Yu Xiaogang Arrives, and Lin Xuan Rakes In the Winnings

The figure in the middle of the road slowly stepped out from beneath the trees.

By the light of the torches atop the city gate, his face came into view.

He wore a neat, dark robe and had a close-cropped haircut. He stood with his hands behind his back.

Flender strode over and clapped him hard on the shoulder.

"Xiao Gang! You finally decided to show up!"

Tang San hurried forward and bowed.

"Teacher."

Yu Xiaogang nodded, his tense expression easing.

"Little San, you've had a long journey."

Yu Xiaogang had always considered it the greatest stroke of luck in his life to have taken on a genius like Tang San, who possessed Twin Martial Souls.

Once Tang San reached the pinnacle of the continent, the world would have to acknowledge that Yu Xiaogang's theories were second to none.

Yu Xiaogang turned his head. His gaze passed over Tang San and settled on Lin Xuan, who stood behind him.

Lin Xuan wore loose casual clothes, his hands tucked into his pockets and his stance relaxed.

Yu Xiaogang was nursing a grudge.

Back at Notting Academy, he had approached Lin Xuan several times, hoping to take the boy with the mutated Paper Martial Soul as his disciple. Lin Xuan had turned him down to his face every time and had even found flaws in his theory of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.

For six whole years, Lin Xuan had barely spared him a glance.

Yu Xiaogang scoffed inwardly.

At Shrek Academy, all practical instruction and team arrangements would be under his control.

There would be plenty of grueling training ahead. He would make Lin Xuan understand that cultivation without systematic theoretical guidance would eventually hit a dead end.

Only I, Yu Xiaogang, can bring out the full potential of his mutated Paper Martial Soul!

Lin Xuan stood where he was, his expression unchanged.

Lin Xuan's opinion of Yu Xiaogang had always been simple.

He thought little of him, and that was that.

Of all the people in the story of Douluo Continent's first installment, there were few Lin Xuan held in such low regard.

Yu Xiaogang was the exception.

Still, Lin Xuan got along well with Tang San now. As long as Yu Xiaogang didn't come over and start ordering him around, Lin Xuan couldn't be bothered with him.

Xiao Wu stood beside Lin Xuan and muttered under her breath.

"Why is it him again? He follows us everywhere."

Xiao Wu had never liked Yu Xiaogang.

Back in Notting City, Yu Xiaogang had spent all day putting on airs and lecturing people. If not for Tang San, she would have given him a taste of her Eight-Stage Throw long ago.

Beside her, Ning Rongrong blinked her big eyes and quietly took half a step back.

She was the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Having grown up watching the give-and-take within the sect, she was quick to read people.

Lin Xuan, Xiao Wu, and Tang San might be close, but they weren't united on everything. Here was a point of disagreement!

Tang San deeply respected his teacher.

Lin Xuan and Xiao Wu, though, couldn't even be bothered to exchange pleasantries with him.

Ning Rongrong laughed to herself.

How interesting!

Zhu Zhuqing stood beside Ning Rongrong, her expression calm.

The brutal competition in the Star Luo Empire had taught her to speak less and act more, so she paid no mind to any of this.

Flender cleared his throat and turned to face everyone.

"Let me introduce Yu Xiaogang, the Grandmaster."

"He and I once made our way through the Soul Master world together. He was the Corner of Wisdom in the Golden Iron Triangle."

"Starting tomorrow, the Grandmaster will handle all your theoretical lessons and practical training. It'll do your future cultivation a world of good."

Xiao Wu curled her lip and turned away.

Lin Xuan caught Xiao Wu by the wrist and gently squeezed her palm, signaling her not to make things too awkward in front of Flender.

Only then did Xiao Wu give a little huff and stand quietly.

Flender waved a hand.

"All right, it's getting late. Head back to the academy and get some rest."

The group followed the road toward Shrek Village.

Tang San and Yu Xiaogang walked at the front, with Flender beside them catching up on old times.

Dai Mubai brought up the rear with a dark expression, while Oscar walked beside him, rubbing his stomach.

Lin Xuan and Xiao Wu walked in the middle at an unhurried pace.

Ning Rongrong quickened her steps to catch up and pulled a heavy money pouch from her Soul Tool.

"Lin Xuan, here! This is what I won with the bet you asked me to place!"

Ning Rongrong stuffed the pouch into Lin Xuan's arms.

"You insisted on betting that you'd win your solo match. The odds were terrifyingly high."

"After the Battle Arena took its cut, that left three thousand Gold Soul Coins. Every last one is there!"

Lin Xuan took the pouch and weighed it in his hand.

"Thanks."

Ning Rongrong waved a hand, beaming.

"No need to thank me. I put a thousand Gold Soul Coins on you myself and cleared five thousand! It's the first time in my life I've won that much money on my own. It feels amazing!"

At the jingle of coins, Xiao Wu spun around and held out both hands to Lin Xuan.

"My share, my share! I helped in the two-on-two match too!"

Lin Xuan untied the pouch, poured a large handful of coins into another cloth bag, and pressed it into Xiao Wu's hands.

"Go buy yourself some carrots. Try not to spend it all at once."

Clutching the heavy bag, Xiao Wu gave a delighted hop.

"Lin Xuan, you're the best!"

Ning Rongrong watched from the side, clicking her tongue in amazement.

Over a thousand coins wasn't much to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but Lin Xuan had handed it all to Xiao Wu without blinking. That kind of generosity was rare.

Those two really are close.

He won't be easy to steal away.

Hearing the commotion, Oscar came up from behind, envy written all over his face.

"Brother Xuan, next time you bet on a match, let me in on it, okay?"

"I've only got three Gold Soul Coins and a few silver ones left."

Dai Mubai gave a cold snort behind him.

"The Great Soul Arena is where people risk their lives, not a gambling den."

Oscar hunched his shoulders and fell silent.

Lin Xuan ignored Dai Mubai's jab and put the remaining coins into his Storage Ring.

"Sure. Follow my bet next time."

Oscar lit up.

Before long, they were back in front of Shrek Academy's ramshackle wooden dormitories.

Flender stood on the wooden steps and clapped his hands.

"Get to bed early tonight."

"Gather at the training ground tomorrow morning. The Grandmaster has an important training plan to announce. Anyone who's late shouldn't expect me to go easy on them."

Yu Xiaogang stood beside Flender with his hands behind his back, looking down at the dispersing students.

His voice was even.

"Tomorrow's training will be demanding. I hope you won't disappoint me."

Dai Mubai and Oscar lowered their heads in acknowledgment.

Lin Xuan nodded, then took Xiao Wu by the hand and headed straight for the dormitory.

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing followed them back.

Flender spoke briefly with Yu Xiaogang, then left as well, giving Yu Xiaogang and Tang San some time alone.

In the open space at the edge of the village, only Yu Xiaogang and his disciple Tang San remained beneath the night sky.