"Even a useless soul master has a place to prove their worth. Just like us, the Haotian Sect also has a useless one — the sect leader's daughter, Tang Yuehua. Her soul power has never exceeded level 9 in her whole life, yet the businesses she manages bring substantial income to the Haotian Sect every year. Now look at our Yu Xiaogang — what has he contributed to our sect?"
"The facts speak for themselves: Yu Xiaogang is nothing but a hopeless lump of mud. After all these years, every resource has been squandered on this pig. The Elder Council's decision this time is clear — we must put an end to Yu Xiaogang's reckless waste of resources. Useless people must accept their useless roles. Starting today, Yu Xiaogang's status as a core disciple is revoked, and Yu Xiaomen is appointed as the sect's junior sect leader. Yu Xiaogang will no longer enjoy any cultivation resources and will be assigned menial tasks as a service disciple."
Faced with Yu Luomian's relentless accusations, Yu Yuanzhen had no rebuttal — because Yu Luomian was telling the truth.
This time, Yu Yuanzhen did not use his authority as sect leader to veto the proposal. Instead, he waved his hand and said, "Understood. Proceed according to the Elder Council's decision."
Suddenly, Yu Yuanzhen heard footsteps running away behind the door.
He hurriedly opened it and looked out, only to see Yu Xiaogang running away with tears and a runny nose, disappearing into the distance.
As Yu Xiaogang ran back to his room, disciples of the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Sect along the way stopped to watch this crying little buzz-cut.
"Isn't that Yu Xiaogang? Crying again. Was he bullied and now going to find his dad?"
"Judging from the direction he ran, it must have been something in the council hall he couldn't accept."
Yu Xiaoke sneered, "You guys don't know — if it weren't for his sect leader dad protecting him, the Elder Council would have stripped this useless core disciple title long ago. Now, even his dad doesn't want to stop it anymore."
Yu Xiaozhu mocked, "He calls himself a Golden Sacred Dragon, huh? If that pig of his ever evolves into a Golden Sacred Dragon, I'll eat dirt standing on my head."
Yu Xiaoren taunted, "Such a waste, when facing problems he either cries or runs, or goes to find his parents. And he's a huge drain — consuming resources meant for three core disciples! I don't know why the sect even bothers to support this useless lump. If I were sect leader, I would've kicked him out of the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Sect long ago to fend for himself."
After the tedious affairs were over, Yu Yuanzhen arrived at Yu Xiaogang's door with a complicated expression. He opened the door, and it was pitch dark inside.
Standing where the light fell, Yu Yuanzhen's gaze swept the room until it settled on a small figure curled up in the corner, writhing like a maggot — the little buzz-cut boy.
Seeing this, Yu Yuanzhen's anger flared: "Yu Xiaogang, come out here."
Yu Xiaogang's fragile body trembled, then quickly stood up from the darkness and approached his father.
Wiping the tears from his eyes, he looked at him and said, "Dad, I heard everything. What do you mean 'Level 29 is the limit of my lifetime'?"
Yu Yuanzhen took a deep breath and said, "Some things you must face. The world has never been fair. Everyone is born with their own limit — a line that determines their ultimate achievement. Your innate soul power was recorded at 0.5 level. But that number was meant to comfort you. If you were born to an ordinary family, you'd never even become a soul master. The sect's unconditional support over the years and my personal transmission of cultivation techniques allowed you to step into the soul master realm. But — level 29 is your ceiling. No matter how much of the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Sect's resources I throw at you, no matter how much of my own cultivated soul power I transfer to you, the fact remains you will never surpass level 30."
Yu Yuanzhen's words fell like a death sentence.
"No — I don't believe it!" Yu Xiaogang's eyes reddened.
"You have to learn to accept reality, Xiaogang. At least you are a soul master now, aren't you?" Yu Yuanzhen spoke earnestly.
Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang glared at his father with hatred and shouted angrily, "Father, you are the one I trusted most. Are you going to abandon me too? You even agreed with the Elder Council's proposal to degrade me to a service disciple, while that Yu Xiaomen guy is promoted to junior sect leader?" At this, thinking of himself reduced to a worthless servant while Yu Xiaomen stands high above as the junior sect leader — who, once you retire, will be the unquestioned sect leader — Yu Xiaogang felt deep shame.
"Yu Xiaogang, you've had your chance. You just didn't work hard enough. Don't always blame others; look at yourself more. Do you know? Every year, the Elder Council regularly suggests I strip you of your core disciple status. I've been holding back under tremendous pressure. If I weren't the only titled Douluo in the sect, my position would've been taken away a long time ago."
"So —" Yu Xiaogang yelled at his father, "You don't care about me at all. You only care about that position you sit on!"
"You, you, you —" Yu Yuanzhen was so angry he could barely speak.
But Yu Xiaogang, feeling justified, kept going, spitting as he shouted: "You want me to find the fault in myself? What fault do I have? My martial soul should have been the Golden Sacred Dragon. Why? Tell me why I awakened a pig? But did I give up? No. Through 200 times the effort of others, I cultivated to the level 29 realm I am at now. Throughout the entire history of Douluo Continent, who born with 0.5 innate soul power has ever cultivated to this level like me?"
"Why, why can't the sect see my effort? Why should I find fault in myself? Doesn't the sect have faults? Don't you have faults?" Yu Xiaogang's eyes turned red, saliva flying everywhere.
In this way, the small and frail buzz-cut boy launched heavy punches at his burly father, pouring out his anger, spitting all over Yu Yuanzhen's face, hair, and lips.
Finally, with a voice that could be heard throughout the sect, Yu Xiaogang screamed hoarsely, "Level 29 is my limit? No! The sect wants me to be a service disciple? Never! I tell you, Yu Yuanzhen, I, Yu Xiaogang, will break through level 29 in this lifetime. I will surpass the Soul Sovereign. I will stand at the pinnacle of the continent. I will let the entire Douluo Continent eternally sing praises of my name. If the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Sect cannot fix my martial soul defect, then I will go elsewhere — the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Haotian Sect, the Martial Soul Hall. I believe there's a place that can solve my defect. When that time comes, I will make those who look down on me and call me useless look up to me."
After saying this, Yu Xiaogang turned and ran out. Yu Yuanzhen stood where he was, his face dark, and after a long moment wiped the saliva from his face with his sleeve.
Footsteps came from behind. Without turning around, Yu Yuanzhen knew who it was. "Why are you back again?"
Yu Xiaogang stiffened and held
out his hand to Yu Yuanzhen: "Sect order."
(End of chapter)
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