Previously, this post was titled “Co-Authorship & Thesis Progression” but has been changed due to my misunderstanding of how co-authorship is related to weekly thesis crafting.

Co-Authorship does not affect the progression values of your thesis.

You get additional merit points for each thesis you co-author.

This information was updated as of 08/16/2026.

Basic Information

In the crafting thesis menu, co-authorship is the ability to add other players onto your thesis as contributors. As an apprentice (entry rank), co-authorship has no use. It is relevant only at journeyman+ (second sect rank). Co-authorship allows for a merit bonus equal to 25% of your co-author’s progress towards their thesis. This bonus is added to your existing thesis progress value which is makes up your overall sect merit (this affects your status ranking). You can join another sect member’s thesis or add others to your own at any time, but the earlier the better. With 4800 being the maximum value for thesis crafting, the maximum merit bonus to be gained is 1200. (Exactly 25% of 4800, which means your co-author has fully maxed out their thesis for the week.)

(MUST READ) Main points:

1. Theses are individual. Co-authors do not share one collective thesis. There is no shared progression between thesis values.
2. The merit bonus is not counted retroactively. If a co-author is invited to a thesis and they have already completed their own, they will gain no merit bonus from co-authoring. If your thesis is already complete and you invite more co-authors, those co-authors again will receive no points. Both theses must be incomplete to gain co-authorship points. Clicking on Sharing Results > Research Patent on your status page will show the additional research values gained from others. Co-authors who have completed their thesis will show as 0.
3. Citing references in your thesis will increase max progress values for a particular resource. It does not add research points to your resources. Co-authors do not need to select the same references to gain the full 1200 merit bonus.
4. The 750 research value required for sect promotion (from apprentice to journeyman) will only be counted at the end of the week, post-reset. This value is not affected by co-authors and can only be your own thesis progress.
5. There are 10(?) chances to co-author someone’s work per week. Best to spam invites at reset before players have started making progress on their thesis.
6. You can invite 2 contributors to be co-authors. If your jianghu master is in Mohist Hill, DO NOT invite them as a co-author. This will be explained in a moment.
7. Stork will show as your mentor if your jianghu master is not in Mohist Hill. If your master joins Mohist Hill, the mentor shown on your thesis will change from Stork to your master.

Disciple Submissions

This information is based on the testing of the in-game description shown further below.
If both master and disciple are in Mohist Hill, disciples can contribute to their master’s weekly merit without the master being invited onto the thesis as a co-author. Disciple submissions are separate from co-author submissions, but the merit value is calculated at the same 25% rate. Even if your disciple adds you as a co-author, it will not double count merit bonus and will only appear as a disciple submission.
There have been 2 instances of a disciple adding their master as a co-author:

• Message appearing that the player (disciple’s master) is already their mentor and will not be able to co-author. (07/23/26) — Likely works as intended.
• A player’s jianghu master appearing as both their mentor and as a co-author after being invited as a contributor. In this instance, the master’s thesis progression value is counted the same as other co-authors. (07/28/26) — Likely not working as intended.

If there are more findings, please let WBM know!f

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This is a screenshot of in-game translation for details on progression towards crafting theses. The “disciple” underlined in red 🔴 refers to a disciple of Mohist Hill, as in the player of Mohist Hill sect (you). The words “master and apprentice” underlined in yellow 🟡 refers to the jianghu master and discipleship relationship that is independent of Mohist Hill sect.

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Here in the status page of Mohist Hill sect you can see the additional research values that was added to your thesis during the week. (I started my thesis very late, don’t mind me). Points contributed by my disciple are listed in a separate category than my co-author. My co-author had already completed her thesis by the time I invited her so she was unable to receice any additional research value from mine (since she is unable to make any progression towards her own.) She also added me as a co-author after completing her thesis, and I received 0 points being her co-author because her thesis was already complete.

Main point: Do not complete your thesis before filling out co-authorship.

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Co-Authorship & Sect Merit

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Co-Authorship, Sect Merit & FAQ

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Clarification FAQ

Some of these points are already reviewed above but I will reiterate them again since there have been many repeated questions.

Where exactly do the points come from? My thesis or others’ theses?

Co-authorship points come from OTHERS inviting you onto their thesis, NOT from the two people invited onto yours.

If my master is in Mohist hill, should I invite them onto my thesis?

Disciples, if your master is in Mohist hill, DO NOT invite them to co-author your thesis. Your jianghu master is considered your mentor and will not receive any additional research value for co-authoring your thesis. They will receive points automatically through disciple submission.

If my disciple is in Mohist Hill, should I invite them onto my thesis?

If you want, yes. But this is one less spot to trade co-authorship with others if you are looking for mutual agreements.

Will I get points if I am added as a co-author after the other person has finished their thesis?

No, you will not get points.

Will I get points if I am added as a co-author if they have not completed their thesis, but mine is already complete?

No, you will not get points.