Gangzi, You Misjudged Me Again

Holy Soul Village, Spirit Hall.

Six-year-old Ling Yun stood at the center of the awakening array. As golden motes of light gathered, a dark-blue figure silently appeared behind him.

It had long limbs, three-fingered hands, and two-toed feet. Two pointed horns swept back from its head, and a long pink tongue was wrapped around its neck. It looked neither like an ordinary frog nor like any known Soul Beast.

Su Yuntao stared at it for a long while before he could venture a guess. "A frog-type Beast Martial Soul? It must be some kind of Mutated Martial Soul."

When Ling Yun pressed his palm to the crystal ball, blue light instantly filled the room. "Innate Full Soul Power? A Mutated Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power. I don't know whether that's a blessing or a curse for you, kid."

With that, Su Yuntao circled Greninja twice more. Unfortunately, he still couldn't make sense of it, so he could only write "mutated frog-type Beast Martial Soul" on the certificate. Before long, Tang San completed his awakening too.

Blue Silver Grass. Innate Full Soul Power. Two children with Innate Full Soul Power—Old Jack was so delighted he nearly burned incense for his ancestors on the spot. Several days later, the two boys entered Nuoding Academy together.

It was there that Ling Yun first met Yu Xiaogang.

When Yu Xiaogang immediately declared that Tang San had a Second Martial Soul, Ling Yun was genuinely intrigued. Whatever else could be said about him, though his theories often fell flat on their faces, the man did have an eye for these things.

So after Tang San finished becoming his disciple, Ling Yun walked over too. "Grandmaster, could you take a look at mine?"

Yu Xiaogang took the certificate. His brows twitched when he saw the words "Innate Full Soul Power," and he asked Ling Yun to release his Martial Soul.

After Greninja appeared, Yu Xiaogang studied it for a long time. Once he confirmed Ling Yun had no Second Martial Soul, the interest vanished from his eyes. "Your Martial Soul offers no obvious boost to your strength, and I can't detect any elemental affinity. Frog-type Beast Martial Souls are weak to begin with. Yours isn't worth cultivating."

Ling Yun understood. "So?"

Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back. "I won't take you as my disciple. I, Yu Xiaogang, have spent years studying Martial Soul Theory. Naturally, I consider talent when choosing a disciple."

The message was clear enough: Tang San was worth studying. Ling Yun was not.

Ling Yun stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly smiled. "Grandmaster, I've heard a saying."

Yu Xiaogang frowned. "What saying?"

"There are no worthless Martial Souls, only worthless Soul Masters." Ling Yun looked him in the face and slowly twisted the knife.

Yu Xiaogang's expression darkened.

But Ling Yun wasn't done. "You say there are no worthless Martial Souls, yet when it's your turn to choose a disciple, you check whether the Martial Soul has value first. Grandmaster, is your theory something you only preach, not something you believe?"

"Ling Yun!" Tang San stepped forward at once, placing himself between Ling Yun and Yu Xiaogang. "Teacher only gave you his assessment based on Martial Soul Theory. If you can't accept it, you can leave. There's no need to mock him."

Ling Yun glanced at him. "Little San, it hasn't even been the time it takes an incense stick to burn since you became his disciple, and you're already defending him?"

Tang San's gaze grew colder. Yu Xiaogang's voice chilled too. "There's nothing wrong with a young person having pride. But if you can't see the most basic reality, that's foolishness. You won't prove your Martial Soul can amount to anything with your mouth."

Ling Yun nodded. "I like that."

He withdrew Greninja and headed for the door. Only when he reached it did he look back.

"Grandmaster, you'd better remember what you said today. Don't change your tune later."

Yu Xiaogang didn't answer. He only thought the child was far too unruly.

That evening, Ling Yun received a notice from the academy.

Defying a teacher. Refusing to obey academy rules.

Work-study eligibility revoked.

Ling Yun looked at the Expulsion Notice in his hand and laughed instead.

Yu Xiaogang stood a short distance away. "Apologize now, and I can plead your case with the academy. I might even make an exception and take you as my disciple. Otherwise, with that Mutated Martial Soul of yours, you'll never make anything of yourself."

Ling Yun crumpled the paper and tossed it into a trash can. "No, thanks. Didn't you say I wasn't worth cultivating? I won't waste your time, Grandmaster."

