Gangzi

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Gangzi (Yu Xiaogang; original: 缸子)
Alias(es)	Xiao Gang; Buzz Cut; “Lung Mist” (derogatory)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan; Golden Iron Triangle; Shrek Academy
Occupation/Role	Soul Master theory researcher; author of Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls; Tang San’s nominal master
Martial Soul	Luo Sanpao
Innate Soul Power	0.5
Soul Power	Rank 29 / Level 29 Soul Grandmaster; unable to break through the Level 30 bottleneck 6 136
Status	Alive; last shown returning to Shrek Academy after retrieving Tang San’s Soul Bone 349 354
First Appearance	Chapter 6

Background

Malignant Martial Soul Mutation

At age six, Yu Xiaogang failed to awaken the Golden Holy Dragon expected of his lineage and instead awakened Luo Sanpao, a pig-like Martial Soul with only 0.5 Innate Soul Power. Despite extensive cultivation resources from his father, Yu Yuanzhen, he reached Rank 29 but could not progress further. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan eventually cut off his support and planned to send him to manage its market district. 6

Refusing to accept a lifetime as a low-level Soul Master, Gangzi used the clan token to enter Spirit Hall and seek a cure for his Martial Soul mutation. 6

Spirit Hall and Bibi Dong

Gangzi cultivated a relationship with Spirit Hall’s Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong, gaining access to restricted archives and extracting information about Spirit Hall’s senior figures, Angel God Armor, and Qian Xunyi’s evolved Six-Winged Angel. His primary objective was to discover methods for exceeding Soul Ring absorption limits and evolving Martial Souls. 6 9

Using Bibi Dong’s Holy Maiden Token, he published Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls. At the work’s presentation, he announced his intention to research Soul Ring-limit breakthroughs and Martial Soul evolution, intending to expand it into Twelve Great Competencies of Martial Spirits. 9

Gangzi encouraged Bibi Dong to distrust Qian Xunji and attempted to persuade her to elope with him. His plan was to bring her power and potential into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan; it failed when Bibi Dong rejected him and Qian Xunji had him beaten and expelled from Spirit City. Gangzi thereafter vowed revenge against Spirit Hall. 9 10

Capture and Rebirth

After declaring his intention to destroy Spirit Hall, Gangzi was intercepted by A Jie, Dragon Brother, and Scar. He was held in the Body Camp and later blackmailed with private recordings, leaving him unable to retaliate openly. 11 14

Upon leaving the Body Camp, Gangzi recovered memories of a previous life in which Tang San became a God King and Gangzi became known as a teacher of gods. Convinced that rebirth gave him another chance at godhood, he began reshaping his plans around Tang San and Bibi Dong. 14

Plans for Godhood

Gangzi brought Yu Yuanzhen to Sunset Forest in search of the Icefire Yin Yang Well, hoping that its immortal herbs could evolve Luo Sanpao into the Golden Holy Dragon. The well was absent at the time, causing the search to fail. 15

He then resolved to follow the broad path of his previous life: recruit Tang San as a disciple, restore his influence over Bibi Dong, and form the Golden Iron Triangle with Flender and Liu Erlong. Gangzi regarded Flender and Liu Erlong primarily as components for his Martial Soul Fusion Skill rather than equal companions. 15 23 25

His attempted marriage to Liu Erlong collapsed when Yu Luomian revealed that she was Gangzi’s cousin. Gangzi attempted to flee the ceremony and abandon the situation, but Scarface confronted him before he could escape. 25

Tang San’s Nominal Master

In Notting City, Gangzi bribed the academy gatekeeper to mistreat Tang San so that he could appear as Tang San’s benefactor and secure him as a disciple. Tang San and Tang Hao overheard the scheme and chose to exploit Gangzi instead. 304

Gangzi publicly emphasized the social obligation of master and disciple in an effort to bind Tang San to him. Tang San outwardly cooperated but privately viewed Gangzi as a disposable means of influencing Bibi Dong and Spirit Hall. 304 308 339

During Tang San’s first Soul Ring hunt, Gangzi fled from a Datura Snake and left Tang San behind. The snake attacked Luo Sanpao, and its poison fed back into Gangzi, incapacitating him. 308

Failed Evolution Attempt

When Qian Xunyi publicly revealed a method for evolving Luo Sanpao through appropriate dragon-type Soul Beast flesh, blood, and compatible Soul Rings, Gangzi attempted to use it. The attempt failed because his Martial Soul had already developed beyond the method’s effective stage, making him a public laughingstock once again. 312 314

Gangzi refused to accept the result, insisting that Spirit Hall must have used immortal herbs or divine resources rather than the published cultivation method. 354

Eight-Spider Spinal Bone Incident

After Bibi Dong seized Tang San’s Eight-Spider Lance External Soul Bone, Tang San promised to consider giving Gangzi divine resources and a path to godhood only if Gangzi recovered it. Gangzi went to Spirit Hall to negotiate with Bibi Dong and obtained the Soul Bone. 341 342 344

Before he could leave Spirit City, A Jie and the others forced him into the Corridor Maze Adventure, a prolonged series of trials created by Qian Xunyi. Gangzi endured a subjective year inside the maze while only one day passed outside, eventually retrieving the Soul Bone from Room 8. 344 346

