Yu Xiaogang: The Genius Was Originally Mine, Mine!

Shrek Academy.

The door to Boss Flender's office was pushed open.

Xiao Gang walked in.

Seeing him, Boss Flender immediately strode forward and pulled him into a hug.

"Xiao Gang!"

Xiao Gang patted him on the shoulder.

"Boss Flender, it's been many years. You've aged quite a bit."

Boss Flender released him, looked him up and down, and let out a laugh.

"Look who's talking? Your hair has turned mostly white."

The two sat down at the table, and Boss Flender personally poured two cups of cheap tea, sliding one over.

Xiao Gang picked up the cup and took a sip, frowning, though he said nothing.

"Boss Flender, I came this time to see how things are at Shrek. I heard there's a new academy in Soto City?"

Upon hearing this, the smile on Boss Flender's face faltered, and he let out a heavy sigh.

"Sigh, don't even mention it."

"What's wrong?" Xiao Gang set down his teacup.

Boss Flender leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

"It's all about money."

"Money?"

"A few days ago, an Omphalos Academy appeared out of nowhere and actually set up a stall right at the entrance of my Shrek Academy to recruit students."

The more Boss Flender spoke, the more agitated he became, slamming a hand onto the table.

"They snatched up all my potential students! Tell me, isn't that infuriating?"

Xiao Gang's brows furrowed.

"How did they snatch them? Tell me the details."

"Just thinking about it makes me angry!"

Boss Flender let out a cold snort.

"I only charge a small registration fee—ten gold soul coins per student. That's not an unreasonable demand, is it? But this Omphalos Academy didn't play by the rules at all; they made registration free! Free! Tell me, if that isn't intentionally trying to spite me, what is?"

Xiao Gang jolted, his eyes widening slightly.

"What? Free! That kind of move... I think they are targeting you on purpose."

"Exactly!"

Boss Flender sighed again.

"Their school is clearly located in Soto City, yet they came all the way to this little corner where my academy is to recruit. It's obvious they're trying to sabotage our business!"

Xiao Gang nodded, tapping his fingertips lightly against the tabletop.

"That certainly qualifies as malicious competition."

He went over the ins and outs of the situation in his mind, then looked up at Boss Flender.

"So, how much money is left in the academy's accounts?"

At these words, Boss Flender reluctantly pulled a cloth bag from his pocket, untied the string, and dumped it onto the table.

A few gold soul coins rolled out, spinning halfway across the table before coming to a stop.

Xiao Gang looked at the lonely few gold soul coins, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

"Just this much?"

Boss Flender hung his head.

"Just this much. It's only enough to cover the academy's expenses for half a month. If there's no more income, I'm afraid I won't even be able to pay Old Zhao's wages."

Xiao Gang stared at the few gold soul coins, his brows knitting even tighter.

"This... really isn't enough."

Boss Flender looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Xiao Gang, you've been out there for so many years, do you have any ideas?"

Xiao Gang felt uncomfortable under his gaze, touching the tip of his nose as he stammered, feeling somewhat guilty.

"I... Boss Flender, you know how it is. I've been scraping by at Notting Academy for all these years; how could I have any savings?"

A flash of disappointment crossed Boss Flender's eyes, but he regained his smile in an instant.

"Haha, it's fine, it's fine. I can think of another way."

He patted Xiao Gang on the shoulder.

"Xiao Gang, since you've come this time, I think I can leave the teaching of Tang San and the others to you."

Mentioning Tang San, Yu Xiao Gang straightened his back, a confident smile spreading across his face:

"Naturally. Boss Flender, you can rest assured leaving them to me. I will certainly make them shine brilliantly at this Spirit Master Tournament."

Flender let out a hearty laugh, then gave Yu Xiao Gang's shoulder two firm pats:

"With those words from you, I can set my mind at ease."

He paused, his tone suddenly shifting:

"Although that Omphalos Academy snatched away my prospective students and cost me money, the students they recruit all have abysmal talent, far inferior to our Shrek."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Yu Xiao Gang's expression relaxed slightly.

"That's good, then."

But Flender's expression suddenly turned grave:

"However, there is one genius in their academy we must guard against; even Tang San was defeated by him."

Yu Xiao Gang stood up abruptly from his chair, his movement so violent that he knocked over a teacup on the corner of the table.

Brown tea spilled across the table, but he remained completely oblivious.

"What?"

Yu Xiao Gang's voice rose sharply, his expression filled with disbelief.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! My disciple is invincible in this world! How could he possibly lose to someone of the same age?"

Flender raised his hand to press it downward: "Oh, Xiao Gang, calm down first!"

"Who is that person?"

Yu Xiao Gang did not sit back down, leaning forward with his hands braced against the tabletop.

Flender then recounted what had happened that day at the Soto Spirit Arena.

Although Flender spoke very briefly, the matter felt like a needle, piercing deeply into Yu Xiao Gang's heart.

After listening, Yu Xiao Gang sat back in his chair and remained silent for a long time.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on the tabletop, while a greedy glint slowly flashed in his eyes.

Defeated Tang San easily?

An existence with talent no weaker than Tang San's?

Hmph, such a genius rightfully belongs to him, Yu Xiao Gang.

Omphalos Academy is not worthy of possessing such a genius!

Just as he was thinking this, the office door was suddenly pushed open violently from the outside.

Zhao Wuji strode in, followed by an old man and an old woman.

Flender looked up, and upon seeing the two of them, his pupils suddenly constricted.

Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang walked in side by side, their gazes sweeping across the room before finally landing on Flender.

"The Flying Horn of the former Golden Iron Triangle, the Four-Eyed Owl, Lord Flender, do you recognize us?"

Flender reacted extremely quickly, immediately stepping out from behind the desk to cup his hands and bow:

"Senior Dragon Duke, Senior Snake Granny, I have long admired your great names."

Yu Xiao Gang also stood up, offering a slight nod in greeting.

Chao Tianxiang's gaze swept over him without a word, focusing instead on Flender:

"Dean Flender, we have a business matter we would like to discuss with you."

Flender straightened up, a smile plastered on his face:

"Please, both seniors, take a seat, and we shall discuss it slowly."

Zhao Wuji stepped aside to make room and closed the door behind him.

Three days later, the plaza of Omphalos Academy.

Ye Qiong stood two steps away from Bai E, watching him grip his sword with both hands and hack repeatedly.

"Make your force more crisp," Ye Qiong reminded him.

Bai E nodded and reset his stance.

Just then, a golden triangular gate suddenly lit up on the ground in the center of the plaza.

Bai E stopped his movements.

Ye Qiong turned his head to look, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

It seems Ti Bao and the others have returned.