soul land: Yuhao Outplays Tang San

Just after completing his body tempering, Yu Xiaogang immediately ran to the Sect Master's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in," came Yu Yuanzhen's rough voice from inside.

Yu Xiaogang pushed open the door and saw his father sitting cross-legged, cultivating. He frowned and asked, "Xiaogang, what is it this time?"

"Father, today when I went to collect resources, Yu Xiaoke hit me, and everyone else was mocking me for being a useless waste. You must stand up for me and teach them a harsh lesson," Yu Xiaogang said with grievance.

Yu Yuanzhen replied impatiently, "I heard you."

With a pitiful tone, Yu Xiaogang said, "And Father, is my talent really that terrible? It's been three years, and I've only gone up one level each year—and it's just one level as a Soul Scholar each time. Do you think I'll ever be able to become a Soul Master?"

Yu Yuanzhen remained silent.

Tears and snot running down his face, Yu Xiaogang cried, "Dad, if I can't become a Soul Master, then I might as well be dead."

"Just say it—how many resources do you want next month?" Yu Yuanzhen asked bluntly.

"Five shares, Father. If I can get five shares of resources, I'm confident I can break through to Level Four in just a few months," Yu Xiaogang said confidently.

Yu Yuanzhen suppressed his anger and asked, "So, you want the sect to use five shares of core disciple resources just to help you go from Level Three to Level Four?"

Yu Xiaogang answered as if it were perfectly reasonable, "Father, you're the Sect Master. The household's resources are all under your control, aren't they?"

Yu Yuanzhen shouted angrily, "I may be the Sect Master, but that doesn't mean I can do whatever I want! If you reach Level Eight, are you going to ask for eight shares of core disciple resources every month? And if you become a Soul Master, do you expect the sect to allocate ten shares just for your growth?"

"That's not what I meant." Even though that's exactly what Yu Xiaogang was thinking, he realized from his father's tone that something was wrong and quickly denied it.

"That's exactly what you meant. Haven't you ever thought that even supplements can't be taken every day? Don't you know the saying 'too much is as bad as too little'?" Yu Yuanzhen took a deep breath to calm his rage.

Yu Xiaogang's eyes turned red. He shouted, "What am I supposed to do? Three whole years, and I'm still just Level Three! I've endured three years of ridicule from the sect, but I'm not willing to accept this. I must become a Soul Master. I have to become one. If I have to live a mediocre life as a normal person, I might as well just jump into Thunderclap Gorge and die!"

"You want to become a Soul Master?" Yu Yuanzhen stood up, walked in front of Yu Xiaogang, and said, "Do you remember what I told you three years ago? Don't focus too much on your soul power level. These three years were meant for you to temper your body and lay the foundation. Xiaogang, why are you so impatient?"

Yu Xiaogang snapped angrily, "My Martial Soul should be the Golden Holy Dragon, not that stupid Luo Sanpao! Three years—three years and only three levels. I've been laughed at by the sect for three years! Why should I stay calm? Why—"

Yu Yuanzhen grabbed Yu Xiaogang's wrist, pressed it, and channeled a stream of soul power into him.

"What are you doing—ow~" Yu Xiaogang grimaced as the wild soul power surged into his body, causing discomfort.

"After consuming so many resources over three years, your body has only improved this much?" Yu Yuanzhen started to doubt life itself.

He sighed and continued, "Fine. Xiaogang, don't you want to know why I had you temper your body for three years?"

He pointed to a meditation cushion and said, "Sit on it."

Though confused, Yu Xiaogang did as his father asked and sat on the cushion. Yu Yuanzhen then sat behind him, activated his soul power, and placed his hand on Yu Xiaogang's back.

He said, "Like this, I'll inject soul power into your meridians. Begin cultivating and absorb as much as you can."

Upon hearing that, Yu Xiaogang's mood instantly brightened. He started meditating excitedly and began cultivating soul power.

The difference in talent between Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Xiaogang was like heaven and earth. As a Level 93 Title Douluo, Yu Yuanzhen's guidance dramatically boosted Yu Xiaogang's cultivation speed—ten times faster than before.

