Haitian Soul Master Academy

Today was an extremely important day for many people. On this day, Soul Master Academies across the continent would begin their new term. New Soul Masters would enter the academies to learn relevant knowledge, lay a foundation for their futures, and strive to become outstanding Soul Masters.

That morning, a Soul Tool Train was heading toward a large city.

The carriage was packed with people, but four of them were especially eye-catching. They were a very young-looking couple, with a handsome boy at least 1.7 meters tall sitting across from them. By the window beside him sat a sweet and adorable little girl. To others, they looked like parents traveling with their children, with an older brother accompanying his younger sister.

"Wow, is this Haitian City? A big city really is different. Don't you think so, Brother?"

"Yeah. Tianhun Town can't compare to it at all."

The beautiful woman sitting opposite them said reproachfully, "All right, Ling'er, Chenfeng. Keep it down, you two. You might disturb other people."

The carefree man beside her stood in sharp contrast to her. "All right, Ling Wei. Let them be surprised for a bit. When we first saw a city, we reacted much the same way."

"Please, it's basic courtesy. You can't make loud noises on a train."

These four were none other than Ye Jiulong's group, who had come to the city to register at the academy. They had come to see Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling off, and they could also visit some old friends while they were here.

Haitian City was a first-tier city by the sea. Its urban facilities and Soul Master equipment were comprehensive, and its environment was beautiful and natural, making it suitable for living. Because it bordered the sea, it also possessed abundant marine resources. More than ten million people lived in the city, and its most special feature was that it was one of the few places where one could qualify to travel to Sky City. As a result, Soul Masters gathered here in great numbers. Every year, at least a hundred thousand new Soul Masters came to register, all hoping for a chance to obtain the qualifications to enter Sky City.

But for Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling, coming here also meant that they could finally escape their suffering. Ever since their "new life" had begun, they had undergone high-intensity training every day, including but not limited to all kinds of Extreme Sports. Every sparring session left them battered and bruised, and their energy was completely drained every day. If there had been any greatest gain, it was probably the rapid growth of their Soul Power. Tang Chenfeng was currently Level 16, while Ye Hongling was Level 14. Their life of rising earlier than chickens and sleeping later than dogs was finally coming to an end. Thinking of this, the two of them nearly felt like bursting into tears.

The train announced, "Haitian Station is ahead. Passengers getting off, please disembark promptly."

The sound of the train pulled the two of them back to reality.

The four of them rose from their seats and prepared to get off.

After disembarking, the four followed the crowd to a nearby Soul Tool vehicle station. They found a route heading to Haitian Academy and boarded it. Along the way, Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling kept gazing out the window. This city was already more than they could take in. Before long, they arrived at their destination: Haitian Academy.

Haitian Academy was a large academy that combined junior and intermediate Soul Master education. It had a total of nine terms, and anyone who graduated successfully from here could definitely enter a decent advanced Soul Master Academy. However, almost everyone who came here had Sky City as their goal. If they met certain requirements before graduation, they would gain the chance to enter Sky City and obtain an opportunity to attend an advanced Soul Master Academy there. The academy had six terms in total. Admission required tuition fees, but it also accepted some Soul Masters who were too poor to pay tuition yet possessed good talent. They did not need to pay tuition, but their living expenses at the academy had to be covered by themselves. These were the so-called Work-Study Students. Because Tianhun Town had produced two Titled Douluo, it possessed one Special Enrollment Quota. This was a special quota no different from that of ordinary students. However, both Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling had talents too exceptional to criticize, so the single Special Enrollment Quota could only be split into two Work-Study Student quotas.

When they arrived at the academy gate, Ye Jiulong looked at it and could not help saying, "This place has changed quite a bit. Back when we came here as Work-Study Students, it wasn't nearly this grand."

As Ye Jiulong spoke, someone walked out from the academy gate. The man looked to be in his sixties. He had short white hair, yet his frame was tall and imposing. His face carried a rugged air, and his entire body was covered in powerful, muscular flesh. His voice was even more sonorous. "Wasn't it because two geniuses like you emerged back then? The academy's reputation soared, so naturally its funding became plentiful."

Upon seeing him, Ye Jiulong walked up without any ceremony. "Of course. The two of us were geniuses seen once in a hundred years. Come to think of it, it's been over fifty years since we last met, Old Gaobo."

The man let out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha, indeed. It's been a long time, Old Jiulong."

Ye Jiulong turned to Tang Chenfeng and the others. "Let me introduce him. This is Zhao Gaobo, my former classmate. He's now the academy's Vice Dean."

Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling said together, "Hello, Vice Dean."

Zhao Gaobo said, "No need to be so formal with me. Just call me Teacher Zhao. And whatever you do, don't imitate a certain someone who loves giving people ugly nicknames behind their backs."

Ye Jiulong replied, "Really? I think it suits you quite well."

Zhao Gaobo refused to give an inch. "True enough. But I think that nickname suits you quite well too."

At that, the two suddenly burst into laughter.

