Master? Nothing More Than a Plagiarist

It was as though lightning flashed across Bibi Dong's cloud-shrouded night sky of a mind, leaving a blemish upon Yu Xiaogang's tall, majestic, radiant figure.

Bibi Dong said in a trembling voice, "Th-this isn't real."

As she spoke, Bibi Dong turned to the third page of the book. Once she confirmed that it truly contained Martial Soul research findings from over ten thousand years ago, her questioning voice gradually weakened.

"This merely happens to overlap with the research records of earlier predecessors. Xiaogang couldn't possibly be a plagiarist."

Bibi Dong spoke as she frantically shook her head in denial.

After saying that, Bibi Dong hurled the book containing records from ten thousand years ago onto the ground.

Seeing this, Wang Chen knew that his words had created a tiny crack in Bibi Dong's view of Yu Xiaogang.

However, it was not enough. He still had to tear that crack wide open until Yu Xiaogang's true face was exposed.

Only once Bibi Dong saw that even Yu Xiaogang's love for her was false could her final lingering hope truly be severed.

Wang Chen was in no rush. He took another set of Martial Soul records from a nearby shelf, opened it, and placed it before Bibi Dong. "Your Holiness, please look here. This is material left behind eight thousand years ago by a teacher who taught at the Martial Soul Academy for over thirty years."

Bibi Dong looked where Wang Chen pointed. "Having taught for over thirty years and produced several thousand students, this humble writer discovered that those with powerful Martial Souls might not necessarily grow strong, while those with weak or seemingly useless Martial Souls might not necessarily be unable to become powerful.

A Soul Master's strength is not only related to their Martial Soul itself, but also to other factors.

Here, this writer summarizes several of the most important influencing factors:

One: the soul rings attached to the Martial Soul, including the types of soul rings and their ages.

Two: the direction in which soul skills are developed. This affects the methods and combat styles available to a Soul Master.

Three: a Soul Master's acquired effort. As the saying goes, three parts are fated by heaven, while seven parts depend on hard work; only those who strive can win.

Four: heavenly treasures. Heavenly treasures can affect the evolution of a Martial Soul.

..."

The records went on at great length, interspersed with extensive information on the students this teacher had taught.

After Bibi Dong finished reading, her pupils contracted for an instant, and her heart suffered another heavy blow.

Another crack appeared in Yu Xiaogang's majestic image within her heart, and it was larger than the previous one.

"This could also just be a coincidence..."

Bibi Dong's rebuttal no longer carried the same righteous confidence as before.

"Oh!"

"Your Holiness, I recall that one of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls states:

A Soul Master's first soul ring can be absorbed at a maximum age of 423 years;

the second ring, at a maximum of 764 years;

the third ring, at a maximum of 1,760 years;

the fourth ring, at a maximum of 5,213 years;

the fifth ring, at a maximum of 12,000 years;

the sixth ring, at a maximum of 20,000 years;

the seventh ring, at a maximum of 50,000 years;

the eighth ring, at a maximum of 99,999 years;

and the ninth ring, at a maximum exceeding 100,000 years."

Wang Chen looked at Bibi Dong. "Your Holiness, if you chose to absorb a Man-Faced Demon Spider as your first soul ring, could you distinguish between a 423-year-old Man-Faced Demon Spider and a 422-year-old one?

When absorbing your second soul ring, if you absorbed a Man-Faced Demon Spider, could you distinguish between a 764-year-old one and a 763-year-old one?

If a Soul Master wished to absorb their third soul ring, how could they determine whether the Lone Bamboo they were absorbing was 1,760 years old or 1,750 years old?

..."

Although she did not know what Wang Chen was trying to do, Bibi Dong recalled information on Man-Faced Demon Spiders, Lone Bamboo, and the like.

Other than soul beasts kept in captivity and under supervision, there was no way to accurately determine a soul beast's exact age. One could only roughly estimate its age range from its appearance and aura.

Bibi Dong shook her head. "I can't tell."

A smile appeared at the corner of Wang Chen's mouth. "This Master said nothing at all about how to determine a soul beast's precise age, and he had never even taught students.

"So the question is: where did such detailed information come from?"

Bibi Dong's heart jolted, and her pupils contracted again. The scene of Wang Chen using those records to refute her appeared in her mind.

The thought of "another coincidence" surfaced in Bibi Dong's mind.

Seeing Bibi Dong's shock, Wang Chen continued, "Also, in this Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls theory, the first two soul rings are described in great detail. It even details the precautions for absorbing soul rings, and even what it feels like to absorb them.

"But after the third soul ring—especially regarding what might happen when absorbing soul rings over a thousand years old—not a word is mentioned.

"For example, when absorbing a soul ring over ten thousand years old, one would experience a spiritual shock."

