Spirit Academy

But it wasn't the same for Tang San.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the stone road of Spirit Academy, casting a long shadow of Tang San's slender figure.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the exertion, veins clearly visible on the back of his hands. He lowered his head and looked at the worn hem of his clothes, still stained with coal dust from working at the blacksmith shop a few days ago. The black smudges were particularly jarring against the faded fabric.

"Three Gold Spirit Coins..." Tang San muttered to himself, his voice so low it was barely audible. The number kept swirling in his mind, like a dull knife slowly cutting at his heart.

Just the contract and the entrance ticket cost two Gold Spirit Coins, plus food and other necessities for the Soul Beast, it would take at least three Gold Spirit Coins to complete a decent contract attempt.

This was an astronomical sum for a work-study student.

Tang San calculated silently in his heart: he could earn five Silver Spirit Coins a day doing odd jobs at the blacksmith shop, three for washing dishes in the cafeteria, plus occasionally running errands for classmates... After deducting his living expenses, even if he didn't eat or drink, it would take a full month to save up.

A burst of laughter from a distance interrupted Tang San's thoughts.

He looked up and saw Xiao Chenyu walking through the woods with a snow-white Ice Crystal Fox. The Soul Beast was crystal clear, emitting a faint blue halo under the setting sun, leaving behind small ice flowers with every step.

It was a rare hundred-year Soul Beast, rumored to be worth over fifty Gold Spirit Coins.

Tang San's throat involuntarily bobbed, a flicker of desire in his eyes.

He remembered the "Spirit Beast Illustration Book" he had seen in the library a few days ago, which recorded that the Ice Crystal Fox not only had astonishing combat power but could also help Spirit Masters cultivate ice-attribute Spirit Power, making it a coveted contracted partner for countless Spirit Masters.

Xiao Chenyu noticed Tang San's gaze and a mocking smile curved his lips.

He proudly patted the Ice Crystal Fox's head and deliberately raised his voice, saying, "Little White, show that pauper an ice flower!"

The Ice Crystal Fox elegantly raised its front paw, drawing a beautiful arc in the air.

Instantly, more than a dozen crystal-clear ice flowers bloomed in the setting sun, each refracting colorful light, drawing gasps of admiration and applause from the surrounding students.

Tang San turned and left with a blank expression, but his fingernails had already dug deeply into his palms.

Returning to his humble dormitory, Tang San collapsed heavily onto the bed.

This room, less than ten square meters, was the free accommodation provided by Spirit Hall for work-study students. It contained nothing but a bed and a dilapidated wardrobe.

Tang San was now truly an orphan. Although Spirit Hall waived tuition fees, every aspect of food, clothing, housing, and transportation required money!

Not to mention the resources needed for cultivation.

He touched his flat money pouch at his waist. Only a few Copper Spirit Coins were left inside, not enough to even buy a decent dinner.

Moreover, Yu Xiao Gang had been too busy to look after Tang San recently.

This theoretical master had been researching Soul Beast contracts lately, even writing a letter to his family specifically about it.

However, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan didn't know much about this matter and couldn't provide relevant research evidence. After much deliberation, the only person he could turn to seemed to be his old flame, Bibi Dong.

But Yu Xiao Gang still had too much pride to ask Bibi Dong for help, which was quite embarrassing. He paced around the laboratory all day, unable to make up his mind, and naturally had no mood to care about Tang San's situation.

This led to Tang San's increasingly difficult situation in the academy.

The current academy was not the Nuoding Academy from the original work, but Spirit Academy, led by Spirit Hall. This academy, covering thousands of acres, was like a small city, directly encompassing junior and intermediate Spirit Master academies into a comprehensive institution.

The towering teaching buildings, spacious training grounds, well-equipped laboratories, and ecological parks specifically built for contracted Soul Beasts all showcased the immense wealth of Spirit Hall.

In addition to wealthy young masters like Xiao Chenyu, there were even greater nobles and stronger aristocratic families in the academy. Those with talent were as numerous as the hairs on a cow, making Tang San's Innate Full Spirit Power talent even more unremarkable.

What's more, everyone was now popularizing contracting Soul Beasts, Pokemon, rather than obtaining Spirit Rings like Tang San.

Every time he saw his classmates walking around campus with various Soul Beasts, Tang San's heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand.

Those Soul Beasts not only aided in combat but also provided various conveniences in daily life. Some could breathe fire to cook, some could refrigerate food, and there were even intelligent Soul Beasts that could help organize notes.

Coupled with Xiao Wu being intercepted by Ye Su right after leaving the Star Dou Forest.

Tang San was all alone, and his situation in the academy was truly precarious.

No one was willing to sit with him at the cafeteria, he couldn't find sparring partners on the training grounds, and he was always left behind during group practical classes.

The once chosen one had fallen into disgrace.

However, this guy had amazing luck; he would probably be able to stand up on his own soon enough.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Solomon, seated in the Angel Sanctuary, saw this scene through the crystal ball and casually shook his head.

"Even God King Tang has such a fallen moment," he murmured to himself, his long fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of his throne. "This is quite good, in that case."

Just then, the doors of the Angel Sanctuary were pushed open from the outside. Gabriel entered with elegant steps, her six wings gently fanning behind her, scattering specks of golden light.

"Holy Son, the combat deployment for the Star Luo region has been fully implemented," she said, bowing respectfully and presenting a scroll emitting a faint glow. "This is the plan I've prepared, please review it."

Solomon took the scroll and unrolled it for a detailed reading. It meticulously recorded the troop deployment in the major cities of the Star Luo Empire, the distribution of important strongholds, and the optimal attack routes for the Angel Legion.

Every detail was considered with extreme thoroughness, even noting the impact of potential local climate changes on the operation.

"Well done," Solomon nodded with satisfaction and placed the scroll on the crystal table beside him. "Proceed according to this plan."

Gabriel bowed again and retreated. Solomon looked at her retreating back, his thoughts returning to Tang San.

Tang San wouldn't be able to cause any significant trouble in the short term, so there was no need to worry, but his Favorability rewards were quite good. Perhaps he should set aside some time to work on them.

However, he quickly shook his head and refocused on his work.

After all, conquering the entire Douluo Continent was more important than watching Tang San's downfall.

Meanwhile, above the Nine Heavens.

As time passed, this magnificent complex of buildings suspended in the clouds was slowly taking shape. Pure white palaces shimmered in the sunlight, a massive fountain sprayed golden holy water, and countless two-winged angels shuttled through the air, singing hymns.