Jiang Xia still chose to trust that researcher.
There was nothing wrong with many of the man's theories.
"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill is, in essence, two Martial Souls complementing each other."
"Not two similar Martial Souls."
"So-called compatibility means that the protrusions and hollows of two Martial Souls fit together, interlocking and merging into a new, more perfect whole."
"Both Soul Spirits possessing ice and fire attributes certainly gives them something in common, but that doesn't necessarily count as compatibility."
Jiang Xia agreed with this theory.
Indeed, Soul Spirit fusion ultimately came down to research into Martial Soul Fusion Skills. After all, it was modeled on Martial Soul Fusion Skills in the first place.
And Martial Soul fusion was not simply about finding common ground. It was more about finding complementary aspects!
Of course, even more of it came down to luck.
Most White Tiger Martial Souls and Hell Civet Martial Souls did not have any so-called Martial Soul Fusion Skill between them, either.
Individual differences, and even their combinations of Soul Rings, could affect their Martial Soul fusion.
Going further, even the Soul Ring combinations of their fathers and mothers could affect their Martial Soul fusion.
The reason the Dai Clan and Zhu Clan's Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Hell White Tiger, could become the most iconic example was their consistent inheritance of Soul Ring combinations.
Not only could this set of Soul Ring combinations allow them to put their combat strength to effective use, it could also reinforce their outstanding traits, maintaining a relatively high chance of Martial Soul Fusion Skills in the next generation.
Of course, this explanation had merely earned Jiang Xia's approval.
Jiang Xia's approval did not mean it was correct.
Even though he knew the contents of the original Douluo story and had its setting at his fingertips, he would not dare claim to have fathomed the mysteries of Martial Soul Fusion Skills.
What impressed him was the subsequent proxy-farming method that researcher proposed.
"I suggest uploading all the data collected on mutated Evil Eyes to the Spirit Ascension Platform, allowing all the data to fluctuate, and generating large numbers of simulated mutated Evil Eyes. We can have them attempt fusion with replicated individuals of your Ice Fire Silkworm Soul Spirit, find the target data most compatible with your Ice Fire Silkworm Soul Spirit, then find a way to induce a mutated Evil Eye matching that data through targeted methods."
"Of course, given individual differences, we hope your Soul Spirit can also participate in this targeted induction process."
"The Broken Dream Martial Soul can invade mental wills. You can use your Broken Dream Martial Soul as a bridge to establish a bond between your Ice Fire Silkworm Soul Spirit and the mutated Evil Eye undergoing induction."
"..."
It was quite an ordeal, but it sounded enticing, too.
Jiang Xia was not a professional, after all. Worried about being taken in, he had still asked Han Tianyi.
Han Tianyi's answer was that it was worth a try.
"Phew, then I'll give it a try!"
Jiang Xia waved his hand. The four-element halo before him faded away, and the surrounding ambient Qi rapidly dispersed as well.
A button appeared in his right hand. He pressed it, and his body left the Spirit Ascension Platform.
He had not been killed by a soul beast, nor had he encountered mortal danger. He simply wanted to leave, and so he left the Spirit Ascension Platform.
One could only say that access to the Spirit Ascension Platform, something ordinary people could hardly obtain, had become an everyday occurrence for Jiang Xia.
Of course, he had not taken anyone else's spot. Yao Hongchen had added this spot specifically for him.
The resources used came from Yao Hongchen's own spiritual power quota.
As a regional pagoda master, his annual benefits included a quota of spiritual power.
That was also the key to entering a high-level Spirit Pagoda and ascending ten-thousand-year Soul Rings.
The expenditure at high-level Spirit Pagodas was considerable, and every ascension was strictly restricted.
Outside soul masters wishing to enter a high-level Spirit Pagoda for ascension often had to purchase access from people who held spiritual power quotas for high-level Spirit Pagodas.
With a quota, one could enter a high-level Spirit Pagoda, absorb spiritual power, and ascend one's Soul Rings!
Who could object to Yao Hongchen using his own spiritual power quota to add a spot for Jiang Xia in a low-level Spirit Pagoda?
After leaving the Spirit Ascension Platform, Jiang Xia returned to the Blacksmith's Association headquarters.
He had been cultivating here for the past two years as well.
Han Tianyi was already waiting for him.
"Teacher, let's follow his plan, then. But this time, I'll wait six months at most."
Han Tianyi said, "Don't worry. The integration technology is already quite mature, and simulations in the Spirit Ascension Pagoda make things even easier. Finding the corresponding data will be quick."
"Unless there's no such thing as an Evil Eye capable of completing Soul Spirit fusion with your Ice Fire Silkworm."
Jiang Xia nodded.
"I've already prepared myself for that."
He was not worried about his Soul Power cultivation being affected.
Hadn't he also been delayed for eight months before successfully absorbing his first Soul Ring?
Yet his Soul Power cultivation had not been affected that time. Upon fusing with the Ice Fire Silkworm Soul Spirit, he had broken through to rank 19 on the spot.
Time continued to pass.
Jiang Xia handed the data on his Ice Fire Silkworm Soul Spirit over to the research institute.
Although the data on his Ice Fire Silkworm could potentially be replicated, as he cultivated, the Soul Spirit and his Broken Dream Martial Soul would influence each other. Once it absorbed spiritual power in the future, its path of development would be truly unique.
Another three months passed.
The Soul Spirit still had not been proxy-farmed.
The research institute proposed another new plan.
"We shouldn't strip away the ice and fire attributes outright."
"We need the Evil Eye to possess both attributes inherently, but with severe deficiencies."
"We may even need to destroy its mental attribute as well."
That researcher proposed an even crazier idea.
Jiang Xia was speechless, too.
Because the idea the man had proposed required him to come and help.
Since he had already waited three months, Jiang Xia accepted the invitation and went to the research institute.
Spirit Pagoda Research Institute No. 3.
Laboratory No. 7.
The researcher who had persuaded Jiang Xia and proposed the new plan was not very old. He looked only thirty or so.
But he seemed to hold quite a high position within this research team.
Ling Yue extended his hand and shook Jiang Xia's.
"Sorry for the trouble over the next three months."
Jiang Xia waved a hand.
Since the research institute wanted him to help with the next stage of proxy-farming, they had naturally prepared his cultivation resources for the coming three months as well.
The resources were, one could say, even greater than what he would consume cultivating at the Blacksmith's Association for three months.
Not a loss.
Ling Yue led Jiang Xia outside a huge chamber.
"Inside the chamber is a simulated environment. We've already simulated the environment in which a mutated Evil Eye will be born."
"Its father's Evil Eye possesses two secondary attributes: space and fire."
"According to our projections and induction, this portion of its talent will become excessively prominent during this mutated Evil Eye's birth."
"Your Ice Fire remnant Soul Spirit can extract its talent in the ice and fire attributes during this process."
"At the same time, you must compensate for its mental losses."
"..."
As Ling Yue explained, Jiang Xia gained a basic understanding of the work ahead of him.
Put plainly, besides providing cultivation resources, the research institute was also giving his Ice Fire Silkworm an opportunity to advance further in its ice and fire attributes.
Having the Ice Fire Silkworm devour some ice and fire attributes could itself strengthen the Ice Fire Silkworm.
The chamber did indeed contain a simulated environment, but calling it illusory was not correct, either. It existed between illusion and reality.
With an infusion of spiritual power, this illusory portion could also become real.
And the research institute would fund the spiritual power quota to materialize the ice and fire attributes Jiang Xia devoured.