Yu Xiaogang, Whose Ambitions Soared Higher Than the Heavens

"Third Uncle really thinks highly of this new teacher!" Xiao Chenyu clicked his tongue as he looked at the pleasant residence tucked away in a remote corner of the campus.

Not long after arriving, a Grand Soul Master had already been given the待遇 reserved for Notting Academy's elite teachers.

It was downright outrageous.

"Someone who came from Spirit Hall—even if he was thrown out—might still have some skills." Xu Qianqian shrugged. "Come on. Whether he's a cat or a tiger, we'll know once we go inside."

Knock, knock, knock.

Xu Qianqian gently knocked on the door a few times.

"Who is it? What do you want?"

The door opened, and a middle-aged man in a grayish-black robe stepped out. He had a close-cropped haircut, an unkempt beard, and weary eyes, looking as though he had just woken up the morning after going at it seven times in one night.

"Hello, we're newly enrolled students at Notting Academy."

"Principal Xiao Li recommended that we come here. He said you have deep insights into martial soul cultivation and hoped you could guide our future training."

"Principal Xiao Li?" The middle-aged man paused and sized up the two before him.

Xiao Li had indeed mentioned a couple of days ago that someone would be coming.

"Then come in. The room might be a little messy."

After entering, Yu Xiaogang plopped down in a chair, showing absolutely no intention of entertaining his guests.

"My name is Yu Xiaogang. Since you came from the principal, you presumably already know my name. Introduce yourselves."

"My name is Xiao Chenyu. I'm from Notting City's—"

"He's my younger brother. My name is Xu Qianqian." Xu Qianqian snatched over the conversation and signaled Xiao Chenyu not to speak carelessly.

Xiao Chenyu's expression stiffened, but he wisely fell silent.

"Xiao Chenyu, Xu Qianqian? Those names sound familiar." Yu Xiaogang looked thoughtful.

"Maybe our names are fairly common." Xu Qianqian smiled lightly. "My martial soul is a book, while Xiao Chenyu's is a wolf."

"A book and a wolf?" Yu Xiaogang murmured. "What are your innate soul power levels?"

"Innate soul power level four."

"No soul power."

"Level four... and one of you has no soul power?" Yu Xiaogang was stunned. "Wait, how did you enter a Soul Master academy without soul power?"

"My martial soul is rather special, so I got in through the back door with the principal's help."

Hearing Xu Qianqian openly admit that she had gotten in through the back door, Yu Xiaogang's face darkened.

However, the gloom on his face quickly vanished. He looked at Xu Qianqian again, then shook his head.

"An ordinary book with no soul power—you cannot become a Soul Master."

"How could that be? Sister clearly has a domai—"

"Enough. If I can't become a Soul Master, then I can't." Xu Qianqian cut Xiao Chenyu off and signaled with her eyes. "You should release your martial soul too, so Teacher Yu can take a look."

Xiao Chenyu unwillingly activated his martial soul. As it emerged, the wild aura of a beast surged through his body. He would not even be winded after climbing five floors in one go.

"Too weak." Yu Xiaogang's voice carried disdain. "Your martial soul aptitude is poor. Even with level four soul power, your future achievements will be extremely limited."

An ordinary wolf martial soul with innate level four soul power would not even earn a second glance in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

If not for proving his own knowledge, he would never have come to Notting City and Notting Academy, this backwater.

Even if he took on disciples, they would need innate soul power of level seven or higher.

Only such unpolished jade deserved Yu Xiaogang's careful guidance, allowing it to become even more exquisite.

"You..." Yu Xiaogang's words made Xiao Chenyu laugh in anger, and he immediately shot back, "There are no useless martial souls, only useless Soul Masters."

"Teacher Yu, wasn't that something you said?"

Yu Xiaogang was taken aback at first, then waved his hand, his tone full of distaste.

"Your sister isn't a Soul Master, so that saying doesn't apply to her."

