"Oh~! Isn't this the Grandmaster? How's your invincible theoretical research going?"
A teacher walked out of the classroom and happened to see Yu Xiaogang passing by in a hurry.
"Need you ask? With the Grandmaster's abilities, he must have long discovered the eleventh principle of the Martial Soul's core ten competitivenesses," someone nearby overheard and looked over, then laughed.
Even some children covered their mouths and snickered on the side, whispering to each other and secretly pointing at Yu Xiaogang.
Although they were teasing, none of the students actually dared to openly embarrass Yu Xiaogang—after all, this was a world where strength was revered.
No matter how weak Yu Xiaogang was, he was still a twenty-ninth-level Soul Grand Master.
There was a significant gap between him and these newly awakened children and commoners.
Yu Xiaogang paid no attention to these people, not so much because he was used to it.
Even back at Notting College, he had faced similar situations, though back then, he had the support of his friend, the Notting Dean, so the circumstances were slightly better.
Yu Xiaogang turned a deaf ear to the mockery around him, his mind entirely absorbed in his own thoughts.
He had indeed been researching a new theory recently and had made some progress, but the lack of practical application had stalled his efforts.
However, he had recently discovered a promising candidate. Although the child's Innate Soul Power was only level six, the mutated bamboo Martial Soul showed great potential for development.
He planned to apply the research he had conducted on Li Xun over the past two years to this child.
The problem was, his reputation in this town was so poor that the child's parents were unwilling to entrust their child to his guidance.
Yu Xiaogang frowned deeply, constantly pondering what to do next.
"Teacher, long time no see."
Suddenly, a voice so familiar it couldn't be more so came from ahead. Yu Xiaogang's body stiffened instantly, his eyes flashing with disbelief before he abruptly looked up.
"Xiao San~! What brings you here?"
Yu Xiaogang's voice trembled slightly, his eyes filled with incredulity.
Since the Soul Master Competition began, the relationship between the two had grown increasingly distant. Even minor disagreements were magnified endlessly, yet Yu Xiaogang felt powerless to change it.
When he learned that the Clear Sky Sect had reemerged and come to the Starfall Empire, Yu Xiaogang had considered visiting, but reason held him back.
He never expected his beloved disciple to find him without any prior notice.
"Teacher, you haven't changed, though you have more wrinkles and your hair has grayed considerably."
Tang San stood at the entrance to Yu Xiaogang's dormitory, smiling warmly at him as if they were long-lost family.
"Ah! I've grown old, but you've grown so much. Your appearance has changed—you're a handsome young man now."
Yu Xiaogang looked at the youth with his head of jet-black hair, his eyes growing moist.
In life, beyond mere survival, it's all about fame and fortune.
Though Yu Xiaogang had spent his life teaching, most of his disciples were nominal at best. Even the others at Shrek Academy hadn't truly captured his heart.
But Tang San was different. He was his personal disciple, the bearer of his hopes—the one who had promised to clear his name.
Even though the Blue Lightning Tyrant School was no more...
The two of them seemed to have opened the floodgates of conversation, forgetting all past unpleasantness as they chatted just like old times. It was as if they wanted to make up for all the words left unsaid during their three-year separation in one sitting.
But even the deepest longing eventually finds its end.
When the conversation inevitably reached its limit, Tang San shifted the topic: "Teacher, I came here today to ask for your agreement on something."
"Xiao San, whatever you need, just speak your mind." Yu Xiaogang's stiff expression softened into a smile upon hearing this. His greatest fear was that Tang San would have no use for him.
As long as he still held value, he wouldn't be forgotten.
"Teacher, I want to have a match with you." Tang San's previously relaxed demeanor turned serious: "I won't use Soul Power or Spirit Rings."
"What!!"
Yu Xiaogang thought he must have misheard, his smile freezing as he stared at Tang San in astonishment: "Are you saying you want to have a Soul Duel with me?"
