The Daily Life of Soul Master Academy

Wang Xiaofeng had enrolled on the final day, so school began the very next day.

"Students, welcome to..." The principal droned on from the stage while Wang Xiaofeng grew drowsy below.

He had just changed places last night and had trouble falling asleep. A few little brats had even started crying in their sleep, leaving him unable to rest properly all night. Then there was the opening ceremony the next day, with everyone gathering on the Training Field bright and early. The only reason he had managed to stay awake this long was sheer willpower.

Couldn't they see that all the little brats in front were asleep? Sleeping while standing was impressive too.

"So once again, welcome, students."

The applause jolted Wang Xiaofeng awake. "It's finally over."

"And now, let us welcome our Dean of Students, who will explain the school rules and regulations."

Wang Xiaofeng stared blankly as a greasy, pot-bellied middle-aged man stepped onto the podium. "Then I'll just say a few words..."

(′Д`)彡┻━┻

"Why are teachers in this other world just like the ones in the real world? Once they start talking, they never shut up." Wang Xiaofeng cursed the principal and Dean of Students eighteen times over in his heart.

At last, the opening ceremony ended, and Wang Xiaofeng welcomed his first class.

"Let's see the schedule. Soul Beast Introduction from eight to nine in the morning, Meditation Class from three to four in the afternoon."

Was this really so easy? Wang Xiaofeng was stunned. After enduring nine years of compulsory education in his previous life, this was the first time he had ever seen such a relaxed schedule.

⊙﹏⊙

"Teacher, is what's written on the schedule true?" Wang Xiaofeng asked as he saw a middle-aged man enter, pointing at the timetable posted beside the blackboard.

"There's nothing wrong with the schedule," the middle-aged man replied. "And class has already started, so hurry up and sit down."

The middle-aged man shooed the little beans back to their seats, then began explaining. "We'll begin class now. First, let me introduce a common soul beast, the Bouncy Rabbit..."

Wang Xiaofeng looked at the noisy children around him, then at the teacher, who seemed completely unaffected and continued lecturing on his own. He sighed, took out a notebook, and began taking notes.

"If you don't work hard while you're young, you'll only regret it when you're old."

That afternoon, before Meditation Class, an older teacher handed out a thin sheet of paper. It recorded several key points for meditation and the route for circulating soul power. It said that meditating while circulating soul power along a specific route could improve efficiency by five percent compared to meditating at random.

Don't underestimate that five percent. Many soul masters simply meditated and cultivated however they pleased. Wang Xiaofeng already felt like he had struck gold from this Meditation Method alone.

"Sure enough, you can only develop once you get out into the world. The ancestors were right."

A few days later, Wang Xiaofeng had familiarized himself with every part of the academy. He then wrote up a new plan, setting small goals to train himself more effectively.

Wang Xiaofeng had always remembered that this was a dangerous world where personal power reigned supreme. Back when he had fought that ten-year Blind Bear, if Wang Danu had not backed him up at the end, he would have been dead long ago. The scar the Blind Bear had left on his arm still constantly reminded him of it.

"Okay, it's finally all planned out. After morning classes, I'll train. After afternoon classes, I'll go to the Library to study soul beast knowledge. At night, I'll meditate."

"This year's goal is to break through to level 10 and hunt my first Soul Ring." Wang Xiaofeng set his small goal for the year. First, make a hundred million... Ahem, sorry, wrong line.

Eight months passed, and through Wang Xiaofeng's constant efforts, he completed his small goal ahead of schedule.

The crystal ball in the middle-aged man's hand glittered like a brilliant gem. A faint blue halo spilled from it, indescribably captivating.

"Can someone with Innate Soul Power at level five really cultivate this quickly?" The Soul Hunting Office teacher looked at the crystal ball in the middle-aged man's hand. "You meet the standard for hunting a Soul Ring. Come register here first. Once vacation starts, the school will make unified arrangements."

"What? I have to wait that long? Teacher, can I choose a powerful Century Soul Ring? Preferably a Dragon-type one."

Under everyone's looks of What nonsense are you spouting?, Wang Xiaofeng retreated in defeat. "Then a Soul Ring close to four hundred years should be fine, right?"

"Stop dreaming." The middle-aged man pinched Wang Xiaofeng's cheek to see just how thick-skinned he was. "The soul beasts the school helps hunt are all ten-year soul beasts. Otherwise, a few teachers wouldn't be able to keep an eye on all of you. They might not even be able to beat a century soul beast themselves." The middle-aged man grinned.

Every year, there were always soul masters who overestimated themselves and pursued Soul Rings at the limit of what they could handle, but most of them ended up as soul beast dung. After all, when commoner soul masters hunted soul beasts in the wilderness, they did not have Soul Elders or Soul Ancestors protecting them like noble soul masters did, nor did they have bodies nurtured since childhood in Medicinal Baths.

Even if an ordinary soul master was lucky enough to kill a soul beast at the limit of what they could handle, once they began absorbing its Soul Ring, the chance of their body being burst apart by soul power was far greater than the chance of successful absorption.

That was why most commoner soul masters chose ten-year Soul Rings for their first one. After all, if a ten-year soul beast suited their martial soul, it could still be quite useful.

"So don't aim too high and chase the ideal Soul Ring ratio. I've already registered your name. A teacher will come find you once vacation begins."

"Fine." ヽ(≧Д≦)ノ

On the surface, Wang Xiaofeng obediently agreed. In reality...

"Lao Bai, I need to take leave!" Wang Xiaofeng rushed into the teachers' office and shouted at a bald man.

"Wang Xiaofeng, what's wrong? Why do you suddenly need leave?"

The bald man, nicknamed Lao Bai, had taught for twenty years and was known for his good temper. The students had called him that for so long that even his original name was nearly forgotten.

Lao Bai calmly took a sip of goji berry tea from his cup.

"My father sent me a letter saying my grandfather is about to pass away and told me to hurry back to see him one last time."

"For the sake of my first Soul Ring, Grandpa, I'll have to trouble you to die one more time." Wang Xiaofeng silently prayed to his grandfather in heaven.

If Wang Xiaofeng's grandfather knew that his unfilial grandson was using his name to ask for leave, he would probably be so angry that even his coffin lid would not stay shut.

"Alright, take this leave slip and hurry back." Lao Bai had great faith in this student. After all, who wouldn't like a diligent and adorable student?

"Yes." Wang Xiaofeng happily made a little gesture in his heart. Step one of the plan: success.

Next came the problem of how to get home, and how to avoid being beaten senseless by both his parents.

He needed to come up with a believable excuse to fool them...