After just one night, Yu Xiaogang made significant progress. Originally at the late stage of Level Three, he reached the peak of Level Three, just a breath away from half-step Level Four Soul Scholar. It was truly astonishing.

Yu Xiaogang was completely immersed in the wondrous sensation of cultivation. The moment his father withdrew his power, his cultivation speed came to a screeching halt—as if he'd slammed into a wall.

"Father, why did you stop? I'm already at the threshold of Level Four!" Yu Xiaogang asked, confused.

Yu Yuanzhen, clearly exhausted, said, "Did you not notice it's already morning? As the Sect Master, I still have responsibilities. From now on, come to me every evening at 8. I'll help you cultivate for two hours each night."

"Two hours isn't enough, Father! Four hours at least! Don't worry about me—I can handle it!" Yu Xiaogang protested.

"You—" Yu Yuanzhen was so furious he didn't know what to say. "You damn brat, get out!"

Yu Xiaogang was promptly thrown out.

Yu Yuanzhen looked at him with doubt in his eyes. To help Yu Xiaogang cultivate, he had channeled 20% of his soul power into him in just one night. Don't think 20% is small—that's 20% of a Title Douluo's soul power. But this brat's talent was so horrendous that it was painful to witness. He'd actually… wasted 99.9999999% of it and absorbed only the tiniest fraction.

And after an entire night… he still hadn't broken through Level Four?

"Sigh… Did I really make the right decision?"

And so, day after day, Yu Xiaogang continued to seek out his father for cultivation assistance. His soul power levels began to improve substantially. Where he once took a year to gain a level, Yu Xiaogang could now proudly say that he could level up four to five times a year.

Divine Realm – Eternal Temple

Watching all of this, Huo Yuhao suddenly came to a realization. "So this is how Gangzi's soul power levels came about."

Then, mockingly, he added, "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is really blessed to have such a 'treasure' like you."

The next moment, something else drew Huo Yuhao's attention—Tang Hao had emerged from the Slaughter City.

"So that means… the Asura God should be making his move soon," Huo Yuhao said as he turned to look toward the Asura God Temple.

Asura God Temple

The Asura God's gaze pierced through space and time, falling upon the land of inheritance on the Douluo Continent. Very few on this vast continent were worthy of his attention, but one he had always kept an eye on was Tang Hao, who had undergone trials in the Slaughter City.

Five years had passed—though to the Divine Realm, that was only five days. Tang Hao had completed the final trial of the Slaughter City and had stepped onto the Path of Hell.

The Asura God nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent. Not bad. He carries the spirit of Tang Chen from back then. He's more than qualified to be the protector of my precious one."

As Tang Hao stepped out of the Path of Hell, the Asura God flicked his finger. The Killing God Domain turned into a beam of light and fused into Tang Hao's body. To ensure the smooth growth of his precious one in the future, the Asura God also embedded a fragment of his divine sense into the domain.

The actions of the God of Asura naturally did not escape the notice of Huo Yuhao, who was inside the Hall of Eternity on the other side of the Divine Realm.

It was a Slaughter God Domain infused with a portion of the Asura God's divine sense—far stronger than the later watered-down "monkey edition" domains granted to Hu Liena and Bibi Dong.

No wonder, really. In the original story, Tang Hao—merely a Rank 95 Soul Master—stormed into the Spirit Hall, declared, "I'll see this through to the end," and then proceeded to take down several Title Douluo by himself before retreating unscathed. Where did that confidence come from? Naturally, it was gifted by the Asura God. Having a cheat is just that bold.

Huo Yuhao calmly used his Eye of Eternity to record the Asura God's actions, treating it as evidence of a crime—but for now, he put it aside.

"Old Asura, oh Old Asura... you're breaking the rules, and so am I. In the end, it's just a matter of who catches the other slipping first, isn't it?"

…

In the span of five years, Tang Xiao never slacked in his cultivation. He had now reached Rank 72, a Soul Saint. But Tang Hao, having been absent for five years, was still only at Rank 58, a Soul King. Yet the gap between them had already been established. Of the two twin stars once favored by the Divine King, one gained the Slaughter God Domain and earned his favor, while the other had already been abandoned.

