Pidgeotto's First Appearance

Qian Bing quickly racked his brains over how to answer Mashuno's question. For the moment, he could not come up with any particularly perfect explanation, so he could only say, half-truthfully:

"It was a small yellowish-brown bird. A few days after my awakening, I was killing chickens at home when my martial soul suddenly came out on its own and summoned a little bird.

"I had a knife in my hand at the time, so I casually slashed at its neck. A yellow ring appeared, and it was only after I came to Notting Academy that I learned it was a soul ring."

"..."

Mashuno's expression was especially comical. His mouth hung slightly open, clearly unable to pull himself out of his shock.

"So you directly killed the soul beast your own martial soul summoned and obtained a soul ring? Something like that can happen? It's simply unbelievable!"

"Uh... that was probably how it happened."

Mashuno had worked for decades and had never encountered a situation like Qian Bing's. He had no way to determine the exact details, but he could be certain that Qian Bing's future would be exceptionally bright.

At the very least, he would not have to worry about obtaining soul rings...

Mashuno seemed to think of something. His expression suddenly turned serious as he asked:

"Qian Bing, would you be willing to join Spirit Hall?"

Qian Bing froze for a moment before saying:

"Grandpa Mashuno, didn't I come to Spirit Hall to register?"

Mashuno shook his head.

"No, it's not the same. Registering at Spirit Hall to receive the subsidy issued by the state is something the vast majority of Soul Masters do.

"Joining Spirit Hall means becoming a Soul Master directly affiliated with Spirit Hall.

"Your cultivation would also be carried out at a school established specifically by Spirit Hall."

Qian Bing shook his head.

"I'm afraid that won't work. I've already started studying at Notting Academy."

Mashuno let out a sigh.

"It really is a step too late. Even Spirit Hall has no reason to forcibly poach students from an academy.

"This is all that Su Yuntao brat's fault. He should have brought you directly to Spirit Hall in the first place."

Qian Bing could hear the regret in Mashuno's tone and could only give him an apologetic smile.

"Forget it. Your advancement assessment is complete. From this moment on, you are an honorable Soul Master of the Heaven Dou Empire. Welcome to the ranks of Soul Masters.

"From now on, you can come to Spirit Hall every month and collect your subsidy using the badge you'll receive shortly. A Soul Master's subsidy is one Gold Soul Coin per month.

"Once you reach the Great Soul Master rank, the subsidy will become ten Gold Soul Coins. So work hard at your cultivation, child."

"Thank you."

Afterward, under Mashuno's guidance, Qian Bing went to another administrative hall and received a badge specially crafted by Spirit Hall.

Qian Bing could not identify the material of the badge. It was circular, with his name engraved on the back.

The front bore two crossed thorny vines, symbolizing a Soul Master's rank.

After receiving the badge and this month's subsidy of one Gold Soul Coin, Qian Bing did not linger. He bid farewell to Mashuno and hurried back to Notting Academy.

Qian Bing had already been enrolled for several days. The academy's teachers had just taught this batch of new students the basic Soul Power cultivation method. By all rights, everyone should have been cultivating in their dormitories at this time.

Yet when he returned to Seven Dorm, he was surprised to find the entire dormitory empty, without a single person in sight.

Where had everyone gone?

Puzzled, Qian Bing turned and walked out of the dormitory, making his way to the training grounds.

Several students approached from the opposite direction, chatting and laughing. He vaguely heard those students, who were a few grades above him, mention the words Work-Study Students.

Qian Bing immediately focused and listened to their conversation. As the distance closed, he finally heard them clearly.

"Those Work-Study Students really don't know their own limits. They actually dared to challenge Boss Xiao from the sixth year. I'm afraid it'll be hard to see any Work-Study Students in class tomorrow."

"You can't put it that way. Since the Work-Study Students dared challenge the academy's little tyrant, they must have something to rely on. I heard a new first-year student joined them—a little girl who's really formidable. All the Work-Study Students call her Sister Xiao Wu.

