Douluo: Martial Soul Seven Kill Sword, The Sword Opens Heaven's Gates

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Xue Qinghe placed his hand on Ning Tianchen's shoulder and chuckled, "Tianchen, you truly are different from ordinary people. I've been studying for so long and haven't discovered anything, yet you were able to summarize such an astonishing theory."

Ning Tianchen gave a faint smile but didn't respond.

After all, this genetic theory was copied from his past life—it couldn't be considered his own research achievement. At most, he was merely the promoter of the theory.

Many students from Yue Xuan seated in the inner venue looked at Ning Tianchen with envy.

If Crown Prince Xue Qinghe were to casually drape his arm over their shoulders, they would wake up laughing in their dreams.

Yu Xiaogang sneered, "Hmph, so you're just taking the opportunity to hype up Ning Tianchen, making it seem so grand and noble!"

He had figured it out—this academic exchange conference wasn't just about the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect suppressing him and his teacher but also about promoting Ning Tianchen.

As clever as Yu Xiaogang was, how could he not see through the underlying reasons?

Ning Tianchen's martial soul was the Seven Kill Sword, while Tang San's martial soul was the Hao Tian Hammer.

There was already enmity between these two martial souls.

With the Hao Tian Hammer Sect remaining dormant, the only disciple of the sect wandering the continent was Tang San. And during the Soul Master Tournament, Ning Tianchen had defeated Tang San. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's actions were clearly intended to outwardly demonstrate that the Seven Kill Sword far surpassed the Hao Tian Hammer and to reclaim the title of the continent's number one weapon-type martial soul for the Seven Kill Sword.

But so what? Since he had come here, he would surely use his own theories to crush these scholars underfoot.

The conference continued.

The scholars' interpretations of soul master theories greatly benefited countless commoner soul masters.

Even before the first day's schedule ended, many soul masters had already begun looking forward to the next conference.

---

Time flew, and soon it was time for the interactive session of the conference.

According to the wishes of the conference organizers, during the interactive session, participants could ask the scholars to re-explain parts they hadn't understood earlier. They could also bring their own theories to debate with the scholars.

"Xiaogang, this is your stage now," Liu Erlong said joyfully, looking at him.

It seemed that in her eyes, Yu Xiaogang was about to ascend to the pinnacle of the continent's theoretical world.

Yu Xiaogang confidently smiled, "Erlong, don't worry. I'll go up there now and bring a bit of shock to this conference."

As Ke Jie finished speaking, a young man dressed as a scholar stepped onto the stage.

"Esteemed seniors, I am a scholar and teacher from the Tiandou Imperial Academy. I apologize for appearing in such a manner, but I have some questions I'd like the seniors to clarify."

During the interactive session, as long as the discussion revolved around academic matters, the scholars were obligated to answer.

Thus, with Ke Jie's permission, the young man presented his question.

Below in the audience, Yu Xiaogang suddenly felt anxious.

Although their seats were near the front, and they could reach the stage faster than others, the ordinary spectators at the back were eager to jump in, seemingly ready to rush the stage once this young man stepped down.

Yu Xiaogang's old bones wouldn't be able to compete with them.

"Xiaogang, go wait by the stage. I'll hold these people back for you!" Liu Erlong said.

Yu Xiaogang nodded, "Erlong, make sure to hold them back. The next person to go on stage must be me."

On the high platform, seeing Yu Xiaogang's obvious anxiety, Ning Tianchen decided to give him a chance.

He walked over to Ning Fengzhi and whispered in his ear, "Uncle Ning, let Yu Xiaogang go on next. He seems very confident about the upcoming debate."

Since it was a debate, Yu Xiaogang must have brought his own soul master theory.

Ning Fengzhi was somewhat worried. "Tianchen, if we really let Yu Xiaogang gain fame through this, wouldn't that mean we—"

Ning Tianchen shook his head with a faint smile and whispered, "Uncle Ning, Yu Xiaogang's academic knowledge is indeed impressive, but his plagiarized theories can't escape the scrutiny of so many scholars."

Currently, the upper echelons of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect held no affection for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family. In fact, because of their past mistreatment of Ning Tianchen, they even harbored resentment toward them.

