Resentment Enough to Sustain Ten Evil Sword Immortals

By the time it was Teacher Li's turn, Shen Ranxi had long been coveting his skill at controlling soul power.

Assault-type Soul Masters generally did not care much about controlling their soul power. Their attacks were broad and forceful, and they consumed soul power quickly. But Teacher Li's control when drawing in his soul power was truly astonishing.

They only had a little time to rest during meals each day, yet she gritted her teeth and persisted without ever slacking off.

Everyone believed that as long as she did not die young, her future achievements would be limitless. They had seen plenty of Little Monsters, but this was the first time they had seen a child so willing to endure hardship and work so diligently.

They even had to force her to rest, afraid that she would exhaust herself.

The tea trees they had found in the forest where she obtained her Soul Ring had also recovered. Nurtured daily with soul power, they could finally be harvested after three months.

She had also spent Merit Points to buy some Spirit Spring water, diluted it, and poured it over the roots.

In her previous life, she had borne the pressure of inheriting the Martial Arts School. Her usual hobbies had been learning handicrafts to relieve stress—making handmade soap, picking and rolling tea, brewing wine. She had even gone to Jingdezhen once to learn porcelain firing.

In this other world, she planned to pick those skills back up and use them to make money. She needed to cultivate her own forces in this world! After all, one person's strength was limited.

The memories in her mind were incomparably clear, and she began processing the tea according to the steps she remembered.

At lunchtime, do not ask why everyone could gather without being notified. With someone as stingy as Dean Flender around, where would the teachers get the money to dine out?

Shen Ranxi handed the wrapped tea leaves to each teacher.

Flender's eyes immediately lit up, but he still refused with reserved dignity. "How could a teacher take advantage of a student?"

Holding back her eager hands and suppressing a smile, Shen Ranxi said, "Teachers, you've all been so good to me, and I have nothing much with which to repay you. I didn't buy this—it was grown by me. It's just a small token of my appreciation. Please help me taste it."

Since she had put it that way, everyone accepted. Flender swiftly pulled out Zhao Wuji's portion, opened it, and brewed a pot.

They were all Soul Emperors or Soul Saints, after all, and had seen plenty of good things when others tried to win them over. But this was the first time a student had offered them something with no flattery, no attempt to curry favor, and no ulterior motive—only pure goodwill. How could they not be moved?

"Damn it, Flender, you iron rooster! Why are you taking mine instead of your own..." Zhao Wuji's face reddened with anger.

"Why don't you just pinch yourself to death?"

Flender turned a deaf ear. He lifted the tea in his hand. The liquor was bright and clear, the fragrance rich and full-bodied, and the taste smooth and mellow.

"Good tea!!!" Several of them drank in succession, and their eyes suddenly tightened. For a moment, they looked stunned. Then they lowered their heads and stared at the tea leaves in shock.

"It can actually increase soul power! Although it's only an extremely slight increase, it can still be considered a treasure... This is truly remarkable!" The teachers exclaimed in amazement.

Warmth welled up in their hearts, and they could not help liking the child even more.

But holding such a good thing made their hands feel a little too hot. They could only bring out their best skills and nurture her properly. They had to intensify her training to live up to her goodwill.

Fortunately, the child was already quite ruthless with herself. Otherwise, they were used to roughing up their students without knowing their own strength, and they would not even know how to begin with such a delicate, soft Girl.

Shen Ranxi: "..."

What followed was more misery, but the training happened to match the first stage of the body-tempering Cultivation Method Great Sage had given her: pure physical refinement.

Combined with the Upper Clarity Moon Breathing Technique from that method, her movements became increasingly light and agile.

Such days were interrupted one morning a week later.

The dawn light was faint as sunlight slowly climbed over the distant fields. Everything before her was dimly lit and refreshingly cool.

As Shen Ranxi ran along the path with the Golden Cudgel on her back, the Academy's great bell suddenly rang. She could only take a shortcut back to the Academy, while the teachers also shuffled over slowly, yawning.

"Damn it, Flender, this had better be something important..." Zhao Wuji shot him an irritated sideways glance.

The other teachers did not look much better either.

Shen Ranxi did not dare complain. The resentment coming off these teachers was enough to sustain ten Evil Sword Immortals.

"Ha ha, don't be angry. This time, when I went with Li Yusong to find a Soul Ring, we found another promising seedling." He shifted aside to reveal the person behind him.

"Kid, these are the Academy's teachers..." Flender looked at Shao Xin and slyly adjusted his glasses. The smile at the corner of his mouth looked utterly malicious.

"Shao Xin, you really ought to thank me. This kid is named Oscar. He has Innate Full Soul Power, he's from the Food System, and he's even from the Meat-Eating System."

"Your salary..."

At those words, Shao Xin's sleepy expression vanished. His whole body leaned back in shock. Innate Full Soul Power!!! Food System!!! And pure meat at that!!

Shao Xin waved a hand with the expression of someone accustomed to it. Money was no longer the important thing now.

Others might not understand the value of those words, but as someone from the Food System himself, how could he not know? There were not many Food System Soul Masters on the continent to begin with, let alone one with Innate Full Soul Power.

"Good heavens, you went out once and managed to snag another promising seedling." Lu Qibin moved closer with an amazed look.

"We found him in a remote Village while looking for a Soul Ring. The kid is good-looking, and he nearly got taken to that place by some conscienceless bastard." At the mention of this, both Flender and Li Yusong wore cold expressions.

As soon as those words were spoken, the teachers who understood did not look very good.

It was only much later, when Shen Ranxi went out for Training, that she learned of the evil in human nature. It was not just Evil Soul Masters who destroyed bodies; there were also those wealthy Nobles with bloated bellies. With money and power, the things they could do had already crossed every bottom line. They would buy attractive children whose soul power had awakened, use methods to control them, and turn them into convenient tools—whether to serve themselves or to do disgusting, shameful things in the shadows.

In a rare show of firmness, Shao Xin pushed aside the obstructing Assault System and Agility Attack System teachers and walked up to Oscar.

"Oscar, I'm from the Food System too. Would you be willing to take me as your master? Become my Direct Disciple, and I will teach you everything I have."

This was different from being an ordinary student. On this continent, a person could only have one master in their lifetime, and that relationship could sometimes be even closer than the one with their biological Parents.

"Though I am only a Soul Emperor and my talent is not particularly good, I can help you avoid some detours." As he spoke, he revealed his Soul Rings: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black.

Seeing Oscar's shocked expression, he smiled. "Even if you disagree, it's fine. I'll still teach you properly. We're both from the Food System, and I don't want your talent to go to waste."

The teachers were shocked by Old Shao's excitement. Hearing his modest words, they thought, If you, a Soul Emperor at such a young age, count as untalented, then what are we? Old has-beens?

"I-I'm willing, Teacher." Watching the chubby teacher before him kindly and sincerely try to win him over as an equal, the long-lost feeling of being valued, respected, and needed made a trickle of clear spring water bubble up from the dry well in his heart.

This was a Soul Emperor—a Soul Emperor was trying to recruit him.

He bowed deeply to Shao Xin, then rushed forward and hugged him tightly.

Having gotten his wish, Shao Xin waved his hand happily. "Today, you can order two dishes!"

"Whoa, Old Shao keeps his word!" Lu Qibin was happy for them too, though being allowed to order dishes made him even happier.