Ling Wei beside them could not help laughing as well. "All right, you two. You can reminisce about the past later. Deal with the matter at hand first."

The two immediately composed themselves. Zhao Gaobo took out two metal badges and handed them to Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling. "I've already submitted your information for you. Take these as well. They're the academy's School Emblems. Once you wear them, you'll be members of the academy. The Work-Study Student dormitory is the last building on the back mountain."

"You two go on ahead. We need to catch up with an old friend."

The two nodded, took their School Emblems and luggage, and headed toward the back mountain.

"Oh, right. Your senior brothers and sisters aren't all that easy to get along with, so be careful."

"Okay, got it."

Watching the two walk away, Zhao Gaobo's eyes revealed a trace of envy. He then said to Ye Jiulong, "I really envy you. You have such precious grandchildren."

Ye Jiulong replied, "You clearly had the chance too. Who told you to persist for so long?"

"Of course I did. There's only one woman in my heart, and that's Ling Wei. I have no interest in anyone else."

Ling Wei said, "All right, all right. Don't stand around while catching up. Find a place to sit and talk properly."

Zhao Gaobo hurriedly said, "Perfect. I know a tavern. The food and wine there are quite good."

At that moment, a crafty smile appeared on Ye Jiulong's face. "All right, then let's go. My treat."

Zhao Gaobo rolled his eyes. "Hmph. Your treat, but I pay the bill, right?"

Ye Jiulong draped an arm over Zhao Gaobo's shoulder and laughed. "As expected, brothers understand me best."

Zhao Gaobo answered helplessly, "Fine, fine, fine. Your treat, I'll lead the way. Let's go."

"Oh, right, Old Gaobo. I'll have to trouble you with what I asked you before."

"Don't worry. I was planning to take on a disciple anyway, and now one has come knocking on my door. But how far he goes will depend mostly on himself."

"Don't worry about that. Those two children bring me surprises every day."

Meanwhile, on the academy's back mountain, Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling had already found the dormitory building.

The academy had a total of seven dormitory buildings. The Work-Study Student dormitory was separate from the other dormitories, so it was easy to find. The building had five floors, with one shared dormitory on each floor. Naturally, because this was the Work-Study Student dormitory, its conditions were not as good as those of the ordinary student dormitories. It could be described as a mixed bag.

Using the numbers beneath their School Emblems, the two found their dormitory: Dormitory Six.

Tang Chenfeng walked in front and opened the door to look inside. The dormitory was more than a hundred square meters in size. More than twenty beds had been placed inside, but most were only bed frames without bedding. There also seemed to be quite a few people in the room. The moment Tang Chenfeng stepped through the door, a fist suddenly flew toward him, aiming straight at his face. Tang Chenfeng raised his left arm and effortlessly caught the punch, then directly flung his attacker away.

The person Tang Chenfeng threw spun into a backflip in midair before landing in a sideways slide. However, the expression on his face showed that he was rather surprised.

Tang Chenfeng said coldly, "Senior, bullying someone the moment we meet isn't very appropriate, is it?"

The person got to his feet, looked at Tang Chenfeng, and asked in confusion, "Senior? You're a new Work-Study Student?"

Tang Chenfeng could now see him clearly. He was around 1.5 meters tall, already quite tall among children his age, but nowhere near impressive in front of Tang Chenfeng. He had short silver-white hair, and his long face gave him a somewhat sharp appearance.

Tang Chenfeng said, "Yes, that's right. I'm a new Work-Study Student. My name is Tang Chenfeng, and this is my younger sister, Ye Hongling." Ye Hongling stood behind Tang Chenfeng at that moment, raising a hand in greeting.

The boy hurriedly said, "So you're new. I'm really sorry about earlier. My name is Ze Ping. I'm nine years old, and my Martial Soul is the Steel Claw Tiger. I saw a figure at the door just now and thought it was those guys who like to bully people coming to stir up trouble again. By the way, you're really tall. You must be at least 1.7 meters, right? Did you transfer here?"

"Not really," Tang Chenfeng said. "I'm only six this year, but because I have a Body Martial Soul, my body grows much faster than ordinary people's."

"Oh, so it's a Body Martial Soul. I'd only heard of them before." Ze Ping then continued, "Oh, right. Since you've come here, you have to follow our rules. I'm the leader of Dormitory Six and all the Work-Study Students. New arrivals have the chance to challenge me. As long as one of you wins, you'll become our new leader. Come on." As he spoke, Ze Ping had already taken up a fighting stance.

Now it was Tang Chenfeng's turn to be confused. "Wait a minute. Why do we have to fight?"

Ze Ping explained, "The academy allows students to spar with each other, but us Work-Study Students are easily bullied by ordinary students. We do this in hopes of making the Work-Study Students more united. So, Tang Chenfeng, if you want to join this group, have a match with me."

Tang Chenfeng smiled faintly, set his luggage on a bed to the side, then stood opposite Ze Ping. "All right, then. I'll have a match with you."