If they could use this opportunity to humiliate the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family in front of the entire continent, it would be quite satisfying.

After some thought, Ning Fengzhi briefly communicated with Sword Dao Chen Xin, who then relayed his intentions to Ke Jie.

---

"Thank you, esteemed seniors, for your enlightening answers. I've gained much from this."

On stage, the young scholar bowed to everyone and quickly exited the venue.

Before the next person could step up, Ke Jie spoke, "I see an old acquaintance—he's the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family's patriarch. In the theoretical world, he's even respectfully called 'Master.'"

"By coincidence, he's here today. Why don't we let him take the stage next so we can discuss some theories together?"

"Theoretical master?" The audience, unfamiliar with the term, assumed Yu Xiaogang was some kind of transcendent expert.

In contrast, the scholars on stage, especially those from the Spirit Hall, held a very poor opinion of Yu Xiaogang.

While other scholars might not know him personally, they were irritated by his self-proclaimed title of "Master."

After all, among the scholars present, Ke Jie and Qin Tian were undoubtedly leaders in the academic field, yet even they hadn't dared to call themselves masters. What did Yu Xiaogang think he was?

However, they didn't outright reject him. After all, what if Yu Xiaogang really had genuine talent? Though Ke Jie's words carried a hint of mockery, the fact that he gave Yu Xiaogang such an evaluation in this setting proved that the latter must have some skill.

Below the stage, Tang San's lips curled into a faint smile.

He didn't understand what the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was planning, but as long as Yu Xiaogang got on stage, all the scholars on the continent would pale in comparison.

Liu Erlong felt that things were proceeding too smoothly and worriedly said, "Xiaogang, why is the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect being so kind? Maybe—"

Yu Xiaogang waved his hand dismissively. "No matter how the winds blow, I remain steadfast. Since they've invited me to the stage, refusing would only invite ridicule—not just of me, but of my theory as well."

"Today, I will prove to the entire continent that my theory is the most perfect and suitable for every single soul master!"

With that, he straightened his posture, clasped his hands behind his back, and strode confidently onto the stage.

"This is Yu Xiaogang?" The scholars whispered amongst themselves.

Upon receiving confirmation from Qin Tian, the scholars on stage struggled to suppress their laughter.

Hah! Yu Xiaogang was only a Soul Grandmaster. A person like him, who hadn't even absorbed a ten-thousand-year soul ring, dared to call himself an academic master?

You see, many profound soul master theories required scholars to personally practice them. Without sufficient cultivation, many theoretical works simply couldn't be carried out.

This was why none of the scholars on stage were below the rank of Soul Douluo.

If you removed the word "soul" from Soul Grandmaster, then maybe he'd truly be a "Grandmaster."

Yu Xiaogang confidently declared, "Today, I bring my lifelong researched theory to debate with all of you."

The audience erupted into enthusiastic applause.

To propose a debate in front of so many prominent figures in academia showed Yu Xiaogang's courage.

Moreover, the audience was eager to learn what groundbreaking theories Yu Xiaogang had developed that gave him the confidence to debate with these scholars.

Qin Tian asked with interest, "Oh? Yu Xiaogang, you and I are old acquaintances. Enough talk—let me see what results you've achieved in your research over the years. Hah, if it's still the same stuff as before, I think you can save yourself the trouble of presenting it."

Back when Yu Xiaogang stayed at the Spirit Hall, he had been part of Qin Tian's academic team.

At first, Qin Tian had high hopes and admiration for this young man researching theories to rewrite fate. But over time, he realized that wasn't the case.

Yu Xiaogang, in his haste for quick achievements, had stolen the fruits of his predecessors' labor.

Plagiarism was unacceptable in academia, which led to their complete falling out.

Now that Yu Xiaogang had come with his own theory, Qin Tian was more than happy to listen. After all, no one was perfect—who knew? If Yu Xiaogang had truly reformed, Qin Tian would gladly restore his reputation.

Yu Xiaogang retrieved his "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" from his soul-guiding device and handed it to the staff to distribute to the scholars.

