The sky screen projected Yu Xiaogang's ugly display of frustrated rage, his manner bordering on madness.
"Hahaha! I'm dying of laughter. So this is the so-called 'Grandmaster'?"
"He used a woman's token to steal books, then had the gall to claim he invented their contents. His hide is thicker than a city wall."
"And he dares call himself the continent's greatest teacher? What an absolute farce!"
Inside the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's great hall, Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen's aged face flushed the color of pig liver.
He smashed the rosewood table beside him with a slap, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
"Disgraceful. He's utterly disgraced our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan," Yu Yuanzhen said through gritted teeth.
He now bitterly regretted sending an apologetic comment across the light screen earlier.
He had thought this son of his was a late bloomer who had earned the recognition of the Heavenly Dao.
Who could have imagined that he was a complete and utter good-for-nothing who scraped by on plagiarism, swindling, and deception?
A stifling atmosphere hung over Shrek Academy's training field.
Tang San strode forward and caught the swaying Yu Xiaogang.
"Teacher, don't get worked up. Please don't make yourself ill with anger!"
He said in a low voice, "Others may not believe you, but I do. The fact that I cultivated to a rank-thirty-three Soul Elder at twelve with my Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is the most perfect proof of your theories. In my heart, you will always be the greatest teacher on the entire continent."
Hearing Tang San's consolation, a trace of life finally returned to Yu Xiaogang's vacant eyes.
He clutched Tang San's arm tightly, taking great, ragged breaths:
"Little San... good child... you're right. As long as I have you, my theories aren't wastepaper..."
This performance of a "loving teacher and devoted disciple" disgusted Ning Rongrong, who stood nearby.
The pampered young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, who had never had a particularly good temper, could no longer suppress her fury.
She tore off her dust-covered weighted vest and hurled it to the ground.
"What a bullshit Grandmaster. You're utterly disgusting!" Ning Rongrong pointed at Yu Xiaogang's nose and unleashed a merciless tirade.
"I really thought you were some secluded master. That's why I put up with your idiotic physical training that treats people like livestock. After all that, you're just a useless fraud who tricks women and steals Spirit Hall's materials to put on a mystical act."
"Ning Rongrong, shut your mouth." Tang San whipped his head around, his eyes narrowing.
"If you dare spout more nonsense and insult my teacher again, don't blame me for disregarding our ties as classmates!"
Rather than back down, Ning Rongrong planted both hands on her hips and sneered:
"What? The sky screen exposed your dirty secrets, and now you're so ashamed and angry that you want to kill me to silence me? Am I wrong? The sky screen showed clear footage of that fine teacher of yours stealing in Spirit Hall's library. Everyone on the continent saw it, yet you're still deceiving yourself here."
She lifted her delicate chin and looked haughtily at Yu Xiaogang and Tang San:
"And don't try to scare me with that look. Other people might fear those sinister hidden weapons of yours, but I, Ning Rongrong, don't."
"I'm the princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. My Grandpa Jian and Grandpa Gu are both Titled Douluos above rank ninety-five. Just try touching a hair on my head! Believe it or not, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will raze your shabby academy tomorrow."
"You-!"
Yu Xiaogang trembled all over with rage at Ning Rongrong's insults, but he forced himself to swallow his anger, not daring to lash out.
Even with ten times the courage, he would not dare face the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's wrath.
Meanwhile, in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's main hall.
The cultured affability on Ning Fengzhi's face had vanished completely, and the folding fan in his grip creaked under the pressure.
"An empty reputation and rotten character. He's nothing short of the dregs of the Soul Master World." Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath and turned toward his two old companions.
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, let's leave for Shrek Academy immediately and bring Rongrong home."
"Having a crooked fraud who deceives the world and steals a reputation teach Rongrong would only lead her astray. We cannot let Yu Xiaogang corrupt her."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin snorted, sword energy surging around him. "You are absolutely right, Sect Master. If that good-for-nothing dares stand in our way, I'll cleave his shabby academy apart with a single strike."
In Spirit City, inside the Worship Hall.
Beneath the enormous Angel God Statue stood several enshrined elders led by the Second Enshrined, Golden Crocodile Douluo.
Every one of them bristled with fury, terrifying fluctuations of Soul Power raging through the hall.
"An unspeakable humiliation!" Golden Crocodile Douluo's beard bristled with anger, his roar echoing through the hall.
"That woman Bibi Dong actually let him into Spirit Hall's highest library without authorization back then, all for a worthless wretch like him. She let him steal the painstaking work of generations of Spirit Hall's predecessors. What does she take Spirit Hall's rules for?!"
"Second Brother is right! We were already dissatisfied with someone outside the family serving as pope. Now it's clear she doesn't deserve that seat at all," another enshrined elder loudly agreed.
"Great Enshrined, I propose that we convene an Elder Hall meeting immediately and strip Bibi Dong of her position as pope!"
At the very center of the hall, Great Enshrined Qian Daoliu stood quietly before the Angel God Statue.
Helplessness and weariness appeared on his aged yet dignified face.
He turned to face the indignant enshrined elders.
Sighing, he said in a low voice, "Calm down, all of you."
"Xunji passed away too soon. Spirit Hall needs a firm hand to hold the world in check. Xue'er is still undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire. She is young, her wings have yet to fully grow, and she cannot shoulder this burden yet."
Qian Daoliu's gaze was deep and complicated. "These were, after all, foolish mistakes Bibi Dong made in her youth. We absolutely cannot allow internal turmoil in Spirit Hall now."
"I will go to the Papal Hall myself to warn her. As for deposing the pope... for the sake of Spirit Hall as a whole, let it go."
Golden Crocodile Douluo forcibly suppressed his fury and gritted his teeth in reluctance. "Great Enshrined, since you are considering Spirit Hall's greater interests, we will naturally obey."
"But we absolutely cannot brush aside such a grave mistake on Bibi Dong's part with a few casual words."
"I propose curtailing her papal authority and returning decision-making power over some core affairs to the Elder Hall, lest she do anything foolish that harms Spirit Hall again."
The other enshrined elders nodded in agreement. This was the greatest concession they could make.
Qian Daoliu nodded, tacitly approving the proposal.
On the sky screen high above, Yu Xiaogang's "public execution" continued.
The images shifted again, moving to the time after Bibi Dong abandoned Yu Xiaogang and he left Spirit Hall in despair.
On the light screen, the young Yu Xiaogang became acquainted with the forthright, loyal Flender and the fiery-tempered, beautiful Liu Erlong.
The three hit it off and traveled the continent together, earning the illustrious name of the "Golden Iron Triangle."
Together, they unleashed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill that shook the Soul Master World.
A majestic Golden Sacred Dragon soared into the air, its roar shaking the heavens. Its powerful pressure made countless Soul Masters watching the light screen look over.
At this sight, a long-absent flicker of pride finally appeared in Yu Xiaogang's eyes on Shrek Academy's training field.
This was one of the few glorious moments of his life, and his only combat achievement worth showing off.
However, the sky screen's sudden turn caught him off guard.
The scene shifted, and the blood-stirring battle gave way to a grand wedding, festooned with lanterns and colorful decorations and brimming with joy.
Before you continue