"Based on the patterns I've discovered through my years of researching martial souls, a soul practitioner without innate soul power can only ever reach soul power level nine."

"Not to mention this little girl—even the Clear Sky Sect back then—"

"Ah, talking to you about this is like playing the lute to a cow." Yu Xiaogang changed the subject.

"Your name is Xiao Chenyu, right? Your martial soul's innate aptitude is poor. Soul Ancestor is your limit."

"There are no useless martial souls, only useless Soul Masters. That saying applies here as well."

"Douluo Continent's historical records state that Soul Masters can break through the limits of their martial souls and allow them to evolve further. But people from a small place like Notting City could never encounter such an opportunity."

"You're just sophistry!" Xiao Chenyu's eyelids twitched. Would someone capable of making their martial soul evolve again be an ordinary person? Besides, would an evolved martial soul still be the original martial soul?

Could that prove that the original one was not a useless martial soul?

"All right, I've seen your martial souls. I have no guidance to offer. Please leave and stop disturbing my work."

Yu Xiaogang waved them away as though shooing flies, signaling for these insignificant people to leave at once.

"Do you know who I am?!" Xiao Chenyu glared, looking as though he would swallow Yu Xiaogang whole.

Yu Xiaogang shook his head and sneered. "What does your identity have to do with me?"

"I'm a teacher at Notting Academy. I was merely telling the truth. They can't possibly fire me over something like this, can they?"

Besides, what status could any student of Notting Academy possibly have that compared to his, Yu Xiaogang's?

He was the son of Yu Yuanzhen, the clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Clans. If not for his martial soul, Luo Sanpao, holding him back, he too would have been among the favored geniuses of heaven.

What was there to be proud of for some brat from the backwater that was Notting Academy?

"Since Master has work to attend to, my little brother and I won't disturb you any longer."

Xu Qianqian's voice suddenly rang out, stopping Xiao Chenyu from continuing to invoke his father. She grabbed him and pushed the door open to leave.

Along the way, Xiao Chenyu's face turned purple with rage.

As the son of Notting City's lord, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

He had acknowledged Xu Qianqian as his older sister only because he could not beat her. Maybe one day, he would turn things around and become the one in charge.

But what gave Yu Xiaogang the right?

A Grand Soul Master expelled from Spirit Hall had actually said that Xiao Chenyu would at most become a Soul Ancestor.

Was a Soul Ancestor not strong?

Wouldn't that be countless times stronger than a mere Grand Soul Master? What right did he have to look down on him?

"No, I really can't stomach this." The more Xiao Chenyu thought about it, the angrier he became.

"Yu Xiaogang does have some theoretical knowledge," Xu Qianqian said flatly, with no emotion visible on her face.

Xiao Chenyu looked at Xu Qianqian as though she were an alien.

"You're still speaking up for Yu Xiaogang? We were looked down on! I'm the dignified son of the city lord, yet he made me sound utterly worthless."

"People can say whatever they want. If you take everything to heart, wouldn't that be exhausting?"

Xu Qianqian spread her hands, revealing a helpless expression.

"If you really can't stand it, go back and have someone put a sack over him, tie him up, and beat him up. Of course, only if you don't get caught. It wouldn't look good if you did."

"Getting angry like this is just making yourself angry. It's not worth it."

Xiao Chenyu: "..."

You were already planning to sack the guy. That did not look like you didn't care.

"Don't bother with Yu Xiaogang. Right now, his ambitions are higher than the heavens."

"Once a few years have worn down his edges, he'll understand how dangerous society can be." Xu Qianqian placed her slender hand on Xiao Chenyu's shoulder.

"My purpose in meeting him has already been achieved. Everything else is irrelevant."

"Purpose?"

"It has nothing to do with you. In any case, stay away from Yu Xiaogang from now on. Don't get close to him, but don't offend him too badly either. That will be enough."

"Huh?"

Watching her retreating back, Xiao Chenyu stood in the wind, utterly bewildered.