Arrival

Time flew by, and before long, the day Su Ming and Tang San were to leave the village for school had arrived.

Old Jack had successfully secured Su Ming a Work-Study Student spot from another village.

That village also had one exclusive Work-Study Student spot each year, rather than sharing one with other villages.

As it happened, no child with Soul Power had awakened there this year.

So Old Jack, who was well-liked by everyone, had easily borrowed the spot.

"Little San, Little Ming. Hurry and get in the carriage. We're setting off."

"Okay, Grandpa."

At the entrance to Holy Soul Village, Old Jack called the two children over and had them board the carriage.

For villagers who worked the fields year-round, the distance from Holy Soul Village to Nuoding City was not very far.

With a little dry rations, they could get there on foot in half a day.

"Sit tight." With that, Old Jack drove his family's carriage onward.

The main reason Su Ming and Tang San rode in the carriage was for convenience and comfort.

Why walk when they had the means not to?

Besides, there were several baskets of medicinal herbs in the carriage.

Once they reached Nuoding City, Old Jack planned to sell them at a pharmacy.

Ever since Su Ming had come into his life, Old Jack had begun striving as well.

Thanks to Old Jack's diligence and Su Ming's occasional ideas,

the Old Jack household's circumstances had gradually improved by quite a bit.

Why, they even had their own carriage now.

"Once you get to the academy, you must study hard. After becoming Soul Masters, don't squander your Soul Master subsidies. Otherwise, when you want to attend an intermediate academy in the future, you won't even be able to afford the tuition..."

Old Jack had lived for several decades, so he knew quite a bit about matters concerning Soul Masters.

Especially after gaining such an outstanding grandson as Su Ming, he had begun looking forward to his future as a Soul Master, and paid even closer attention to anything related to Soul Masters.

And so, Old Jack spoke at length along the way.

There was concern, worry, and comfort in his words...

Su Ming and Tang San listened quietly, committing every word firmly to heart.

It looks like I need to figure out how to make money as soon as possible.

Unlike Su Ming, who had nothing to worry about, Tang San had already begun considering how to earn money.

With money, he could do many things.

He could buy gifts for his father and Brother Ming, make the hidden weapons from his past life, and prepare for attending an intermediate academy in the future.

Since their conversation that night, although they had not yet settled on an early-stage growth plan, Su Ming had still taught Tang San some knowledge about Martial Souls and Soul Masters.

This not only gave Tang San a clear understanding of his own talent, but also made him realize that every step on the road of a Soul Master required money.

Without money, things would be difficult!

Once I'm settled in at school, I'll find work at a Blacksmith's Shop.

After thinking it over for a moment, Tang San decided that the sooner he did this, the better.

Along the way, Old Jack had also indirectly asked whether Tang San had brought enough money.

Su Ming had cooperatively chimed in from the side as well.

Faced with Old Jack and Su Ming's concern, Tang San's heart warmed.

Though he had almost no money on him, he still lied and said he had enough, so they need not worry.

Tang San knew that Old Jack was fairly well-off.

But Old Jack had already taken care of him more than enough over the years, and he remembered the kindness Old Jack and Su Ming had shown him.

If he had the ability, he did not want to keep troubling them.

Before coming here, he had learned a special forging method from his father and had forged the first item he had made since coming to this world—a Sleeve Arrow.

Tang San wholeheartedly agreed with his father's suggestion that he become an apprentice at a Blacksmith's Shop to cover his tuition and meals.

Earn money, practice forging, make hidden weapons.

He could do all three at a Blacksmith's Shop. It was perfect.

With occasional conversation along the way, the carriage finally arrived at Nuoding City's gates.

After inspection by the city guards, the carriage slowly entered Nuoding City and headed toward Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.

Although it was Old Jack's first time coming to Nuoding Academy, he had asked around beforehand and did not take a wrong turn.

"Once you've finished registering, I'll sell the herbs and head back to the village."

After Old Jack got down from the carriage, Su Ming and Tang San followed after him.

Though Nuoding Academy was only a junior academy, the grandeur of its gates alone was enough to show how highly the continent valued Soul Masters.

Old Jack's usual clothes were already considered respectable in the village, but in Nuoding City, he still looked like a countryman.

To keep his grandson and Little San from being looked down upon,

Old Jack had deliberately changed into a new outfit today, and Su Ming and Tang San were dressed in brand-new clothes as well.

Naturally, Tang San's new clothes had been prepared by Old Jack before their departure.

Tang San had initially tried to refuse, but under Su Ming and Old Jack's persuasion, he eventually accepted their kindness.

"You're here to register for enrollment, aren't you?"

Perhaps because of the carriage, the gate guard did not look down on Su Ming's group. Instead, he greeted them warmly.

A child who might become a Soul Master was not someone a mere gate guard could afford to offend.

If Old Jack and the others had been dressed as they usually were, the guard at the gate would not have treated them this way.

"These are the two children's Martial Soul certificates." As he spoke, Old Jack handed the two certificates from his robe to the gate guard.

"Blue Silver Grass, 'Qi,' and both have Innate Full Soul Power."

Looking at the two certificates, the guard found it hard to believe.

A Waste Martial Soul could actually have Soul Power, and it was even Innate Full Soul Power.

And what kind of Martial Soul was this "Qi" Martial Soul? Why had he never heard of it before? It also had Innate Full Soul Power.

Were country children this outrageous nowadays?

In addition to the Martial Soul and Soul Power, the certificates also recorded the place of awakening.

Although Tang San and Su Ming were country children and Work-Study Students, their appearance made it clear that they were no ordinary people.

Whatever. I'm just a gate guard. Though he was filled with doubts, he still let Su Ming and Tang San enter.

Even if something really went wrong, it would not be the responsibility of a mere gate guard like him.

After all, these certificates had been issued by a deacon of Spirit Hall.

"Little Ming, Little San, study hard. The next time Grandpa comes to see you, you must have become Soul Masters."

With that, Old Jack climbed back into the carriage, preparing to sell the medicinal herbs.

"Goodbye, Grandpa."

"Take care, Grandpa."

After watching the carriage drive away, Su Ming and Tang San entered the academy.

"Brother Ming, what are you looking for?" As they entered, Tang San noticed that Su Ming seemed to be searching for something.

"Nothing. Let's go." With that, the two officially went to register.

The person Su Ming had been looking for was Yu Xiaogang.

In the original story, this was supposed to be the scene of Tang San's first meeting with Yu Xiaogang.

After Yu Xiaogang stepped in to resolve the situation, he would feed Tang San a load of nonsense, then fool him into taking him as his master.

Because they had arrived early today, Yu Xiaogang had not appeared at all.

This meant that even if he altered the plot drastically, the world's will would not correct the original storyline.

Now he could really cut loose!