Spirit Ring Acquisition Conference, Graduation Ceremony

Time slipped quietly through people's fingers like water, leaving not a trace behind.

Another year had passed. Fang Ling was nine years old, and his Soul Power had finally reached level ten, as he had hoped.

Wang Sheng had reached level ten in his second year here and had already graduated.

This was Fang Ling's third year at Notting Academy, and also his final year.

He had reached level ten half a year ago. His Stats Panel now looked like this.

Host: Fang Ling

Martial Soul: Scythe (Lv1) (+)

(A common farm tool used in the countryside for harvesting crops and cutting grass. It was fifty-five centimeters long, with a crescent-shaped blade. The back of the blade was eighteen centimeters long, the edge sixteen centimeters long, with no fine serrations. The handle was wooden and thirty centimeters long.)

Soul Power: 10 (+)

Soul Ring: None

Soul Bone: None

Specialties: Sharpness Lv1 (Martial Soul Innate Specialty, an inherent trait of metal bladed ironware. It was just an ordinary scythe, decent enough for cutting grass. It was not an axe—did you really want to use it to chop down trees?)

Toughness Lv1 (Martial Soul Innate Specialty, an inherent trait of metal tools. Forged by a blacksmith's hand, but neither Hundred Refinements nor Thousand Refinements, made from ordinary iron. Do not place too many expectations on the hardness and resilience of an agricultural scythe.)

Scythe Technique Lv1 (Technique Specialty. Your persistent practice has given you a fairly solid foundation, while the attacks born from flashes of inspiration carry a hint of brilliance. This was merely an introduction to scythe combat, but for a beginner with no foundation, it was already exceptionally good. You were born a Battle Maniac! Technique cultivation yielded twice the result with half the effort.)

Movement Technique Lv1 (Technique Specialty. An introduction to movement techniques. A movement technique created in a flash of inspiration after a beginner with no foundation failed countless times. It could be used for rapid movement over short distances or through multiple obstacles.)

Battle Maniac Lvmax (Special Talent, cannot be upgraded. The essence of your innate Battle Maniac nature has been activated. Technique cultivation yielded twice the result with half the effort.)

Points: 2

Compared to when he had first arrived at the academy, he had gained two technique specialties: Scythe Technique and Movement Technique.

His Soul Power had risen to level ten, and the plus sign after it had once again turned a dim, colorless gray. He had saved up two Points.

Naturally, he had no Soul Rings or Soul Bones.

His training in Scythe Technique and Movement Technique had never stopped over the past year. He had indeed improved, but neither had leveled up.

The plus sign beside his Martial Soul was lit up, making it incredibly tempting to spend his Points there.

However, Fang Ling thought it over calmly and chose not to do so.

His Martial Soul was sufficient for now. Soul Power was the top priority!

Furthermore, he had to save up for possible Soul Ring Point Allocation and future cultivation.

The reason he was considering Soul Rings was because he feared obtaining only a ten-year Soul Ring.

If that happened, it would likely grant only the lowest-level specialty, also at Lv1.

Even if he could increase its age, he would not dare to.

A Soul Ring upgrading was far too eye-catching. If others found out, he would be dead.

Even if he gained Dugu Bo's protection later on, he still would not dare.

Before he possessed absolute strength, Fang Ling intended to acquire Soul Rings according to the currently popular optimal Soul Ring age limits.

He did not intend to put too many Points into Soul Rings either.

As long as he kept killing, he could reach the pinnacle.

So why did he need to make himself an outlier?

He had to advance steadily. He absolutely could not chase a momentary thrill and do something he would regret for the rest of his life!

Fang Ling had already submitted an application for early graduation.

Academic scores accounted for very little. What mattered most for Spirit Masters was cultivation.

As long as one's Soul Power reached level ten, obtained a Soul Ring, and became a One-Ring Spirit Master, graduation would be easy.

One could then be recommended to attend an Intermediate Spirit Master Academy.

Or one could step into the world from there and experience its cruelty.

Naturally, Fang Ling chose to continue on to an Intermediate Spirit Master Academy.

He needed a suitable stepping stone to reach Heaven Dou Royal Academy!

There was still one month before the break.

