Nuoding City, Spirit Hall.
Yu Xiaogang wore a clean gray robe, his face carrying his signature stiff smile.
Today was the day to collect the Soul Master subsidy.
Ten Gold Soul Coins.
For many Soul Masters, that was no small sum, enough to support a decent life for one or two months.
But to Yu Xiaogang, who came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, that amount was truly insignificant.
Deep down, he even held it in some disdain.
It was nothing more than Spirit Hall's petty favor to win over low-level Soul Masters and buy people's loyalty.
But disdain was disdain.
Why refuse something free? Yu Xiaogang thought indifferently.
There was no one at the subsidy collection point, and he quickly received a small money pouch.
The pouch felt slightly heavy in his hand as Yu Xiaogang counted the coins one by one.
After confirming that the amount was correct, he tucked the pouch into his robe and turned to leave.
When he reached the main entrance of Spirit Hall, a burst of discussion drifted into his ears.
"Ten Great Theories..."
"Master Yu..."
"..."
The fragmented words immediately caught Yu Xiaogang's attention.
Could they be discussing my Ten Great Theories?
Yu Xiaogang paused slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting as a trace of self-satisfaction flashed through his heart.
Yu Xiaogang adjusted his expression, making himself appear more like a "master," then walked toward the source of the voices.
Three or four people stood gathered before the notice board.
At that moment, they were pointing at a notice and discussing it animatedly.
A handsome young man said, "If only I had obtained my Soul Ring later! According to the notice, if I had prepared Whale Rubber beforehand, I might have had a chance to absorb a six-hundred-year First Soul Ring!"
The young man slapped his thigh, his tone full of regret.
His First Soul Ring was only three hundred years old. Compared to a six-hundred-year Soul Ring, the difference was like heaven and earth!
Six hundred years?
First Soul Ring?
Yu Xiaogang's brows furrowed tightly.
Absurd!
Preposterous!
He immediately lost his previous composure, raising his voice sharply as he shouted at them, "What nonsense are you talking about? How could that be possible!"
His voice was somewhat abrupt, interrupting their conversation.
Several people turned to look at him, their eyes full of confusion.
Who was this guy?
Meeting their gazes, Yu Xiaogang puffed out his chest slightly and said in all seriousness:
"According to my theories, there are limits to a Soul Master's physical condition and meridian strength."
"After rigorous calculations and verification through numerous cases, the absorption limit for a First Soul Ring is four hundred and twenty-three years!"
"This is the truth!"
"A six-hundred-year First Soul Ring? That is pure fantasy. It cannot possibly be achieved!"
He spoke quickly, with a kind of urgency in his voice.
Yet the enlightenment or requests for guidance he had expected never came.
The young man stared at Yu Xiaogang's face for several seconds. He seemed to recognize him, and a flash of realization crossed his face.
"Oh—I was wondering who it was. So it's 'Master' Yu."
Then the young man curled his lip.
"Let's go, let's go."
He waved his hand and led the other Soul Masters away without another word.
His companions still wanted to argue a little longer, but the young man forcibly tugged at their clothes.
Fragmented remarks drifted over:
"His name is Yu Xiaogang, and his nickname is Master. I heard of him back when I attended the junior Soul Master Academy."
"A useless man, and not quite right in the head either."
"Arguing with someone like that would only waste our time."
The young man turned back toward Yu Xiaogang and made a face at him.
"You..."
Yu Xiaogang's finger froze in midair, the rest of his words stuck in his throat.
A familiar, icy sense of humiliation and anger surged into his heart.
Again!
Those looks again!
Yu Xiaogang's chest heaved violently, and his face reddened slightly with rage.
He wanted to rush over and argue with them again, only to realize that he had nothing to say.
As Yu Xiaogang prepared to leave, his gaze inadvertently swept over the notice board.
The notice's title was printed in large, highly conspicuous letters.
Master Yu Cheng's Ten Great Theories
"Yu Cheng?"
Yu Xiaogang's heart skipped for no reason.
What those people had been discussing just now was not Yu Xiaogang?
His gaze quickly shifted to the main text.
The next moment, Yu Xiaogang's pupils contracted sharply!
"Whale Rubber, after being refined by intense fire, can assist in Soul Ring absorption. Among the experimental records, the highest successful absorption age for a First Soul Ring was: a Six Hundred Year Ghost Vine."
"Six hundred years, First Soul Ring!"
Yu Xiaogang stared fixedly at that line, as if he wanted to see through it.
Impossible!
This was absolutely impossible!
He abruptly took a step back. A suffocating pain rose in his chest, and his breathing became rapid.
The limit of a First Soul Ring was four hundred and twenty-three years!
This was one of the core theories he had derived through painstaking calculation, induction, and proof!
How could it have been broken!
"Impossible. How could my theory be wrong!"
Yu Xiaogang murmured blankly.
His eyes lost focus, and his previously straight back hunched over, as though the pillar holding him up had suddenly been pulled away.
After a long while, he turned around unsteadily and left Spirit Hall.
Teacher Dormitory.
Tang San pushed open the door and was instantly startled by Yu Xiaogang's appearance.
Yu Xiaogang leaned against the head of the bed, clawing hard at his scalp. His face was somewhat flushed, and he looked to be in considerable pain.
"Teacher, what happened to you!"
Tang San hurried to Yu Xiaogang's side and asked with concern.
The last time he had seen Yu Xiaogang with this expression was after they came out of the Nuoding dungeon.
During that period, Yu Xiaogang had lain in bed every day.
Tang San had brought him all three meals.
"Xiao San, you're here."
Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San and forced a faint smile onto his face. Yet that smile looked even uglier than crying.
"Look at this."
Yu Xiaogang handed Tang San a notice.
"Yu Cheng's Ten Great Theories?"
Tang San accepted the notice and began reading it word by word.
"Teacher, is what this says true?"
Tang San asked incredulously.
Yu Xiaogang nodded helplessly without saying anything more.
His own theories had also been announced by Spirit Hall back then, and Yu Xiaogang knew this better than anyone. Forging Spirit Hall's seal would bring severe punishment.
"So that's how it is!"
Tang San suddenly said in realization.
He thought of how, one year ago, Yu Cheng had defeated him and taken a six-hundred-year Ghost Vine Soul Ring.
The headmaster said Yu Cheng was an experimental subject chosen by Spirit Hall. It really was true.
Tang San thought to himself.
Back then, he had happened to mention Yu Cheng while chatting with Lin Dashan. From Lin Dashan, Tang San had learned about some of the hidden truths on the Douluo Continent.
Some powerful factions would select commoner Soul Masters without any background for experiments.
If the experiment succeeded, everyone was happy.
If it failed, then that Soul Master could only consider himself unlucky.
When Yu Cheng had left without saying goodbye, Tang San had thought that his body had been damaged from absorbing a Soul Ring beyond his level, which was why Spirit Hall had taken him away.
Tang San had even felt some regret for him.
Who would have thought!
Yu Cheng had actually overturned his teacher's theory!
Looking at Yu Xiaogang's dejected state, Tang San still had many questions in his heart, but he did not voice them.
For some reason, a thought suddenly arose in his heart:
His teacher was not omnipotent.
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