Practical Combat Class

"Special instructors will be coming this afternoon to train everyone in practical combat. Be prepared. Class dismissed."

From the podium, Teacher Ma Xiu announced the news just before class ended. As he left, the previously quiet classroom immediately became lively, with students gathering in twos and threes to discuss it.

After several days at the academy, the students of Class Three had gotten to know one another somewhat, and the boundaries of their little circles had become increasingly clear.

Yan did not join any of the discussions. Instead, he silently packed his bag and prepared to leave the classroom. For him, the greatest value of the Junior Soul Master Academy's classes was acquiring more textbook knowledge. Even Feng Lin, a Soul King, might not surpass the academy's teachers in that regard.

Everyone had their specialty. Feng Lin indeed crushed most of the academy's teachers in terms of Soul Power Level, but these teachers were the professionals when it came to teaching students foundational knowledge and certain specialized subjects. Since Yan wanted to build a massive database, this fundamental knowledge was especially important.

His life now followed a simple routine: studying in class, reading after class, and cultivating at home. Spirit Hall's academies all had dedicated libraries with quite extensive collections. Aside from class, cultivation, and sleep, Yan spent nearly all his time in the library each day.

Over the past few days, he had already read nearly half the books in the library. In a little over a month, he would probably be able to go through every book there.

Just as Yan was about to stand and leave, a chubby hand blocked his path. He looked up to see a rather round, honest-looking fat boy.

Generally speaking, every school had fat kids, and most of them were fairly popular. Perhaps it was because they tended to be easygoing.

"Tuo Ba Hong? What is it?"

Yan looked at the guileless fat boy before him with confusion. They were in the same class, and after introducing themselves, he was not so inattentive that he could not recognize his classmates. But he did not seem to have had any dealings with this guy.

This little fatty, Tuo Ba Hong, came from the White Scaled Earth Dragon Clan, one of Spirit Hall's direct subordinate powers. After Spirit Hall launched the Soul Hunt Operation and destroyed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, it reselected the Seven Great Sects. The White Scaled Earth Dragon Clan replaced the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and established the Sacred Dragon Clan, becoming one of the new Upper Three Sects.

Tuo Ba Hong smiled. "Haha, Boss Yan, I just wanted to get acquainted with you. We can interact and exchange pointers more often at the academy in the future."

"That's unusual. Aren't you with them? Why come looking to befriend a commoner like me?"

Yan raised a brow slightly and pointed toward a small group chatting on the other side of the classroom. Although the students of Class Three were only six or seven years old, competition in certain areas had already begun.

Those born into noble families or decent Soul Master families had received a good education from a young age. After entering the academy, thanks to their parents' connections, they naturally gathered together. Ordinary commoners, meanwhile, found it difficult to fit into their circles.

Besides Yan, there were seven other commoner students in Class Three. Facing the faint but palpable exclusion, they had also formed their own little group and had tried to draw Yan in.

However, Yan had no interest in such matters and appeared rather solitary. After all, he had come to the Soul Master Academy to cultivate and accumulate knowledge, not to waste time on meaningless things like this.

"Um..."

Tuo Ba Hong scratched his head, then smiled again. "Actually, I wanted to say that you probably don't have a teammate for this afternoon's practical combat class yet. How about the two of us team up?"

"Why did you choose me?"

Yan was slightly stunned before asking. He had learned a little about the practical combat class Tuo Ba Hong mentioned. The students around him had all been talking about it, and he was not deaf, so naturally he had picked up some information.

The practical combat classes at the Junior Soul Master Academy, as the name implied, guided students in developing their martial soul's traits for actual combat. For example, Weapon Souls such as blades and spears would receive instruction in basic saber and spear techniques.

Some Beast Souls would likewise be taught corresponding fighting techniques based on their characteristics. Take cat martial souls and tiger martial souls, for example. Although they looked similar in their possession states, one was suited to a speed-based Agility Attack path, while the other was better suited to a strength-based assault path.

The techniques for exerting force along these two paths were naturally different, and the Junior Soul Master Academy's teachers would provide specialized foundational instruction.

How should one put it? This course seemed quite important, but it was not actually that vital. Most students from better backgrounds had parents or elders who were higher-level Soul Masters, so they might have already received professional guidance.

However, for Soul Masters of commoner birth, this course was quite important. Without connections, they had access to fewer resources, and this targeted instruction could help them avoid many detours.

But Yan was different. Not to mention that he had the support of a Soul King, his own intellectual brain, Dawn, already placed him above the vast majority of beginner Soul Masters. Forget these basic martial soul development techniques—even the future advancement path for his martial soul was already nearly half designed.

"Isn't it because you seem like you don't have anyone to team up with?"

Tuo Ba Hong seemed somewhat awkward. After hesitating, he spoke quietly. "I can sense that your martial soul is extraordinary."

"My martial soul is extraordinary?"

Yan fell silent upon hearing those words. He merely studied Tuo Ba Hong with a scrutinizing gaze. His eyes were intensely oppressive, making the little fatty's skin crawl beneath his stare.

"Can you tell me what kind of sensation it is?"

Yan studied him for a long time but could not find any flaw in the little fatty's behavior. It seemed the other party was not lying, and Yan had become interested in him. This boy could sense that his martial soul was unusual—could he possibly have a spiritual-type martial soul?

"Um, you know my martial soul is the White Armor Earth Dragon, right?"

Yan nodded after hearing the fat boy's words. Tuo Ba Hong hesitated for a while, then continued, "The White Armor Earth Dragon martial soul contains a portion of true dragon bloodline, and I have some talent when it comes to sensing martial souls.

When I face you, I can feel as though my martial soul is being suppressed. No... how should I put this? It feels like you possess some kind of kingly bloodline."

After hearing the little fatty's words, Yan gained a measure of understanding and formed a guess about what he meant.

A kingly bloodline... he did seem to have come into contact with something like that recently. More accurately, he was using it for cultivation, continuously raising his martial soul's quality. Perhaps prolonged exposure had caused him to acquire a similar aura, carrying a certain kingly pressure, which was why this little fatty had sensed it.

The second chapter was a little late. Mainly because I wrote and rewrote it while thinking over the transitional plot for this Junior Soul Master Academy arc.