Upon returning, Tang Hao spent some time suppressing his killing intent. Originally, Tang Xiao had intended to head to the Slaughter City for his own training once Tang Hao returned. But the moment Tang Hao came back, Tang Xiao felt a deep sense of loss, as if he had missed an important opportunity. That fleeting moment had passed—even if he went to Slaughter City now, it would never be the same.

Tang Xiao didn't know exactly what he had lost, but he felt a strong emptiness inside. Forcing a smile, he said to Tang Hao, "Brother Hao, now that you're back, how about traveling the continent with me? It looks like your spirit power is close to Rank 60 anyway—you might as well pick up your next spirit ring."

"Alright, brother," Tang Hao replied in a deep voice.

And so, the two brothers set off on a journey across the continent. Upon returning, Tang Hao's talent had not diminished in the slightest—he quickly caught up. Two months later, after hunting several ten-thousand-year soul beasts, he completed his sixth soul ring.

…

At the same time the Tang brothers began their journey, Yu Xiaogang finally reached Rank 10.

Although "soul master" didn't mean much, and even the Yu Xiaomen he always looked down on had already reached Rank 26, the moment he stepped into the Soul Master threshold, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but feel excited. With just one spirit ring, he would officially become a Soul Master. He could finally look down upon the 99% of the continent's people who could never become one, with pride and superiority.

"I'll take you spirit beast hunting tomorrow. Do you have a target in mind?" asked Yu Yuanzhen.

"Of course," Yu Xiaogang replied, eyes shining. "My target is the Golden Scale Armored Beast."

"The Golden Scale Armored Beast?"

"Yes. Back in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Title Douluo—whose spirit was the Golden Holy Dragon—used a 415-year-old Golden Scale Armored Beast as his first spirit ring. I want to follow in his footsteps and make the same beast my first ring," Yu Xiaogang said.

Yu Yuanzhen stroked his beard and nodded. "Not a bad choice. The Golden Scale Armored Beast is a top-tier spirit beast with golden attributes. If you can absorb it as your first ring, it could stimulate your Luo Sanpao bloodline. Even if you can't directly evolve into the Golden Holy Dragon, your bloodline will still be elevated. Very well, we'll go with that. Rest up tonight. Tomorrow, I'll take you hunting."

"Yes, Father," said Yu Xiaogang.

That night, Yu Xiaogang was brimming with excitement at the thought of obtaining his first spirit ring. He had a dream:

In it, he successfully hunted a 420-year-old Golden Scale Armored Beast as his first ring. The beast's golden attributes awakened Luo Sanpao's bloodline, instantly evolving it into a mighty Golden Holy Dragon. His talent soared, and he surpassed his younger brother, Yu Xiaomen. 

Many years later, Dragon God Douluo Yu Xiaogang stepped on Yu Xiaomen's head and smugly declared, "Yu Xiaomen, back at our Spirit Awakening Ceremony, I merely let you go first. Now I've perfected my Golden Holy Dragon cultivation, while you've amounted to nothing but a loser."

The next morning, Yu Xiaogang was jolted awake by the oinks of Luo Sanpao.

Yu Yuanzhen took Yu Xiaogang deep into the Star Dou Forest. With a Title Douluo father accompanying him, Yu Xiaogang didn't face any real danger. After three days of searching, they finally found the target—a 360-year-old Golden Scale Armored Beast.

Looking at the soul beast restrained by his father's soul power, covered in golden armor plates, Yu Xiaogang was a little disappointed. "Only 360 years?" He had been hoping for at least 400 years—near the limit of what he could absorb.

"Xiaogang, you need to think carefully. The Golden Scale Armored Beast isn't an ordinary spirit beast—it's a top-tier one. Its spirit ring demands a very strong physique to absorb," Yu Yuanzhen said, examining him closely. His gaze seemed to ask: Are you really up to absorbing a 400-year-old one?

"Fine. 300 years it is." Yu Xiaogang killed the soul beast with a dagger and began drawing the spirit ring toward him.

But within two minutes, his expression changed, and sweat poured down his face. The ring's violent energy was wreaking havoc through his meridians.

"It hurts... it hurts..."

