Yu Xiaogang

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yu Xiaogang (玉小刚)
Alias(es)	Monkey-Faced Master; “Grandmaster”
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Formerly Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan; formerly Spirit Hall; formerly associated with Nuoding Academy
Occupation/Role	Martial Soul theory researcher; Tang San's teacher
Status	Alive; Martial Soul and Soul Rings crippled; imprisoned by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect 91 116 121
First Appearance	Chapter 11

Background

Born to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Xiaogang awakened the weak Martial Soul Luo Sanpao. Despite consuming extensive clan resources, he remained a Level 29 Grand Soul Master and failed to obtain a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. He later sought a solution in Spirit Hall before leaving it and living at Nuoding Academy, where the principal tolerated him because of a favor owed to the Golden Iron Triangle and his clan background 9 15 16.

Yu Xiaogang published the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls, presenting them as his own scholarship. Spirit Hall scholars, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and major factions characterize the material as common knowledge drawn from existing records and clan data, with no acknowledgment of its sources 11 22 28.

He accepted Tang San as a disciple after inferring that Tang San’s Innate Full Soul Power and Blue Silver Grass indicated a possible second Martial Soul. Yu Xiaogang believed that guiding a Twin Martial Soul genius to prominence would prove his own worth and earn him recognition from his clan 26 28.

Appearance

Yu Xiaogang is a bearded, short-haired middle-aged man with an unremarkable scholarly appearance. His appearance and the reputation attached to it led to the “Monkey-Faced Master” epithet 15 26.

• Covered in facial hair.
• Short-haired.
• Generally described as neither handsome nor imposing.
• Often identified publicly by his distinctive appearance and name 15 26.

Personality

Yu Xiaogang is intensely preoccupied with recognition. He considers himself a great Martial Soul theorist despite widespread denunciation of his work, and repeatedly attributes his lack of achievement to Luo Sanpao rather than his own limitations 25 77 121.

He is psychologically sensitive to ridicule and reacts defensively when his theories or status are challenged. Even after being stripped of his clan identity and later crippled, he continues insisting that he is a misunderstood genius destined for fame 25 77 105.

His treatment of Bibi Dong, Liu Erlong, and Tang San is repeatedly portrayed as opportunistic. He seeks Bibi Dong’s Twin Martial Soul knowledge to establish his own reputation, cultivates Liu Erlong’s devotion when he needs support, and chose Tang San partly because the boy’s innate talent could make him appear successful as a teacher 25 27 65 119.

Abilities & Skills

Martial Soul Theory

Yu Xiaogang claims expertise in Martial Soul theory and regards the Ten Core Competencies as his greatest contribution. Other scholars dispute this claim, describing the competencies as copied common knowledge and accusing him of using Spirit Hall and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan records without credit 11 22 28.

• Correctly suspected Tang San possessed Twin Martial Souls after observing his Innate Full Soul Power and Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul 28.
• Failed to identify the possibility that Tang San’s Blue Silver Grass was the Blue Silver Emperor or Blue Silver King rather than ordinary Blue Silver Grass 28.
• His guidance reportedly pushed Tang San’s vitality-oriented Blue Silver Emperor toward poison, control, and beast-type Soul Rings, limiting its proper development 134.
• Insists that no one has proven his theories false, despite lacking proof that they are correct 77.

Luo Sanpao

Yu Xiaogang’s Martial Soul is Luo Sanpao, which he considers the cause of his failed cultivation.

• Reached only Level 29 as a Grand Soul Master despite clan resources 16 18.
• Never absorbed a Thousand-Year Soul Ring 11.
• Could summon Luo Sanpao, but it was ineffective when he attempted to retaliate against a passing Soul Master 26.
• Long Ying later crippled Luo Sanpao and Yu Xiaogang’s Soul Rings, reducing him to near-ordinary status 91.

Social Manipulation

Yu Xiaogang is adept at presenting himself as a misunderstood theorist to people devoted to him, particularly Bibi Dong and Liu Erlong 65 119.

• Encouraged Bibi Dong to share knowledge and planned to use her Twin Martial Soul cultivation method to gain fame 25 77.
• Proposed having a child with Bibi Dong as a potential powerful successor during the future Abyss conflict 65.
• Told Liu Erlong that he had only stayed near Bibi Dong to obtain the Twin Martial Soul cultivation method, reinforcing Liu Erlong’s belief that he still loved her 119.
• Attempted to use Liu Erlong’s devotion as a possible route out of Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect custody 120.

