A Disciple? I Disagree!

Douluo Continent, Fasino Province, Notting City, Notting Junior Academy.

In a secluded corner not far from the school gates, Yu Xiaogang gazed up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, endlessly explaining something to Tang San.

"I once investigated six hundred and forty-seven Blue Silver Grass soul masters. The vast majority had no soul power at all, and even those who did never exceeded Rank One. Yet you were born with full soul power."

As he spoke, Yu Xiaogang slowly paced around Tang San.

"According to the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls theory I developed, innate soul power is closely tied to the quality of one's martial soul. A useless martial soul like Blue Silver Grass simply cannot support full innate soul power. Therefore, you must possess another martial soul—and one of extremely high quality!"

Yu Xiaogang's barrage of theories was undoubtedly far too profound for Tang San, who had never had any exposure to martial souls before.

A trace of admiration had already appeared in Tang San's eyes, but having lived two lives, he still intended to probe further.

"There are exceptions to everything. Why can't I be that exception?"

Faced with Tang San's doubt, Yu Xiaogang naturally had another argument ready.

He then went on about martial soul mutations, nineteen people born with full innate soul power, and other such matters. The air was filled with cheer.

Just as Tang San was being talked into a daze by Yu Xiaogang and was about to kneel and take him as his master, a cool voice suddenly cut in without warning.

"With barely over six hundred commoner samples, you presume to deduce the laws governing martial souls across the entire continent. Master Yu's research methods are rather distinctive."

That voice interrupted Tang San just as he was about to kneel, and shattered the lofty image Yu Xiaogang had worked so hard to create.

The two of them turned toward the speaker at the same time. The newcomer appeared to be in his twenties, tall and straight-backed, with handsome features and flowing robes that gave him an elegant air.

Behind him stood a youth wearing the uniform of Notting Junior Academy.

"Xu Linjiu, what are you doing here?!"

Yu Xiaogang recognized him, and his expression immediately darkened.

Xu Linjiu was a teacher newly recruited by Notting Junior Academy that year. It was said that he was an orphan adopted by the academy's headmaster.

Though the two usually had little contact, Yu Xiaogang knew that this man had always looked down on him, believing that he was mooching off Notting Junior Academy's resources.

"Hmph! Xu Linjiu, I'll assume you're merely a teacher from some backwater place with little knowledge, so I won't hold this against you. You should know that my Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls is a theory renowned throughout the entire soul master world—even the Martial Soul Hall recognizes it!"

Yu Xiaogang snorted and put on a magnanimous front, hoping to use his reputation to scare Xu Linjiu off and regain some face in front of Tang San.

If it had been anyone else, hearing phrases like Martial Soul Hall and Ten Core Competencies might really have intimidated them.

But as a transmigrator, Xu Linjiu naturally knew just how laughable Yu Xiaogang's flashy yet hollow theories were.

"What am I doing here? I simply don't want to see a promising talent born with full innate soul power ruined in your hands."

As he spoke, Xu Linjiu summoned his martial soul into his hand and turned to look at Tang San, who stood nearby.

The martial soul resembled a mobile phone from his previous life, except a spherical symbol—red on top and white below—was printed on its back casing.

The martial soul's screen lit up, and a panel invisible to others slowly unfolded:

[Unknown Pokémon discovered]

[Type: Grass, Steel]

[Level: Lv.10]

[Ability: Unable to detect]

[Skills: Unable to detect]

[Evaluation: Exceptional talent, extremely high potential. Strongly recommend capture!!!]

Twenty-four years ago, Xu Linjiu had transmigrated to Douluo Continent. He became an orphan in Notting City and was adopted by the headmaster of Notting Junior Academy.

When he awakened his martial soul at the age of six, he awakened a special support-type tool martial soul: a gift from another world, the Pokédex.

Awakening alongside it was the [Pokémon Trainer System] bound to his martial soul.

According to the system's understanding, this place did not seem to be Douluo Continent, but rather the Pokémon World.

Soul masters and soul beasts were treated as Pokémon, soul master academies became League Gyms, and Xu Linjiu became the only Trainer in this world.