Nor did he remind soul masters that, before absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring, they needed to improve their mental strength.

Such a serious oversight was not a low-level mistake that a rigorous scholar should have made.

What had caused all of this?"

Wang Chen looked at Bibi Dong. Seeing her face darken, he could not help but laugh inwardly. "Could it be that this so-called master never broke through Rank 30 and never experienced absorbing a third soul ring?

That was why he never described in detail what it felt like to absorb a third soul ring, nor reminded other soul masters that they needed to strengthen their mental power before absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring, lest soul tremors cause them to fail?"

Bibi Dong nodded with a dark expression. "Xiaogang... Xiaogang's martial soul was a useless martial soul with only half a rank of innate soul power, severely limiting his growth.

He had only cultivated to Rank 29 and had not broken through Rank 30.

Perhaps he did not know that information, or perhaps... he had merely overlooked it."

She did not want to admit that Yu Xiaogang was a fraud. She did not want to admit that she had once been so foolish as to be deceived by a fraud who was nothing at all.

She did not want to accept that the version of herself who could abandon anything for love had been a brainless idiot.

Bibi Dong admired Wang Chen's knowledge of martial soul research, and she admired his powers of observation even more.

However, she still did not believe that Yu Xiaogang had plagiarized anything. She thought he had merely "coincided" with it.

Yet even that notion of "coincidence" was no longer so firm.

"So the master never broke through Rank 30!"

Wang Chen paused, then slightly parted his lips. "Then I really do not understand. If this master could neither break the shackles of Rank 30 himself nor solve the problems with his own martial soul, how did he have the nerve to say, 'There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters'?"

"Wasn't he slapping himself in the face by saying that?"

"Still, if this master could plagiarize someone else's results and pass them off as his own, then his skin must be thicker than a city wall. I suppose he would not be afraid of being slapped in the face!"

Bibi Dong felt as though her face were burning with pain. Within her was both shame and fury at herself for once trusting Yu Xiaogang, as well as anger toward Wang Chen. "Xiaogang may be a little weak, but he is absolutely not useless, and he did not plagiarize anything!

If you have no proof, do not blame me for being rude!"

Wang Chen knew that if he could not produce evidence convincing enough for Bibi Dong, he might truly get beaten up.

"Proof? I have it."

As he spoke, Wang Chen pulled out a document. "Your Holiness, I truly am not talking nonsense.

If you do not believe me, please look here.

This is martial soul research material from an elder of Spirit Hall five thousand years ago, one responsible for compiling information on soul masters across the entire continent."

Bibi Dong looked where Wang Chen pointed. "The author has been engaged in the work of organizing data on the martial souls and soul rings of soul masters across the continent for Spirit Hall.

After fifty years of compiling and analyzing the records of more than a million soul masters, the author has found that the age limit of soul rings a soul master can absorb is related to many factors, including the soul master's own strength, bloodline, physique, martial soul type, martial soul grade, and the type of soul beast being absorbed.

The stronger a soul master's physique and bloodline, the higher the quality of their martial soul, and the weaker the backlash from the absorbed soul beast, the older the soul ring they can absorb.

According to the author's statistics, for soul masters with high personal strength, strong bloodlines, good physiques, powerful martial soul types, high-grade martial souls, and compatible absorbed soul beasts, a soul ring of just over four hundred years is relatively suitable.

The precise age limit for the first soul ring a soul master can absorb is unclear, but it is broadly estimated to be slightly above four hundred years, not reaching four hundred and fifty years.

The upper limit for the second soul ring is roughly below eight hundred years.

The upper limit for the third soul ring is roughly below one thousand eight hundred years.

The upper limit for the fourth soul ring is roughly below five thousand years.

The upper limit for the fifth soul ring is roughly below twelve thousand years.

The upper limit for the sixth soul ring is roughly below twenty thousand years.

The upper limit for the seventh soul ring is roughly below fifty thousand years.

The upper limit for the eighth soul ring cannot exceed one hundred thousand years.

The upper limit for the ninth soul ring can exceed one hundred thousand years.

..."

The material listed all kinds of data in detail, including detailed records of actual people, their martial souls, and their innate soul power levels.

As Bibi Dong read further, Wang Chen noticed that her expression grew increasingly unsightly, and even her hands slowly clenched without her realizing it.

"Xiaogang... did he really plagiarize?"

As she spoke, Bibi Dong stared at Wang Chen with bloodshot eyes, making his scalp prickle.

However, he could hear from her voice that she no longer possessed her former confidence.

Wang Chen nodded. "Coinciding once means nothing. Coinciding twice is also possible. But coinciding countless times in a row, even coinciding with large amounts of experimental data—that cannot possibly be mere coincidence. The only way to do that is to copy someone else's material."

