian, she actually told me to stay away from her!"

Tang San poured out everything that had happened over the past two days, including Xiao Wu's abnormal behavior, the terrifying spirit pressure of Gu Tian's martial soul, and his suspicion that Gu Tian had used a parasite on her.

Yu Xiaogang listened, dumbfounded.

What surprised him wasn't the talk of parasites, but that Xiao Wu had actually returned safely. According to his expectations, a human child who had just obtained a soul ring and been snatched away by a Titan Giant Ape in a place like the Soul Hunting Forest would almost certainly have met a tragic end.

Parasites? Yu Xiaogang scoffed inwardly.

After all, he was a researcher of martial soul theory. While his own strength was lacking, he knew very well that while "parasite poison" existed on the Douluo Continent, it was extremely difficult to control. In his view, this was simply two teenagers experiencing puppy love and jealousy, and Tang San had clearly lost this battle in a crushing defeat.

Yu Xiaogang actually sided with Gu Tian on this; Tang San's current display was just as ridiculous as Flender's had been when he was rejected by Liu Erlong.

However, when he heard Tang San describe the scene of Gu Tian releasing his martial soul, his expression suddenly shifted.

"You say... his martial soul carried an incredibly terrifying dragon-clan pressure? Even your Blue Silver Grass wouldn't obey you?"

Yu Xiaogang's breathing grew rapid. A dragon-type martial soul? Astonishing pressure? Capable of suppressing even the aura of ordinary plant-type martial souls?

"Could it be... a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? No, while the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is strong, it would never exert such terrifying bloodline suppression on other martial souls."

Yu Xiaogang's mind raced. He had seen countless dragon-type martial souls within his family, but an aura that could make all beasts submit was anything but ordinary.

"Could it be a mutated martial soul, and one that mutated in the direction of greater power?"

"If... I could take this Gu Tian as my disciple."

A flicker of greed flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes. If he could recruit a genius possessing a top-tier dragon-type Martial Soul, and combine that with Tang San's Twin Martial Souls, then his Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul would truly be able to go down in history across this continent!

By then, what would the Martial Soul Hall Pope Bibi Dong or Liu Erlong of the Golden Iron Triangle matter? Would they still choose to leave because of his strength? They would surely return to his side willingly, admiring the Master who had changed the landscape of the continent's Spirit Masters.

Thinking of this, Yu Xiaogang's long-withered heart began to beat wildly.

"San, don't be anxious." Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath and patted Tang San's shoulder, feigning composure. "If that Gu Tian is truly as sinister as you say, as your teacher, I will never sit idly by."

"Teacher, are you going to take action?" Hope ignited in Tang San's eyes.

A sharp glint flashed in Yu Xiaogang's eyes. He straightened his washed-out collar and spoke slowly:

"Tomorrow morning, I will personally go to your class to teach. I want to see for myself what real ability this Gu Tian, who makes you so wary, actually possesses. If he is truly a sinister villain, I will personally strip away his disguise; if he is truly a peerless genius... heh, I have my own ways to make him mend his ways."

Yu Xiaogang had already decided that tomorrow, he would use his so-called theoretical authority to properly confront this youth named Gu Tian in front of that group of children.