Friends

Outside Red Mountain Academy

Tang Ziran did not leave until he had escorted Tang Wulin to the academy gates. The academy was close to home, and he told his son to go straight home after school. Glancing at Nan Fusheng, who was also standing alone by the school gate, Tang Ziran sighed but said nothing before heading off to work.

The Soul Master Class had dedicated teachers waiting at the academy entrance to receive the students, and their treatment was clearly much better than that of the Ordinary Class.

The Ordinary Class only provided regular cultural education. Beyond that, the Soul Master Class taught those students born with Innate Soul Power how to become Soul Masters, as well as knowledge related to Soul Masters, preparing them to enter intermediate academies in the future.

This year's Soul Master Class had only sixteen students in total. There were simply too few children whose martial souls awakened with innate soul power, especially in a small city like Aolai City. This year was considered relatively numerous already.

And at that moment, in the Soul Master Class where Nan Fusheng was...

"Hey, what's your martial soul?" A short, chubby boy sidled up to Nan Fusheng and asked.

They were all children of the same age, filled with curiosity about the Soul Master Class life that awaited them.

Nan Fusheng said flatly, "It's a bug." A translucent insect lay quietly in his hand, wriggling from time to time.

"Tch." The chubby boy said disdainfully, "A bug? What a useless martial soul." With that, he turned to leave.

Nan Fusheng said nothing more. He merely watched quietly as the chubby boy went around asking the other children what their martial souls were.

Before long, the chubby boy reached Tang Wulin. The two seemed to get into some sort of dispute, and Tang Wulin said indignantly, "What about you? What's your martial soul?"

The chubby boy snorted and waved his right hand. A cold gleam flashed, and a short blade appeared in his hand. "See that? My martial soul is a blade. If I can cultivate to become a Titled Douluo someday, I'll call myself the Blade God Douluo. My Innate Soul Power is rank five. I could chop your few stalks of Blue Silver Grass into pieces without even trying."

Looking at the short blade in the other boy's hand, then at the Blue Silver Grass in his own palm, Tang Wulin suddenly remembered what his father had said the night before.

Was it really difficult for Blue Silver Grass to cultivate into a Soul Master?

The other students also showed off their martial souls, each with their own distinctive traits. Yet no matter what kind of martial soul they had, it was at least far better than his Blue Silver Grass. Because his martial soul was Blue Silver Grass, none of the young students gathered in little groups came over to speak to him anymore.

Seeing this, Nan Fusheng understood that it was time for him to step in.

"I believe you can definitely become a powerful Soul Master."

Those words by his ear made Tang Wulin turn around toward Nan Fusheng. It's him, that person from this morning, Tang Wulin thought.

Just as he was about to say something to Nan Fusheng, the Soul Master Class teacher clapped her hands.

"Hello, everyone. I'm your homeroom teacher, Lin Ximeng. Over the next three years, I'll teach you the basic knowledge related to Soul Masters. Now, introduce yourselves. Tell us your name, martial soul, and Innate Soul Power Level."

There were only sixteen students, so the introductions went quickly. When Lin Ximeng heard Tang Wulin and Nan Fusheng introduce their martial souls as Blue Silver Grass and a bug, she could not help looking somewhat stunned. The other students burst into laughter as well.

Nan Fusheng did not feel much about it. No matter how one looked at it, his martial soul was weak. At least Blue Silver Grass could be used. Tang Sect's founding ancestor, Tang San, had evolved his "Blue Silver Grass" into the "Blue Silver Emperor." As long as they worked hard, perhaps they could achieve it too—an excuse to comfort himself.

But what was he supposed to use as an example? Huo Yuhao? He had no Million-Year Soul Beast sacrifice, nor did some old grandpa descend from the heavens to give him an inheritance. He only had a legacy from the Lord of Mysteries. Nan Fusheng amused himself with the thought.

Tang Wulin, on the other hand, was different. Although Nan Fusheng had comforted him earlier, and they were now being mocked together, he was still a child, and his mentality was nothing like Nan Fusheng's. Tang Wulin's little face flushed bright red, as though a ball of fire were trapped in his heart.

Lin Ximeng quickly returned to normal and smiled. "Today is your first day of class. First, I'll explain the classifications of martial souls. This afternoon, I'll guide you through preliminary Meditation. Meditation is the only way to train and increase your Soul Power. If you want to become true Soul Masters, you'll need to work hard."

"As everyone knows, in our world, every person possesses their own martial soul. Martial souls awaken at the age of six and can take any form. Those born with innate soul power can cultivate to become Soul Masters—that means all of you. So, what classifications are there for martial souls?"

"First, martial souls are divided into two main categories: Tool Martial Souls and Beast Martial Souls. Those that manifest as living creatures are Beast Martial Souls. Those that manifest as nonliving objects are Tool Martial Souls. By cultivating soul power to strengthen your martial soul, once your Soul Power Level breaks through rank ten, you can officially become a Soul Master."

"Soul Masters also fall into two main categories: Battle Soul Masters and Tool Soul Masters. Those who cultivate their martial souls for combat are Battle Soul Masters, while those who cultivate their martial souls for non-combat purposes are Tool Soul Masters. Both martial souls and Soul Masters have many further subdivisions..."

As Tang Wulin listened to Lin Ximeng explain the classifications of martial souls and Soul Masters, the resentment in his heart gradually faded. Since childhood, he had been full of curiosity about the profession of Soul Master. This knowledge was like a magnificent world opening a brand-new door before him.

Nan Fusheng listened attentively as well. Although he had known some of Douluo Continent's settings in his previous life, there was still a difference between novels and reality, not to mention how someone often retconned the settings.

After explaining some common knowledge about Soul Master cultivation, Lin Ximeng began teaching them some of Douluo Continent's writing. After all, even Soul Masters were not born knowing everything. Nan Fusheng did not listen as attentively to this part, since he had already studied it on his own.

Noon arrived quickly. Academy life included one lunch, with no limit on portions. The Soul Master Class students also ate much better than the ordinary students.

Although he was a Soul Scholar, Nan Fusheng only ate a little more than an ordinary child. But Tang Wulin beside him was different.

Tang Wulin ate a great deal, so much that he immediately gained the nickname of rice bucket. And by a great deal, it meant he ate nearly half as much as all the other dozen-plus students combined. His appetite surpassed that of an adult, which left Tang Wulin rather distressed.

"Being able to eat is a blessing. I envy how carefree you are when you eat."

Tang Wulin turned toward the person beside him. It was him, that person from this morning.

"Do you really believe that I can become a powerful Soul Master?"

Tang Wulin looked at Nan Fusheng, unsure what to say for a moment. In the end, he awkwardly managed to say this.

"Of course. Didn't Sea God Tang San's teacher, that famous Grandmaster from history, say: 'There are no useless martial souls, only useless Soul Masters'?"

Nan Fusheng said words that he did not believe himself.

But Tang Wulin believed them. He clenched his fists. "That's right. There are no useless martial souls, only useless Soul Masters. Thank you."

Watching Tang Wulin seem as though he had been brainwashed, Nan Fusheng went along with him. After those few exchanges, the distance between Nan Fusheng and Tang Wulin had drawn much closer.