He picked up his small bundle and walked away without looking back. "If this place won't have me, somewhere else will."

Seven years later.

Blue Tyrant Academy.

Students crowded around the training ground.

Three sixteen- or seventeen-year-old Advanced Class Students stood in the middle of the field, each looking more miserable than the last. Across from them, Ling Yun crouched to tie his shoes.

"Boss, today doesn't count. You just broke through to Level 40. How were we supposed to know the gap would be this big?" One of them rubbed his numb arm, his face full of defiance.

Ling Yun looked up. "That's not what you said before we started. Who thumped his chest and said he had to seize my spot as Blue Tyrant's boss today, while my new level was still unstable?"

Laughter erupted all around them.

"If you lost, admit it. Don't embarrass the Advanced Class! Three against one, and you barely touched the boss's clothes."

The new students clicked their tongues in amazement. Thirteen years old. Level 40.

That rate of cultivation was enough to shock all of Heaven Dou City. But at Blue Tyrant Academy, Ling Yun's Soul Power wasn't the only thing that had won people over.

Years ago, Liu Erlong had found Ling Yun near the Soul Hunting Forest, not long after he left Nuoding City.

He had no teacher, knew nothing about Soul Beasts, and had a Martial Soul no one recognized. Yet Liu Erlong had asked him only one question: "Do you want to grow stronger?"

From then on, Ling Yun had stayed at Blue Tyrant Academy. Seven years had passed since.

"Ling Yun, come with me to the office. A few old friends arrived today." Liu Erlong stepped into the crowd, glanced at the three unlucky students, and didn't bother asking who had started it. She simply beckoned Ling Yun over.

Ling Yun pulled on his jacket as he followed her. "What kind of friends need me to come meet them?"

"Old friends of mine. You'll see when we get there." Liu Erlong grabbed Ling Yun and hauled him toward the office.

In the dean's office, Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong were finally reunited after many years.

When Liu Erlong heard what had happened to Shrek Academy, she was startlingly decisive: she declared that Flender would manage the academy from then on.

"And let's drop the name Blue Tyrant too. Since you're all here, we might as well rename it Shrek Academy."

Dai Mubai and the others lit up, but a voice came from the office doorway.

"I don't care if we get a new dean. The name stays."

Everyone turned. Ling Yun pushed open the door and walked in.

Liu Erlong frowned. "What are you making a fuss about now, kid?"

"Teacher, you founded Blue Tyrant Academy to give commoner Soul Masters without connections a chance. What were Shrek's old rules? Only monsters, no ordinary people."

Ling Yun swept his gaze across the room. "They ask to borrow a place to compete, and you hand over the signboard along with it. Anyone who knows you will say you value old friendships. Anyone who doesn't will think Blue Tyrant Academy has been bought out wholesale."

Flender's weathered face reddened.

Ma Hongjun couldn't help muttering, "Shrek's a pretty good name too..."

"Then use it yourselves. Blue Tyrant has hundreds of students. We're not so hard up that we need to borrow someone else's name." Ling Yun's reply was sharp.

Yu Xiaogang finally frowned. "Erlong is the academy's dean. Naturally, she has her reasons for whatever she decides. As a student, you're publicly defying a teacher. You have no respect for the rules."

At the sound of that voice, Ling Yun finally turned his head.

Their eyes met.

Yu Xiaogang froze.

Ling Yun smiled. "Grandmaster, remember me? Seven years later, and you still love lecturing people about rules."

Tang San's head shot up. "Ling Yun?"

"Oh, little San's here too." Ling Yun greeted him, then looked back at Yu Xiaogang.

"I'm guessing you forgot all about this frog you said wasn't worth cultivating." Greninja appeared silently behind him.

At the same time, three Soul Rings rose from beneath Ling Yun's feet.

Ling Yun watched Yu Xiaogang's expression change, his smile widening. "I forgot to tell you. I'm thirteen, I've reached Level 40, and I haven't had time to hunt for my fourth Soul Ring yet."

The room fell quiet. Ling Yun rolled his wrist, then looked at Tang San. "Little San, after all these years, the Grandmaster must have taught you well, right? Perfect timing. Want to spar?"