The scene unfolded in the dark world, specifically within the grounds of Shrek Academy. Everyone stood still, their eyes fixed on the massive heavenly curtain in the sky. They watched the image of Yu Xiaogang as he pretended to faint during his childhood awakening ceremony. Slowly, the group turned their heads to look at the real Yu Xiaogang standing right beside them.
Flender and Zhao Wuji exchanged a look that was hard to describe. Their expressions were a mix of confusion and deep pity. They had known Yu Xiaogang for a long time, but seeing this hidden part of his past was uncomfortable.
"Does he really think the people watching back then were that easy to fool?" Ning Rongrong asked. The young miss of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School finally spoke the thought that was on everyone's mind. She looked at Yu Xiaogang with a bit of disbelief. "If a normal six-year-old from a small family did that, maybe it would work. But this was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect. They invited the strongest people from all over the Douluo Continent."
She was right. The ceremony was a massive event. Titled Douluo were in attendance, and the number of Spirit Douluo and Spirit Saints was too high to count. A child trying to fake an injury or a faint in front of such experts was like trying to hide a fire with a piece of paper. They would have seen through the act in a second. To the powerful guests, it didn't look like a tragedy; it looked like a joke.
At that moment in the past, the person who felt the most pain was Yu Xiaogang's father, Yu Yuanzhen. In the world of Spirit Masters, things go wrong during awakenings all the time. It is very common for a mutation to result in no spirit power at all. In fact, it happens ninety-nine percent of the time when a mutation occurs. Even for powerful families, it isn't rare for a child to fail to inherit the great talent of their parents.
Usually, failing to inherit talent is not considered a great shame. People might laugh and call a child a "dog son of a tiger father," but the mockery usually ends quickly. After all, Yu Yuanzhen was a Titled Douluo. He was a peak powerhouse of the continent. Even if his son was a disappointment, his own strength commanded respect.
However, the act of faking a faint was different. By burying his head in the sand, Yu Xiaogang showed that he lacked the courage and character expected of a great clan. He didn't act like the son of a Titled Douluo. Instead of facing his failure with dignity, he tried to hide from it in the most obvious way possible.
Originally, people would have only mocked Yu Xiaogang for his poor talent. They might have poked fun at Yu Yuanzhen for having a weak son. But because of this act, the mockery turned toward the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect. Even a spoiled girl like Ning Rongrong understood that her actions reflected on her sect. She knew she could be arrogant, but she could never do something that would make her family look pathetic or dishonest.
Yu Xiaogang's face turned pale. He heard Ning Rongrong's words and felt the heavy stares from Flender and the others. He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. His breathing became heavy and ragged as he struggled to keep his emotions under control. He panted loudly, his chest heaving with every breath.
Maybe he didn't understand the logic of the situation when he was six years old, but he certainly understood it now. The problem was that understanding it didn't help. He couldn't go back in time and change what happened. The dignity he lost decades ago could not be recovered.
"That cursed heavenly curtain! Why does it have to show everyone these things?" Yu Xiaogang hissed through gritted teeth. His eyes were red with anger and shame. "This happened so long ago. People had finally forgotten about it! Why bring it back now?"
He stared at the sky with pure hatred. If he had the power, he would have jumped into the clouds and smashed the curtain into pieces. But he was weak. He could only stand there and watch as his most embarrassing moments were displayed for the entire world to see.
On the heavenly curtain, the video continued to play. The young Yu Xiaogang's fake faint didn't fool anyone. The children who were also there for their awakening might have been worried, but the adults weren't. The Spirit Master in charge of the ceremony looked down at the boy on the ground. A look of deep disgust crossed his face.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect had held this ceremony to show off. They wanted to prove to the other factions that they were still strong and had many geniuses for the future. They wanted to protect their spot in the Upper Three Sects. Everyone there could have understood if the boy was sad or if he cried. The world of Spirit Masters is a hard one, and everyone knows that awakening is a moment that decides a person's life.