Relationships

• Bibi Dong — Former lover and later companion. Bibi Dong fiercely defends Yu Xiaogang’s supposed genius, while he seeks to use her Twin Martial Soul knowledge to gain prestige. Both were crippled by Long Ying 8 25 77 91.
• Tang San — Disciple. Yu Xiaogang selected Tang San after noticing signs of Twin Martial Souls; Tang San remains deeply loyal to him despite the controversy surrounding his theories and conduct 26 28 29.
• Liu Erlong — First cousin and former intended spouse. Liu Erlong remains devoted to Yu Xiaogang despite his treatment of her, while he exploits her belief that he still loves her 21 119 120.
• Yu Yuanzhen — Father and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan Sect Master. Yu Yuanzhen publicly stripped Yu Xiaogang of his clan membership and surname because of his conduct and plagiarism allegations 25.
• Yu Luomian — Second uncle and Liu Erlong’s father. Yu Luomian openly despises Yu Xiaogang, considers him unworthy of Liu Erlong, and accuses him of exploiting her to escape imprisonment 120.
• Flender — Sworn brother and fellow member of the Golden Iron Triangle. Flender condemned Yu Xiaogang for abandoning Liu Erlong and fleeing their marriage 21.
• Qian Renxue — Captor and adversary. Qian Renxue used Yu Xiaogang’s crippled condition to pressure him into admitting his alleged fraud and threatened him when he refused 105.
• Ning Fengzhi — Captor. Ning Fengzhi’s sect later imprisoned Yu Xiaogang and Bibi Dong in a secret chamber 116.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Sky Screen Exposure

Yu Xiaogang first appears publicly through the Sky Screen when he questions the nature of Abyss Floor Lords. His identity as the “Monkey-Faced Master” immediately invites contempt from figures who consider his theory work plagiarized common knowledge 11.

The Sky Screen later depicts a future in which he serves Abyss monsters as a solicitor at the Joyful Red Courtyard, bringing women to entertain them. The broadcast causes outrage at Nuoding Academy, whose principal orders him to leave to protect the academy’s reputation 15 16.

Loss of Clan Status

After Yu Xiaogang plans to obtain Bibi Dong’s Twin Martial Soul cultivation method and use Tang San’s success to validate himself, Yu Yuanzhen publicly expels him from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and revokes his surname. Yu Xiaogang suffers a breakdown, as he had intended to use Tang San’s future strength to return to the clan in triumph 25 26.

Pursuit of Twin Martial Soul Knowledge

Yu Xiaogang continues pursuing Tang San and Bibi Dong’s knowledge as a means of becoming famous. He seeks out Tang Hao and intends to train Tang San into a Peerless Douluo before making the Twin Martial Soul cultivation method public under his own name 60 77.

Crippling and Captivity

Long Ying cripples Yu Xiaogang’s Martial Soul and Soul Rings alongside Bibi Dong’s, then threatens them against teaching Tang San the Twin Martial Soul cultivation method 91.

Qian Renxue subsequently captures the pair and attempts to force Yu Xiaogang to acknowledge his alleged plagiarism and disgrace. He refuses, insisting that the Sky Screen fabricated the accusations and that he remains a true theory master 105.

Yu Xiaogang and Bibi Dong are later taken to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Yu Xiaogang is tied up, abused, and eventually imprisoned in a secret chamber, where Liu Erlong attempts to reach him and help restore his lost power 116 119 121.

Notable Quotes

“I’m a Martial Soul theory master! I can’t farm like an ordinary person!” 105

“If my father had not given me such a Martial Soul, I would have become a Titled Douluo long ago.” 121

Trivia

• Yu Xiaogang’s public identity as a theory master is closely tied to the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls, despite repeated accusations that they are common knowledge rather than original research 9 28.
• His attempt to infer Tang San’s Twin Martial Souls was regarded by Spirit Hall scholar Wang Tiangang as a lucky guess rather than proof of superior theoretical insight 28.
• He rejects the existence of human Soul Cores and vows to expose the Sky Screen, even as other factions begin considering Soul Core cultivation 60.