Martial Soul Mutation Theory

He spoke slowly, his voice low:

"Your Martial Soul is the Black Tower, is it not?"

Xia Yan nodded.

Yu Xiaogang spoke again: "A mutated Martial Soul, correct?"

Yu Xiaogang had just heard from other gossiping teachers that a student with Innate Full Soul Power had enrolled, and he had immediately rushed to the Academic Affairs Office to verify it.

It was true, just as expected.

The information regarding Xia Yan's Martial Soul was recorded clearly in the Academic Affairs Office.

And a mutated Martial Soul at that; for those from poor backgrounds, high Innate Soul Power almost always stemmed from mutations. Otherwise, how could such high Innate Soul Power be possible?

Therefore, these two questions were completely unnecessary and a waste of time, but Yu Xiaogang insisted on asking them to project an aura of knowing everything.

Only then could he make Xia Yan feel timid, fearful, and eventually convinced.

Just as he expected, Xia Yan nodded: "It is a mutated Martial Soul."

He simply did not show the timidity and anxiety Yu Xiaogang had hoped for.

Yu Xiaogang continued, unhurried:

"A Black Tower Martial Soul with Innate Full Soul Power is something you would struggle to find a second example of on this continent. According to my research on the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul, with Innate Full Soul Power, you are either a Twin Martial Souls user, or your Martial Soul is exceptionally powerful. Regardless of which it is, you should be happy, but..."

He paused deliberately, squinting his eyes, his gaze sharp as he looked at Xia Yan:

"There has never been a Tower-type Martial Soul with Innate Full Soul Power in this world. There are no reference points, which also means this mutation is entirely unknown to you."

"Have you ever thought about why the Black Tower mutated? Is it truly a benign mutation? Is it really completely harmless?"

With every question, his presence grew more imposing, his tone sharper.

According to his plan, Xia Yan should be struggling to breathe under his pressure by now, and next, he would be trembling at the knees, begging to 'know the truth.' After that, he would introduce himself as the number one theoretical master of the Martial Soul world.

Xia Yan would then immediately kneel respectfully, kowtow, and take him as his master.

In the future, he would mold Xia Yan into the greatest genius in the Spirit Master world, win the Spirit Master Tournament, and clear his own name!

He would let the world know that he, Yu Xiaogang, was absolutely not trash!

He had cultivated a genius!

A bright future was right before his eyes!

However, completely contrary to Yu Xiaogang's expectations, Xia Yan said with a matter-of-fact expression:

"I know why. It's due to the fusion of attributes and bloodline."

Yu Xiaogang froze, then asked in a deep, questioning voice:

"What attribute fusion? Where did you hear that?"

A boy from a poor village, relying on his high Innate Soul Power, was acting so arrogant and lawless. He must have picked up a term from somewhere and dared to show off in front of him, the theoretical master of the Martial Soul world.

The way Xia Yan had looked him up and down just now, showing no respect, had irritated Yu Xiaogang. But to maintain his image as an expert, he had to endure it for now.

As long as he could prove himself, everything would be worth it.

He had endured for twenty years; he could handle a few more moments.

Now, Yu Xiaogang intended to use his knowledge and theories to crush Xia Yan's arrogance and make him kneel to beg for apprenticeship.

Xia Yan, meanwhile, felt fortunate in his heart.

Originally, if Yu Xiaogang hadn't sought him out, he wouldn't have bothered with Yu Xiaogang, and both sides would have kept their distance.

But since Yu Xiaogang had come to his door, he shouldn't blame him. He wasn't a saint, and he couldn't let such an opportunity slip away, allowing a future enemy to grow steadily.

"I can tell you, but what do I get? What are you prepared to trade?"

Giving something up would make it more credible.

Yu Xiaogang was almost laughed to anger. A trade?

He, the dignified number one theoretical master of the Martial Soul world, was going to trade with him?

Who did he think he was?

However, he maintained his composure. He wanted to wear down Xia Yan's arrogance, not push him into becoming an adversary.

