Chapter 155: Yu Xiaogang, the Plagiarist
After settling down in Tianxing Town, Yu Xiaogang and Flender headed straight to the examination site for the Pavilion of Truth. Gazing at the grandiose structure, Flender couldn't help but express his admiration.
"So, this is what the foundation of the greatest neutral power looks like! Such opulence!" Flender's awe made Yu Xiaogang roll his eyes; his companion's only real flaw was his love for wealth.
Given that the Pavilion of Truth was newly established and most soul masters on the continent were semi illiterate, there were few applicants for the assessments. Under the guidance of a receptionist, Yu Xiaogang was quickly brought in for his evaluation. Due to his poor innate talent, he had dedicated much of his life to studying his family's extensive library, believing that obtaining a doctorate title would be simple. But Yu Xiaogang's real ambition was to secure the title of Grandmaster.
His preparation on the journey had been meticulous, and as soon as he could, he eagerly submitted his theory.
Given that the Pavilion was newly founded, Ye Wen personally reviewed submissions. He glanced at the title: "Auxiliary Potential of Tool Spirits versus Beast Spirits."
Ye Wen murmured as he examined it, "The title sounds professional enough. But let's see the content." As he read further, he frowned. "What on earth is this mishmash of conjectures? Did the writer even do research?" He sighed and continued reading, growing increasingly bewildered. The conclusion of the work offered no experimental evidence or practical examples. Frustrated, Ye Wen flipped to the author's name: Yu Xiaogang.
"Oh, it had to be him," Ye Wen muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "After restoring his cultivation, he's still writing this nonsense? The entire paper is filled with unsupported guesses! He hasn't cited any sources either. Half of this is blatant plagiarism."
Ye Wen stamped "REJECTED" in bold on the front of the paper and added a note with recommendations before sending it back, not feeling the need to engage further with Yu Xiaogang.
Since Ye Wen was often busy, and with few applicants at the Pavilion, the results reached Yu Xiaogang by the following day. Seeing the harsh "REJECTED" stamp, Yu Xiaogang's face contorted with disbelief. His entire body trembled as he seethed.
"What?! My theory is flawless! Why didn't it pass? I demand an explanation!"
Unfazed, the receptionist shielded herself with a clipboard as Yu Xiaogang fumed. "Sir, I understand your frustration, but please calm down. The Master left specific notes for you with reasonable, clear feedback. Kindly avoid creating a scene."
"This can't be right," Yu Xiaogang muttered, calming slightly but still indignant. "I worked on this theory for years. It's flawless! The Master must have stamped it wrong by mistake."
The receptionist let out a sigh, evidently used to such cases. Many applicants brought theories of questionable merit and were disappointed when rejected. She handed him a document and spoke professionally.
"Sir, I can't comment on your theory; I'm just a non soul master. But the Master left a detailed guide explaining the standards for submissions. Please review it, make revisions as needed, and resubmit. The Master also recommended you start by aiming for the Scholar to Doctorate titles instead of overreaching."
Yu Xiaogang snatched the paper, examining the guidelines with simmering resentment. Research Writing Standards, Citation Requirements, Evaluation Criteria. His face flushed as he continued reading, feeling embarrassed. He'd seen the family's library as his personal source, not even considering proper attribution to others' ideas. He finally realized the importance of giving credit to prior researchers, a point he had overlooked in his rush for recognition.
However, he still failed to see the larger flaw in his theory. In fact, tool spirits were not merely supportive; at higher levels, their potential could be devastating, even overwhelming beast spirits. But since he came from a lineage of beast spirit masters, Yu Xiaogang remained blind to this flaw a blind spot typical of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, renowned for its beast spirit pride.
Returning to his room, Yu Xiaogang grumbled. To go back to his clan library just for citation notes? Not only would it waste time, but it would likely end in more lectures and unwanted marriage proposals. Still, securing a doctorate could help his standing, and he couldn't deny the allure of introducing himself as a "Doctor of Martial Spirit Studies" instead of a simple member of the "Golden Duo."
For now, he could satisfy himself with advancing through the rankings, a pursuit that seemed more dignified and prestigious than his current reputation as a "master." Driven by vanity, Yu Xiaogang set to work.
Yet his arrogance continued to hold him back. His theoretical knowledge allowed him to breeze through the Scholar exam, earning a black iron badge emblazoned with the word "Truth." He regarded the material with mild disdain, though curiosity soon prompted him to investigate the badge's features. Guided by a clerk, he activated a projection array embedded in the badge, displaying his personal information in midair. Seeing such an advanced projection device in action filled Yu Xiaogang with renewed admiration for Tianxing Academy's resources.
