"You insolent brat!"
With a furious roar, the sexy fellow with the crew cut went red with rage.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes were bloodshot, and he panted like an ox. "I've spent decades researching martial soul theory! Who are you, a mere little girl, to question it?"
"The ten core competencies of martial soul theory I published is one of the most advanced research achievements of our time! It has guided countless Soul Masters down the path to power, yet you dare question the research of such a master of theory!"
"Utter arrogance! Ignorance! You don't know your own limits!"
"I'm not the one who said it."
Xiao Wu curled her lips.
"Who in Nuoding City hasn't heard of your rotten reputation?"
"And you still have the nerve to stand here bragging? Do you think we're country bumpkins?"
"The kids in Nuoding City even made up a nursery rhyme about you. Here, I'll sing it for you."
"Yu Xiaogang, his head in the sky, claims his theories rank first and fly."
"All pure nonsense, none can see, a useless fool, as sad as can be, as sad as can be~ Hahaha~"
Xiao Wu wiggled her little bottom and pulled a face. "Bleh, bleh, bleh~ Shame on you!"
Even Little San Niang was amused, smiling with her lips pressed together.
At the same time, worried that Yu Xiaogang might lash out in humiliation, Tang San Niang quietly moved Xiao Wu behind her.
"You brat!"
Yu Xiaogang pointed a trembling finger at Xiao Wu, beside himself with rage.
How could Yu Xiaogang not know what outsiders thought of him?
Even the academy's students and teachers talked about him behind his back, and most scoffed at him.
But so what?
How could mere ordinary people possibly comprehend his talents?!
Everyone else could look down on him, but the disciples he had chosen absolutely could not.
When he received Tang Yin's and Tang San Niang's Spirit Hall certificates from Nuoding Academy's dean,
Yu Xiaogang had felt something like the call of destiny.
His destined disciples.
The geniuses who could prove his theories had arrived.
For that very reason, Yu Xiaogang had waited eagerly at the academy gates every single day.
Yet now those idiots had ruined his first impression in his future disciples' hearts.
Those beasts!
Yu Xiaogang threw back his head and howled, filled with grief and indignation.
"Ordinary people are ignorant fools. They simply cannot comprehend the greatness of the theories I created."
"Oh? Then why don't you tell me what makes your theories so great?"
A boy's clear voice came from one side.
Tang Yin stepped in front of his two younger sisters, his gaze icy.
He had brought his two younger sisters to register at a completely different time from the original course of events today, yet he had still "coincidentally" run into Yu Xiaogang.
It seemed the meeting between master and disciples in the original course of events had not truly been a coincidence.
"Big Brother, you're finally back! This guy is so annoying."
Xiao Wu pouted.
Tang San Niang obediently took the candied hawthorn skewers, rose onto her tiptoes, and recounted what had just happened in her brother's ear.
At that moment, Yu Xiaogang was staring at the newly arrived boy with shining eyes.
Those swordlike brows, those star-bright eyes, that striking, heroic bearing-he was precisely the disciple Yu Xiaogang had dreamed of.
A bad first impression did not matter.
Yu Xiaogang had abundant practical experience in this area!
With his silver tongue, he had once duped countless students into serving as touchstones for testing his theories.
Yu Xiaogang regained his air of serene, unruffled mastery.
"Child, there are too many people and prying eyes here. Why don't we go inside the academy and discuss this in detail?"
Many of the students' parents had already noticed the infamous Useless Gang, and now they began offering warnings.
"Child, don't listen to his nonsense. This guy is just a useless freeloader."
"He's spent over a decade at Nuoding Academy without ever contributing a thing. Instead, he's ruined quite a few students' futures."
"Exactly! Someone this vile deserves to have a kid born without a fucking asshole!"
Yu Xiaogang's face turned livid, and he snorted coldly.
"Enough!"
Two yellow soul rings appeared, and he unleashed the full fluctuations of his level-29 soul power-terrifying indeed!
The soul power fluctuations of a Soul Grandmaster crushed all dissent, leaving the surroundings deathly silent.
The parents hurried away with their children.
The academy entrance cleared out in an instant.
Only then did Yu Xiaogang turn to Tang Yin and speak indifferently.
"Do you see? That is the gulf between me and those ordinary people. They could spend their entire lives trying and still never catch a glimpse of the Soul Grandmaster realm's back."
"Before me, they are like a speck of a mayfly gazing at the vast heavens. How could they possibly comprehend the greatness of my theories?"
Yu Xiaogang was certain these children had never seen anyone stronger than a Soul Grandmaster.
His current soul power level was more than enough to intimidate them into obedience.
"Spirit Hall classified one of your martial souls as a trash martial soul and the other as a tool martial soul. They have eyes but cannot see-they're blind!"
"Only I can recognize your potential, and only I can make your talents bloom to their fullest."
"Children, become my disciples, and I will lead you to the pinnacle!"
"You'll become even stronger than I am now!"
Tang Yin shook his head.
"You're dodging the question."
"Or do you believe strength alone proves competence?"
Yu Xiaogang froze, then shook his head with a smile. "Child, as a Soul Master, what else can you speak of without strength?"
Tang Yin's expression remained calm.
"Exactly. What else can you speak of without strength? So what qualifies you to be our teacher?"
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened with displeasure.
"What do you mean by that? Are you saying you think you're stronger than me?"
Tang Yin smiled without answering.
Holding his two younger sisters' hands, he walked through the academy gates.
The gatekeeper stood to one side, nodding and bowing, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.
Ignored, Yu Xiaogang turned livid, and his voice abruptly rose several pitches. "Stop!"
"Boy, why don't we make a wager?"
Tang Yin could not be bothered with him and kept walking.
After spending fourteen years here, he had finally encountered two geniuses with innate full soul power.
Moreover, by Yu Xiaogang's reckoning, both children very likely possessed dual martial souls!
These were his destined disciples!
His hope of proving the theories he had created was right before his eyes!
His chance to hold his head high and make a name for himself was right before his eyes!
He had to consider whether this might be the only opportunity he would ever have.
Yu Xiaogang raised a black belt inlaid with twenty-four milky-white pieces of jade.
"My stake is an extremely precious, top-grade soul tool."
"Boy, I know you were born into a blacksmith's family. Since you've grown so tall and sturdy, I imagine you're quite confident in your physique."
"Then come and give it a try. Whether you can defeat me or not, I will give you this belt as a gift."
"Of course, if you lose, you and your younger sister must become my disciples."
At last, Tang Yin stopped.
He turned back toward the expectant Yu Xiaogang and frowned. "That's unfair. My sister and I are two people, but you're only putting up one item."
"Fine, I'll add another!"
Seeing that the fish had finally taken the bait, Yu Xiaogang laughed.
He drew an ornate short sword from inside his clothes. Seven sapphires adorned its scabbard, and the sword measured one foot and two inches long. Even unsheathed, it exuded a keen edge.
"What do you think, child? Surely my sincerity is beyond question."
Yu Xiaogang had considered the possibility that Tang Yin had already absorbed his first soul ring and advanced to Soul Master, which would explain his growing arrogance.
But!
A level-29 Soul Grandmaster fighting a child who had awakened his martial soul only three months ago.
There was only one thing to say.
The advantage was his!
The corners of Tang Yin's mouth lifted slightly.
"Not bad. Then I'll play along."
Before you continue