Every year at this time, the academy held its Spirit Ring Acquisition Conference.

As the name implied, the Spirit Ring Acquisition Conference was an event held for students before teams were organized to enter the Soul Hunting Forest and obtain Soul Rings.

It was made into a grand, lavish affair.

From first to sixth grade, all students were required to attend and watch.

No one could control Tang San and Xiao Wu, who were nearing level twenty, but they had come anyway.

Because the cook who made their meals was leaving.

The fourteen who could go obtain spirit rings stood on the stage as though they were on display.

Fang Ling was naturally among them.

The rest were all sixth-years. He was the only third-year, and a work-study student at that. On top of being lame, he stood out all the more.

The academy principal, a Soul Ancestor, coughed twice and cleared his throat. "Time passes quickly. It is once again time for the annual Spirit Ring Acquisition Conference."

"Now then, here, together..."

He was broadly congratulating everyone on obtaining spirit rings and encouraging the students below to cultivate diligently.

Lastly came the warning: anyone who still had not reached Level Ten by the end of sixth year would be expelled.

The speech was long-winded and tedious, truly hard to sit through.

Below the stage, Xiao Wu held some food, eating as she watched.

She looked at each of her little brothers, Fang Ling included, all dressed neatly.

She listened as they were praised, then prepared to graduate and head for a much wider world.

Aside from mourning for the soul beasts, she genuinely felt somewhat envious.

She tugged at Tang San's sleeve. "Third Brother, when do you think we'll be able to graduate?"

Tang San soothingly took her hand. "Wait a little longer. Just wait a little longer."

Xiao Wu was growing impatient. "How much longer do we have to wait? We're almost Level Twenty already!"

Both she and Tang San were eight, nearly nine years old. Their Previous Lives and former bodies did not count; at least, this body was that age.

In three years, their soul power had already reached Level Nineteen.

"Are we really supposed to keep staying at this Nuoding Primary Soul Master Academy? Does that make any sense?"

"Fang Ling and the others are about to graduate!"

Tang San smiled. "Heh, so what if they graduate?"

"Their talent is what it is. Their future progress will be extremely limited."

"Xiao Wu, let me ask you this: has your cultivation speed been affected by being at the academy?"

Xiao Wu's eyes rolled around.

She thought back and realized that she did not seem to have cultivated much at all.

Most of her soul power had grown naturally. It did not really matter where she was.

"Seems like... no?"

Tang San said, "We both have Innate Full Soul Power, the finest talents in the world. Why should we care where we cultivate?"

"I asked Teacher before. He said we should wait a little longer, and he would tell us later."

"Is that so? Fine, then I'll wait a little longer."

Once Xiao Wu had been placated, her mind turned, and she asked, "Does your teacher know about Fang Ling's situation?"

"He has Innate Level One Soul Power, but his cultivation speed is pretty fast."

Tang San sighed softly. "I asked Teacher about it. Fang Ling is only cultivating quickly for the time being."

"How much potential can an ordinary Scythe Martial Soul have? Level One Soul Power already determined his upper limit!"

"Xiao Wu, this is the predicament faced by most soul masters. Their talent is too low, and there is no path forward."

"Fang Ling is only Level One. Becoming a Soul Grandmaster will be very difficult for him, and becoming a Soul Elder is only a faint hope."

What did a faint hope mean?

A little more likely than Master, but without background or resources, it was something he could only dream about.

Tang San sighed. "That faint hope can sometimes be a wall that traps someone for life, one they cannot break through even until death!"

"But we have Innate Full Soul Power. In the future, we may even become Soul Douluo, or even Titled Douluo!"

Xiao Wu's expression changed slightly at his words.

Fang Ling worked so hard and was such a kind person, yet...

She sensed the disparity and cruelty of this world.

Then she thought of the many soul beasts, only ten or a hundred years old, that were about to die. Her heart ached, and she leaned directly against Tang San.

Tang San wrapped his arms around her soft body and patted her back to comfort her.

They had slept beside each other for three years and often played around intimately.

Now, as long as it was not an action that crossed too far over the line, he had grown used to it and no longer blushed.

Yet even he had not realized that, in truth, the line in his heart had already lowered quite a bit.