Yu Yuanzhen saw his state and quickly reassured him, "Stay calm and peaceful. Absorb it steadily. The pain is temporary—the benefits will last a lifetime."

"No, Father, I can't take it anymore! I don't want this spirit ring! Help me break it off, it hurts too much! Ahhhhhh—" Yu Xiaogang screamed, desperate like a drowning man.

Was he going to die? Yu Yuanzhen, as a Title Douluo, could tell that Yu Xiaogang hadn't actually reached his limit for absorbing spirit rings. But—

With Yu Xiaogang in such a panicked state, how could he possibly absorb it successfully? He might even—

Reluctantly, Yu Yuanzhen stepped in and interrupted the process.

"Phew~" Yu Xiaogang exhaled deeply. "Saved."

Yu Yuanzhen didn't even want to speak anymore.

Half a day later, he caught another Golden Scale Armored Beast—this one 256 years old. "What do you think of this one?" he asked.

Staring at the ferocious beast, Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered with fear. He had already been traumatized by the first one—he absolutely didn't want to go through that again.

"Father, maybe we should choose a different soul beast," Yu Xiaogang said timidly.

"A different one? You don't want the Golden Scale Armored Beast anymore? Are you sure?" Yu Yuanzhen asked.

Yu Xiaogang nodded. "I'm sure."

"Alright then, which spirit beast do you want?" Yu Yuanzhen asked.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed past them—a lightning-element beast dashed by. Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up, and he pointed in its direction. "That one!"

"You want... the Thunder Skunk?"

Yu Yuanzhen captured this soul beast and, upon closer inspection, discovered that it was merely a 200-year-old soul beast.

"Although I don't quite understand how the Golden Holy Dragon cultivates, are you sure you want to absorb this soul beast?" Yu Yuanzhen asked suspiciously.

Yu Xiaogang replied earnestly, "The Golden Holy Dragon is a mutated form of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul. Its attributes should align with lightning. The Thunder Stink Skunk is a lightning-attribute soul beast. If I can absorb the soul ring it produces, the lightning attribute will definitely awaken the bloodline of my Luo Sanpao and generate a powerful soul skill."

"Since you've made up your mind, then kill this soul beast," Yu Yuanzhen said, no longer questioning him.

Yu Xiaogang killed the soul beast, and a yellow-orange soul ring emerged from the skunk's body. Without delay, Yu Xiaogang pulled the soul ring toward himself to absorb it.

The process of absorption was painful, but still within Yu Xiaogang's endurance. Not long after, he completed the absorption.

Excitement welled up in Yu Xiaogang's heart.

 You see, with his kind of innate soul power, the vast majority of people on the Douluo Continent would never become soul masters. But now, he had officially stepped into the realm of soul masters. 

Although he was still considered a failure, the difference between a soul master and an ordinary person was like night and day. Soul masters were inherently superior.

 And Yu Xiaogang was confident that with 200 times the effort in cultivation, he would eventually awaken the Golden Holy Dragon bloodline, break through to Grand Soul Master, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, and perhaps… even Title Douluo!

"All right, stop getting carried away," Yu Yuanzhen said, hands behind his back. "Summon your martial soul and use your first soul skill on me. Let me evaluate its strength."

"Okay, Father." Having just absorbed his first soul ring, Yu Xiaogang was still immersed in excitement and hadn't even tested his soul skill yet. Upon hearing his father's command, he stood up proudly and shouted, "Luo Sanpao!"

With a poof, the purple little beast that looked like a mix between a pig and a dog appeared before them. A yellow-orange soul ring circled around Luo Sanpao's body.

Yu Yuanzhen looked Luo Sanpao over with some disappointment. He didn't notice any visible change in Luo Sanpao after absorbing the soul ring.

"First soul skill—"

The soul ring glowed briefly. Luo Sanpao's face turned serious. It then floated into the air until it was level with Yu Yuanzhen.

What was the first soul skill? A powerful lightning-based attack? A speed-oriented soul skill? Yu Yuanzhen looked at Luo Sanpao's comically ugly face, speculating.

Suddenly, Luo Sanpao's pig-like face twisted, as if it were holding something in.

Yu Yuanzhen was puzzled.