Ye Hongling said from the side, "Brother, be careful. Remember to include my share too."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful." As he spoke, Tang Chenfeng revealed his Martial Soul. His body rapidly grew taller, and his muscles swelled explosively. His originally loose clothing was filled out by his muscles, and Tang Chenfeng instantly became a small giant standing 1.9 meters tall.

This scene immediately shocked everyone in the room. After all, Tang Chenfeng's body underwent enormous changes when he used his Body Martial Soul. It was truly a stunning sight.

Ze Ping on the other side was also stunned, but he quickly calmed down. If he used his Martial Soul too, his body would also undergo explosive changes. He might not necessarily be weaker than Tang Chenfeng. Neither of them had obtained Soul Rings yet, so the gap between them should not be great. Though Ze Ping thought this, how could he have known that his opponent was already a One-Ring Soul Master? The reason was that Tang Chenfeng's black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring and Ye Hongling's miraculous Green Gold Soul Ring were both far too conspicuous. As someone who had spent a lifetime in the world, Ye Jiulong naturally knew that if they were too eye-catching before they had enough strength, someone would certainly seek to harm them for one reason or another. He also knew that the two possessed Spiritual Power far beyond ordinary people, so he wanted to teach Ye Hongling and the others to use Spiritual Power to conceal their Soul Rings, such as hiding their original colors with Spiritual Power. However, although Ye Hongling's Spiritual Power was extremely high, she was still somewhat lacking when it came to this. Thus, they had to settle for the next best thing, and he taught them a small trick for using their Martial Souls without exposing their Soul Rings. This ability was somewhat unnecessary for Tang Chenfeng, but he did not want to reveal too many of his abilities either, so he learned it as well.

At this moment, Ze Ping's body began to change as well, especially his arms. They became incredibly thick, and tiger-like fur emerged from them. His hands actually transformed into a pair of tiger claws. This was Ze Ping's Martial Soul, the Steel Claw Tiger, a tiger-type Soul Beast with immense strength. Needless to say, this would be a clash of power.

Ze Ping made the first move. His legs tensed, and he clenched one fist as he prepared to attack Tang Chenfeng's face. But just as he was about to strike, Tang Chenfeng had already raised his left hand, blocking the path Ze Ping had intended to take. Ze Ping's punch was stopped just like that, but his attack did not cease. His left arm swung out, aiming at Tang Chenfeng's neck, only to be easily blocked again.

Facing Ze Ping's continuous attacks, Tang Chenfeng only defended and never attacked, yet he revealed not the slightest opening. Ze Ping's attacks did not truly injure him either. Is he constantly predicting my movements? Faced with this situation, that was all Ze Ping could think. How could he have known that Tang Chenfeng was still using a Domain Skill? Tang Chenfeng's Domain Skill was Precognition. It allowed him to foresee and sense everything around him, and the closer something was to him, the clearer his Precognition became. Using this domain was equivalent to being able to see a brief future a few seconds ahead. Tang Chenfeng had already seen all of Ze Ping's attacks before they arrived. He called this domain the Future Perception Domain.

Ze Ping temporarily stopped attacking and retreated a step. In truth, he could already clearly feel the gap between himself and his opponent. No matter how he attacked, his opponent remained completely still. Ze Ping felt as though he was not attacking a person, but an impregnable wall of bronze and iron. Yet he still did not want to give up. At the very least, he wanted to land a direct hit. With that thought, Ze Ping charged again and threw a punch. Tang Chenfeng's response was to extend his left leg. Sure enough, Ze Ping's punch had been a feint. He quickly withdrew his fist, then used his momentum to sweep out with a low kick. Unfortunately, his little trick was useless. Ze Ping's leg struck Tang Chenfeng's left shin, which he had used to defend, and the recoil made his own leg ache sharply. Just as pain shot through him, Tang Chenfeng finally attacked. He threw an ordinary-looking punch at Ze Ping, yet it sent him flying. Ze Ping's body traced a perfect parabola through the air before landing firmly on a bed. Fortunately, he had fallen onto a bed, so he was not seriously injured.

Tang Chenfeng walked over, extended a hand to Ze Ping, and pulled him up, finally helping him regain his footing.

"So, have my sister and I joined this place now?"

Ze Ping did not argue. "Of course. You really are strong. I admit defeat wholeheartedly. Oh, right. Since you beat me, the position of leader of the Work-Study Students is yours now. You have to take responsibility and protect all the Work-Study Students properly." To Ze Ping, Tang Chenfeng did not seem like a six-year-old at all, whether in appearance or mentality. For some reason, though, he inspired an indescribable sense of trust.

Tang Chenfeng did not refuse, only stating that he would definitely protect everyone well. Ye Hongling suddenly said from the side, "Since Brother has become the leader, does that mean I can also get the position of big sister?" Tang Chenfeng naturally had nothing to say about the suggestion and agreed. Ze Ping and the other Work-Study Students seemed to have quite a few objections, but seeing how much their new leader doted on her, they said nothing.