"It seems she was the one who started this whole thing. Their wager is pretty extreme too. If Boss Xiao wins, all the Work-Study Students will become his pets from then on. If the Work-Study Students win, then Sister Xiao Wu will become everyone's Sister Xiao Wu across the entire academy."

"Those Work-Study Students are definitely courting death. No matter how strong a first-year little girl is, how strong can she really be? Boss Xiao is one of the few sixth-year students in our academy who has reached the Soul Master realm. Looks like Boss Xiao is about to gain another group of little followers."

After hearing the two upperclassmen's conversation, Qian Bing was not worried about Xiao Wu and the others. But on second thought, wasn't this also a good opportunity to get closer to them?

Thus, he thought to himself:

Wang Sheng said before that Work-Study Students were often bullied. As their roommate, I absolutely can't just stand by and watch them get bullied.

Just then, the upperclassmen happened to arrive in front of Qian Bing, and he hurriedly stopped them.

"Senior brothers, may I ask where Boss Xiao and those Work-Study Students are dueling?"

The students were visibly taken aback, but when they saw the Soul Master badge pinned to Qian Bing's chest, they immediately answered obediently:

"They should be dueling in the woods by the academy's back hill. Do you want to get involved too? Actually, Boss Xiao probably already has enough people."

"All right, thank you."

Having gotten the exact information, Qian Bing immediately took off running toward the back of the academy.

The so-called back mountain of the academy was not within Notting Academy itself, but rather a small hill outside the academy's rear gate.

After leaving the academy, Qian Bing felt that he was traveling too slowly, so he directly released his Spirit Ball Spirit and summoned Pidgeotto in Douluo Continent for the first time.

The next second, he was thoroughly startled.

Pidgey was around two meters tall, more than 5.6 times larger than its 0.3-meter size in the Pokémon World. Qian Bing had previously ridden Pidgey like an ostrich without finding anything strange, even thinking it was too small and unstable to ride.

But after summoning Pidgeotto this time, it felt like he had called forth a monster. Its body alone exceeded five meters, and with its wings spread, it spanned more than ten meters. Looming over Qian Bing's head, it practically blotted out the sky.

After flying out of the Spirit Ball Spirit, Pidgeotto circled once in the air before folding its wings and landing before Qian Bing. Seeing that he was still frozen in shock, it cried out.

"Pidgeot~ Pidgeot."

Pidgeotto lowered its head toward Qian Bing, wanting some affectionate contact. It frightened him so badly that he hurriedly backed up two steps and shouted, "Pidgeotto, don't mess around! Do you know that your head alone is bigger than my entire body now? One wrong move and you'll crush me!"

"Pidgeot~"

Pidgeotto responded cheerfully, sounding faintly pleased with itself.

"Fine. With your size, carrying me through the air shouldn't be a problem. Lie down and let me climb on."

"Pidgeot, Pidgeot."

Pidgeotto obediently lowered itself to the ground. Seeing this, Qian Bing had a sudden idea. Soul Power surged through his body, and his figure turned into a black blur as he climbed onto Pidgeotto's back.

The moment Qian Bing grabbed several clumps of Pidgeotto's feathers with both hands, Pidgeotto shot into the sky, flying toward the back mountain amid his shrieks.

"Ah! Oh my god!"

"Pidgeotto, slow down! This is my first time riding a bird-flesh airplane!"

In complete contrast to Qian Bing's noisy commotion, the forest on the back mountain was utterly silent. Yet that did not mean it was peaceful; rather, the atmosphere was tense, like swords drawn and bows bent.

All the Work-Study Students, including Tang San, stood behind Xiao Wu. Opposite them was a group of more than twenty upper-year students.

The one at the front wore the uniform of Notting Junior Academy. He was tall and straight, and though his face was still childish, he already had something of an adult's bearing.

He was at least half a body taller than Xiao Wu and was fairly handsome as well. However, the contempt and disdain on his face ruined what might otherwise have been a better demeanor.

"Little girl, it's not too late to regret this. Of course, I wouldn't mind having one more pet rabbit. Your martial spirit is a rabbit, right?"