Inside Nuoding Academy...
After a brief conversation, Xiao Wu was walking with Lin Yu toward the dormitory building.
But when a voice called out from behind, Xiao Wu couldn't help but pout, kicking a small rock in frustration.
"That annoying guy is back again!"
Following the voice, Lin Yu turned his head.
He saw a middle-aged man dressed in a black scholar's robe with a buzz cut and an ordinary face, holding a book in his hand, walking briskly toward them while shouting.
Yu Xiaogang?
Seeing who it was, Lin Yu's eyes narrowed slightly, and an intense sense of disgust welled up inside him.
Yu Xiaogang was, in Lin Yu's opinion, one of the most hypocritical, shameless, and repulsive characters in Douluo Continent. He couldn't stomach the idea of someone taking others' research, publishing it as their own, and then having the audacity to morally blackmail their ex-lover.
In the original story, during the All-Continent Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, Yu Xiaogang approached Bibi Dong to inquire about the secrets of twin martial souls on behalf of his disciple, Tang San. Despite knowing that Spirit Hall and Tang San's family were mortal enemies, Yu Xiaogang still brazenly promised, without Tang San's consent, that if Bibi Dong revealed the secret, Tang San wouldn't seek revenge against Spirit Hall.
Lin Yu had to wonder—who was he to make such a promise?
When Bibi Dong refused to reveal the secret and even mentioned having sent assassins after Tang San, Yu Xiaogang had the nerve to act outraged.
Lin Yu found the logic absurd. They were blood enemies. If Yu Xiaogang wanted the secret, shouldn't he first convince Tang San not to seek revenge, and then try to negotiate with Spirit Hall? How could he dare demand a secret with nothing but empty promises?
Even if Bibi Dong had told him the secret, what guarantee did Yu Xiaogang have that Tang San wouldn't retaliate? Lin Yu was sure that Yu Xiaogang wouldn't be able to stop him.
After all, Yu Xiaogang was just a weakling who was good at talking.
Despite their past being over, Yu Xiaogang still had the gall to try to rekindle their connection, and when that failed, he'd become indignant. Lin Yu just couldn't understand—how could someone who relied on others for support still act so smug?
But while Lin Yu despised Yu Xiaogang, he didn't plan on confronting him head-on, as he did in the live streams. That would be too obvious. In the streams, he could openly criticize him, but here, maybe a little subtle mockery would do the trick.
A faint smirk tugged at Lin Yu's lips.
"Xiao Wu, have you given any more thought to what I said?" Yu Xiaogang asked as he approached, his voice filled with earnestness. "You're a commoner, and even though you're a genius with innate full soul power, without a teacher to guide you, you could waste your potential by attaching the wrong spirit rings. But with my knowledge, which is unparalleled across the Douluo Continent, I can guide you to become a legendary Titled Douluo!"
Xiao Wu frowned, clearly irritated by his persistence. "I already told you, I don't want a teacher!"
Yu Xiaogang's refusal to back down was grating on her nerves, but she couldn't bring herself to yell at him, so she rejected him again in frustration.
But Yu Xiaogang had long grown immune to rejection. He had been ridiculed as a joke in the soul master world for years, and after being publicly exposed in the live streams, his reputation was in tatters.
Now, Yu Xiaogang was desperate to prove his theories. Xiao Wu, a commoner with innate full soul power, was a rare find, and he had no intention of letting her go.
Suddenly, Lin Yu, pretending not to recognize Yu Xiaogang, raised his voice dramatically, drawing the attention of the nearby students. "Wait! Could it be... Yu Xiaogang, the Master himself?"
Since it was late afternoon and there were no classes, the area was filled with students relaxing or walking around. Lin Yu's outburst quickly drew a crowd.
"You know me?" Yu Xiaogang's face was a mix of uncertainty and discomfort as the students began to gather. Lin Yu's tone wasn't hostile, which made Yu Xiaogang unsure of his intentions, but he couldn't help but feel a little hopeful.
"Of course!" Lin Yu exclaimed with mock enthusiasm. "I've read your work, The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls. Your theory that 'the bottleneck of soul rings doesn't limit a soul master's growth' is revolutionary! It's truly shaken up the entire soul master world!"
Yu Xiaogang, hearing these words, couldn't help but puff up with pride. With a faint smile, he waved his hand dismissively. "It's just a minor contribution to the field of soul master research. Nothing worth mentioning."
