Yu Xiaogang

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yu Xiaogang (玉小刚)
Alias(es)	Gangzi; Master Yu
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Notting Academy; Shrek Academy; formerly of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Golden Iron Triangle 20 29
Occupation/Role	Martial-soul theorist; Tang San's master and Shrek Academy instructor/strategist 3 20 26
Rank	Rank 29 Soul Master 34
Status	Alive; severely injured by Chen Xin and left bedridden for months 35
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background / History

Yu Xiaogang encounters Tang San and Yun Tian during their enrollment at Notting Academy. After examining Tang San's Spirit Hall certificate, he deduces that Tang San possesses twin martial souls and accepts him as his first disciple. He sees Tang San as the ideal subject through whom he can validate his theories and prove himself. He also attempts to bring Yun Tian under his tutelage through Tang San, but Yun Tian rejects him as a “fake master.” 3 4

Yun Tian secretly deletes Yu Xiaogang's Amorous tag shortly after their meeting, severing two emotional connections linked to Spirit City and Heaven Dou City. Yu Xiaogang feels that he has lost something, but does not identify the cause. 3

While accompanying Tang San on his first soul-ring hunt, Yu Xiaogang repeatedly clashes with Headmaster Yuan Hua over ring selection. He recommends a ten-year Solitary Bamboo for Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, despite Yuan Hua's objections that such a ring is far too weak for a genius with innate full soul power. The hunt instead exposes Yu Xiaogang and Tang San to Mandala Snake venom; both require treatment. 7 9 10 11

Tang Hao later reveals himself as Tang San's father and entrusts Tang San's future to Yu Xiaogang. Yu Xiaogang promises to guide Tang San fully, while privately recognizing Tang Hao as his idol. 12 13

After Tang San leaves Notting Academy, Yu Xiaogang takes him to Shrek Academy, founded by his old friend Flender. He presents himself as a member of the Golden Iron Triangle and vows to teach Tang San everything he has learned. 20

At Shrek, he oversees the Seven Devils' physical training and develops their strategy for the match against the Imperial Battle Team. The plan relies on Tang San's command, realgar wine to counter Dugu Yan's poison, and an attack on Ye Lingling; however, Yu Xiaogang withholds the full threat posed by Yun Tian from the team. Shrek is defeated almost immediately. 23 26 28

Following Tang Hao's failed attack on Yun Tian, Yu Xiaogang takes Yu Tianheng away from the scene. He later assumes Yun Tian has been killed, only to face Chen Xin at Shrek Academy. Chen Xin's pressure leaves him terrified, and a subsequent strike severely injures both him and Yu Tianheng. 33 34 35

Appearance

Yu Xiaogang is a black-clad man with a buzz cut, rigid facial muscles, and a consistently stern, stiff expression. During his time at Notting Academy, he wears a black academic robe and carries a yellowed book beneath his arm. 3

• Buzz-cut hairstyle.
• Stiff, zombie-like facial muscles. 3
• Black academic robe. 3
• Often carries books, theory notes, and research materials. 3 20

Personality

Yu Xiaogang is intensely driven to prove the worth of his martial-soul theories. Tang San's twin martial souls make him especially valuable to Yu Xiaogang, who views the boy as the disciple through whom he can validate years of research. His delight at gaining Tang San and his continued attempts to recruit Yun Tian reveal both ambition and a need for recognition. 3 15

He is proud and sensitive to disrespect, reacting angrily when Yun Tian calls him a fake master or when others question his theories. He frequently maintains a lofty, authoritative demeanor, especially when presenting tactical plans or speaking of his Ten Core Competencies. 4 7 27

Despite his flaws, Yu Xiaogang is protective of Tang San and remains committed to teaching him. That protectiveness can become indulgence: he initially denies accusations against Tang San and avoids condemning him after learning the accusation is true. 4 12 19 20

Abilities & Skills

Martial-Soul Theory and Analysis

Yu Xiaogang presents himself as an expert in martial-soul theory and uses his research to identify potential traits, ring combinations, and tactical roles.

• Deduced Tang San's second martial soul from his Blue Silver Grass and innate full soul power. 3
• Developed and promotes the Ten Core Competencies of Spirit Masters as his central body of theory. 3 34
• Identified the Sky-Piercing Spear's pressure-based characteristic after observing Yun Tian over time. 15
• His deductions are not consistently reliable; he fails to account for important conditions behind twin martial souls and recommends an exceptionally weak first ring for Tang San. 10 13

Training and Battlefield Strategy

At Shrek Academy, Yu Xiaogang directs physical training and acts as the team's strategist.

• Forces the Shrek students to conduct endurance training while carrying baskets of stones. 23
• Assigns Tang San as battlefield commander against the Imperial Battle Team. 26
• Plans to counter Dugu Yan's poison with realgar wine and Ma Hongjun's flames. 26
• Orders Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing to target Ye Lingling, the opposing support-type soul master. 26
• Does not disclose Yun Tian's full danger to the team, believing that knowledge of him would undermine their morale. 26

Equipment / Items

• Pope's Decree — entrusted to him by Tang Hao after Tang Hao leaves Tang San in his care. 12 13
• Storage soul tool — used to keep the Pope's Decree. 13
• Theory books and research notes — his principal belongings when departing Notting Academy. 20

Relationships

• Tang San — His first disciple. Yu Xiaogang sees Tang San's twin martial souls as the means to prove his theories and later takes him from Notting Academy to Shrek Academy. 3 12 20
• Yun Tian — A gifted student Yu Xiaogang unsuccessfully tries to recruit. Their relationship is hostile after Yun Tian rejects him and repeatedly disregards his advice. 3 4 7 15
• Tang Hao — Yu Xiaogang's idol and Tang San's father. Tang Hao entrusts Tang San to Yu Xiaogang, though he later questions that decision after the Solitary Bamboo proposal. 10 12
• Flender — Old friend, fellow member of the Golden Iron Triangle, and founder of Shrek Academy. Flender places strong faith in Yu Xiaogang's judgment. 20 23 27
• Yuan Hua — Headmaster of Notting Academy and a frequent critic of Yu Xiaogang's soul-ring advice and conduct. 7 10 19 20
• Yu Tianheng — His nephew. Yu Tianheng reveals Yu Xiaogang's former Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan affiliation and later follows him back to Shrek Academy. 29 33
• Chen Xin — An adversary who confronts Yu Xiaogang at Shrek Academy and severely injures him. 34 35

Notable Quotes

“There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters.” 7

“In the time ahead, I will teach you everything I have learned in my life!” 20

Trivia

• Yun Tian's inspection identifies Yu Xiaogang with the blue-grade tag Borrowing from Everywhere, stating that most of his knowledge originates from other sources rather than his own research. 3
• The deletion of his Amorous tag snaps two previously visible emotional connections: a purple thread toward Spirit City and a red thread toward Heaven Dou City. 3
• Yu Xiaogang is described as over fifty while remaining at Rank 29. 34