"Dong'er! Dong'er! Look at this!"
A plainly dressed, unremarkable-looking young man rushed over excitedly, carrying a large bundle of disorganized manuscript pages.
It was none other than Yu Xiaogang.
He spread the pages across the stone table before Bibi Dong, his face brimming with self-satisfaction.
"Look, these are the results of my latest research: 'Martial Soul Core Competitiveness'!"
"Once I publish my theory, it will shake the entire continent's soul master world!"
Bibi Dong's gaze swept over the pages, but her lovely brows knitted involuntarily.
She felt a little impatient.
The things Yu Xiaogang was talking about—"Mimicry Cultivation Environment," "age limits for soul rings," and the like—were all documented in Spirit Hall's Library.
All he had done was restate those profound Ancient Texts in simpler language.
Any literate soul master could explain them just as fluently after spending some time organizing the material.
Yet he insisted on treating it as his own original theory, basking in smug satisfaction.
Yu Xiaogang failed to notice the change in her mood and continued chattering.
"Dong'er, I know you've been working hard on your cultivation lately. Why don't we go on an outing outside the city tomorrow to unwind?"
"Oh, and I'd like to ask you for a small favor."
He leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"Isn't there an Ancient Text called the Study of Ancient Exotic Beast Martial Souls in Spirit Hall's archives?"
"Could you... bring it out for me to have a look? Just for a little while! With it, I could perfect my theory much faster!"
At those words, Bibi Dong's expression finally darkened.
"Xiaogang, have you lost your mind?"
She was angry.
"The archives contain Spirit Hall's most closely guarded secrets! Even the elders can't enter without a written order from His Holiness the Pope, let alone me!"
"Do you realize that taking Ancient Texts out without permission is a grave act of betrayal against the Hall? Your soul power would be crippled, and you'd be expelled from Spirit Hall!"
Seeing her anger, Yu Xiaogang did not rein himself in. Instead, he continued trying to persuade her with honeyed words.
"Dong'er, don't get so worked up."
"My theory is tailored specifically for geniuses with twin martial souls like you. It's completely different from all that garbage out there!"
"Think about it. Once it succeeds, you'll be the strongest woman on the continent! Who would dare tell you what to do then?"
"We're working toward a great cause. Taking a tiny risk is worth it!"
He spoke with heartfelt sincerity, his eyes filled with dreams of the future.
Bibi Dong stared at him, momentarily dazed.
She knew this was wrong, yet the vision Yu Xiaogang painted stirred a flicker of temptation within her.
She hesitated.
Perhaps... we could discuss it and find a safer way?
Just as her resolve began to waver.
A clear voice, tinged with mockery, drifted over from the shade of a nearby tree.
"You have the nerve to call that patchwork of plagiarism a theory?"
"You useless trash."
"How much longer do you intend to keep deceiving her?"
The moment those words rang out, the atmosphere froze.
Yu Xiaogang's face, flushed with excitement, instantly turned the color of pig liver.
He whipped around and glared at the young man strolling out from beneath the tree.
The newcomer wore a scholar's robe of plain white. He stood tall and straight, with handsome features and clear, bright eyes.
"Ning Lin?"
Bibi Dong recognized him.
He was a scholar affiliated with the Spirit Hall Theory Institute. Reportedly, he had made considerable achievements in Alchemy, possessed an exceedingly rare pure-fire martial soul, and had already surpassed rank forty in soul power. He was a true genius.
More importantly, he had his own unique insights into martial soul theory. Not long ago, he had submitted a paper on "Martial Soul–Pharmacology Coupling" that even her teacher had praised highly, prompting her to grant him an exceptional audience.
But why was he here?
Ning Lin ignored Yu Xiaogang's murderous glare and merely bowed slightly to Bibi Dong in greeting.
His awareness was exceptionally clear at that moment.
The system had seamlessly woven his existence into this stretch of history.
His current identity was that of a guest scholar at the Spirit Hall Theory Institute.
An identity that gave him all he needed to crush Yu Xiaogang from an entirely different plane, right here and now.
As a genuine scholar, Ning Lin knew all too well what Yu Xiaogang's so-called "Martial Soul Core Competitiveness" really amounted to.
It was not a theory at all, but an observational report.
An observational report on Bibi Dong, an unparalleled genius with twin martial souls!
Had Tang San, that monster who absorbed the world's destiny, never appeared, Yu Xiaogang's utterly nonsensical "theory" would never have had a chance of being validated in his entire lifetime.
And there was only one reason he had managed to cobble all this together.
Deception.
He had deceived Bibi Dong, who still harbored hopes for him back then, into using her status as Saintess to steal restricted Ancient Texts from Spirit Hall's confidential archives for him!
From head to toe, this man possessed not a shred of genuine talent or knowledge beyond his glib tongue!
"Who the hell do you think you are?!"
Yu Xiaogang finally lost control. He pointed at Ning Lin's nose and shouted in furious frustration.
"Some nobody who crawled out of who knows where dares spout such nonsense here!"
"Do you even know what a theory is? Do you know what a martial soul is?"
"My theory is an epoch-making breakthrough! A great discovery that can reshape the entire soul master world! How could an ordinary fool like you possibly understand it!"
He delivered his speech with impassioned fervor, as though he truly were an unparalleled genius whose talents went unrecognized and whom the world had misunderstood.
At those words, a faint smile appeared on Ning Lin's face, steeped in contempt.
"An ordinary fool?"
He repeated the words softly and shook his head.
"A useless piece of trash whose own martial soul is only half a rank has the nerve to call someone else an ordinary fool?"
"You... you..."
Yu Xiaogang's face turned scarlet, and his whole body trembled. He stammered "you" for ages without managing a single complete sentence.
His martial soul was the greatest source of pain in his life.
"Xiaogang!"
Bibi Dong finally spoke.
Yu Xiaogang's shouting stopped abruptly.
Bibi Dong rose and walked slowly between them.
She first glanced at Yu Xiaogang, her gaze holding a trace of reassurance, but far more scrutiny.
Then she turned her eyes toward Ning Lin.
"Scholar Ning."
She spoke slowly, her tone regaining the dignity and composure befitting the Saintess.
"You say his theory is a patchwork of plagiarism."
"You say he's useless trash."
"Then where is your evidence?"
She did not favor either side merely because of her relationship with Yu Xiaogang.
Even as a young girl, the future iron-blooded empress had already begun to show her decisive nature.
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang felt somewhat reassured. He immediately puffed out his chest and shot Ning Lin a provocative look.
Go on, produce your evidence!
Let's see what evidence you can come up with!
At that sight, Ning Lin's smile deepened.
Those were precisely the words he had wanted to hear from Bibi Dong.
Rather than looking at Yu Xiaogang, he pointed at the disorderly stack of manuscript pages on the stone table.
"Evidence?"
"Your Highness, isn't the evidence right before your eyes?"
"Take a look at this first."
Before you continue