Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy, Yu Xiaogang's office.
The room was piled with materials on martial souls, many of them copied by Yu Xiaogang from confidential documents in the libraries of Spirit Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
He had certainly worked hard to resolve the defects in his martial soul, Luo Sanpao.
Having heard the astonishing news that Lu Yuan had fought Xiao Chenyu and a group of older students on the field and thoroughly thrashed more than a dozen of them, Yu Xiaogang summoned an older student who had been nearby to question him.
"What!"
Yu Xiaogang slammed his hands on the desk and sprang to his feet in agitation.
"You're saying Xiao Chenyu used some unknown evil art that actually changed the scenery around him? Is that true?"
The student he was questioning looked frightened by his sudden outburst and could barely get his words out.
"Y-yes, G-Grandmaster. I... I was... right... not far from that group at the time. I saw... everything clearly."
Yu Xiaogang sank back into his seat, looking dazed, his eyes vacant.
"Grandmaster, is there anything else?"
The student watched Yu Xiaogang with trepidation, not daring to breathe too loudly.
"That's all. You may leave."
"Yes!"
The student fled Yu Xiaogang's office at top speed, leaving him alone to ponder.
"Could it be... a domain? But how is that possible? Lu Yuan is only a six-year-old child. He isn't even a Soul Master."
Born into the direct line of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and well versed in the world, Yu Xiaogang immediately guessed that the move Lu Yuan had used against Xiao Chenyu on the field was a domain.
Yet this went beyond Yu Xiaogang's understanding. As far as he knew, high-grade martial souls had a chance of awakening a domain skill after their wielders broke through to Level 90 and became Titled Douluos.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin, for example, had awakened the exclusive domain of his martial soul, the Seven Kill Sword-the Seven Kill Domain-after reaching Level 90.
Of course, there were also unusual accounts of people obtaining domains on the continent. Passing the exceedingly difficult trials of Slaughter City, for instance, would grant someone the Slaughter Domain.
But however he looked at it, none of those were things a child like Lu Yuan, who had entered the Soul Master World barely two months ago, could accomplish.
"Could that strange external martial soul of his, the first of its kind to appear, possess an innate domain skill?"
Yet Yu Xiaogang had never heard of any high-grade martial soul on the continent that could give its wielder a domain immediately upon awakening.
"Wait. If a high-grade martial soul can't do it, what about a divine-grade martial soul that stands above them?"
Yu Xiaogang was no ordinary man, but a scumbag who had hooked up with Bibi Dong, Spirit Hall's current Supreme Pontiff, former Holy Maiden, and peerless genius.
With Bibi Dong bending the rules for him, Yu Xiaogang had found fragments of information within Spirit Hall about the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, whose lineage was rumored to have died out.
Yu Xiaogang knew that Spirit Hall's inherited martial soul, the Six-Winged Angel, was said to have been bestowed by the Angel God, who had ascended ten thousand years ago. Its potential far surpassed ordinary martial souls, and its innate soul power could exceed the upper limit of ten levels.
If any martial soul could awaken an innate domain, it could only be a divine-grade martial soul.
"But that little thing..."
Yu Xiaogang recalled Meowmeow, the little green kitty that followed Lu Yuan around. No matter how he looked at it, Meowmeow lacked the majestic bearing a divine-grade martial soul like the Six-Winged Angel ought to possess.
Not to mention that Lu Yuan's innate soul power was only level 0.5.
"Sigh."
Thinking of that external martial soul and level 0.5 innate soul power reminded Yu Xiaogang of his own useless self and Luo Sanpao.
"Damn you, Luo Sanpao! If it weren't for you, how could I have fallen to this state!"
Yu Xiaogang began pacing his office in anger again.
"Even if the innate soul power you gave me was only level 0.5, if only you could make me as strong as Lu Yuan, if only you could possess a domain like Meowmeow... no!"
Yu Xiaogang raised his head and looked out the window, his gaze turning resolute.
