Yu Xiaogang

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Yu Xiaogang (玉小刚)
Alias(es)	Grandmaster; Grandmaster Yu
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan; formerly Spirit Hall; Notting Academy; Shrek Academy
Occupation/Role	Martial Soul theorist, teacher, and dean of Shrek Academy
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Innate Soul Power: half a level	22	Awakened a juvenile-form Light Holy Dragon rather than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon expected by his clan.
Soul Power Level 29	22	His cultivation stopped progressing; he abandoned further cultivation efforts to search books for answers.

Background / History

Yu Xiaogang was born the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan’s leader. At his awakening ceremony, he manifested a martial soul that appeared “neither pig nor dog,” along with only half a level of Innate Soul Power. This led to a sharp loss of status and ridicule within the clan. 22

According to Shen Fan’s diary, Yu Xiaogang’s malformed martial soul was actually a juvenile Light Holy Dragon, a martial soul superior to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Shen Fan alleges that Yu Xiaogang failed to nurture it properly, then attached two unsuitable soul rings that caused it to become Luo Sanpao and eliminated its potential for a second awakening. 22

After reaching level 29 and being unable to advance, Yu Xiaogang turned to martial-soul research. He exhausted the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan’s library, left for Spirit City, and joined Spirit Hall under Pope Qian Xunji. There, his repeated visits to the public library drew Bibi Dong’s attention and began their association. 22

Shen Fan later alleges that Yu Xiaogang used lofty claims about spreading martial-soul knowledge for ordinary people to gain Bibi Dong’s trust and access to Spirit Hall’s resources. The same account notes that Yu Xiaogang taught no classes during his decades at Notting Academy. 23 191

Martial Soul

Light Holy Dragon / Luo Sanpao

Yu Xiaogang’s original martial soul is identified in the diary as the Light Holy Dragon, though it manifested in an immature form because his low Innate Soul Power could not sustain its full awakening. 22

• His manifested martial soul became known as Luo Sanpao after he attached two soul rings described as fart-releasing. 22
• Shen Fan states that selecting sub-dragon soul beasts for his first two rings could have allowed Yu Xiaogang to progress beyond level 29. 22
• Yu Xiaogang publicly describes his mutation as an exceptional case that does not fit ordinary classifications. 44

Knowledge and Teaching

Ten Martial Soul Core Competitiveness

Yu Xiaogang achieved fame through his book, Ten Martial Soul Core Competitiveness. He considers his knowledge of martial souls second to none on the continent. 43

• One principle states that Innate Soul Power is proportional to martial-soul quality. 8
• Another states: “There are no useless martial souls in this world, only useless soul masters.” 8
• His classification divides martial souls into Beast Souls and Weapon Souls. Shen Fan challenges this by asking where Yu Xiaogang’s own martial soul fits; Yu Xiaogang cannot answer. 44
• He insists that a first soul ring cannot exceed 423 years, then rejects Shen Fan’s displayed ring configuration as impossible rather than revising his theory. 43

Student Training and Team Management

Yu Xiaogang serves as Tang San’s teacher and later acts as Shrek Academy’s dean. He is strongly invested in improving Shrek’s reputation through the Elite Competition. 78 79

• His Shrek training plan includes running while carrying stones. 8
• He argues that Shen Fan should join Shrek’s original team and is willing to demote Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and later Xiao Wu to make room for preferred members. 78 81
• He initially undervalues Ye Lingling because he does not recognize the tactical importance of her Nine Hearted Begonia Soul Spirit. 79
• After Dugu Yan defeats Tang San, he seeks to add both Shen Fan and Dugu Yan to the original Shrek team rather than let them form another team. 81

Relationships

• Tang San — His disciple. Yu Xiaogang defends Tang San’s strength and theory-based training, while Tang San is notably protective of his teacher’s reputation. 43 80 230
• Bibi Dong — Former Spirit Hall connection and admirer of his scholarly persona. Shen Fan’s diary alleges that Yu Xiaogang sought to retain her attention and potential support. 22 28
• Liu Erlong — Longtime lover and later spiritual spouse; their relationship is marked by her continued protection of him despite growing disillusionment with his behavior. 26 28 263
• Flender — Old associate and Shrek colleague. Yu Xiaogang persuades him to sacrifice Ma Hongjun and Oscar’s interests for Shrek’s rise. 79
• Yu Tianheng — His nephew. Yu Xiaogang cites Tianheng’s substitute status to convince Ma Hongjun and Oscar to accept demotion. 79
• Shen Fan — Open adversary who repeatedly exposes and mocks Yu Xiaogang’s theories, motives, and conduct. 22 43 44 263
• Dugu Yan — A potential asset Yu Xiaogang wishes to recruit after witnessing her evolved martial soul and overwhelming victory over Tang San. 80 81

Story Role / Major Arcs

Notting Academy Scheme

Shen Fan alleges that Yu Xiaogang arranged for Notting Academy’s gatekeeper to provoke Tang San and Old Jack, allowing Yu Xiaogang to appear at the right time and take Tang San as his disciple. Bibi Dong is stated to have secretly suppressed reports of Tang San’s Innate Full Soul Power so that Yu Xiaogang could receive him. 3 4

Exposure of His Past

Shen Fan begins a diary series titled “Yu Xiaogang’s (Shameless) Road to a Comeback,” revealing the claimed Light Holy Dragon origin of Luo Sanpao, Yu Xiaogang’s stalled cultivation, and his entry into Spirit Hall’s libraries. 22

Assault by Shen Fan

After encountering Shen Fan at Shrek Academy, Yu Xiaogang is knocked down and kicked in both knees. Liu Erlong arrives too late to stop Shen Fan’s escape. 26

Challenge to His Theories

Yu Xiaogang confronts Shen Fan over his simulated soul-ring configuration and declares himself the continent’s second-most knowledgeable martial-soul expert. Shen Fan publicly challenges his absorption-limit theory and martial-soul classification, provoking Yu Xiaogang to faint from rage. 43 44

Shrek Team Dispute

Yu Xiaogang attempts to restructure Shrek’s main team around Shen Fan and Dugu Yan, treating Ma Hongjun and Oscar as expendable substitutes for the academy’s honor. His plan collapses when Shen Fan insists that Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling must remain with him, while Liu Erlong establishes the Dragon Fan Team instead. 78 79 81

Mission World Confrontation

Yu Xiaogang confronts Dragon Fan Academy over its alleged mockery of Shrek Academy and the injury of a Shrek student’s parent. He ignores Liu Erlong, attempts to attack Shen Fan, and is knocked unconscious by Flender before he can act. 262 263

Notable Quotes

“On the entire Douluo Continent, if I consider my knowledge of Martial Souls second, no one would dare call themselves first.” 43

“No matter what I do, it is all to make our Shrek Academy stronger and stronger.” 79

Trivia

• Yu Xiaogang ranks second on Shen Fan’s list of most-hated people, behind Tang San and ahead of Tang Hao. 280
• His public identity as “Grandmaster” is closely tied to the martial-soul theories Shen Fan repeatedly disputes. 43 44
• Despite his low cultivation, he repeatedly acts with confidence toward stronger opponents and institutions, relying on his reputation and connections. 107 263