The next day, he faced the Bachelor examination, designed for candidates to document cultivation methods up to the Soul Sage level with verifiable evidence. Instructions were straightforward, and the clerk even provided him with additional guidelines. However, Yu Xiaogang's tendency to make sweeping generalizations tripped him up again. Attempting to describe an advanced method for cultivating an average plant based spirit, he misguidedly recommended obtaining a beast spirit ring. Predictably, his assessment was denied.
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Chapter 156: Yu Xiaogang's Continued Struggles with Artifact Spirits (Part 1)
Once again, Yu Xiaogang found himself facing rejection, struggling to see any faults in his theory. To him, advising a plant spirit master to acquire beast spirit rings was logical, as it would theoretically boost their combat effectiveness. This time, however, his review wasn't conducted by Ye Wen but by another evaluator. A refined middle aged man with gold rimmed glasses, the reviewer adjusted his frames and spoke calmly to Xiaogang.
"The absorption itself isn't the issue here. In fact, artifact spirit masters have done this for ages. After all, there are no 'hammer beasts' or 'sword beasts' in the spirit world."
"Then why did you fail me?" Yu Xiaogang demanded. "There's nothing wrong with my methods. A spirit master with adequate potential could certainly reach Soul Sage by following them!"
A flicker of annoyance crossed the reviewer's face. After all, he himself was a Soul Sage level spirit master, and people rarely spoke to him with such disrespect. Resisting his urge to snap, he reminded himself to stay composed as a representative of Tianxing Academy.
Still, he couldn't entirely mask his displeasure, glancing pointedly at Xiaogang's name. Ah, Yu Xiaogang… so this is the infamous figure they call a laughingstock even within the top tier clans. With an expressionless face, he continued, "Mr. Yu Xiaogang, your theory could indeed lead a promising soul master to reach the Soul Sage level in practice. But have you considered what comes next for them? Or how this method affects their descendants?"
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed, but he kept silent, fuming.
The reviewer leaned forward slightly, emphasizing his point. "Have you not read the Dean's foundational works, particularly Theory of Essence? Don't tell me you're unaware of its principles. According to Dean Ye Wen's findings, your method restricts a spirit master's potential right at the Soul Sage level. Without the additional benefits inherent to their own spirit essence, their growth will stagnate." He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing. "And by following such a path, you risk weakening the lineage and potential of any future descendants. Your theory is, in essence, short sighted prioritizing immediate strength over future potential, a path we call a dead end at the Pavilion of Truth."
The reviewer held out a hand. "I recommend returning to your draft, revising it thoroughly. In my estimation, if you remove those misguided spirit ring suggestions, your theory could meet our standards perhaps even 80% of them."
Seething, Yu Xiaogang's face flushed purple. Still, he couldn't let his defeat go without a parting shot. "What's wrong with a spirit master seeking more strength? You're right, but I won't accept this!"
"Sure, sure, you have every right to your opinion," the reviewer replied dismissively, turning back to his work. "But we here at Tianxing Academy prioritize spirit masters' inherent abilities alongside their development of advanced techniques. Please revise accordingly I have other matters to attend to."
The disregard from the reviewer infuriated Yu Xiaogang, but the man had pointed out undeniable truths. Yu could only mutter to himself that Tianxing Academy was too rigid, refusing to entertain alternative theories.
Fortunately, no one from Tianxing Academy heard his comments; otherwise, they'd likely laugh him out of town. In Tianxing's domain, Dean Ye Wen was revered almost like a god.
In the following days, Yu Xiaogang poured himself into revising his submission, determined not to face further rejection. Eventually, he managed to earn the silver badge for the Bachelor's level. Holding it, he felt a sense of mixed satisfaction and frustration. His real aim was higher than this; yet, he had barely scratched the surface of martial spirit theory, his knowledge limited compared to how it would be if he'd fully accessed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's archives.
Meanwhile, Ye Wen had little time to spare on someone like Yu Xiaogang, whose potential, after all, was limited. In the current era lacking Bibi Dong's endorsement Yu Xiaogang's influence was practically nonexistent. Ye Wen focused instead on a groundbreaking project: artificially creating twin martial spirits.
With the divine power he now possessed, Ye Wen could sense the potent bloodline within his children, marked by the sea god's essence. When they awakened, they would naturally inherit a sea god martial spirit derived from Ye Wen as the blueprint.
However, Ye Wen's ambition extended beyond this. To prepare them for a distant future rife with challenges, he aimed to grant each of his children a second martial spirit. While beast spirits have a natural cap, artifact spirits could be refined to achieve legendary status. The previous Sea God, Poseidon, had elevated his trident spirit to an ultra divine artifact upon reaching godhood.
Thanks to the fusion of Ye Wen's and Ah Yin's unique bloodlines, his daughter and son would inherit both the essence of Ye Wen's abilities and Ah Yin's Blue Silver Emperor legacy.
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