"No, I have to find Lu Yuan again. This time, no matter what, I must take him under my wing!"
Yu Xiaogang was shrewdly working his little abacus. The strength Lu Yuan had displayed far exceeded his own at that age. As long as Lu Yuan became successful in the future, he could become the teacher of a genius, whether or not Yu Xiaogang himself deserved any credit.
At the very least, Yu Xiaogang could observe how Lu Yuan managed to be so much stronger than him when their martial souls' outward characteristics were almost identical.
Keeping Lu Yuan by his side, using him as a reference specimen for external martial souls, and even having him experiment with how to proceed beyond level thirty-those were Yu Xiaogang's true aims.
Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy, outside a lush grove.
Having just finished meditating and cultivating, Lu Yuan walked out of what served as a rudimentary simulation site for him and stretched.
"Lu Yuan, have you finished cultivating?"
A familiar voice reached him. Lu Yuan looked over. Who else could the visitor be but Yu Xiaogang?
"Grandmaster, why have you come to see me?"
"Naturally, it's still about taking you as my disciple."
Yu Xiaogang stood with dignified poise, looking rather like a lofty master beyond worldly concerns.
But Lu Yuan had long since seen the rotten mess beneath that exterior.
"Taking me as your disciple?"
Lu Yuan thought, Haven't I already turned down this middle-aged old fart? What's gotten into him this time?
Yu Xiaogang was as ordinary as ever, and as confident as ever-in short, mediocre yet conceited.
"I've come to give you another chance to take me, a martial soul research expert renowned across the continent, as your teacher. I hope you'll give it serious consideration."
Yu Xiaogang's words left Lu Yuan speechless.
Was that any way to ask someone to become your disciple? Not wanting to get any further entangled with Yu Xiaogang, Lu Yuan shook his head.
"Sorry, but I really don't want to take someone who's over forty and still only a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster as my teacher."
With that, Lu Yuan put both hands behind his head, hummed a little tune, and turned to leave, relaxed and carefree.
Hearing Lu Yuan's words, Yu Xiaogang nearly flew into a thunderous rage. His right fist clenched tight, veins bulging, yet he still had to maintain a grandmaster's dignity in public.
At that moment, Yu Xiaogang resembled a boiling kettle with nowhere to vent its steam. His face flushed red, and heat seemed to rise faintly from his body.
"Lu Yuan, you beat Xiao Chenyu, the cherished son of Nuoding City's Lord Xiao, in front of everyone that day. Aren't you afraid he'll come to teach you a lesson?"
Lu Yuan halted, lowered his hands, and stopped humming. His carefree demeanor vanished as he turned to Yu Xiaogang with a grave expression.
"What exactly do you mean, Grandmaster?"
"Hmph!"
At last seeing Lu Yuan drop his arrogant attitude, Yu Xiaogang curled his lips, unable to hide his smug satisfaction.
"If Xiao Chenyu goes home and tells Lord Xiao what you did to him that day, do you think he'll come to the academy? When that happens, with no one backing you, how will you face the wrath of Lord Xiao, a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, all alone?"
Seeing Lu Yuan fall silent, Yu Xiaogang continued, "Only by becoming my disciple and relying on my status can you escape this calamity."
Yu Xiaogang's status?
Lu Yuan pondered it. A grandmaster of martial soul research? A dabbler like Yu Xiaogang certainly wasn't one. He was probably referring to the identity he had hidden for years: the biological son of Yu Yuanzhen, the leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Just then, a work-study student came running toward the two of them in a panic.
"Boss Lu, something terrible has happened! Director Su wants you. He seems to be facing off against Nuoding City's lord at the academy gates!"
"Hahaha!"
Hearing the news, Yu Xiaogang burst into laughter. His expression grew even smugger and more confident, as though Lu Yuan were already prey caught in his hands-no, his disciple.
"Lu Yuan, what did I tell you? Here he is already! Have you decided to take me, Yu Xiaogang, as your teacher? You don't have much time left."