Master's Research Topic

Early the next morning, Han Yuchen was called to Master's office.

A mixed scent of old books and disinfectant hit him.

The small room was packed with bookshelves that reached the ceiling. Half-man-high stacks of documents were piled on the floor as well.

The only open space held several unnamed metal instruments, glinting with cold, faint light.

Yu Xiaogang wore a white coat and thick glasses, his eyes burning with the fervor of a mad scientist.

He adjusted his glasses. The lenses reflected the instruments' light like two burning Ghost Fires.

"Yuchen, you're here."

His voice was quiet, but he could not suppress his excitement.

"Today, we're conducting a comprehensive data recording."

"This may overturn the Soul Master World's existing understanding!"

So he's treating me like a lab rat.

Fine. I'll just take it as a free physical.

But overturning their understanding?

You think you're overturning the world, but I'm the one overturning your worldview.

Han Yuchen wore an obedient smile and nodded.

"Alright, Master. I'll cooperate fully."

Tang San stood nearby as well. Master had asked him to observe and learn.

He looked at the complicated instruments, then at the calm Han Yuchen, his eyes filled with curiosity.

The tests began.

The first test was Soul Power control precision.

Master handed him a metal needle thinner than a strand of hair.

"Use your Soul Power to control it and pass it through those ten pinholes."

He pointed at the tiny holes on a wooden target in the distance.

Tang San glanced at them and sucked in a breath.

Those pinholes were smaller than an ant's eye.

Han Yuchen took the metal needle, and blue light flashed at his fingertips.

Whoosh.

A faint sound of air being pierced rang out.

The metal needle vanished in an instant. When it reappeared, it was already firmly embedded in the wall behind the tenth pinhole, its tail still trembling slightly.

A perfect straight line.

The clipboard in Master's hand fell to the floor with a smack.

He pushed up the glasses that had nearly slipped off, his mouth hanging open in an O.

"This... this defies the conservation of energy!"

"Soul Power transmission inevitably suffers losses. How could you achieve zero deviation?"

Han Yuchen shrugged.

"Maybe... I'm just focused?"

Focused, my ass! Is this something focus can explain?!

Master roared inwardly, but forced a smile onto his face and picked up the clipboard.

"Good, very good... Let's continue."

The second test was Soul Skill casting speed.

"Use your First Soul Skill, Water Wave, on that speed-testing target."

Han Yuchen raised his hand.

There was almost no chanting and no gathering of power.

Just a thought.

Bang!

A Water Ball had already smashed into the distant target.

A line of numbers instantly appeared on the instrument: 0.08 seconds.

Master's pupils contracted sharply.

"Impossible!"

"The theoretical limit for instantaneous Soul Skill casting is 0.3 seconds! This... this is even faster than the record!"

Han Yuchen scratched his head, looking innocent.

"Maybe... practice makes perfect?"

Master felt as though his heart could barely take it.

He took several deep breaths before steadying his trembling hand and writing down that world-shattering number on the clipboard.

The following tests completely turned into a showcase of Master's theories collapsing.

The Martial Soul's affinity test with the Water Element.

The instrument went off the scale.

The needle shot straight to the top, letting out strained squeaks.

The Spiritual Power intensity test.

The Soul Tool Master used for testing—a crystal ball—cracked apart.

With a crisp crack.

Master stared at the table full of data that exceeded theoretical limits, along with the two ruined instruments, and fell into a long silence.

He looked like a petrified statue. Only the eyes behind his lenses gleamed brighter and brighter.

Tang San had already gone numb beside him.

He felt as though Brother Chen had pinned his worldview to the ground and rubbed it back and forth today.

So theories could be broken.

So people really could be this absurdly monstrous.

At last, Master raised his head and stared intensely at Han Yuchen.

He took out a fresh sheet of paper and a pen.

He looked like he was preparing to sign a historic document.

"Yuchen, tell me."

His voice trembled slightly with excitement.

"When you absorbed that Thousand-Year Soul Ring, what exactly did your body feel?"

"Why didn't you explode and die?"

Here it comes, the core question.

Han Yuchen pretended to think, furrowing his brow.

The performance begins now.

He slowly spoke in a highly uncertain tone.

"It felt like..."

"My Martial Soul seemed very... hungry."

"It didn't passively accept the Soul Ring. It was more like... more like it actively 'ate' the Soul Ring's power."

Hungry? Ate it?

Master's breathing immediately grew rapid, and the pen in his hand creaked under his grip.

Han Yuchen continued adding fuel to the fire.

"And I felt like something in the sky was helping me."

"That night, there were many stars."

"A cool power fell from the sky and flowed through my entire body. It felt very comfortable. No matter how fiercely the Soul Ring's power surged, it couldn't break through that cool layer of protection."

Active devouring?

Something in the sky helping him? Starlight?

Boom!

Those two keywords were like two bolts of thunder exploding in Master's mind.

He stood frozen as if struck by lightning.

A few seconds later, he rushed to the bookshelf like a madman.

He frantically flipped through those ancient texts, the pages rustling loudly beneath his hands.

"No... no... this theoretical model is wrong..."

"There's a flaw in the limit absorption theory..."

"Devouring... Starlight... There must be records, there must be!"

Like an obsessed scholar, he muttered to himself while his fingers flew over the yellowed pages.