"You could interpret it that way, but rest assured, for the sake of fairness, I won't use my Martial Soul. We'll stop when appropriate." Tang San nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
But in Yu Xiaogang's eyes, this scene appeared like a demon's mockery.
"You!!" Yu Xiaogang felt as if struck by lightning, his body beginning to tremble slightly as he pointed at Tang San. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out for a long time.
"Teacher, this is my final request to you, whether you agree or not." Tang San had anticipated this reaction and watched Yu Xiaogang calmly, awaiting his response.
"So this is why you suddenly came to see me! You came to humiliate me?"
In his fury, Yu Xiaogang's face turned crimson, his eyes seeming to spit fire: "And I thought you were someone who knew how to repay kindness. I never expected you to finally drop your disguise today."
"Haha, it truly confirms what my father said - 'As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.' I regret not realizing this sooner, despite my father's repeated warnings."
Remembering Yu Yuanzhen's casual conversations with him at Shrek Academy, Yu Xiaogang threw his head back and laughed bitterly, two streams of tears tracing paths down his face: "So what will you gain by humiliating me? Proving you're stronger than me? Proving my theories wrong?"
Watching Yu Xiaogang's hysterical state, Tang San shook his head in disappointment.
Suddenly, the once towering figure in his heart completely vanished.
"It's not about humiliation. If not necessary, we might never have met again in this lifetime, but because of you, I've developed issues in my mental state."
Tang San slowly approached Yu Xiaogang: "It's because of you that I've been trapped in regret over my wrong choices of Spirit Rings all these years. And it's precisely because of your series of rhetoric that I kept going further down the wrong path."
A dark purple Blue Silver Grass quietly appeared in Tang San's hand: "You always said Blue Silver Grass is a useless Martial Soul, but forgot that even if there are differences between Twin Spirits, the gap shouldn't be too large. My Blue Silver Grass is actually not weaker than the Clear Sky Hammer at all."
Tang San then recounted the story of A Yin and explained the mutation process of his Blue Silver Grass: "Do you have anything else to say, Teacher!!"
Yu Xiaogang stared fixedly at the dark purple Blue Silver Grass, his lips trembling: "How could this be..."
Both the revelation about Tang San's Soul Beast mother and the mutation of Blue Silver Grass had delivered tremendous shocks to him. If what Tang San said was true, then some elements of his Ten Core Competencies of Soul Spirits would need to be rewritten.
"That's the reality." Tang San stopped ten meters away from Yu Xiaogang, extending his hand in an inviting gesture. "What I need to achieve now is a flawless state of mind."
"Haha, what a magnificent 'flawed state of mind' and 'flawless state of mind'!"
Seeing Tang San's earnest expression, Yu Xiaogang suddenly burst into loud laughter, tears streaming from his eyes. "Since you're attributing all these mistakes to me, then go ahead and strike!~"
After speaking, Yu Xiaogang tightly closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and assumed a posture of awaiting execution.
"How pathetic!" Tang San shook his head in disappointment, feeling somewhat disheartened.
This situation was far different from the graceful farewell he had imagined.
But he had said all that needed to be said - right and wrong would be left for Yu Xiaogang to ponder himself.
With Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track underfoot, Tang San suddenly transformed into an afterimage, arriving behind Yu Xiaogang in the blink of an eye. A single chop of his hand sent Yu Xiaogang collapsing to the ground.
The moment he saw Yu Xiaogang fall, Tang San felt a sudden sense of melancholy.
But as time passed, certain voids in his heart were filled, replaced by a feeling of astonishment.
"Was he always this weak?"
Guilt vanished, replaced by rising anger. Tang San suddenly became furious at his past self for so readily deciding to become his disciple.
He continuously reflected, continuously reconciled with his former self, gradually feeling as if his very soul had been elevated.
The trace of inferiority complex born from being repeatedly crushed by Li Xun completely disappeared.
"Only a master teacher can produce outstanding disciples!"
"Gods don't do meaningless things - was this the true purpose of the God Trial all along?" Tang San gazed at the azure sky.
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