After the political reshuffle in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the sect stopped wasting money promoting Yu Xiaogang. Some nobles and Soul Masters who knew the inside story gradually stopped taking him seriously, too.
After the scandal about Yu Xiaogang marrying a close relative broke, Spirit Hall poured even more money into public opinion, throwing cash around like mad to smear him.
Why did Spirit Hall hate Yu Xiaogang so much? Because public opinion was under the control of our Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong.
Back when Yu Xiaogang was riding high, Qian Xunqian focused on production, spending huge sums and resources to cultivate land and build factories.
Though they also gave the publicity department a generous budget, it was all used to promote Spirit Hall's various policies and benefits, or to recruit students for places like the Agricultural Academy and Industrial Academy.
Only a tiny portion of the funds went toward smearing the theoretically invincible Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang.
But things were different now. Years of publicity had made Spirit Hall a gold-lettered brand. There was no longer any need to throw around as much money as before.
These days, the publicity department focused on just one thing: improving Spirit Hall's image across the Douluo Continent.
Spirit Hall had eight tenths of all the Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent, so its Martial Soul Theory was naturally the most advanced and comprehensive on the continent.
Yet Yu Xiaogang, that damn fly, had brazenly relied on money to secure the title of top theorist in the public eye. Spirit Hall couldn't tolerate that!
For Bibi Dong, both publicly and privately, Yu Xiaogang—the so-called Grandmaster, whose reputation far exceeded his abilities—had to be knocked down. Then the diligent Spirit Hall researchers who worked day and night had to be lifted up!
They say an ex-girlfriend's hatred burns the fiercest. How much personal resentment Bibi Dong mixed into her smear campaign against Yu Xiaogang, we'll never know. But the Grandmaster's reputation was plummeting fast.
Still, in a remote little border town of the Heaven Dou Empire like Nuoding City, manipulating the uninformed common folk was a piece of cake. At least, that was what Yu Xiaogang thought.
At that moment, after looking over Tang San's Martial Soul certificate, Yu Xiaogang sternly berated the gatekeeper:
"This certificate is genuine, you blind fool! Get out of here!"
The gatekeeper fled, clutching his head.
Yu Xiaogang's expression changed in an instant. He greeted Tang San warmly and motioned for him to follow.
Tang San hesitated. Should he take Yu Xiaogang as his teacher?
If he did, it wouldn't do him much good. If he didn't, things would be more troublesome later with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Forget it. He'd take Yu Xiaogang as his teacher. The man was mediocre, but at least his status as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan leader's son was undeniable!
In the future, Tang San would have the Clear Sky Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan backing him. He'd be brothers with Dai Mubai, the future emperor of the Star Luo Empire; use Aromatic Silk Beauty to win over Ning Fengzhi; then expose Qian Renxue's disguise and help Xue Beng take the throne.
Every force on the Douluo Continent except Spirit Hall would be in his hands. Destroying a mere Spirit Hall would be as easy as raising his hand!
"You have an extraordinary gift, and you're so clever, too. It seems I'll have to be stubborn for once. After all, you're only the third person in the last hundred years to possess Twin Martial Souls."
Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back and smiled at Tang San.
Tang San was deeply contemptuous of Yu Xiaogang's behavior.
Yu Xiaogang continued on his own:
"Are you wondering how I knew you have Twin Martial Souls? It's because of this certificate. Others might not spot the flaw, but if I couldn't, I wouldn't deserve the title of Grandmaster."
"I once investigated 647 people with Blue Silver Grass as their Martial Soul. Sixteen had Soul Power—a probability of less than three percent. And not one of those sixteen had Soul Power above level one. Yet you have level ten Innate Full Soul Power.
"According to one of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul that I've studied—innate Soul Power is directly proportional to the quality of a Martial Soul—Blue Silver Grass clearly doesn't fit. So I can say with certainty that you must have another Martial Soul, and a very powerful one at that."
Tang San was delighted, but he couldn't show it. He forced down a laugh and put on a look of astonishment!
"Ah! So this is the Grandmaster? Please take me as your disciple! Your student, Tang San, pays his respects to you, Master!"
Yu Xiaogang beamed with pride as he helped Tang San to his feet. "Good child! Good child! I'll make you the strongest person on the Douluo Continent!"
Tang San sneered to himself. A useless man who couldn't break through to Soul Elder in his entire life. If not for the power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan behind him, Yu Xiaogang would already have earned his death!
Yu Xiaogang was thinking: Bibi Dong, you blind fool! I've taken in a genius with Twin Martial Souls. With my theoretical guidance, Tang San will surpass you in less than twenty years! When that happens, Bibi Dong, you won't even be worthy of crying as you put on my shoes! Just you wait!
Each of them harbored their own schemes. Both saw in the other exactly what they wanted.
After saying goodbye to the Grandmaster, Tang San went to the dormitory, easily beat Wang Sheng into submission with a single move, and became the boss of Dorm Seven.
He hadn't been boss for long when Tang San's fated wife arrived: Xiao Wu, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
Looking at Xiao Wu in her childhood form, with her eyes still red and bright, Tang San nearly burst into tears.
Xiao Wu! Do you know how long I've waited for you? Four whole years! You've finally appeared before me!
If he weren't only six years old right now, Tang San would have thrown his arms around Xiao Wu and started eagerly exploring the rabbit hole!
"Excuse me, do we know each other?" Xiao Wu asked, bewildered, as she looked at Tang San, who was staring at her with such deep affection.
Tang San blinked, trying to force his tears back, then put on a smile and said:
"Hello! I'm the boss of Dorm Seven. My name is Tang San. What's yours?"
"My name is Xiao Wu, Wu as in dance!"
Then, egged on by their dormmates, Tang San and Xiao Wu began their fated battle.
As Great God King Tang, he'd lived for tens of thousands of years. His fighting skills were far beyond those of a mere Soft Bone Rabbit who had only just taken human form. Even with a Soul Ring, Xiao Wu was no match for Tang San.
Tang San might fool around, but when it came to a competition, he never joked. Once, a true love had been placed before me, but I wanted to win. What did a little love matter!
Isn't that right, Huo Wu?
This time around, Tang San defended his position as the boss of Dorm Seven and defeated Xiao Wu.
But the price was that he had to spend more time coaxing his girlfriend.
Xiao Wu was still a naïve old rabbit. Faced with Tang San, an equally ancient monster and expert in matters of the heart, she soon lost and ended up in Tang San's bed.
The two burrowed into the warm blankets and began flirting.
Looking at the naïve, adorable Xiao Wu, Tang San remembered the scene from his previous life when she had been forced to sacrifice herself. His heart ached. He swore silently:
Xiao Wu, this time around, I won't let you suffer any harm!