How was he supposed to win at the tournament two years from now?
"No! I won't lose! I'm Yu Yuanzhen's son. How could I possibly lose to that good-for-nothing?"
Yu Xiaogang smashed everything in sight, cursing nonstop.
Just then, the door swung open.
Yu Yuanzhen strode in.
Seeing the mess strewn across the floor, Yu Yuanzhen's expression darkened at once.
"That's enough!"
Yu Yuanzhen's voice rang out, stern and low.
Yu Xiaogang froze, then turned to look at his father.
"Dad, you're here." His voice still trembled slightly. "Have you heard? That good-for-nothing Yu Hong actually..."
"I heard." Yu Yuanzhen cut him off, his tone icy.
Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth. "Dad, it has to be fake! How could Yu Hong absorb a Soul Ring over six hundred years old? He must have cheated!"
"Cheated?" Yu Yuanzhen gave a cold laugh. "Five members of the Soul Hunting team saw it with their own eyes. Tell me, how could he have cheated?"
Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Yu Yuanzhen walked up to him and looked down at him.
"Yu Xiaogang, do you know what I'm thinking right now?"
Yu Xiaogang lowered his head, not daring to meet his father's eyes.
"I'm thinking that over these past four years, I've given you more than twice the resources I gave Yu Hong." Yu Yuanzhen's voice grew colder and colder. "And what do we have to show for it? Yu Hong reached level 10, while you're only at level 9. Yu Hong absorbed a Soul Ring over six hundred years old, while you haven't even broken through to level 10."
"Dad, I..."
"You what?" Yu Yuanzhen snapped. "What do you do all day? You slack off when you train, let your mind wander when you cultivate, and all you ever think about is feeding that lousy Martial Soul radishes! You think I don't know?"
Yu Xiaogang's body trembled, and his face turned pale.
"Look at Yu Hong, then look at yourself!" Yu Yuanzhen jabbed a finger at him and scolded, "You both started at level 0.5. He broke through to level 10 in four years. And you? You're still hovering at level 9 after four years! Have you done anything to deserve all the resources I've given you?"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes reddened, but he didn't dare argue.
Because he knew his father was telling the truth.
Over the past four years, he really hadn't worked as hard as Yu Hong.
Yu Hong got up to train every day before dawn, while he was still asleep.
Yu Hong cultivated late into the night every evening, while he went to bed early.
He had always thought that with his father's support and more resources than Yu Hong, beating him was only natural.
But now...
"Dad, I know I was wrong." Yu Xiaogang lowered his head, his voice hoarse.
Yu Yuanzhen looked at him, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
He was growing more and more disappointed in this son of his.
It was one thing to have less talent than someone else. But he couldn't even outwork him. How was he ever supposed to win?
"From today on, you're going to cultivate properly." Yu Yuanzhen's voice was stern. "Double your daily training and double your cultivation time. I don't care how you do it, but you must break through to level 10 within a month!"
"Yes, Dad." Yu Xiaogang nodded quickly.
"Once you reach level 10, I'll arrange for someone to take you to the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain a Soul Ring," Yu Yuanzhen continued. "When the time comes, I'll find you a Soul Beast stronger than Yu Hong's."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"But only if you break through to level 10." Yu Yuanzhen looked at him coldly. "If you still haven't made it within a month, don't blame me for washing my hands of you."
Yu Xiaogang's heart clenched. He hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Dad. I'll definitely break through!"
Yu Yuanzhen said nothing more. He turned and left the room.
After his father was gone, Yu Xiaogang dropped onto the floor and gasped for breath.
He stared at the mess around him, his heart filled with resentment and fury.
"Yu Hong..." Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth as he mouthed the name. "Just you wait. I'll surpass you, no matter what! At the tournament two years from now, I'll make you kneel before me and beg for mercy!"
Over the next month, Yu Xiaogang seemed like a different person.
He got up to train before dawn every day and cultivated until late at night before resting.
Running, weightlifting, and horse stance drills—the exercises he'd hated most—he now gritted his teeth and did every single one.
He used to let his mind wander whenever he cultivated, wondering what radishes to feed Luo Sanpao that day. Now, he put all his focus into breaking through.
The pressure Yu Yuanzhen had put on him was too great.
If he couldn't break through to level 10 within a month, his father would wash his hands of him.
Then how could he compete with Yu Hong?
No. Absolutely not!
He had to break through!
Under this near-mad effort, Yu Xiaogang's cultivation speed clearly began to improve.
The twenty-third day.
Yu Xiaogang sat cross-legged on his bed, his Soul Power churning inside him like boiling water.
He could feel it: the barrier that had held him back for so long was gradually loosening.
"Break!"
Yu Xiaogang gave a low shout and threw all his strength into smashing through the barrier.
A little while later, Yu Xiaogang opened his eyes, his face alight with joy.
"Level 10! I finally broke through to level 10!"
He jumped off the bed and excitedly paced around the room several times.
He'd done it in a month!
Though he'd reached it nearly a month after Yu Hong, he was finally a level 10 Soul Master too!
"Dad! Dad!"
Yu Xiaogang dashed out of his room, shouting.
Yu Yuanzhen was handling paperwork in his study. Hearing his son call out, he frowned slightly.
"What is it?"
"Dad, I broke through!" Yu Xiaogang rushed into the study, excitement written all over his face. "I reached level 10!"
Yu Yuanzhen set down the document in his hand and carefully sensed the fluctuations in Yu Xiaogang's Soul Power.
It really was level 10.
"Good." Yu Yuanzhen nodded, finally showing a hint of satisfaction. "It seems you really applied yourself this past month."
"Of course!" Yu Xiaogang puffed out his chest. "Dad, you said that once I broke through to level 10, you'd take me to the Soul Hunting Forest..."
"I remember." Yu Yuanzhen stood up. "I'll arrange for someone to take you tomorrow."
"Fantastic!" Yu Xiaogang clenched his fists excitedly.
Yu Yuanzhen looked at him and said solemnly, "Xiaogang, have you decided what kind of Soul Beast you want?"
Yu Xiaogang thought for a moment. "I want a lightning-attribute Soul Beast."
"Lightning attribute?" Yu Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Although my Martial Soul is Luo Sanpao, I think a lightning-attribute Soul Ring should increase its attack power. And..."
Yu Xiaogang paused, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes. "I want to absorb a Soul Beast over six hundred years old!"
Yu Yuanzhen frowned. "Six hundred years? Are you sure?"
"I'm sure!" Yu Xiaogang gritted out. "If Yu Hong can absorb a Soul Ring over six hundred years old, why can't I? I'm no worse than him!"
Yu Yuanzhen fell silent for a moment.
He knew his son was trying to outdo Yu Hong.
But a six-hundred-year Soul Ring... For a Soul Master who had only just reached level 10, it was indeed far too dangerous.
Yu Hong had managed to absorb one because his constitution was special.
But what about Yu Xiaogang?
Before you continue