181: Chapter 181 He already has a master!

"So."

Qi Yuan slowly spoke.

"The core of my thesis comes from Su Bai."

"Correct."

"The core theory of the Titan Furnace also comes from Su Bai."

"Correct."

"With Su Bai's theory in hand, I sent my disciples to participate in the National Competition and even claimed that I would defeat Su Bai?"

Researcher Yun Zhi did not answer.

She felt that this question did not need an answer.

Qi Yuan was silent for a full half minute.

Then, he suddenly stood up.

"Contact the tournament media center."

Shen Ye's heart skipped a beat.

"Teacher, what are you going to do?"

"Hold an impromptu academic press conference."

Qi Yuan tidied his messy robes and used a purification spell to clean the black ash on his beard.

"Immediately."

"But outside everyone is waiting to see your..."

Shen Ye's words trailed off halfway, and he didn't dare continue.

What they were waiting to see, everyone was clear about.

The Titan Furnace suffered a disastrous defeat.

Qi Yuan's thesis was proven to come from the Stand System.

The ninth-rank masters in the sanctuary who had been dragged by Qi Yuan for seven consecutive days of discussions were probably all waiting for his reaction at this moment.

Some people might not have malicious intent.

And there were certainly people ready to watch a joke.

Holding a press conference at a time like this was equivalent to voluntarily putting himself in front of the national audience.

Qi Yuan glanced at Shen Ye.

"Precisely because everyone is waiting, I must make things clear right now."

"Whoever proposed the theory deserves the credit."

"I can misjudge, and I can lose."

"The one thing I cannot do is put someone else's achievements under my own name."

Half an hour later.

An academic livestream was temporarily inserted into the post-championship interview of the National Competition.

Qi Yuan stood on the briefing platform of the testing center.

The area below was packed with researchers from the Truth Sanctuary, royal Card Creators, and journalists from various major media outlets. Shen Ye and Researcher Yun Zhi stood behind him.

Su Bai was also temporarily invited to the scene.

However, Li Qingyue did not appear.

According to the tournament staff, she was inspecting the enlightenment passage three days later in the National Treasure Secret Realm.

The livestream started.

Qi Yuan didn't say any superfluous polite words; he directly projected his thesis onto the main screen.

"Regarding my recently published "Bidirectional Mana Anchoring Hypothesis Based on Stellar-Level Energy Collapse", an important clarification needs to be made today."

The audience quickly quieted down.

Qi Yuan raised his hand to switch the screen.

The six auxiliary lines on the outermost periphery of the Stand Card appeared beside the thesis.

"Through the comparison of the tournament detection array, the core theory of this thesis is directly related to the Stand System created by Mr. Su Bai."

"This theory was originally proposed by Mr. Su Bai when he was making the Stand Card, and was passed on to me through Researcher Yun Zhi."

"Without knowing this, I organized, supplemented, and published the theory."

Low discussions had already sounded off from the audience below.

Qi Yuan's expression did not change at all.

"Regardless of whether I knew or not, the original proposer of the theory should not change."

"Therefore, I have submitted an amendment application to the Truth Sanctuary Academic Committee."

"Revoke my identity as the first author."

"List Mr. Su Bai as the primary theoretical proposer and first author of the thesis."

"I am demoted to the second author."

The entire venue was in an uproar.

Some people who originally waited to watch Qi Yuan make a fool of himself gradually restrained their expressions.

Admitting failure was not difficult.

What was truly difficult was admitting in a nationwide livestream, with his own mouth, that his proudest thesis came from another young Card Creator.

Qi Yuan was a ninth-rank master.

Su Bai was only third-rank.

There was a world of difference between the two sides in terms of age, qualifications, and academic status.

Qi Yuan could completely blur the credit with "joint research", or emphasize his own organization and perfection of the theory, continuing to occupy the position of first author.

No one could force him to back down.

Yet he actively stepped back.

And he stepped back without any hesitation.

Qi Yuan continued:

"In addition, I need to correct my previous erroneous evaluation of the Stand System."

"I once believed that the Stand design violated traditional card creation logic, and had huge flaws in harming synchronization and spiritual manifestation."

"The competition has already proved that my judgment was too superficial."

"The design of the Stand System in terms of spiritual manifestation, reality anchoring, soul synchronization, energy recovery, and law-touching far exceeds my current range of understanding."

"The thirty-seven sets of formulas in my thesis, after being compressed by Mr. Su Bai, only occupy the six auxiliary lines on the outermost layer of the Stand Card."

He paused for a moment.

"Its duration of action is only zero point zero one seconds."

The venue fell completely silent.

Although many people had already received news from the testing center, hearing Qi Yuan admit it with his own ears still brought a strong shock.

A ninth-rank thesis of more than four hundred pages.

Six auxiliary lines.

Zero point zero one seconds.

Putting these three pieces of information together appeared exceptionally cruel.

Qi Yuan did not show any shame.

Instead, his gaze grew increasingly bright.

"I have studied card creation science for one hundred and thirty-seven years, and I consider myself to have achieved something in the fields of materials and energy conversion."

"Only today did I realize that there is no end to learning."

"Rank and age can only prove how far a person has walked."

"They cannot prove that he has reached the end."

After speaking, Qi Yuan left the briefing platform.

Under the gaze of countless cameras, he walked straight up to Su Bai.

Su Bai looked at this earnest ninth-rank master, and for a moment couldn't guess what he was preparing to do.

"Mr. Su."

Qi Yuan cupped his hands in a salute.

"I hope to formally join the research of the Stand System."

"Material purification, energy conversion, law carriers, and high-rank card body forging are all fields I excel in."

"I will not ask for your core blueprints, nor will I publicize any research results without authorization."

"I only hope you will allow me to participate in subsequent experiments."

Su Bai did not agree immediately.

Qi Yuan's level in materials science was unquestionable.

A ninth-rank card creation master actively applying to join the research would certainly help in the manufacture of the Stand Awakening Arrow.

However, this matter involved the philosophers stone and the core of the Stand System, so it could not be decided casually.

Qi Yuan seemed to see through his concerns.

"I can sign the highest-level soul confidentiality contract."

"All research results belong to you."

"If you feel that the identity of a ninth-rank master will affect our cooperation, then we shall only discuss academics, regardless of rank."

Saying this, he bowed to Su Bai once again.

"On the path of scholarship, whoever masters it first is the senior."

"If you are willing to impart everything without reservation, it is not unacceptable for me to call you master academically."

Boom!

The entire press conference scene instantly exploded.

A ninth-rank master.

The chief of materials science at the Truth Sanctuary.

Want to call a third-rank Card Creator a master?

Reporters almost thought they had misheard.

The livestream barrage instantly flooded all the screens.

Su Bai was also stunned for a moment.

Before he had time to reply, the space beside him suddenly rippled with transparent ripples.

A slender and fair arm stretched out from the crack.

Following closely, Li Qingyue stepped across the spatial passage and stood beside Su Bai.

She seemed to have just rushed back from the National Treasure Secret Realm, and faint starlight of laws still lingered on her silver long hair.

Li Qingyue first glanced at Qi Yuan.

And then glanced at Qi Yuan's still-maintained bowing posture.

She slightly narrowed her eyes, took half a step forward, and happened to block between Su Bai and Qi Yuan.

"Seeking knowledge is fine."

Her cold and clear voice spread throughout the venue.

"Becoming your master is not."

Li Qingyue raised her chin, her tone so calm that there was not the slightest room for negotiation.

"He already has a master."