As Zhao Su's thoughts wandered, all sorts of bizarre images surfaced in his mind, and the smile at the corners of his mouth gradually took on a different flavor.
[Ding! Host, please stop being so lewd. If you don't stop Yu Xiaogang now, he'll leave!]
In the end, even the system could no longer bear to watch. Seeing that Flender could no longer hold Yu Xiaogang back, it hurriedly reminded Zhao Su.
"Ahem!"
Zhao Su hastily put away his thoughts that were decidedly unsuitable for children, coughed, and walked toward Yu Xiaogang.
"Grandmaster, I hope you'll stay. Although your theories are sometimes like chicken ribs-hardly worth chewing on, yet a shame to throw away-you're still better at training students than the rest of us."
Zhao Su came up to Yu Xiaogang and spoke with complete seriousness.
"Sorry, I'm just a useless piece of trash. I can't teach students!"
Zhao Su's words only made Yu Xiaogang more irritable, and he struggled to hold back his anger.
He shook off Flender's hand gripping his arm and strode toward the academy gates.
"You're leaving just like that?" Left with no choice, Zhao Su played his trump card. "Do you want to remain a useless piece of trash forever, someone even your own clan looks down on?"
"What do you mean? Don't think your strength gives you the right to do whatever you please!"
Yu Xiaogang could no longer restrain himself. He turned and charged toward Zhao Su, glaring at him with bloodshot eyes.
Zhao Su did not get angry. Instead, he smiled.
"Grandmaster, you've misunderstood me. Although you are indeed useless..." Zhao Su paused here, while Yu Xiaogang's gaze looked ready to devour someone. "I have a way to change your martial soul so you won't be useless anymore."
Yu Xiaogang had been on the verge of erupting completely, ready to fight Zhao Su even at the cost of his life.
But upon hearing Zhao Su's final words, he immediately softened, and the anger in his eyes gradually turned into longing.
Although Yu Xiaogang claimed he did not care what others thought,
and that he could use his theories to nurture powerful talents and prove himself,
even if he did nurture powerful talents, people would still say those geniuses had been geniuses to begin with and would have become strong without him.
Only becoming powerful himself would silence everyone.
Yu Xiaogang had chosen the path of theory only because he had no other choice.
"Can you really change my martial soul?"
"Of course. You've seen Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and Zhuqing's Hell Spirit Cat. You should understand that I have the ability!"
"But I'm different from them. Their martial souls were top-tier to begin with, while mine is a useless martial soul."
Although Yu Xiaogang still found it hard to believe, his tone had softened considerably.
"Helping someone useless become strong gives a greater sense of accomplishment than helping a genius become strong."
Zhao Su's words were unpleasant, but they were the truth.
This time, even Yu Xiaogang did not argue.
"Then what do you want from me?"
"Stay and help Shrek Academy train them."
"That's all?"
"That's all!"
"All right. Deal!"
To change his useless martial soul, Yu Xiaogang cast aside the pride in his heart and agreed.
Compared with the chance to become powerful, pride and dignity were things he could abandon.
"Wonderful! With Brother Zhao's help, once your martial soul evolves successfully, we'll go find her. Our Golden Iron Triangle will surely make an even greater name for ourselves!"
When Flender mentioned her, a flicker of something unusual clearly flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
Still, he did not object.
"I've heard of the Golden Iron Triangle's great reputation for ages. When there's time, I must meet its third corner."
Zhao Wuji stepped forward and said this to Flender and Yu Xiaogang with a smile.
"Don't worry. You'll have a chance to meet her."
Flender patted Yu Xiaogang on the shoulder and continued, "Xiaogang, I'll leave these children's training to you."
"Yes, don't worry. I'll make sure to train them properly."
With Yu Xiaogang agreeing to stay, that night's little disturbance came to a temporary close.
Over the following month, the Shrek Seven Devils entered a life of hellish special training.
During that month, Zhao Su also personally examined Yu Xiaogang's mutated martial soul, Luo Sanpao.
Not only was its appearance bizarre, but its soul power was pitifully weak.
After studying it at length, Zhao Su still could not figure out what connection Luo Sanpao, which could do nothing but fart, had to the Golden Sacred Dragon.
Even when he concealed his Twelve-Winged Holy Angel martial soul and released only its inherent sacred essence, which could alter one's constitution and refine martial souls,
he still failed to make Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao evolve.
"How is it?"
Enveloped in the sacred essence, Yu Xiaogang could feel that the soul power within him had grown purer and that his strength had increased somewhat, yet he still could not break through the barrier of rank thirty.
"Alas, this method won't work. It looks like I'll have to think of another way!"
Zhao Su sighed. Seeing a trace of disappointment appear on Yu Xiaogang's face, he continued, "But don't worry. Even if I can't make your martial soul, Luo Sanpao, evolve, I still have a way to help you break through the rank-thirty barrier."
"Really?"
"Of course, but not now. The time isn't right yet!"
After Yu Xiaogang left, an eerie black figure appeared in Zhao Su's room.
"Master, I've looked into it. To evolve Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao into a true Golden Sacred Dragon, we must not only reunite the Golden Iron Triangle but also obtain the Dragon Seal and Dragon Transformation Soul Bone passed down through generations of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"So I was right. Yu Xiaogang's constitution is too weak to withstand the Golden Sacred Dragon's descent. Only by uniting all three as one can they truly summon the Golden Sacred Dragon!"
"Exactly!"
"Don't return to the Star Luo Empire. Go to Heaven Dou City and apply for a position at an advanced soul master academy called Blue Tyrant Academy. Find a way to earn Liu Erlong's trust."
"Yes!"
Shadow acknowledged the order, then her dark silhouette gradually vanished.
"Liu Erlong."
Zhao Su murmured the name. He now had to find a way to get all the teachers and students of Shrek Academy to follow the original story's course and head to Heaven Dou City.
They needed to go to Blue Tyrant Academy and reunite the Golden Iron Triangle.
Only then would he have a chance to uncover everything about the Golden Sacred Dragon.
"System, how is your calculation of the locations of the Nine-Winged Yinglong's other bones coming along?"
"I'm still calculating. A powerful force seems to be obstructing my calculations!"
The system's voice sounded in Zhao Su's mind.
"In that case, I'll start with the Golden Sacred Dragon and the Bone Dragon."
Zhao Su nodded, planning how he could make a natural visit to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without arousing suspicion.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was near Heaven Dou City anyway, so he could deal with that matter on the same trip. Perhaps he could even obtain information about the other World-Guarding Divine Dragons from Gu Rong.
He had to pick up the pace now. He was eager to know what changes the World-Guarding Divine Dragons could bring him.
Zhao Su understood that his current strength was still too weak. At most, he could handle two Titled Douluos at once.
That clearly was not enough.
Before you continue