Xiao Lin cited various classics and references as he wrote his thesis.
Fueled by a surge of inspiration, he moved directly into the results of his own experiments.
Since Xiao Lin's experimental subjects were Tang San and Su Yuntao, he incorporated his recorded data directly into the paper. Of course, he disguised the names and Martial Souls of both individuals.
In the thesis, Xiao Lin wrote that after a Soul Master with a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul meditated, his soul power began to manifest signs of vitality.
To support this, Xiao Lin added a month-long log of observations: when the Soul Master used his soul power—without using a soul skill—to stimulate Blue Silver Grass seeds on the ground, the resulting grass showed slight increases in both strength and height.
As for the Soul Master with a wolf-type Martial Soul, after obtaining a soul ring, he discovered that his soul power became increasingly impulsive and difficult to control, gaining a slight offensive edge.
Near the end, Xiao Lin added a record stating that after the Blue Silver Grass Soul Master absorbed a soul ring, his soul power gradually possessed even more vitality but also began to exhibit a fear of fire.
Finally, Xiao Lin reached a conclusion:
The color of soul power is related to the Martial Soul and the specific soul skills absorbed by the Soul Master. Furthermore, after meditation, the attributes of a Soul Master's soul power gradually align with the attributes of their Martial Soul.
Once a Martial Soul absorbs a soul ring, it alters the attributes of the soul power and can even change the Soul Master's physical body. To conclude, Xiao Lin offered a suggestion: Soul Masters should avoid absorbing too many poison-attribute soul rings.
Because the conversion of soul power is irreversible, if the poison attribute becomes too severe, it will affect the quality of the Martial Soul and may even cause the Soul Master to suffer from self-poisoning.
Additionally, Xiao Lin suggested that Soul Masters avoid absorbing soul rings with poor compatibility. Otherwise, there is a risk of inducing a negative Martial Soul mutation, causing the Martial Soul to become weaker.
Finishing the thesis, Xiao Lin nodded in satisfaction.
Although it had been a long time since he had written an academic paper and he had forgotten much of the formatting—leaving the paper somewhat lacking in professional standards—he was still very pleased.
In a world like the Douluo Continent, where the average level of academic rigor wasn't particularly high, Xiao Lin felt this was more than enough. After all, what he wrote was the truth, not mere speculation or fabrication.
Next time, he promised himself, he would write an even better one.
However, what satisfied Xiao Lin most were the last two conclusions.
Others might only see them as suggestions to avoid problems when absorbing soul rings, but Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan would see it differently. They would certainly realize what was happening to their Martial Souls and the source of the poison ravaging their bodies.
It was almost laughable when he thought about it.
Even the Pope of Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong, who possessed Twin Martial Souls—both of which were giant spiders—hadn't absorbed that many poison-attribute soul rings. Yet, Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor was nothing but poison.
In Xiao Lin's view, if Dugu Bo hadn't been fortunate enough to become a Soul Saint first and gain his seventh soul ring, the Martial Soul Avatar, he likely wouldn't have lived long enough to become a Titled Douluo. He would have died young, just like his unfortunate son.
Xiao Lin believed this because the Martial Soul Avatar represents the first qualitative transformation for a Soul Master.
A Soul Saint can usually defeat a Soul Emperor with ease. Once the Martial Soul Avatar is activated, previous soul skills no longer consume energy and their power doubles. This stage represents a perfect harmony between the Martial Soul and the Soul Master.
The Soul Master can be poisoned, but the Martial Soul itself cannot.
Thus, the Avatar likely acted as a buffer, which was why Dugu Bo managed to survive long enough to reach the rank of Titled Douluo. As for the other conclusion that made Xiao Lin smirk, it was a direct jab at a certain "useless" Grandmaster.
A Martial Soul with supreme potential like Luo Sanpao had been turned into a Martial Soul that could do nothing but fart. It was truly pathetic.