Then, Luo Sanpao turned around, presenting its plump purple rear to Yu Yuanzhen.

What was this? A lightning-charged impact attack? Some sort of body slam? Yu Yuanzhen guessed.

Then, as if by instinct, Yu Xiaogang shouted heroically, "Thunderous Fart, Earth-Shattering Luo Sanpao!"

Pffft— A thick, viscous yellow gas visibly sprayed out of Luo Sanpao's rear, directly hitting Yu Yuanzhen in the face.

The intense yellow mist blew off Yu Yuanzhen's jade hairpin. His hair was tousled by the gust of fart wind, and the stinky smoke spread in all directions, releasing a foul stench.

Yu Xiaogang lowered his head, his expression unreadable.

In the thick fart cloud, Yu Yuanzhen also lowered his head—his expression hidden.

At that moment, a strange silence fell between them—a silence louder than words.

When the smoke gradually dispersed, Yu Yuanzhen finally broke the silence:

 "I say... Xiaogang, now that you've officially become a soul master, isn't that enough? Why don't you go back and learn some business skills? That way, I can entrust the sect's chamber of commerce and such to you in the future."

Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang panicked. He heard the hidden meaning behind his father's words—his father intended to give up on him. If even his father, the sect master, gave up on him, then he'd lose the sect's triple cultivation resources and his father's personal energy transfer sessions. His path as a soul master would come to an end.

To forever remain a rank-11 one-ring soul master, watching as that bastard Yu Xiaomen—whom he used to look down on—rose step by step to Title Douluo and the peak of the continent… that would be more unbearable than death.

No! Father, you can't give up on me, you can't! I'm still counting on the sect's resources, and on you helping me cultivate, so I can awaken my bloodline, become a Title Douluo, and surpass that bastard Yu Xiaomen!

Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang had a flash of inspiration and said, "Father, I don't want to give up halfway. Maybe my first soul skill isn't ideal, but I feel like Luo Sanpao's bloodline has awakened a little. I believe that if I continue to cultivate and add more soul rings, one day, Luo Sanpao will evolve into the Golden Holy Dragon."

Of course, this was Yu Xiaogang's serious nonsense. Even after absorbing the Thunder Stink Skunk's soul ring, Luo Sanpao was still the same Luo Sanpao—completely unrelated to the Golden Holy Dragon.

"You said Luo Sanpao's bloodline has awakened?" Yu Yuanzhen looked at Luo Sanpao in surprise, examining it from head to toe, but still couldn't see any sign of change.

Yu Xiaogang continued bluffing, "Father, Luo Sanpao's bloodline has only barely awakened. Only I, as its owner, can sense it. I'm certain that with perseverance, Luo Sanpao will eventually transform into a holy dragon."

"Are you sure? I've told you—this path will be extremely difficult." Yu Yuanzhen stared at Yu Xiaogang with a scrutinizing gaze.

In Yu Yuanzhen's eyes, the stubborn young man stood with hands behind his back, chin raised proudly, and said, "No matter how hard the road ahead may be, I, Yu Xiaogang, will continue to cultivate. If my talent is inferior, I will make up for it with effort. If one time of effort isn't enough, then I'll try a hundred times, two hundred times. I firmly believe: there is no such thing as a useless martial soul—only useless soul masters!"

"Hahaha!" Yu Yuanzhen burst out laughing, sweeping away his gloom. He walked up to Yu Xiaogang, patted his back, and said, "Good! Well said! You have ambition—truly worthy of being my son. Don't worry, charge ahead bravely. As long as I can help, I'll support you in every way. But don't let me down."

Yu Xiaogang said seriously, "Don't worry, Father—I won't disappoint you."

And so, father and son returned to the sect after obtaining their first soul ring. But the news that Yu Xiaogang had become a soul master didn't reduce mockery—if anything, it increased. Why? Because his first soul skill… was farting.

Faced with the ridicule around him, Yu Xiaogang could only swallow his pride. Every month, he consumed triple the core disciple resources of the sect, and with his father's energy transfer training—no, scratch that—with two hundred times the effort compared to others, he steadily improved his strength. He believed that effort would pay off. One day, Yu Xiaogang would make those who looked down on him pay the price.