First Meeting with Yu Xiaogang

"By order of the Law Enforcement Elder, Jun Yan will join the Spirit City Law Enforcement Corps effective today."

Jun Kuang had been right. Jun Yan had only spent a few days at home before a deacon came to inform him that he had been assigned to the Enforcement Corps.

The Jun family lived in the north of the city, while the Enforcement Corps was based in the south, so he had to cross all of Spirit City to reach it.

Once he had traveled the route enough times, he was bound to run into a few acquaintances.

Sure enough, as Jun Yan passed through the commercial avenue in the center of Spirit City, he happened to run into Bibi Dong and Yu Xiaogang together.

Yu Xiaogang had not yet fallen on the hard times that awaited him more than twenty years later, though the limits of his Innate Soul Power meant he had never been able to break through to level thirty in Soul Power.

After all, he came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and was the son of its master, Yu Yuanzhen. On top of that, Spirit Hall had been trying to win the sect over in recent years, so he was doing reasonably well for himself there.

"Jun Yan!" Bibi Dong called out as soon as she saw him.

Perhaps because Jun Yan had been willing to sacrifice his life to cover Bibi Dong's escape in the Star Dou Great Forest, she actually greeted him, a rare occurrence.

"Your Highness, Saintess!" Jun Yan cupped his hands at Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong took Yu Xiaogang's arm and introduced Jun Yan. "Xiao Gang, this is Jun Yan. I owe it to him for saving me when I went to the Star Dou Great Forest. Otherwise, I might not have made it back to see you."

Then she turned to Jun Yan. "Jun Yan, this is Xiao Gang."

Jun Yan smiled and nodded. "I know, the young master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!"

Yu Xiaogang was somewhat surprised by Jun Yan's attitude. The master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect had a good-for-nothing son who still couldn't break through to Soul Elder in his twenties. It might not have been common knowledge across the continent, but at least people of some standing in the major powers knew about it.

Since he had come to Spirit City, apart from Bibi Dong, Jun Yan was the only one who hadn't mocked him to his face. He also knew that Jun Yan was one of Bibi Dong's suitors.

He is a gentleman, at least. He didn't mock me just because I'm weak. But Dong'er is mine; no one can take her away from me, Yu Xiaogang thought to himself.

On the surface, however, Yu Xiaogang maintained his dignity. "I'm not the young master. My eldest brother is."

Bibi Dong hurried to comfort him. "Xiao Gang, your Martial Soul has only held you back. Otherwise, your cultivation wouldn't be where it is now. Besides, even without the strength of a powerful Martial Soul, I believe you can make a name for yourself across the world with your extensive knowledge of Martial Souls."

Then she turned to Jun Yan. "Jun Yan, don't be fooled by Xiao Gang's lack of strength. He's one of the few masters of Martial Soul Theory in the world. He recently proposed a Martial Soul Competition Theory."

Beside her, Yu Xiaogang frowned and corrected her. "It's the Martial Soul Core Competitiveness Theory. I've already proposed ten principles, and I'll continue to refine it in the future. I believe that with this theory, the average level of Soul Masters on the continent will rise by several levels."

When Bibi Dong heard that, stars immediately sprang up in her eyes. "Xiao Gang, you're amazing."

Yu Xiaogang put his hands behind his back and said proudly, "Naturally. By the way, Dong'er, take me to Spirit Hall's library later. I need some of the books there for my theories."

"All right." Bibi Dong nodded repeatedly.

Hearing Yu Xiaogang's words, Jun Yan couldn't help laughing.

Bibi Dong had eyes and thoughts only for Yu Xiaogang, so she didn't notice. But Yu Xiaogang had grown up amid mockery and disdain, and he was extremely sensitive to the looks others gave him.

He immediately asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Jun Yan struggled to hold back his laughter and said with a perfectly straight face, "I was happy to hear you say your theory could raise the level of Soul Masters on the continent. I just wonder what your theories are, Grandmaster Yu. Why don't you tell me about them?"

Yu Xiaogang looked as though he held the pearl of wisdom in his grasp. "Since you want to know, I'll tell you a few. First, the amount of a Martial Soul's Innate Soul Power is directly proportional to its quality."

As though afraid Jun Yan wouldn't understand, Yu Xiaogang explained, "This theory means that the greater a person's Innate Soul Power, the stronger their Martial Soul. Conversely, the weaker a person's Martial Soul, the less Innate Soul Power they will have."

Bibi Dong chimed in. "Xiao Gang, you mean the higher the Innate Soul Power, the better the talent, right?"

Yu Xiaogang nodded, then shook his head. "That's part of what I mean, but not entirely. There's a difference between talent and the strength of a Martial Soul. Some people have good talent but a weak Martial Soul; it's not always the same. But that's another subject. I still need to refine my theory and then summarize the relationship between talent and Martial Soul strength."

Jun Yan cut in. "I have a question. What does this theory have to do with Soul Masters increasing their Soul Power? And Innate Soul Power can't be changed, can it?"

Yu Xiaogang said, "This theory is the foundation of all my theories. Only with it can the subsequent theories exist."

After saying that, he glanced at Jun Yan, a trace of disdain in his eyes, as though saying, You're just a lousy Soul Master who does nothing but bury himself in cultivating Soul Power. What do you know about Martial Soul Theory?

Bibi Dong also gave Jun Yan a reproachful look, then spoke up for Yu Xiaogang. "Jun Yan, you're being too impatient. Xiao Gang's theories form a whole system; you can't look at just one part. I read Xiao Gang's Martial Soul Core Competitiveness Theory before, and I thought it was very helpful."

Although Jun Yan didn't believe Bibi Dong, he had no intention of arguing with them. "Is that so? Then congratulations. By the way, I still have to report to the Enforcement Corps, so I won't disturb you two any longer."

With that, he walked past them.

Yu Xiaogang watched Jun Yan's retreating figure. "He's just a Soul King, yet he dares question my theory."

He had completely forgotten that he had just called Jun Yan a gentleman in his heart.

"Wait, didn't he just break through to Soul Emperor?" Yu Xiaogang suddenly asked Bibi Dong.

"That's right. He went to the Star Dou Great Forest with me, so he should have obtained a Soul Ring too!"

"Then why did he go to the Enforcement Corps?" Yu Xiaogang asked. "Isn't the Spirit City Law Enforcement Corps supposed to accept only Soul Saints?"

Bibi Dong spoke gently. "That's true for other people, but Jun Yan is a genius, after all, so Spirit Hall makes allowances for him. With his father's help as well, it shouldn't be difficult for him to enter the Enforcement Corps as a Soul Emperor."

Yu Xiaogang sneered when he heard that. "He's just relying on his family's influence."

Bibi Dong was about to say that family influence alone, without strength, wouldn't be enough to get him that far. But then she remembered there was no need to contradict Yu Xiaogang, so she kept quiet.

"Xiao Gang, let's go eat together!" Bibi Dong suggested.

Yu Xiaogang shook his head. "No, let's go straight to the library! I need to refine my Martial Soul Theory."

Jun Yan's questioning had left Yu Xiaogang somewhat unwilling to accept it, so he planned to read more books and refine his theory.