Xiao Lin was eager to see Yu Xiaogang's reaction to this paper. Unfortunately, he felt he might have been a bit too conservative; the lethality of this single thesis might not be enough to truly devastate the "Grandmaster."
But it didn't matter. Xiao Lin would strike again. He would keep writing until he rendered the Grandmaster utterly worthless and stripped him of his reputation.
The Golden Iron Triangle? The "Corner of Wisdom," Yu Xiaogang? What a joke.
In Xiao Lin's eyes, Yu Xiaogang was nothing more than a catalyst for a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Since when did a Fusion Skill require that kind of "plagiarized wisdom"?
Tidying up his papers, Xiao Lin looked over at the soundly sleeping Tang San. He walked over and nudged Tang San toward the edge of the mattress.
Little San's sleeping posture is surprisingly terrible.
Early the next morning.
Xiao Lin and Tang San bid farewell to Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo. After putting on disguises, they circled back and entered Spirit Hall to submit the thesis.
Under a thick, wide black robe, Xiao Lin stood on Tang San's shoulders to masquerade as a tall, mysterious figure. The Spirit Hall staff member looked at the signature on the thesis, then up at the "tall" Xiao Lin, and forced a smile.
"Dear Soul Master, this thesis requires a Soul Master certification to prove that you are Xiao Yan."
"I am Xiao Yan. What other proof do you need?"
Xiao Lin said, deepening his voice to a raspy growl.
"Lord Xiao Yan, it's just that you haven't registered your status as a Soul Master with Spirit Hall yet," the clerk explained politely.
"There's no need. Just pass this thesis up. Once it is successfully published, I will return for the manuscript fee," Xiao Lin said indifferently.
"But... how will I prove that Lord Xiao Yan is actually Lord Xiao Yan when you return? What if someone tries to impersonate you?"
"Who else would know Xiao Yan was here? Fine, I will leave a code. In the future, only the one who knows the password is me."
Xiao Lin spoke dismissively, leaving behind a "code" known only to those from his previous world.
He then turned and left.
Aside from him, no one in this world would know the correct response.
A few days later.
While Xiao Lin had returned to Holy Spirit Village to continue his cultivation and research.
Elder Wu Ning of the Spirit Hall Library in Spirit City was searching for new Martial Soul theories. He belonged to the same generation as Yu Xiaogang and had worked alongside him in the library years ago.
However, unlike Yu Xiaogang, who had been stuck at Rank 29, Wu Ning had continued to progress. Decades later, he was now a Rank 69 Soul Emperor. Currently, he was seeking a breakthrough theory to help him reach the level of Soul Saint.
After flipping through the theories sent in from various branches, Wu Ning felt a wave of disappointment.
"The Best Soul Skill Choices for Agility System Soul Masters," "How to Mow Grass Fastest with a Hoe Martial Soul," "Another Posture for Meditation," "The Limit of a 99-Year Soul Ring"...
"Damn it, what kind of trash are these theories?"
Whether an Agility System Soul Master could "choose" a skill depended on what was available, so how could there be a "best" choice? What did it matter if a Hoe Martial Soul could mow grass faster? Could it help an ordinary person become a Soul Master?
What use was a meditation posture? Did soul power increase? Was there effort behind it? A 99-year soul ring? Is the difference between that and a 90-year ring really that significant? Why not just find a 100-year ring?
Wu Ning was profoundly disappointed.
Was there no one left in the entire Douluo Continent who persisted in theoretical research like him?
Yu Xiaogang? That loser didn't count.
He had plagiarized so much of Wu Ning's data yet managed to win the favor of the previous Pope. The Pope must have been blind. Look at that "Grandmaster" now—it's been over a decade; has he produced a single new theory?
Wu Ning let out a cold sneer, feeling a sense of loss regarding his path to becoming a Soul Saint.
At that moment, the doors to the Spirit Hall Library burst open.
A younger scholar rushed in, breathless.
"Elder! You must look at this thesis!"