Compared to the early version of the "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls," in recent years, after gaining wealth, Yu Xiaogang had added detailed explanations and clarifications to the theories. He was brimming with confidence.

Chen Lei was the first to receive the booklet. After flipping open the cover and taking just one glance, she furrowed her brows.

"What's wrong? Is it an unprecedented theory?" the scholar beside her curiously asked.

Chen Lei didn't say much and simply passed the booklet of the "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" to the other person.

Similar scenes kept unfolding. Scholars who read the "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" all fell silent.

After Ke Jie finished reading, he sighed and handed the booklet to Qin Tian.

Upon finishing it, Qin Tian's expression turned extremely grim.

The interactive session was still ongoing—they couldn't remain silent forever.

Chen Lei was the first to speak, "Yu Xiaogang, did you accidentally grab the wrong thing?"

Yu Xiaogang initially felt a bit unsure but, after checking his soul-guiding device, shook his head. "I didn't grab the wrong one!"

Another scholar asked, "Then are you certain that every single theory in there was written solely by you?"

Yu Xiaogang nodded confidently once again.

His attitude made the scholars feel somewhat uncertain.

The reason was simple: most of the theories in the "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" could be traced back to ancient texts. Yu Xiaogang had merely rewritten them in plain language.

Having received instructions from Ning Fengzhi, Ke Jie naturally knew what to do.

His earlier remarks were clearly intended to set Yu Xiaogang up for failure, ensuring he wouldn't refuse to take the stage.

Once on stage, the real show had only just begun.

He smiled and said, "Everyone, since the 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls' is indeed authored by Master Yu, let's proceed according to the conference process—questioning and debating each of the theories he has proposed."

The scholars' lips twitched slightly.

It was clear that plagiarism was confirmed—what was there left to debate?

However, as they were now the center of attention for the entire audience, they couldn't afford to show any displeasure.

Qin Tian was the first to speak: "Yu Xiaogang, your 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls' discusses the origins of martial souls. Is that correct?"

After receiving an affirmative response, he continued:

"The master believes that martial souls are inherited from the stronger and more outstanding parent, and in most cases, individuals can only inherit one martial soul from either parent. Of course, under special circumstances, it's also possible to inherit both parents' martial souls, resulting in a twin martial soul."

After Qin Tian finished reading, Yu Xiaogang didn't object, confirming that this was indeed his theory.

For a moment, the audience below the stage realized something was amiss.

"What? Isn't the theory of martial soul inheritance something passed down through generations on the continent? How did it become Yu Xiaogang's theory?"

Some still held out hope for Yu Xiaogang, defending him: "Could it be that the first part was just an introduction, meant to lead into the latter half about the birth of twin martial souls?"

The specifics were hard for ordinary people to judge—they could only wait for the scholars to clarify.

Chen Lei asked, "So, you're quite knowledgeable about the birth of twin martial souls. Do you have anything to add?"

Yu Xiaogang proudly replied, "My disciple Tang San is a twin martial soul master. This theory is based on my research on him."

"So, how do you explain this special case?" Qin Tian asked sternly.

In academia, a mature theory requires extensive verification over time. Even potential exceptions must be clearly noted. How could Yu Xiaogang think a single sentence could encapsulate an entire theory?

"There are only three twin martial soul masters on the entire continent—how is this not a special case? Besides, I've already explicitly stated in my theory that only when both parents' martial souls are equally excellent is there a small chance of producing a twin martial soul!"

Ke Jie asked with a smile, "Anything else to add?"

Yu Xiaogang gradually grew impatient. "No further additions. Each theory above represents my final research results, and there are no omissions."

---

"Brother Tianchen, isn't Yu Xiaogang an idiot? He plagiarized an established theory and still acts so self-righteous?" Ning Rongrong couldn't help but ask.

At the same time, she felt incredibly relieved. If she had stayed at Shrek Academy under Yu Xiaogang's teaching, wouldn't she have been ruined?

Ning Tianchen chuckled, "Perhaps he doesn't see this as plagiarism. By consolidating existing theories into a book, he believes the theory will eventually bear his mark."

