In the Black World, inside Shrek Academy, silence filled the room.
Yu Xiaogang stared blankly at the heavenly curtain overhead, his expression stiff and pale.
On the screen, he watched his father calmly write a letter, seal it, and send it to Qian Xunji, the Pope of Spirit Hall.
Even more shocking was what followed.
Yu Yuanzhen had promised to owe the Pope a personal favor.
The moment he saw it, Yu Xiaogang understood exactly what the letter must have contained.
There was no need to read the contents.
It was obvious.
His father had asked Spirit Hall to make an exception for him.
To not obstruct him.
To allow him access.
To help him accomplish whatever goal he had in mind.
But the thing Yu Xiaogang could not understand was simple:
Why had he never known any of this?
For all these years, he had believed something entirely different.
He had believed that when he wanted to travel to Spirit City in the past, his father had rejected him coldly.
He had believed that no one had supported him.
He had believed that everything he later achieved there had come purely through his own struggle and intelligence.
But now the heavenly curtain was exposing a completely different truth.
His father had not ignored him.
His father had secretly written to Spirit Hall.
His father had even traded a personal favor from a Titled Douluo to help him.
That was no ordinary promise.
Yu Yuanzhen was not only a Titled Douluo, but also the Sect Master of one of the Upper Three Sects.
A favor from someone like that carried tremendous value.
Yu Xiaogang's lips trembled.
"Impossible…"
His voice was weak.
"Absolutely impossible…"
He muttered the words repeatedly, as if denying reality itself.
He did not want to believe it.
He refused to believe it.
Because if this were true, then what did it mean for everything he had taken pride in?
It meant the achievements he had boasted about in Spirit City were not the result of his own ability.
It meant the opportunity to browse Spirit Hall's vast collection had been opened through his father's influence.
It meant the road he thought he had carved with his own hands had already been paved for him.
What kind of cruel joke was this?
The Heavenly Curtain Continues
[After leaving Yu Yuanzhen's study, Yu Xiaogang's heart was filled with resentment toward his father.]
[He hated his father for not giving him talent.]
[He hated him for failing to help him obtain a second spirit ring.]
[And now, a new resentment was added.]
[He believed his father was unwilling to support his desire to go to Spirit City.]
[As these emotions accumulated, Yu Xiaogang locked himself in his room for several days.]
[Finally, he made a decision.]
The image shifted.
A young Yu Xiaogang stood alone in a dark room, fists clenched tightly.
His eyes were filled with bitterness and stubbornness.
["If you won't support me, then I'll go by myself!"]
["Once I reach Spirit City, I can exchange the knowledge of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect for the knowledge of Spirit Hall!"]
["When I possess the wisdom of both sides, I will master everything from ancient times to the present!"]
["Then I will defy fate itself, and no one will ever dare look down on me again!"]
["When I rise in the future, anyone who wants my help will have to beg for it!"]
The arrogance in the young man's voice was unmistakable.
Back in Shrek Academy, many people wore strange expressions.
Some looked embarrassed.
Others looked amused.
Yu Xiaogang's face turned darker.
Leaving Home in Secret
[Late that night, Yu Xiaogang packed his belongings and quietly left the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.]
He moved cautiously, glancing over his shoulder as though escaping imprisonment.
Yet the moment he stepped outside the estate, another scene appeared.
[By a nearby window, Yu Yuanzhen stood silently, watching his son's retreating figure.]
[He sighed deeply.]
That sigh carried helplessness.
It also carried concern.
But Yu Xiaogang never saw it.
To him, he had escaped unnoticed.
To everyone watching now, it was obvious that his father had known from the beginning.
The Comfortable Journey
[After leaving the sect, Yu Xiaogang casually hired a carriage in the nearest town.]
[Before departing, he had already filled his storage soul tool with necessities—especially money.]
[Having lived a life of comfort since childhood, Yu Xiaogang had no intention of enduring hardship.]
The curtain showed him seated comfortably inside a fine carriage, enjoying the journey.
He ate well.
He rested often.
He complained whenever the roads became rough.
This was not the image of a heroic youth struggling alone against fate.
It was the image of a noble son traveling in convenience.
After many days, the carriage finally approached its destination.
Spirit City Appears
The heavenly curtain displayed towering white walls, majestic roads, shining plazas, and grand architecture stretching into the distance.
The city looked magnificent.
Holy.
Orderly.
Powerful.
At the sight of it, young Yu Xiaogang stepped down from the carriage in shock.
["So this is Spirit City?"]
["What grandeur!"]
