Yu Xiaogang

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Yu Xiaogang (玉小刚)
Alias(es)	Grandmaster
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Formerly associated with Notting Academy; member of the Golden Iron Triangle 16 17
Occupation/Role	Soul Master theorist; Tang San's teacher
First Appearance	Chapter 2
Soul Power	Level 29 Soul Grandmaster 4

Background / History

Yu Xiaogang arrived at Notting Academy with Tang San and learned that another incoming student, Meng Chen, possessed Innate Full Soul Power and a mutated Thunder Hell Vine martial soul. Viewing both boys as opportunities to validate his theories, he took Tang San as his disciple and instructed him to bring Meng Chen to meet him. 2

He approached Meng Chen as “Grandmaster,” offering guidance based on his research into mutated martial souls. Meng Chen rejected him and publicly challenged both his level 29 cultivation and his claim that his theories were invincible. Yu Xiaogang threatened to have Meng Chen expelled, then departed while declaring that Tang San would eventually prove his theories correct. 3 4

After the rejection, Yu Xiaogang chose Tang San as his sole disciple and committed himself to cultivating Tang San into someone stronger than Meng Chen. He personally accompanied Tang San on a soul-ring hunt, where Tang San acquired a nearly four-hundred-year Mandala Snake soul ring; the journey left Yu Xiaogang physically weakened. 5 11

Yu Xiaogang’s confidence collapsed when Meng Chen revealed a fifteen-hundred-year first soul ring and defeated Tang San. He repeatedly insisted that Meng Chen's successful absorption of an Azure-Scaled Thunder Flood Dragon ring contradicted his Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls. 14 15

After confronting Meng Chen over Tang San’s defeat, Yu Xiaogang was electrocuted, publicly humiliated, and later fainted repeatedly after learning what had occurred while he was unconscious. The academy dean refused his demand to expel Meng Chen and told Tang San to leave the academy with him once Yu Xiaogang recovered. 15 16

Three days later, Yu Xiaogang left Notting Academy with Tang San. He intended to bring his disciple to the academy run by his Golden Iron Triangle associate, Flender. 17

Appearance

Yu Xiaogang is depicted as a thin, middle-aged man with graying temples, a decadent bearing, and an unusually stiff expression. 2 3

• Has a rigid, corpse-like facial expression that Meng Chen repeatedly mocks. 2 3
• Appeared pale and severely weakened after accompanying Tang San on the Mandala Snake hunt. 11
• His face turns bloodshot or discolored when his theories are challenged. 4 14

Personality

Yu Xiaogang is intensely proud of his theoretical knowledge and treats his “Grandmaster” title as proof of authority. He presents his theories as invincible, claims that they are recognized throughout the soul master world, and reacts angrily when Meng Chen asks why those theories have not enabled him to surpass level 29. 4

He is ambitious in his choice of disciples. Upon discovering Tang San and Meng Chen, he immediately saw their Innate Full Soul Power and unusual martial souls as means to establish the worth of his teachings. After Meng Chen refused him, Yu Xiaogang redirected all of his efforts toward Tang San. 2 5

His pride is paired with poor emotional resilience. He becomes agitated under criticism, resorts to threats of expulsion when challenged, and suffers a severe breakdown following his public defeat and humiliation. 4 15 16

Abilities & Skills

Soul Master Cultivation

Yu Xiaogang possesses level 29 soul power, placing him at the Soul Grandmaster stage. 4

• His cultivation is below the level required to become a Soul Elder.
• He was physically strained and left weakened by the Mandala Snake hunt undertaken for Tang San. 11
• His sluggish condition after that hunt prevented him from avoiding Meng Chen’s Thunder Hell Vine. 15

Martial Soul Theory

Yu Xiaogang promotes a body of teachings he calls the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls. 14 15

• He identifies Tang San’s twin martial souls and uses that knowledge to recruit him as a disciple. 2
• He argues that mutated martial souls have flaws, even when their mutations are beneficial. 3
• He claims that plant martial souls should not absorb animal soul-beast rings, though he makes an exception for Tang San’s Blue Silver Grass due to its “non-exclusivity.” 15
• His theory is publicly undermined when both Tang San and Meng Chen successfully absorb animal soul-beast rings, with Meng Chen’s ring proving substantially stronger. 14 15

Relationships

• Tang San — Disciple. Yu Xiaogang accepts Tang San after identifying his twin martial souls and later devotes himself to Tang San’s cultivation after Meng Chen rejects him. 2 5
• Meng Chen — Failed prospective disciple and rival to Yu Xiaogang’s theories. Meng Chen’s thousand-year first ring and victory over Tang San directly challenge Yu Xiaogang’s claimed principles. 3 4 14 15
• Flender — Fellow member of the Golden Iron Triangle and the operator of an academy outside Soto City. Yu Xiaogang plans to take Tang San to him after leaving Notting Academy. 17
• Notting Academy Dean — An old friend who refuses to expel Meng Chen despite Yu Xiaogang’s demands, instead asking Yu Xiaogang and Tang San to leave the academy. 16 17

Story Role / Major Arcs

Recruitment of Tang San and Meng Chen

Yu Xiaogang discovers two children with Innate Full Soul Power at Notting Academy and attempts to make both into proof of his theoretical system. He successfully gains Tang San as a disciple but fails to recruit Meng Chen. 2 3 4

First Soul Ring Hunt

He takes Tang San to obtain a first soul ring, initially intending to seek a ten-year Solitary Bamboo before Tang San instead acquires a Mandala Snake ring. Yu Xiaogang regards the result as evidence that Tang San will surpass Meng Chen. 5 11

Public Defeat at Notting Academy

Yu Xiaogang witnesses Meng Chen reveal a thousand-year first soul ring, then sees Tang San defeated within seconds. His attempts to discredit Meng Chen’s Azure-Scaled Thunder Flood Dragon ring fail, and his confrontation ends with Meng Chen electrocuting him. 14 15

Departure from Notting Academy

Following the incident, Yu Xiaogang cannot secure Meng Chen’s expulsion. The dean instead instructs Tang San to leave with him, prompting Yu Xiaogang to depart for Flender’s academy. 16 17