At the entrance of Shrek Academy's village—
Hearing Yu Xiaogang try to maintain a calm, composed tone but clearly giving himself away with his angry shouting, Flender and Zhao Wuji had no choice but to come out.
"Flender, get her out of here!" Yu Xiaogang barked, his eyes filled with fury as he pointed at Ning Rongrong. "Since she looks down on my training, I won't keep her around! I, Yu Xiaogang, don't need a student like that!"
Flender rubbed his nose awkwardly, visibly uncomfortable.
"Little Grandmaster, just take a moment to explain things to Rongrong. She's just confused, that's all. Once she understands the reasoning behind your training methods, I'm sure there won't be a problem."
"That's right!" Ning Rongrong placed her hands on her hips and raised her chin defiantly. "I'm simply curious. What you've described sounds like ordinary weighted running. It doesn't feel like any kind of tailored training."
"If Grandmaster can explain why it's so special, then of course I'll follow his instructions."
"After all, I'm just following Ye Yu's advice—questioning what I believe to be unreasonable and arguing my case with logic!"
Yu Xiaogang's face turned stiff and pale. He was completely stuck now.
Flender, what the hell are you doing?! Taking her side?!
Yu Xiaogang's heart burned with anger as he shot a cold glare at Flender.
Because deep down, he knew exactly who he was.
If he really had the skills he claimed, he would've become a renowned Martial Soul theorist long ago—someone respected throughout the Soul Master world.
Instead, he was mocked by nearly everyone. A fraud. A clown.
And all he could offer in terms of "training" was basic weighted running.
The so-called "customized training regimen" was just for show. A smokescreen to maintain his false aura of superiority and wisdom.
How was he supposed to explain that?
"Flender, you know me," Yu Xiaogang said, still trying to act aloof as he crossed his hands behind his back. "I don't like explaining myself."
"There are too many people in the Soul Master world who misunderstand me. If I had to explain myself to each and every one of them, I'd be doing it until the day I die!"
"My training is only for those who believe in me. If someone doesn't, I won't force them."
He raised his chin, putting on a lofty, solitary air—like a misunderstood sage above the common masses.
But Flender and Zhao Wuji simply exchanged looks, each wearing a wry smile.
Neither dared lay a finger on Ning Rongrong—
Because they didn't want to get beaten to death by Ye Yu.
Just then, a slender, strikingly handsome young man, dressed in black with long black hair, walked slowly toward them.
"Lord Ye Yu!"
Seeing him, Flender and Zhao Wuji immediately brightened up and started walking over, eager to ask for his opinion on how to handle the situation.
Without Ye Yu's say-so, they wouldn't dare move against Ning Rongrong.
"Ye Yu?" Yu Xiaogang frowned, turning toward the name.
He remembered Zhao Wuji mentioning this person during their meeting in the headmaster's office—how Ye Yu had saved Tang San's life twice in the Star Dou Great Forest.
He'd also asked Zhao Wuji for more information afterward.
Though Zhao Wuji, of course, never mentioned getting beaten up, he did describe Ye Yu as the most talented young genius he'd ever seen, with a powerful background.
Still, Yu Xiaogang wasn't impressed.
In terms of status, he himself was one of the highest-ranking second-generation elites in the world.
After all, his father was none other than Yu Yuanzhen—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Patriarch, the Thunderclap Douluo!
"Ye Yu, was it? I'm Tang San's teacher," Yu Xiaogang said as he cupped his hands with a stiff smile. "You may call me Grandmaster. I heard from Teacher Zhao that you saved my student twice in the forest. As his teacher, I'm deeply grateful."
But as soon as Ye Yu saw Yu Xiaogang, a peculiar smile spread across his face.
"Grandmaster, it's been a long time, hasn't it?"
"A long time?" Yu Xiaogang blinked, caught off guard.
Everyone around—including Flender, Zhao Wuji, and even Tang San—was stunned.
They knew each other?
Ning Rongrong was also shocked.
Ye Yu actually knew this so-called Grandmaster?
But then she remembered—Ye Yu had only come to Heaven Dou City when he was about eleven or twelve, and was enrolled in Heaven Dou Imperial Academy through her brother the Crown Prince.
Before that, he must have been studying elsewhere.
So maybe he really did know this self-important "Grandmaster."
"Ye Yu, have we met before?" Yu Xiaogang asked, forcing a tight smile, though unease already prickled in his chest.
"At Nuoding Academy," Ye Yu replied with a faint, mocking laugh. "Back then, I was just a Spirit Master with a rank 1 innate Spirit Power and a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul."
"Grandmaster's status was far too lofty to remember someone as insignificant as me."
"But I remember you coming to me twice. Once to ask for data on Blue Silver Grass. And another time, saying I must've had some secret cultivation method and asking me to share it to benefit other Blue Silver Grass Spirit Masters."
"Truly selfless and noble of you!"
"Oh, but when I asked to see your research notes in return… you flatly refused. Strange, isn't it?"
Ye Yu didn't yell. He didn't raise his voice.
But the sarcasm in his tone was impossible to miss.
Everyone around could hear it clearly.
Suddenly, all eyes shifted toward Yu Xiaogang, their expressions growing more and more peculiar.
According to Ye Yu, Grandmaster had gone to him twice at Nuoding Academy.
Once to ask for Martial Soul data, and once to ask Ye Yu to share his cultivation methods "for the greater good."
That sounded generous on the surface—
But then when Ye Yu asked for a simple exchange in return, the Grandmaster had flat-out refused?
In comparison, it made Yu Xiaogang sound like a hypocrite—someone who preached righteousness and self-sacrifice on the surface, but behind the scenes, was all about manipulation and personal gain.
"All these years later, I wonder what theoretical breakthroughs you've made?" Ye Yu asked with a half-smile. "It's quite the coincidence that Junior Tang San's Martial Soul is the same as mine—Blue Silver Grass."
"Was it you who guided his cultivation path?"
As he spoke, Ye Yu's gaze drifted to Tang San.
Yu Xiaogang's stiff face turned pale, then flushed red with rage.
This Ye Yu—how dare he insult him like this?!
Yu Xiaogang seethed inside.
But beneath the fury, another feeling gnawed at him: fear.
Because if this Ye Yu really was the same Blue Silver Grass Spirit Master from Nuoding Academy…
And if what Zhao Wuji said was true—
That Ye Yu's Martial Soul had evolved into a crystalline blue tree...
Then that meant…
This Ye Yu had actually evolved his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul?