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In the end, Yu Xiaogang said nothing to Tang San and simply left him to study on his own.
Late at night, Yu Xiaogang lay listlessly in his study, staring at the hundreds of books before him, his interest waning.
"Is it true that there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters?
Heh...
If this theory holds, why am I still such a failure?"
A bitter smile lingered on Yu Xiaogang's lips as he mocked himself.
Only those who had truly struggled in this field understood just how important talent was in soul master cultivation. No matter how hard one worked, their achievements were ultimately limited. Otherwise, there wouldn't be only a few dozen Title Douluos across all of Douluo Continent.
Seeing Ye Wen—a young boy with experiences similar to his younger self—Yu Xiaogang's emotions were complex. He knew Ye Wen's innate talent was terrible, but he desperately wanted to prove that even someone with only half a level of innate soul power could become a powerful soul master.
However—
Upon reflecting on how he still relied on handouts from the Spirit Hall every month just to get by, Yu Xiaogang abandoned this laughable notion.
Even with the resources of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect backing him, he was still a failure. How could someone as destitute as him hope to turn a waste into a genius?
For failures like him in cultivation, the only way to make a name for themselves was through theoretical contributions to soul master studies.
With this thought, Yu Xiaogang's eyes grew more determined.
"Xiao San, I will definitely train you to become a Title Douluo and prove that my theory is correct."
But just as Yu Xiaogang finished making this vow, a hoarse voice echoed through the small study:
"Well said. It's no wonder Xiao San chose you as his teacher."
At the sound of the voice, Yu Xiaogang was startled, then shivered involuntarily.
Tang San had long placed his Hao Tian Hammer martial soul in front of Yu Xiaogang, and Yu Xiaogang had already suspected Tang San's identity.
Though the figure wore a large cloak that concealed his face, Yu Xiaogang instantly recognized him.
"You're… Lord Hao Tian!"
Tang Hao, who had been about to lift his hood, paused momentarily. He hadn't expected anyone to recognize him after disappearing for so many years. Then, naturally lifting his hood, he praised:
"Not bad for a master—you recognized me at first glance."
"Where, where. You were my idol back in the day. Plus, we met briefly once, and I already had suspicions about Xiao San's identity, so it wasn't hard to recognize you, Lord Hao Tian," Yu Xiaogang replied humbly.
Tang Hao nodded, accepting Yu Xiaogang's flattery. However, he wasn't one for lengthy pleasantries, so he got straight to the point:
"I've been watching your performance lately. As Xiao San's teacher, I approve of you."
Yu Xiaogang was delighted. For a fan, nothing was more gratifying than receiving recognition from their idol.
But Tang Hao's next words surprised him.
"You may continue teaching Xiao San. However, I want you to do me a favor—help bring Xiao San closer to a girl in his dormitory named Xiao Wu. This is very important for his future."
If it had been anyone else, Yu Xiaogang would have dismissed their words as nonsense—after all, women were nowhere near as important as cultivation. But Tang Hao's words carried weight, so he obediently replied:
"Yes."
Tang Hao nodded thoughtfully, then turned around and said meaningfully:
"Remember this—Xiao San is my child. When he grows up, he won't let you down."
With that, Tang Hao vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving Yu Xiaogang to marvel at the power of a Title Douluo.
Had Ye Wen witnessed this scene, he would have only scoldeded Tang Hao for being a master at dishing out empty promises. Without spending a single coin, Tang Hao had secured a devoted teacher for Tang San—not to mention roping him into playing matchmaker.
As Tang Hao returned to his secluded life of drunken stupor, he sighed. If only Tang San had half the charm he'd had in his youth, that hundred-thousand-year soul beast wouldn't have run off with another girl.
Still, Tang San's malnourished and darkened appearance was partly his fault.
Slightly tipsy, Tang Hao brushed the thought aside. If things didn't work out, he could always resort to underhanded tactics later—it was only a pre-mature hundred-thousand-year soul beast, after all.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang was wracking his brain over how to play matchmaker for Tang San. No, scratch that—how to pave the way for this romantic connection.
Though he was satisfied with Tang San as a disciple, from what Tang San had told him, the girl Xiao Wu was also a case of full innate soul power—and not with a useless martial soul like Blue Silver Grass.
Yu Xiaogang's resources were already stretched thin just training Tang San. He hadn't dared to approach Xiao Wu, mainly because he feared she'd look down on him. But now, Tang Hao had personally sought him out, expecting him—a penniless nobody—to bridge the gap between Tang San and Xiao Wu. This was undoubtedly a daunting task.
This entire night, Yu Xiaogang couldn't sleep, racking his brain for solutions.
Finally, as dawn broke, he came up with a plan—a desperate measure, but a plan nonetheless.
Trying to force two naïve teenagers together right off the bat would be pointless, even borderline insane.
Instead, he decided to set the task aside for now and let the two start as classmates and friends. Over time, as they spent more time together, their mutual genius would naturally draw them closer, fostering feelings between them. At that point, Tang Hao's request would be fulfilled!
Realizing this plan, Yu Xiaogang's lips curled into a triumphant grin, and he began to feel quite pleased with himself.
When Tang San came to study under Yu Xiaogang, the latter immediately shared his idea. However, Tang San's response crushed him on the spot.
If he could have fostered a good relationship with Xiao Wu—a delicate, adorable, soft-spoken little loli—he would have done so long ago. Unfortunately, she had looked down on him from the start. Now, she was completely smitten with the leader of their dorm, becoming her loyal follower and fangirl.
These past two days, she had even been competing with Ye Wen for attention.
But Huo Yu'er clearly sided with Ye Wen, so she treated Xiao Wu coldly. Still, Xiao Wu refused to give up, leading to a tangled mess among the three of them that made Tang San envious.
Yu Xiaogang hadn't expected his first plan to fail before it even began. But who was he? He was Master Yu Xiaogang!
Soon enough, he came up with a second plan.
After some deliberation, Yu Xiaogang said to Tang San, "Tang San, please go fetch Ye Wen and bring him to my study."
?
Tang San was puzzled. Why would his teacher call for that waste? Instinctively blurting out, he asked:
"Teacher, why are you calling him here?"
Yu Xiaogang chuckled confidently, replying:
"I plan to take him as my disciple. From now on, I'll frequently summon him here to read and study. That way, Xiao Wu will have fewer distractions around her, and you can build a better relationship with her."
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