However, due to the influence of Douluo Continent's world laws, Xu Linjiu had lost the ability to capture Pokémon without limit. In its place was a contract ability better suited to this world.

For every soul ring Xu Linjiu possessed, he unlocked one contract slot.

Once a slot was used, the contractor would be permanently bound to him, with no possibility of release. Therefore, Xu Linjiu had used only one contract opportunity even now.

Part of the reason he had returned to Notting Junior Academy as a teacher was to repay the headmaster for raising him. The other part was to carry out the contract ritual.

After all, two geniuses born with full innate soul power—talents seen only once in a century—had appeared in tiny Notting City all at once.

That was why Xu Linjiu would never hand a genius like Tang San over to a wastrel of talent like Yu Xiaogang.

Xu Linjiu stared into Yu Xiaogang's eyes and slowly walked toward him, one step at a time. "The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls, was it? Then do you remember what the second of your ten theories is?"

Yu Xiaogang nearly blurted it out on instinct. "Of course. There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters."

The moment the words left his mouth, he froze. He instantly saw through the trap in Xu Linjiu's question and inwardly cried out in alarm.

Sure enough, Xu Linjiu's mocking laughter reached his ears in the next instant.

"What a fine 'there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters.' Yet it seems our Master Yu has failed to set an example himself!"

"You—!"

Yu Xiaogang's face instantly flushed crimson, and the hand pointing at Xu Linjiu trembled without stop.

As a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the greatest humiliation of his life was his failed martial soul mutation. His giant dragon had become a pig that could only fart, leaving him permanently stuck at Rank Twenty-Nine, unable to advance another step.

Xu Linjiu's voice sounded again. "You understand perfectly well what I mean, but out of mercy, I won't expose you in front of this child. What I want to discuss today is something else."

With that, Xu Linjiu lowered his head and looked at Tang San beside him.

"You keep saying there are no useless martial souls, yet the moment you open your mouth, you nail this child's Blue Silver Grass to the pillar of useless martial souls and declare that it cannot support full innate soul power."

Yu Xiaogang wanted to argue, but the words caught in his throat.

Blue Silver Grass being a useless martial soul was a crucial piece of evidence for his entire theory, yet "there are no useless martial souls" was the second principle he himself had written into the Ten Core Competencies. The two claims collided, leaving him with no room to defend himself.

After holding it in for a long while, he could only stiffen his neck and bring up his claim about the six hundred and forty-seven Blue Silver Grass soul masters once more.

Xu Linjiu was utterly disdainful of Yu Xiaogang's words.

"Six hundred and forty-seven commoner samples can represent every Blue Silver Grass soul master across the continent throughout countless centuries?"

"The southern provinces are humid, and Blue Silver Grass grows far better there than in the north. Blue Silver Grass around the Star Dou Great Forest is steeped in soul beast aura year-round and often develops hidden mutations. There are even mixed variants formed by Blue Silver Grass combining with other plant martial souls. Did you investigate any of that?"

"You investigate only Blue Silver Grass soul masters but never observe Blue Silver Grass itself. Your samples are incomplete, your variables uncontrolled, yet you stand here pretending to be profound. Trash like you dares call himself a theory master?"

Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.

His research into Blue Silver Grass had only begun after he heard of a Blue Silver Grass soul master born with full innate soul power.

Those six hundred-odd samples had been obtained through his status from the Martial Soul Hall's archives.

As for the various Blue Silver Grass variants, he had not had the time to investigate them at all.

Yu Xiaogang's mind was a mess. He repeatedly searched for something to refute him with, but the more anxious he became, the blanker his mind grew.

In his panic, his gaze suddenly fell on Tang San, and his pupils abruptly contracted.

Twin martial souls!

The thought struck his muddled mind like lightning, becoming the only lifeline he could grasp at that moment.

He had no time to think it through. He shouted hysterically at Xu Linjiu, "Twin martial souls! Right! Twin martial souls! He already admitted it just now. My theory is right! My theory is right!"