But choosing to hide? Choosing to pretend to be unconscious just to avoid the eyes of others? To the clan members, this was the ultimate sign of cowardice. They couldn't believe that this pathetic child was their Young Sect Master. It was a stain on the reputation of the strongest attack-type spirit in the world.
The man in charge didn't know what to do with the boy, so he looked toward Yu Yuanzhen for instructions. Yu Yuanzhen was standing perfectly still. He stared at his son lying on the floor, his heart filled with a mix of anger and confusion. He wondered why his son would act this way. Didn't the boy realize that he carried the name of the clan on his shoulders?
"Well, Brother Yu, this is quite a shame," a Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall said with a cruel smile. "It's a pity your son didn't get a good spirit. But look on the bright side. Now he can live a very quiet and lazy life. He won't have to worry about fighting at all."
The man paused, his smile growing wider. "Though I must say, his behavior is a bit strange. It seems he needs a lot more training in how to act like a man."
Yu Yuanzhen didn't reply with words. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the Spirit Hall representative. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with a cold, terrifying fury. He looked like a volcano that was about to erupt.
The Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School saw the tension. He knew that if a fight broke out here, it would be a disaster. He stepped forward to try and calm things down. "Now, now, let's not be too hard on him. The boy is probably just overwhelmed. It's a lot of pressure for a child. He likely fainted from the stress of the ceremony. Brother Yu, you should go and check on him."
Yu Yuanzhen took a deep breath. He stared at the Spirit Hall elder for a long time before letting out a cold snort. He didn't say a word to his son. He simply turned around, brushed his sleeves, and walked away from the stage. The ceremony that was supposed to be a grand celebration ended in silence and embarrassment.
After the event, Yu Xiaogang was carried back to his room by some servants. As soon as he was inside, he locked the door. He refused to come out or speak to anyone. He stayed in the dark, hiding from the world he felt had rejected him.
Yu Yuanzhen eventually calmed down. He was still a father, and he still cared for his son. When he heard that the boy wasn't eating or drinking, he ordered the servants to leave food outside the door. Then, he went to meet with the clan elders to discuss the future.
"You all saw the beginning of the awakening," Yu Yuanzhen said to the group of elders. "The light and the energy were incredible. That was clearly the sign of a top-tier spirit. Even the dragon roar we heard proves that something powerful is inside him."
He paced around the room, trying to convince them. "The fact that the spirit can exist outside the body is something we've never seen before. It's unique. I believe the spirit is actually very good, but it's being limited by his low innate spirit power. If we give him the right resources, we might find a way to unlock its true potential."
He looked at the elders, his meaning very clear. Even though Yu Xiaogang's talent seemed low, he wanted the sect to use their treasures and pills to force the boy's power to grow.
"I don't agree," one elder said immediately. "He made our sect look like a joke today. Why should we waste our precious resources on a coward? It's out of the question."
"I also disagree," another elder added. "He only has half a rank of spirit power. Think about how much it would cost to make him even a Spirit Grand Master. If we use those same resources on the other children who showed talent today, we could produce several Spirit Kings or even a Spirit Emperor. It's a waste to give them to him."
The other elders nodded in agreement. They felt that Yu Xiaogang's actions had forfeited his right to special treatment. They didn't see a future for him.
Yu Yuanzhen felt a wave of frustration. He wanted to argue, but he knew they were right about the costs. He looked down at the floor and stayed silent for a moment. Finally, he spoke again, his voice firm. "Fine. If the sect won't provide for him, then I will. I will use my own personal resources to help him. You can't have any objection to that, can you?"
The elders looked at each other. Since it was the Sect Master's own property, they couldn't stop him. They still thought it was a mistake, but they didn't say anything more.
Yu Yuanzhen left the meeting and went straight to his son's room. He stood outside the locked door and knocked gently. He told his son that he had found a way to help him and that he would personally make sure he could cultivate.
But the only response he got was a loud, high-pitched scream from inside the room. "Go away! I don't want to hear it! Just leave me alone and get out! Get out!"