His eyes widened in amazement.
Even through the heavenly curtain, many viewers felt the awe of the city.
It truly deserved its reputation as the sacred land of spirit masters across the continent.
For someone arriving there for the first time, the impact was overwhelming.
Yu Xiaogang felt excitement surge within him.
This was the place where he believed his fate would change.
Immediate Ambition
[After entering Spirit City, Yu Xiaogang first found a suitable inn.]
[Then, without wasting time, he eagerly set out to locate Spirit Hall's library.]
He had not come for sightseeing.
He had come for answers.
Following directions from local residents, he soon arrived at a large public library.
This was one of Spirit City's open libraries, where registered spirit masters could freely read general materials.
Yu Xiaogang proudly presented his identification.
The guards checked it briefly and allowed him inside.
He entered with anticipation burning in his chest.
What he did not know was that someone far more powerful had already learned of his arrival.
Inside the Supreme Pontiff Palace
Deep within the magnificent Supreme Pontiff Palace, Pope Qian Xunji sat at his desk handling official affairs.
He was calm, elegant, and dignified.
Golden hair framed a face that remained majestic even while relaxed.
At that moment, a subordinate entered and bowed.
"Your Holiness, Yu Xiaogang has arrived in Spirit City."
Qian Xunji leaned back slightly.
"It took longer than I expected."
Then he smiled faintly.
"That old dragon Yu Yuanzhen truly cares for his son."
He tapped the desk lightly.
"Even though the boy is already considered a waste, he still used a favor to secure access to our library."
There was amusement in his voice.
"For most people, such a son would have long been abandoned."
Seated below him was Dragon Scale Douluo.
The elder sighed.
"Yu Yuanzhen has always cared too much for family."
He shook his head slowly.
"Among Titled Douluos, who does not enjoy endless glory? Yet because of this son, I've heard countless jokes made at his expense."
Even he felt some sympathy.
Memories of the Past
Qian Xunji gave a cold chuckle.
"He is only soft-hearted toward his own blood."
"When he was younger, he was one of the fiercest men on the continent."
Dragon Scale Douluo nodded reluctantly.
"That is true."
He looked distant for a moment.
"Who would have imagined that the man once called the Humanoid Tyrant Dragon would become like this?"
There was silence in the hall.
Then the subordinate asked respectfully:
"Your Holiness, to what level of the library should we grant access?"
Rank Three Access
Qian Xunji thought briefly.
Then he answered.
"Open Rank Three."
The subordinate bowed.
Spirit Hall's collection was divided into five ranks according to importance.
Rank Five contained the deepest secrets of Spirit Hall.
Even many Titled Douluos within Spirit Hall were not qualified to view them.
Rank Four was nearly as valuable and reserved for core personnel.
Rank Three, however, though less restricted, still contained precious records involving Spirit Saints, Spirit Douluos, and even matters touching the Titled Douluo level.
Granting Yu Xiaogang Rank Three access was already a considerable favor.
Qian Xunji considered it more than enough.
As for higher ranks?
Even if they allowed him in, what could he understand?
And even if he understood, what could he do with it?
A More Interesting Plan
The subordinate prepared to leave.
But Qian Xunji raised a hand.
"One more thing."
The man stopped immediately.
"Do not approach him first."
"Do not tell him permission has been granted."
The Pope's eyes narrowed sharply.
"We will wait for him to come begging."
"In the process, we may learn something useful about the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect."
A dangerous glint flashed in his gaze.
One favor from Yu Yuanzhen was not enough to satisfy him.
Yu Xiaogang had come because he had already exhausted his family's records and found no solution.
That meant he was desperate.
And desperate people were easy to use.
If handled properly, Yu Xiaogang might reveal internal information from his sect in exchange for more knowledge.
Even if much of it concerned thunder-attributed spirits, Spirit Hall would never reject useful information.
As the greatest organization of spirit masters on the continent, they always wanted more.
Qian Xunji smiled.
"I hope that boy gives me a pleasant surprise."
Final Reflection
Dragon Scale Douluo looked at the Pope, then sighed inwardly.
Poor old dragon.
Yu Yuanzhen had offered a favor out of love for his son.
Yet the moment the Pope accepted it, he had already begun planning how to strip every possible benefit from that same son.
On the heavenly curtain, Yu Xiaogang walked proudly through the library, believing he had reached Spirit City through his own determination.
But the viewers now knew the truth.
His father had opened the door.
Spirit Hall had noticed him before he ever entered.
And from the very first step into the city—
He had already become someone else's target.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)