While Xiao Lin and Tang San were training as usual, Spirit Hall published Xiao Lin's thesis in the Spirit Journal. In an instant, the common knowledge of the Soul Master world on the Douluo Continent was refreshed.
"Hey, hey, did you see today's Spirit Journal?"
"That author named Xiao Yan says our soul power is absorbed by the Martial Soul and then converted into the Martial Soul's specific soul power for us Soul Masters."
"Especially after absorbing a soul ring, the impact is even greater. He suggests we shouldn't absorb too many poison-attribute soul rings."
"Exactly! I was wondering why I've been getting more and more impulsive lately. It turns out it was my Martial Soul's doing?"
"Heh, shameless."
"Can't control your own lower half and you blame your Martial Soul?"
"Regardless, is this author Xiao Yan telling us to absorb pure soul rings? Not to be too haphazard?"
In Heaven Dou City, several low-level Soul Masters were conversing excitedly in a tavern. Although the new thesis wouldn't affect them immediately, they would eventually break through and absorb new soul rings.
Furthermore, if the Martial Soul and soul rings converted one's soul power, they just needed to experiment a bit more; like Su Yuntao, they might be able to increase their combat power at least a little.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect
Inside a massive cyan-blue jade main tower, Ning Fengzhi stared at the Spirit Journal in his hand, remaining silent for a long while.
"Fengzhi, this fellow named Xiao Yan is truly interesting," Sword Douluo Chen Xin said with a chuckle.
At their level as Titled Douluo, they had long known that Martial Souls affected a Soul Master's soul power; this wasn't exactly a secret to them.
However, looking at the examples the author Xiao Yan used—a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and some unknown wolf Martial Soul—it was clear they weren't very strong. This implied that Xiao Yan's own strength likely wasn't very high either.
It seemed his theory was completed entirely through reading various books and minor research. Still, someone who could find arguments within character biographies—even biographies that were essentially jokes—was certainly not simple.
"This person is indeed interesting. He seems to be someone very skilled in theoretical research. Perhaps he could even find a theory to evolve Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda," Gu Rong said, stroking his beard and giving a high evaluation.
In a place like the Douluo Continent, where almost no one bothered to think deeply, someone actually publishing a new theory was a change no less significant than discovering a new continent.
Now, Gu Rong only hoped this author named Xiao Yan would continue to publish new theories—the more, the better. As long as he didn't end up like a certain Grandmaster who published the useless "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" once and then didn't update for decades.
"Uncle Gu, Uncle Chen, this Xiao Yan was able to find the merits of a trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass; he is definitely a keen observer. I believe it would be best to invite him to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
Ning Fengzhi saw the situation with absolute clarity.
In fact, the moment he received this copy of the Spirit Journal, he had already dispatched agents to search for this author named Xiao Yan.
Heaven Dou Imperial Family
Xue Qinghe gazed at the Spirit Journal in hand, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"Interesting. Has that person made a new move again?"
Xue Qinghe—or rather, Qian Renxue—had been acting as the Crown Prince for a long time, assisting Xue Ye with many state affairs.
Naturally, she could see the value of this Spirit Journal.
In the coming years, decades, or even centuries, once all Soul Masters realized that Martial Souls and soul rings affect their soul power, they would choose their soul rings much more cautiously.
Consequently, cases of backlash from Martial Souls and soul rings would become fewer and fewer across the continent. This would lead to Soul Masters feeling immense gratitude toward Spirit Hall.
In Qian Renxue's eyes, this was a sign that Bibi Dong was preparing to start the next phase of her plan.
"Elder Ci Xue, I'll trouble you to investigate this secretly for me."
As Qian Renxue's voice fell, a faint ripple pulsed in a shadow that was easily overlooked. In the next second, it was as if nothing had ever happened.
"What? Xin'er, was it I who harmed you?"
In a residence near the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, Dugu Bo looked on in utter disbelief.
He clutched his head with both hands, his face full of grief and indignation as he tore out clumps of his long green hair. On the ground, a copy of the Spirit Journal had long since been shredded into pieces.
Dugu Bo could not bring himself to believe that he was the one who had caused the death of his own son, Dugu Xin.
How ironic that he, Dugu Bo, possessed poison skills unparalleled under heaven and was the most skilled at area-of-effect attacks among all Titled Douluo, yet he had never realized this point.
He had absorbed too many poison-attribute soul rings, and his soul power had long since been infused with toxicity. Now, he was not only constantly suffering from the effects of the poison, with flare-ups occurring every rainy day...
Combined with the contents of the Spirit Journal, it meant his body and his soul power were already toxic, and he had passed that onto Xin'er. Because his poison was incredibly powerful, the poison in Xin'er's body was also terrifying.
Despite this, he had chosen a method of "fighting poison with poison" to try and cure Dugu Xin. He hadn't realized that he could endure the poison only because he had broken through to the rank of Titled Douluo.
Dugu Xin hadn't even reached the rank of Soul Saint, so he had passed away early.
Furthermore, according to the theory in the Spirit Journal, his granddaughter Dugu Yan had not inherited as much "soul poison" specifically because the poison in Dugu Xin's body was not as strong as Dugu Bo's.
This was the reason Dugu Yan could still be a Soul Master and was much more energetic than Dugu Xin had been. However, he was currently unable to neutralize the soul poison in Dugu Yan's body either.
The only way was to make sure Yan'er didn't absorb any more poison-attribute soul rings. But if he did that, Yan'er's Martial Soul would have no place to display its power. Dugu Bo believed that if he stopped Yan'er from absorbing poison rings, she would surely hate him.
Should he try... a detoxification soul ring? At least it might make Yan'er feel better.
At this moment, Dugu Bo was incredibly conflicted. He had clearly found a "medicine" to alleviate Yan'er's pain, yet he couldn't use it. Yan'er's body was the one in pain, but his heart was the one bleeding.
"No, no, no, I don't accept this!"
Dugu Bo grabbed the shredded pieces of the Spirit Journal like a madman, searching for information about the author.
"Xiao Yan, and the mentor Lin Dong."
"I will find you." Dugu Bo swore secretly.
"Blue Silver Grass—the trashiest of trash Martial Souls. If one can cultivate it, their Innate Soul Power must be at least Rank 2 or higher. If the rank is too low, no one could possibly cultivate any 'vitality.' I only need to look for a Soul Master with that Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul."
Nuoding Primary Soul Master Academy
In a private office, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang was reading a copy of the Spirit Journal.
However, his expression was currently hideous. His eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on the back of the hand gripping the journal bulged, crumpling the thin paper.
"Damn it, damn it! Just who is it?"
Yu Xiaogang's face was terrifyingly dark.
Others might not know, or might not be able to guess who the "person whose Martial Soul mutated and became worse" mentioned in the journal was, but to Yu Xiaogang, reading this Spirit Journal was like being pointed at and cursed to his face.
It could even be said that the author was mocking him directly.
Yu Xiaogang could not even begin to imagine how the teachers and students of Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy would look at him now. After all, he prided himself on being the "Grandmaster"!