Chapter 19: The "Invincible" Theory
"You know the author of this book?"
Zhang Ming replied, "Yu Xiaogang, also known as the Master. In the field of martial soul research, no one can match him. That's why people say he's 'invincible in theory.'"
Quan Yi was surprised. If he was truly so renowned, why had he never come across any of his works in his family's library?
And why was the book placed in such a remote, obscure spot?
"If he's called 'invincible in theory,' then is there a problem with me wanting to buy his book?" Quan Yi asked in confusion.
Zhang Ming chuckled, "Heh, being 'invincible in theory' isn't a compliment. It means no one's been able to prove whether his theories are right or wrong."
"No one can prove they're wrong—doesn't that make them 'invincible'?"
Quan Yi understood. So that was the origin of the nickname.
Indeed, theories like the Martial Soul Mimicry Theory haven't been proven even now, and no one's willing to risk their lives testing them by absorbing dangerous soul rings.
Just then, Quan Yi had a sudden question.
If Yu Xiaogang was from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, why didn't they conduct any trials?
And how did a label like "invincible in theory" end up associated with someone like him?
Quan Yi asked, "Yu Xiaogang—isn't he a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"
Zhang Ming instantly grew nervous upon hearing the name.
"Shhh—keep it down. Don't let others hear," he said, leaning in closer and whispering, "I heard that the Master left the clan years ago because of his lack of talent. He later joined the Spirit Hall… and then left that too. That's all I know."
"You're really knowledgeable, Senior!"
Zhang Ming scratched the back of his head shyly at the compliment.
"I just heard it from the librarian—it's nothing special. I'm only telling you because I want to warn you. These theories are fine to read, but whatever you do, don't try them out yourself."
Zhang Ming was clearly a kind person—otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to warn Quan Yi. But he didn't truly understand the value of the book.
"Thanks for the warning, but I still want to buy a copy. If he has other works, I'd like those too," Quan Yi said firmly.
Seeing how insistent he was, Zhang Ming didn't push further.
"All right then. I'll ask the librarian. I'll let you know when you return the book next week."
Quan Yi quickly thanked him. After filling out the form, he left the library with the book.
As he exited, Quan Yi placed the book inside the Lieyang Heart, but his expression suddenly turned serious. He muttered under his breath, "Spirit Hall…"
He hadn't expected that the one behind the data was not the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—but Spirit Hall.
So the data must have been collected by Spirit Hall.
Spirit Hall possessed information on the vast majority of soul masters across the continent. That information was a priceless treasure trove.
But it seemed they didn't understand the value of big data analysis.
After all, they hadn't even tried to verify Yu Xiaogang's theories. This meant Spirit Hall itself didn't recognize his work.
From this, it became clear: the soul master world's understanding of martial souls was still shallow. All their focus was on increasing strength.
But that was a form of laziness—intellectual laziness.
[TL/N: well he is not wrong about that]
Human thinking was slowly becoming rigid, treating so-called experience as absolute truth and ruthlessly rejecting new ideas.
Quan Yi reminded himself never to fall into intellectual stagnation. He must always stay curious and critical.
This world, though fantastical, was at its core a backward one.
That backwardness was in its thinking.
If he wasn't careful, the "old ways" of this world would corrupt his soul.
Thus, Quan Yi needed to constantly question and reflect—only then could he keep his soul "new."
After leaving the library, it was time for his workout.
As usual, Quan Yi went to the training field. There wasn't a soul in sight.
His midday training focused on anaerobic exercise to improve explosive power.
The workout consisted of burpees combined with pull-ups.
Burpees integrated squats, push-ups, tuck-ins, and jump squats—rapidly increasing heart rate and activating the entire body.
Adding pull-ups to the mix made the routine even more exhausting just to think about.
This was a workout strategy Quan Yi developed using his past life's experience.
He did it in sets.
Forty burpees, followed by forty pull-ups. One minute of rest in between, then repeat.
He planned to do twenty sets.
Quan Yi's form was flawless. He didn't rush the movements but made sure every rep was clean.
His body stayed tense the whole time. His pull-ups were smooth both up and down, putting maximum strain on his arms.
The temperature kept rising, but the scorching heat didn't faze Quan Yi.
Even at the end, he maintained perfect form—driven by his unbreakable willpower, he completed the midday session.
Afterward, he never skipped stretching.
Most people wouldn't survive this level of training even once. Yet Quan Yi did it three times a day.
Such willpower was extraordinary.
His white T-shirt was soaked through with sweat. Since it was midday and he feared someone might show up, he didn't take it off.
After training came his favorite part—mealtime.
Dragging his weary body, Quan Yi headed toward the cafeteria.
The moment he stepped in, the smell of food hit him.
His stomach growling, he went straight upstairs, thinking only about eating.
This time, all the students around took notice of him.
And no wonder—his soaked white shirt had become semi-transparent.
His muscular chest and broad shoulders were completely visible.
Every student in the room had their eyes on him.
Some shy girls turned their heads away in embarrassment, while bolder ones openly stared at his physique.
Even the male students were awed by his muscles. Faced with overwhelming strength, all they could feel was admiration.
Quan Yi remained oblivious. He walked straight up to the second floor and disappeared from their sight.
The second floor was the same as in the morning—quieter and less crowded.
He quickly filled two plates to the brim and made his way to a secluded corner. Just as he reached into his chest pocket for the dried meat, a shrill voice pierced the air.
"Where did this country bumpkin come from? Totally ruined my appetite."
Quan Yi immediately looked toward the source of the voice. It came from a boy with a cocky expression.
"What are you staring at? I'm talking to you. Can you eat somewhere else? You stink of sweat. Don't ruin our mealtime."
The boy wasn't very old but was clearly a senior student. He wore expensive clothes, but his sneering expression made Quan Yi immediately dislike him.
Quan Yi sighed. Was this cafeteria cursed or something?
He'd only been here twice, and both times had turned into incidents. Couldn't he just enjoy one peaceful meal?
(To be continued.)