He said slowly:

"Perhaps you have heard of it, or perhaps you haven't, but I have published the 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul,' which is hailed as the truth of the Spirit Master world. As a scholar, the only thing I can offer you is my vast ocean of knowledge."

He reached out, and a thin book with a dark yellow cover appeared out of thin air, which he then displayed to Xia Yan, showing the nine large black characters on the cover: Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.

"..."

Xia Yan was speechless. What was he supposed to do with this? Use it as toilet paper?

"Teacher, I am a child from a poor mountain village. I know about Martial Soul mutations, but I lack other knowledge. Could I trade knowledge with you? I would like information regarding the habits and distribution of Spirit Beasts, preferably records of rare ones."

Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but frown.

His internal feeling shifted from initial resistance to growing disgust toward Xia Yan. This was a calculating boy who wanted to gain something without giving anything in return.

"Rare Soul Beasts," he scoffed. "Do you really think you're capable of absorbing their spirit rings?"

This was not the steady, grounded disciple he had been looking for.

He flipped his palm, and the book vanished, replaced by a new, thick brown tome that appeared out of thin air, its spine as wide as his own hand.

Title:

Detailed Explanation of Rare Soul Beasts

The brown cover was the result of the passage of time; this book had existed for at least five hundred years and was part of the Martial Soul Hall collection. Yu Xiaogang had borrowed it long ago, found it useful, and simply never returned it, keeping it by his side ever since.

He shook the book and said irritably:

"I have it, but you must first prove that you are worthy of this book."

Xia Yan smiled inwardly.

He spoke the words he had prepared two months ago:

"The mutation of a martial soul is generally divided into innate and acquired, but in reality, these two types of mutation are one and the same."

Yu Xiaogang nearly scoffed at the notion. The same mutation?

What an arrogant, baseless claim.

Xia Yan continued: "The essence of cultivation is the increase of energy. Increasing energy that aligns with the martial soul's attributes promotes growth, while increasing energy with opposing attributes causes rejection. At best, it results in meridian damage; at worst, the martial soul is crippled. For example, a fire-attribute martial soul absorbing a water-attribute spirit ring will suffer a backlash."

Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, watching coldly, neither confirming nor denying.

"During the process of cultivation, a spirit master cannot only absorb spirit rings of a single attribute. As long as the attributes do not conflict, it is acceptable. Take the White Tiger martial soul, for instance; although it is of the light attribute, a spirit master might absorb different spirit rings for the sake of power, sharpness, or speed.

To gain speed, one might absorb a Wind Tiger spirit ring, causing the martial soul to become infused with wind attributes; to gain power, one might absorb a Diamond Tiger spirit ring, causing it to become infused with force attributes.

By absorbing different spirit rings, the martial soul becomes stained with different attributes. After absorbing many and passing them down through generations, the martial soul may appear to be a White Tiger, but its bloodline and essence have long been tainted with too many impurities.

Now, if a spirit master with a White Tiger martial soul and one with a bird martial soul conceive a child, because both bloodlines are heavily tainted, if certain impurity attributes happen to align, a mutation will occur. The child born might be a wind-attribute tiger, a light-attribute bird, or perhaps even a tiger with wings..."

"This also explains why blood relatives with the same type of martial soul can possess different attributes, such as one being fire-attribute and another being earth-attribute.

Therefore, the innate mutation and acquired mutation of a martial soul are, in essence, exactly the same..."

"Haa... haa..."

Yu Xiaogang was breathing heavily, his eyes wide, and even the hand holding the book was trembling slightly.

So... so this is why martial souls mutate...

So... my Luo Sanpao mutated because of an excess of bloodline impurities!

I... I have been searching for forty years!

The Blue Lightning Overlord Dragon Clan all inherited dragons, yet their attributes differed and their forms varied—there were lightning dragons, water dragons, fire dragons... and then there was Luo Sanpao, who was not a dragon at all.

So that was it!

"Haa... haa..."

Yu Xiaogang's palm shook: "Where did you see this!"

"Where did you see it?!"

"How could you possibly know about spirit beasts like the White Tiger and the Wind Tiger?!"