Han Yuchen and Tang San exchanged a glance, then silently retreated into a corner.

Man, he's getting way too immersed in this.

Did I make up something too ridiculous?

Looking at his reaction, it seems like he actually believes it.

Finally, Master found a page in an unofficial historical journal whose cover had nearly rotted away.

Only a few lines were written on it.

"Ancient aberrations whose Martial Souls suffer from hunger may devour Soul Rings and transcend age limits..."

"Star Guidance Body Tempering, an ancient secret art that draws the Star Power of the nine heavens into the body, may strengthen one's foundation, nurture one's vitality, and rebuild after destruction..."

The record was vague and even sounded somewhat like mythology.

Yet at this moment, in Master's eyes, those two passages were lightning illuminating the darkness!

"I understand!"

Master abruptly stood up and paced back and forth through the cramped room, his fists tightly clenched.

"I understand it all!"

"My theory wasn't wrong! The world simply produced an exception!"

"An incredibly rare Mutated Martial Soul that can be called a 'Devouring Type'!"

"This type of Martial Soul is itself extremely hungry for Soul Power and possesses a capacity far beyond the norm!"

"And under special conditions—such as the star-filled night you described—it triggered an ancient secret art similar to Star Guidance Body Tempering, temporarily raising your physical strength to an unimaginable level!"

"The combination of the two created a miracle like you!"

The more Master spoke, the more excited he became, his face flushing red.

He slapped the table and delivered his final conclusion.

"I name this brand-new discovery—"

"Mutated Martial Soul Limit Breakthrough Theory!"

Well, damn.

Man, you're pretty good at naming things.

I casually made up a few lines, and you directly built an entire theoretical system around them.

Mutations, devouring, Star Guidance Body Tempering...

The next time I go fight someone, I won't even need to explain myself. I can just throw your paper in their face.

So scientific. So rigorous.

Han Yuchen watched Master sink into self-satisfaction and wild joy, struggling to hold back his laughter.

Master composed himself and looked solemnly at Han Yuchen.

"Yuchen, you are the sole discoverer and verifier of this theory."

"I want to turn this discovery into a paper and make it public. It will be enough to change the future of the entire Soul Master World!"

"Of course, I'll conceal your true identity and refer to you only as an 'exceptional sample.' Are you willing?"

This was exactly what Han Yuchen had been waiting for.

He immediately nodded, his smile bright.

"Of course I'm willing, Master. It would be my honor to contribute to the Soul Master World."

Then his tone shifted.

"However, Master, as the 'exceptional sample' for this theory, since I've provided so much valuable data, shouldn't there also be a little... compensation?"

Master froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"You little rascal, you're really sly."

"Go on, what do you want? As long as it's something I can do."

Han Yuchen's smile became meaningful.

"I don't need money, and I don't need Soul Tools."

"I need detailed information on Nuoding City's Spirit Hall."

"Everything, including its personnel structure, strength levels, daily operating schedule, and..."

He paused, lowering his voice.

"And whether there have been any unusual rumors lately."

Master's smile faded, and he looked puzzled.

"What do you need Spirit Hall information for?"

"It's only a place responsible for Martial Soul Awakening and Soul Master registration. There's nothing worth researching there."

Han Yuchen had already prepared an excuse.

"I'm very curious about Spirit Hall's operational model. After all, it's the largest organization on the continent. I want to understand it better—know yourself and know your enemy."

Know yourself and know your enemy?

A six-year-old child saying something like that?

Master found it a little strange, but his mind was currently filled with his new theory, so he did not dwell on it.

Besides, he knew that Han Yuchen's mind was far beyond that of an ordinary person.

"Fine, I agree."

Master agreed without hesitation.

"Although I don't have much of a relationship with Spirit Hall, obtaining the internal files of a mere branch hall in the name of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would be effortless."

Spirit Hall was the one putting on airs. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan probably wouldn't even spare you a glance!

Done.

Han Yuchen was delighted.

This was exactly the result he wanted.

Rather than investigating like a headless fly himself, it was better to let Master, an "authority," take action.

Safe and efficient.

Master gave a few more instructions. To further verify one of his theoretical hypotheses, he needed a special component for a Soul Power testing device.

"How about this? You two go to the blacksmith shop in the west of the city right now and help me retrieve the custom-made item."

"It'll also give your legs some exercise."

This task had come at exactly the right time.

It gave him the perfect opportunity to leave the academy and move freely.

As he left the office, Han Yuchen turned back and called out to Master, who was still writing furiously.

"Master, if your theory gets published, remember to give me a share of the royalties."

Master's hand paused around his pen. He looked up at the smiling boy by the door, froze for a moment, then shook his head with a laugh.

This child was truly an interesting one.

When they walked out of the office, the sunlight was just right.

Han Yuchen stretched lazily, feeling refreshed all over.

Tang San followed behind him, looking as though he wanted to say something but held back.

Han Yuchen glanced back at him.

"Let's go, Little San."

"To the blacksmith shop."

"And while we're at it, let's take a good look around Nuoding City."

His gaze passed over the academy walls and settled once more on the landmark building at the center of the city.

Spirit Hall.

The probing look from before was gone from his eyes.

All that remained was the profound gaze of a hunter fixated on his prey.