Even he didn't understand why Yu Xiaogang was so mysteriously confident.

Forget the scholars—even ordinary people could see the plagiarism.

On the stage, Qin Tian scolded, "Yu Xiaogang, what kind of nonsense is this theory! Just two sentences—one is plagiarized, and the other isn't even fully copied!"

"The origin of martial souls has long been a consensus on the continent. If we trace it back, it goes hundreds of thousands of years to the dawn of soul masters. Unless you've lived for hundreds of thousands of years, this theory is clearly plagiarized!"

"Earlier, Principal Ke's elaboration on the theory was his original contribution—not like your blatant plagiarism!"

Taking a sip of tea, he continued, "Though only three twin martial souls have appeared in the past century, research on this topic reached a conclusion thousands of years ago."

"You only copied half of it. The other half states that if there's a significant gap in quality between the parents' martial souls, it's also possible to produce a twin martial soul. And the probability of this happening far exceeds the former case."

A ripple spread through the crowd.

The audience began to murmur amongst themselves.

"I told you he plagiarized, and some people still wanted to argue!"

"I don't study soul master theories—how would I know he plagiarized?"

"If you don't know, don't talk nonsense—you'll get slapped in the face."

In Tang San's mind, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had already been labeled as "intentionally causing trouble." Therefore, he didn't doubt that Yu Xiaogang was at fault but believed that the sect and the scholars were deliberately targeting him!

"Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, you're really something!" Tang San clenched his fists tightly.

He cursed his own lack of strength—if only he were stronger, he would storm the stage right now and kill these troublemaking scholars.

---

"Yu Xiaogang, do you have anything to say in your defense?" Ke Jie asked again.

This time, there was a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Yu Xiaogang stood frozen, his breathing becoming rapid, his face flushed red. He opened his mouth several times but couldn't find the words.

Qin Tian directly branded him a plagiarist, leaving him extremely frustrated—but he had no way to refute it.

He had thought that by plagiarizing a theory and adding his own expansion to it, he could claim full ownership of the theory. He never expected that the Spirit Hall's research on twin martial souls ran much deeper!

Now, he found himself in a difficult position.

Ke Jie continued, "However, this is just one theory. There are still more. Perhaps Master Yu prepared hastily and forgot to note the sources of these theories—it's understandable."

"Let's move on to the second theory."

"Master Yu believes that martial souls can undergo mutations, and there's a certain probability that soul masters inheriting their parents' martial souls may experience such mutations. Most of these mutations tend to develop in unfavorable directions—the martial soul becomes very weak, and the soul master may hit a bottleneck during cultivation, halting progress."

Before Yu Xiaogang could defend himself, Qin Tian directly scolded, "What nonsense! The fact that martial souls can mutate is common knowledge—even old men in the countryside know this. Yu Xiaogang, how dare you claim this as your own theory!"

"The third point about soul power awakening is the same. Let me ask you this: who here doesn't know that martial souls awaken at age six?"

"Clearly, this is a theory that has existed since ancient times—or rather, an unwritten rule!"

"The fourth theory is completely absurd. Yu Xiaogang, you're just a mere Soul Grandmaster. Do you even know the required soul ring years for ranks above Soul Ancestor? Even if we set aside your theory, were soul masters on the continent randomly obtaining soul rings before your theory came along?"

"This can't be right. When the Spirit Hall was founded tens of thousands of years ago, it already informed all soul masters on the continent about which rank corresponds to what soul ring years! This has even been included in the textbooks of major academies."

"I don't understand. If you're going to plagiarize, why plagiarize such basic knowledge? You should have plagiarized obscure theories—that way, none of us here would have noticed."

Of the "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls," all but the eighth theory were plagiarized. In fact, Yu Xiaogang had even plagiarized many basic concepts.

Perhaps only children who had just awakened their martial souls wouldn't understand these theories. Anyone who had attended a soul master academy or grown older could immediately see that his theories were plagiarized.

This might be the reason why Yu Xiaogang was looked down upon in academic circles.

If he was willing to plagiarize, why did he still cling to that pathetic shred of pride? It was laughable.

(T/N: Cue the clown music)

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