What a load of self-righteous nonsense. Does he really think he can manipulate me with a moral guilt trip?
As he stared at Yu Xiaogang, still putting on a pious act like he was the champion of all commoner Spirit Masters, Ye Yu's heart was filled with nothing but scorn and derision.
Something's wrong...
The moment Yu Xiaogang caught sight of the cold sneer tugging at the corner of Ye Yu's lips, his heart skipped a beat.
In the past, this pitiful act — painting himself as a man who bore the burdens of the world — had worked like a charm. He'd won over both Bibi Dong and Liu Erlong with it. That success had made him overly reliant on this method.
Even if he sensed it might not work on Ye Yu, well... what if it did? That would be a massive win.
Besides, Yu Xiaogang had already thought of a fallback plan in case this approach failed.
"I wouldn't expect you to give me this precious knowledge for nothing, Lord Ye Yu," he said hurriedly as he noticed Ye Yu's expression darken.
He forced a sincere-looking smile onto his stiff face. "In exchange, I can offer you my personal research notes—extensive studies I've compiled on Spirit Masters and soul beasts."
"I also come from one of the Upper Three Sects—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. My father is none other than the clan leader, the Thunderclap Douluo, Yu Yuanzhen."
"If you're willing to share your secret on how to evolve a Martial Soul... and how you, as a Spirit Ancestor, managed to defeat a Spirit Saint with your bare hands... you would earn not only the gratitude of our clan, but also the friendship of my father."
As he spoke of his background and clan's friendship, Yu Xiaogang wore a smug expression, as if he'd just offered Ye Yu a priceless treasure.
Ye Yu looked like he'd just swallowed a fly.
Even Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were visibly angry. Their delicate faces were flushed with fury, fists clenched tight.
Anyone with half a brain could tell:
Yu Xiaogang was trying to trade garbage and empty promises for one of the most valuable secrets in the entire Spirit Master world.
It was laughable—absurd even.
Only someone like Yu Xiaogang, who lived in his own delusional echo chamber and thought himself a real "Master," could genuinely believe that his so-called "research notes" and outdated knowledge held any worth.
Master? More like fraudster.
What, your notes on Martial Soul theory and soul beast taxonomy are supposed to be priceless? We at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan have libraries full of Spirit Master texts—mountains of them.
And let's not forget—my Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone are both Titled Douluo.
Compared to our clan, your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is nothing but trash.
And now you want to con Ye Yu out of his secrets? Dream on.
Ning Rongrong was absolutely disgusted.
Ye Yu's expression twisted into an amused, furious smile. He'd heard enough of Yu Xiaogang's pathetic drivel.
With a black glove pulled snug over his hand, Ye Yu vanished from where he stood—only to reappear in front of Yu Xiaogang in the blink of an eye.
Yu Xiaogang still had that ridiculous, self-satisfied look on his face, like he'd just offered the deal of a lifetime.
Ye Yu's eyes were filled with cold contempt.
Then—SMACK!
A crisp sound echoed through the air as Ye Yu's gloved hand landed cleanly across Yu Xiaogang's left cheek.
The impact caved in his face, leaving a vivid red palm print. His jaw dislocated with a sickening crack, several freshly fixed teeth—along with a few bloody new ones—flew from his mouth.
Yu Xiaogang screamed in agony as he was sent flying, crashing into the grass and skidding back over ten meters.
Clutching his face, he writhed and howled in pain, his voice muffled and distorted by the swelling.
"My mouth! My jaw—AAAHHH!"
"I knew it..."
Not far away, Flender stepped out of the Dean's Office with Zhao Wuji.
As they watched Yu Xiaogang go flying for the second time in a day, Flender buried his face in his hands and let out a pained sigh.
His old friend... wasn't entirely a bad guy.
But this? He was just too arrogant. Too self-absorbed.
He always thought he was the smartest person in the room—and treated everyone else like fools.
But some people can be fooled...
And some people can't.
Someone like Lord Ye Yu—who'd clawed his way up from nothing as a rank 1 innate Spirit Power Blue Silver Grass Spirit Master—to his current terrifying strength?
You think you can pull one over on a man like that? Dream on.
Just then, Tang San and the others finally returned from their day of weighted training.
As they passed the Dean's Office, they heard loud wails of agony from outside.
Following the sound, Tang San's expression changed drastically when he saw his teacher lying on the ground—his face grotesquely swollen, jaw dislocated, and teeth shattered.
"Teacher!!" Tang San's eyes went wide with rage and grief.
Regardless of what the future held, right now he truly saw Yu Xiaogang as a father figure. His own father, Tang Hao, had been absent most of his life.
As someone who believed deeply in the creed "a teacher for a day is a father for life," Tang San's blood boiled.
He rushed over, helping Yu Xiaogang up, then glared furiously at Ye Yu, who stood calmly with a black glove still on his right hand.
"You hit my teacher?" he roared. "Why?! What has he done to deserve this?!"
"Do you really think just because you're powerful, you can do whatever you want?! Someday you'll pay the price for this!"
"Tang San!!"
Ning Rongrong was livid. She planted one hand on her hip and pointed angrily at him with the other.
"Don't run your mouth when you don't even know what happened!"
"This was all that so-called 'Master's' fault—he brought this on himself!"
"Anyone else might be excused, but you? Absolutely not."
"Don't forget—twice in the Star Dou Forest, you nearly died."
"Once at the hands of Meng Shu, the Dragon Duke. The second time when you were absorbing the Man-Faced Demon Spider's Spirit Ring."
"And both times—Ye Yu saved your life."
"You say you know how to repay kindness? This is how you repay him?!"
Tang San's face flushed red with embarrassment, but the anger still lingered in his heart.