Can one really break through 3 levels in a year with just hard work?
Who are you kidding?
Yu Xiaogang sneered inwardly.
No one understood better than him, who had only half a level of innate soul power, how much innate talent affected a soul master's cultivation!
Back when he awakened his martial soul at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, his father, Yu Yuanzhen, had even considered whether he could help improve his innate talent, giving him countless century-old and millennium-level herbs and treasures.
At that time, he also worked tirelessly on his cultivation.
But after a whole year, he only managed to increase by five levels!
Your innate talent could never be higher than mine!
And you couldn't possibly enjoy the same level of treasures I had.
No matter how hard you try, it's impossible to break through three levels in a year!
There must be a secret behind this!
"Ye Yu, lying is not a good habit!"
Unexpectedly, Ye Yu tried to deceive him with hard work. Yu Xiaogang's expression, which was already stiff, showed a hint of displeasure as he patiently lectured.
"I have conducted research on the Blue Silver Grass martial soul through five or six hundred cases, and only sixteen of them had soul power, none of which had innate soul power higher than level one."
"Your innate soul power should be close to level one."
"With such talent, no matter how hard you work, it's impossible to break through 3 levels in a year!"
"As a civilian soul master, you should understand how hard it is for a civilian to cultivate."
"Have you ever considered sharing the cultivation technique that allows you to break through 3 levels a year, to benefit everyone?"
"If your cultivation method has value, I will publish it with your name attached."
"Many people will certainly be grateful to you."
"Civilian soul masters can only help each other to have a broader future!"
"I once proposed two major martial soul theories, the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls and the Soul Ring Absorption Limit Theory, to help the broader community of civilian soul masters."
"I'm not saying you should be as selfless as I was, but you can't be too selfish either!"
Ye Yu was truly speechless.
He couldn't understand. All he did was break through three levels in the soul master realm within a year.
There were the innate geniuses with full soul power.
And then there were those who broke through four or five levels after becoming soul masters, reaching the great soul master rank in two years!
Why did Yu Xiaogang stick to him like chewing gum, refusing to let go?
And then, the moral guilt-tripping!
Ye Yu was absolutely disgusted.
Others might not know Yu Xiaogang's background, but he sure did!
The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls and the Soul Ring Absorption Limit Theory?
Out of the ten core competencies, one was "There is no such thing as a useless martial soul, only a useless soul master!"—pure self-mockery!
The rest were all common knowledge!
Any soul master academy would gradually teach them.
As for the Soul Ring Absorption Limit Theory, that was an even bigger pit!
Ye Yu had been studying at Nuoding Academy for a year.
He had attended many classes.
Thanks to his past-life knowledge and his photographic memory, he could easily grasp the lessons taught by the professors in the morning.
So by the time the morning classes were over, Ye Yu had almost finished all the books he borrowed from the library.
He clearly knew that for Beast Martial Soul Soul Masters, Tool Martial Soul Soul Masters, Support-type Martial Soul Soul Masters, and Food-type Martial Soul Soul Masters.
Even if they were of the same level and age, their physical differences were vast!
Yu Xiaogang's Soul Ring Absorption Limit Theory must have been plagiarized from the data on soul ring absorption limits from the Spirit Hall's soul masters, collecting the maximum values for each realm and summarizing them.
But the problem was, Ye Yu was certain that these most extreme soul ring absorption data were for soul masters with top-tier beast martial souls.
But Yu Xiaogang did not even make the distinction and presented it as the maximum soul ring absorption age data for soul masters at every rank!
If some naïve auxiliary-type or food-type soul masters believed this theory, and absorbed a first soul ring at over 400 years, or even the precise 423 years, they would likely face serious problems!
With such nonsense, or even scams, Yu Xiaogang dared to brag about them?!
Seeing Yu Xiaogang talking about his "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" and "Soul Ring Absorption Limit Theory" with such a smug expression, Ye Yu was thoroughly disgusted.
This hypocrite probably thought that because he was younger, he could still deceive him!
And he even wanted him to share his cultivation techniques!
Publish them with his name!
No! You're using my methods, and still acting as though you're doing me a favor!
What for?!
Ye Yu was outraged.
"I'm sorry, Master, I really wish I could help everyone!"
"But I don't have any special cultivation techniques. I just know that hard work is key."
Despite the inner disgust, Ye Yu had no choice but to force himself to appear helpless, sighing in response.
Yu Xiaogang, seeing that Ye Yu was completely immune to his tactics, became even more enraged.
Ever since he proposed his "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" and the "Soul Ring Absorption Limit Theory," he had yet to come up with a new theory.
He had thought that he could get some valuable information from Ye Yu.
In the future, he could publish another theory.
But Ye Yu, despite his young age, was proving extremely difficult to deceive!
No choice, Yu Xiaogang had to play his trump card.
"Ye Yu, this is some of my research notes on soul beasts."
"If you're willing to share your cultivation techniques with me, I will lend you these notes."
Yu Xiaogang took out a notebook from his pocket, waving it in front of Ye Yu with a proud look.
Ye Yu was taken aback.
Did the sun rise in the west today?
Has the iron-cornered gentleman grown hair?
After thinking it over, he figured if Yu Xiaogang was genuinely willing to lend him these notes, which were likely plagiarized from the Spirit Hall and contained various soul beast information, he could share some details like how Blue Silver Grass soul masters could use large patches of Blue Silver Grass as a natural martial soul mimicry training ground.
Even though he despised Yu Xiaogang's stinginess and hypocrisy, it was exactly because of this that he wouldn't stoop to his level.
He believed in fair transactions and would not be deceitful.
But thinking of Yu Xiaogang's cheapness and hypocrisy, he still planned to see if there were any problems with the notebook.
"Master, does your notebook have any information on the Mandala Snake or the Man-faced Demon Spider?"
Looking at the notebook in Yu Xiaogang's hand, Ye Yu asked with feigned curiosity.
Yu Xiaogang's already stiff face froze again.
"The Datura Snake and Man-faced Demon Spider are very rare soul beasts."
"Only the top-tier forces might have records on them. How could I have any here?"
Yu Xiaogang forced a defense, then smugly boasted.
"These rare soul beasts, you may never encounter in your life, so don't bother about them."
"My notes only record common soul beasts. That should be enough for your needs."
Ye Yu: "..."