Unknown to Gangzi, Qian Xunyi had altered the recovered Eight-Spider Lance into an Eight-Spider Spinal Bone. Gangzi returned to Tang San expecting his suffering to earn him a First-Level Godhood, while Tang San recognized that the Soul Bone had been tampered with. 344 346 349

Appearance

Gangzi is consistently identified by his buzz cut and later wears a black scholar’s robe during his visit to Spirit City. 6 342

• Buzz-cut hairstyle, which gives rise to the “Buzz Cut” epithet. 6
• Often presents himself with the reserved manner of a scholarly Soul Master. 9 342
• Wears a long black academic robe while acting as Tang San’s teacher. 342 349

Personality

Gangzi is ambitious, status-conscious, and unwilling to accept his cultivation ceiling. His fixation on overcoming Rank 29 drives his search for Martial Soul evolution, immortal herbs, Bibi Dong’s support, and Tang San’s eventual ascent to godhood. 6 15 341

He treats close relationships instrumentally. He pursued Bibi Dong for Spirit Hall intelligence and future cultivation support, viewed Flender and Liu Erlong as materials for a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, and sought Tang San as a route to fame and immortality. 6 10 25 304

Gangzi is also persistent under pressure, but his endurance often becomes entitlement. Following the Corridor Maze Adventure, he decided Tang San owed him a First-Level Godhood and intended to use public moral condemnation to enforce that claim. 345 346

Abilities & Skills

Luo Sanpao

Gangzi’s mutated Martial Soul is Luo Sanpao, a pig-like Spirit with extremely poor innate potential.

• Awakened with only 0.5 Innate Soul Power rather than the Golden Holy Dragon expected by his clan. 6
• Reached Rank 29 through cultivation techniques and heavy clan investment but could not advance further. 6
• Can be summoned in combat or Soul Beast hunts. 308
• Damage and poison inflicted on Luo Sanpao can feed back onto Gangzi himself. 308
• Its evolution method is ineffective for Gangzi because his Martial Soul had already developed past the suitable stage. 314

Martial Soul Theory

Gangzi presents himself as a Soul Master theorist and uses theoretical knowledge to establish prestige.

• Published Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls through Spirit Hall channels using Bibi Dong’s authority. 9
• Claimed to research Soul Ring-limit breakthroughs and Martial Soul evolution for a future expanded work. 9
• Uses the “there are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters” principle as part of his public doctrine, despite Luo Sanpao’s failure to evolve under his care. 350

Previous-Life Memories

After his rebirth, Gangzi possesses knowledge of events and opportunities from his previous life.

• Knows of the Icefire Yin Yang Well and its connection to immortal herbs. 15 49
• Knows Tang San’s future ascent, including his Sea God and Asura God inheritances. 15 86
• Attempts to alter prior events to secure his own ascent to the God Realm. 14 15

Equipment / Items

• Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan token — Used to enter Spirit Hall after the clan withdrew its cultivation support. 6
• Holy Maiden Token authority — Bibi Dong’s authority enabled the publication of Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls. 9
• Expired Papal Token — Its use led to Gangzi’s arrest by Spirit Hall guards. 136
• Soul Tool — Used to store the recovered Soul Bone after clearing the Corridor Maze Adventure. 346
• Eight-Spider Spinal Bone — The item Gangzi recovered for Tang San; Qian Xunyi secretly altered it from the original Eight-Spider Lance External Soul Bone. 344 349

Relationships

• Yu Yuanzhen — Gangzi’s father and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan sect master. Yu Yuanzhen initially invested heavily in Gangzi’s cultivation, later withdrew support, and eventually ceded clan interests to Spirit Hall to secure Gangzi’s release. 6 136
• Bibi Dong — Former lover and source of Spirit Hall access. Gangzi repeatedly sought to use her power and eventual godhood for his own path to the God Realm; after his demand for Tang San’s Soul Bone exposed his selfishness, Bibi Dong came to hate him. 6 15 346
• Tang San — Gangzi’s nominal disciple in his second life and former disciple from his previous life. Each attempts to use the other: Gangzi seeks godhood through Tang San, while Tang San uses Gangzi’s connection to Bibi Dong. 14 304 349
• Tang Hao — Hostile toward Gangzi and aware of his scheme to recruit Tang San. Tang Hao supports Tang San’s decision to exploit rather than trust him. 304 308
• Flender — Fellow member of the Golden Iron Triangle. Gangzi intended to keep Flender bound to the group for use in a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. 23 25
• Liu Erlong — Golden Iron Triangle member and Gangzi’s attempted bride. Gangzi sought to use their relationship to bind her into his fusion-skill plans. 23 25
• A Jie — Spirit Hall-affiliated tormentor and blackmailer who surveilled Gangzi, held recordings over him, and helped force him into the Corridor Maze Adventure. 9 14 344
• Qian Xunyi — Pope who regards Gangzi as a useful tool rather than a serious threat. Qian Xunyi altered the Soul Bone Gangzi recovered and orchestrated the maze ordeal. 9 344 346

Notable Quotes

“I've been reborn!” 14

“Xiao San, your teacher paid such a terrible price to retrieve this Soul Bone for you. In the future, you must take me to the God Realm, and you must honor me with the godhood of a First-Level God.” 346