Lin Yu kept his tone respectful, but his next words delivered a brutal blow. "Of course, most of your other theories, which you... borrowed from the Spirit Hall archives, have had a lot of errors. But I must say, they've still helped many commoner soul masters!"
The crowd, which had been listening quietly, suddenly erupted into laughter. Yu Xiaogang's expression stiffened as if he had been slapped across the face. The live streams had already exposed the truth behind his so-called theories, but hearing it out loud in public was humiliating.
He could feel his face flush with heat. Despite his thick skin, the sting of Lin Yu's words was impossible to ignore. He looked around, realizing that the nearby students were laughing at him, not with him. But Lin Yu maintained an expression of innocence as if he hadn't just insulted Yu Xiaogang.
Desperate to salvage his dignity, Yu Xiaogang cleared his throat. "As I said, these are just small contributions to the soul master community."
But Lin Yu wasn't done yet. With a look of feigned admiration, he continued, "Still, Master Yu, coming from such a prestigious background—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Spirit Hall—you must have learned so much. I'm sure you have the knowledge to teach Xiao Wu here. After all, she's a genius with innate full soul power. But since she's so talented, shouldn't her teacher at least be a Soul Sage? What rank have you achieved, Master?"
The question hung in the air, and Yu Xiaogang froze, the tension building as the gathered students whispered among themselves.
"Yeah, what rank is the Master?" one of the students called out with a smirk. "Soul Sage, right?"
Before Yu Xiaogang could respond, another student jeered, "Soul Sage? This guy's just a Great Soul Master!"
More laughter erupted from the crowd, and Yu Xiaogang's face turned as red as a ripe tomato. His hands clenched into fists, his mind racing for a way to respond, but every word Lin Yu had said hit too close to home. He couldn't refute the fact that his cultivation was stuck at the Great Soul Master level.
Realizing he was trapped, Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "My cultivation level indeed is only that of a Great Soul Master, but my knowledge far surpasses that. I have connections with several Soul Saints and even Titled Douluos. If Xiao Wu were to become my disciple, I could guarantee her the best training and guidance."
Lin Yu, feigning surprise, raised an eyebrow. "Really? But Master, didn't you once say there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters? Shouldn't you be proving your theory by taking on a student whose talent matches your own, instead of someone as gifted as Xiao Wu?"
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened. Lin Yu's words were a knife twisting in an already open wound. He had always prided himself on that theory, but now it was being used against him in the most public and humiliating way possible.
"He can't," a student in the crowd shouted. "He's just a washed-up theorist!"
"Exactly!" another voice joined in. "Even if Xiao Wu becomes a Titled Douluo, it'll be because of her talent, not anything this so-called 'Master' teaches her!"
The crowd grew louder, their mocking voices blending into a cacophony of jeers and insults. Yu Xiaogang's fists tightened, his knuckles white from the pressure. He had always been the subject of ridicule, but never like this. Never in front of such a large group, and certainly not in front of someone he was trying to take as a disciple.
Unable to take any more, Yu Xiaogang turned sharply, his face a deep shade of crimson. Without another word, he pushed through the crowd, gripping his book tightly as he made a hasty retreat toward the dormitories. The laughter and taunts followed him all the way.
As Yu Xiaogang disappeared from view, Xiao Wu let out a sigh of relief, her previous frustration easing. "Thank you, Long Aotian, for helping me get rid of him."
Hearing Xiao Wu use his alias, Lin Yu had to stifle a laugh. But before he could respond, Xiao Wu hesitated, glancing in the direction Yu Xiaogang had fled. "But… do you think we were too harsh? Maybe what we did was wrong?"
Lin Yu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you watch the live streams? Do you think he's a good person?"
Xiao Wu thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, not really…"
"Then there's your answer," Lin Yu said with a grin.
As the two walked away, the echoes of the students' laughter still lingered in the air.
Since the public humiliation orchestrated by Lin Yu, Yu Xiaogang didn't approach Xiao Wu again. No matter how thick-skinned he was, the embarrassment of being exposed in front of so many people, especially in front of someone he was trying to impress, had finally driven him away.
Time passed quickly, and soon, a month had gone by since the last livestream.
And today, the eighth live stream was about to begin!