"What about his other theories? Were those plagiarized too?"

Bibi Dong's voice trembled. Clearly, she did not dare believe it.

Wang Chen nodded.

Then, Wang Chen pulled out and opened the documents one by one.

Wang Chen picked up a document and said, "For example, this: 'Martial souls can absorb soul rings across categories. Tool martial souls can absorb beast soul rings, while beast martial souls can absorb plant soul rings.'"

Wasn't that just nonsense?

Did that even need him to say it?

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and Clear Sky Hammer were both tool martial souls. If they could not absorb soul rings across categories, were they supposed to have the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda find a pagoda soul beast to absorb, and the Clear Sky Hammer find a hammer martial soul to absorb?

Did such things even exist on Douluo Continent?"

"Besides, the records of absorbing soul rings across categories were not recorded by 'Grandmaster' either. I found similar claims in martial soul materials left behind by seniors from tens of thousands of years ago."

As he spoke, Wang Chen opened the document. "Historical Traceability Report on Research into Cross-Category Martial Soul Soul Ring Absorption."

"It clearly states that legends left behind at least tens of thousands of years ago already contained records concerning cross-category martial soul absorption."

Then Wang Chen pointed to the next theory in Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls, the martial soul fusion theory. "Different martial souls and soul masters can trigger fusion skills, and the power of fusion skills can increase severalfold."

"Wasn't that also just nonsense?"

"Before Grandmaster's martial soul theories came out, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had already developed a martial soul fusion skill, hadn't they?

More importantly, the imperial Dai Family of the Star Luo Empire and the ducal Zhu Family both possessed martial soul fusion skills.

The Dai Family and Zhu Family had controlled the Star Luo Empire for over twenty thousand years. Records of their martial soul fusion skills went back at least ten thousand years."

"If the martial soul fusion theory came from Grandmaster, then did Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo's fusion skill, as well as the Dai and Zhu Families' cultivation of martial soul fusion skills, travel here from the past to learn from 'Grandmaster'?"

At that, Wang Chen opened another document from more than ten thousand years ago. It clearly recorded the martial soul fusion skills of the Dai Family and Zhu Family, explicitly stating that different martial souls and different soul masters could trigger martial soul fusion skills.

Bibi Dong's heart was already in turmoil. The image of Yu Xiaogang as a martial soul grandmaster, the image of Yu Xiaogang as pure and spotless, was now covered in cracks.

Ignoring Bibi Dong's livid expression, Wang Chen continued, "There's also the mimetic martial soul theory. As I recall, the mimetic cultivation environment at our Martial Soul Academy has existed for at least ten thousand years. It was proposed by the first headmaster ten thousand years ago after he was injured.

How did the mimetic theory become Grandmaster's?"

"And this: 'When cultivation reaches a bottleneck, even without absorbing a soul ring, one can continue accumulating soul power during cultivation. After absorbing a new soul ring, the previously accumulated soul power can be released.'"

"There were records of that tens of thousands of years ago as well, along with detailed records in Spirit Hall's Scripture Pavilion from ten thousand years ago."

As he spoke, Wang Chen opened the materials and handed them to Bibi Dong.

"And also..."

Afterward, Wang Chen produced document after document, proving that every one of Yu Xiaogang's materials had a source and had originated from someone else's work.

Wang Chen nailed Yu Xiaogang's theories to the pillar of shame reserved for plagiarists—the kind that could not be pulled down no matter what.

Finally, Wang Chen concluded forcefully, "In other words, every theory in Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls was plagiarized from others."

With every point Wang Chen refuted, Bibi Dong's expression worsened, and another crack appeared in Yu Xiaogang's image.

In the end, nothing remained of Yu Xiaogang's "pure and spotless" grandmaster image but shards scattered across the ground.

At the same time, she realized that Yu Xiaogang had only earned the title of "Grandmaster" because she had brought him into Spirit Hall's Scripture Pavilion back then.

Yet her obsession with Yu Xiaogang sustained her, leaving her to both love and hate him. She was in unbearable agony and desperately wanted to vent.

Bibi Dong looked at Wang Chen. "What about you? After reading so many materials, have you produced any new research findings?"

Wang Chen froze for a moment. After thinking it over, he still revealed the theory he had researched. "A little."

As he spoke, Wang Chen took a document from his spatial ring. "Your Holiness, this is a small insight I gained from recently reviewing materials."

Bibi Dong accepted Wang Chen's document and began reading it.

"Adversarial Mimetic Cultivation Method?" Bibi Dong looked at Wang Chen in confusion.

Before this, Bibi Dong had only heard of cultivating in a mimetic environment. She had never heard of the Adversarial Mimetic Cultivation Method.