School Begins

"All right. I'll have someone search for it and see if they can buy thousand-year or Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber."

Cheng Yao let out a sigh of relief. As long as Huangfu Ji did not head down the path of a foolish tyrant, it would be fine.

"Thank you, Uncle Cheng." After thanking him, Huangfu Ji left the Dean's Office.

The path of cultivation was like rowing against the current: if one did not advance, one would fall behind. To become strong in this world, talent and perseverance were both indispensable. Talent without hard work would still see a genius buried.

Of course, luck was part of it as well.

Both had Innate Full Soul Power. Tang San had become a Soul Ancestor at fourteen, while Feng Xiaotian only became a Soul Ancestor in his twenties. Was it because Feng Xiaotian had not worked hard enough? That was clearly impossible.

He had been a Soul Ancestor in his twenties, yet five years later, he had become a Soul Emperor.

Rising more than ten ranks in five years was enough to show just how hard he had worked.

Soul Master cultivation only became more difficult the further one went.

Ordinary Soul Masters began cultivating at six. The vast majority might only reach the level of Soul Grandmaster by the age of twenty, and that was already considered talented.

It could only be said that this world's restrictions were rather severe.

Soul Masters with only level-one Innate Soul Power would basically never reach a high realm in their lives without a fortuitous encounter. Even becoming a Soul Elder was extremely difficult.

Returning to the student dormitory, Huangfu Ji sat cross-legged on his bed and cultivated. School had not yet started, so he was the only one in the room. Unlike Work-Study Students, where dozens of boys and girls lived together in mixed dorms, the dormitories for noble children were double rooms.

The dormitories where Soul Masters born into noble families lived were much better. Though small, they had everything one could need. Naturally, there was a lodging fee to match: ten Gold Soul Coins a year.

One Gold Soul Coin was enough to support an ordinary family of three for several months, so Soul Masters from common families simply could not afford it and could only become Work-Study Students.

The other bed was currently empty, clearly prepared by Cheng Yao for a new student who would be enrolling soon.

For Huangfu Ji's safety, even his roommate had to be specially arranged by Cheng Yao. He had to come from the families of the Loyalty Faction.

Thus, he remained at the academy until September, and those students who had not gone home took notice of him as well.

After all, Huangfu Ji was dressed extravagantly yet kept to himself. It was difficult for him not to draw attention. However, they were mostly Work-Study Students and did not know that Huangfu Ji was Grand Duke Qingyang. They merely took him for a junior relative of the Dean.

Due to the gap in status, no one went to speak with him. Whenever they saw him, they avoided him if they could. For commoner Soul Masters like them, it was best not to offend nobles whenever possible.

After becoming Soul Masters, they understood even more clearly just how vast the gap between themselves and the nobility was. The end point they dreamed of was merely the starting point others had from birth.

The day school began arrived, and the students who had been on break for two months returned to the academy one after another. The once quiet and deserted academy suddenly became lively. Some students were followed by servants carrying large and small bags.

Others merely carried patched bundles on their backs as they arrived at the academy accompanied by their parents.

However, these parents did not enter the academy. They only watched their children from outside the gates. There were also freshmen enrolling that year, carrying their parents' earnest hopes and the future of their entire families on their shoulders.

Huangfu Ji stood beneath a large tree and watched them. Yet he did not notice the faint trace of envy in his own eyes.

Having lived a second life, he had barely enjoyed any familial affection.

After watching for a while, he turned and returned to the dormitory.

Outside the academy, a beautiful woman with an unhealthy pallor on her face brought a little girl to the academy.

Looking at the Soul Master Academy before her, the girl's large black eyes held a hint of reluctance.

"Mom, I don't want to attend Soul Master Academy."

The beautiful woman gently flicked the girl's forehead.

"Don't be ridiculous. How can you not attend Soul Master Academy after awakening your Martial Soul? Are you expecting your mother to teach you?"

The girl pursed her lips. "But once I enroll, I can't leave for a year. Your health is poor, Mom. If I'm not around, who will take care of you?"

The beautiful woman smiled gently.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Besides, what could you possibly do to take care of me?"

The girl said nothing more. She took the bundle from her mother and headed into the academy.

"Don't pick fights in the academy, and get along well with your classmates."

"I know, I know." The girl waved her hand.

Only after her daughter had disappeared from sight did the beautiful woman reluctantly leave.

When Huangfu Ji returned to the dormitory, his roommate had already arrived. He was a chubby little boy with an endearing appearance.

The moment he saw Huangfu Ji return, the chubby boy immediately became nervous. He sprang up from the bed and stood ramrod straight. Before enrollment, his father had told him that his roommate was Grand Duke Qingyang.

Though he too came from a noble family, compared with Huangfu Ji, Grand Duke Qingyang, the difference between them was like heaven and earth.

Even if Huangfu Ji was now a Puppet with no authority whatsoever.

"Greetings, Grand Duke. My name is Zhao Yuan. My father is Zhao Gu. My Martial Soul is the Golden Armor Turtle, and I have level-six Innate Soul Power."

Huangfu Ji searched his memories and recalled who Zhao Gu was.

He waved a hand. "You don't need to bow to me. At the academy, you and I are classmates. There is no Grand Duke Qingyang here, only the student Huangfu Ji."

Though that was what he said, Zhao Yuan did not dare truly act that way.

He wanted to help Huangfu Ji unpack, but found that the other boy had already put everything in order. It seemed there was nothing he could help with, making things rather awkward.

Afterward, when the two chatted, it was basically Huangfu Ji asking questions and Zhao Yuan answering.

That left Huangfu Ji somewhat frustrated. He was a Puppet with no authority and whose life could even be in danger at any moment, yet he still made people this nervous.

So he simply stopped talking.

"Let's go eat."

Zhao Yuan nodded in agreement. The two left the dormitory and headed to the Cafeteria. There were not many people inside, so they went directly to the second floor.

"Please have a seat first. I'll go order." Zhao Yuan took the initiative to order the food. Huangfu Ji did not stand on ceremony. As he looked around, he spotted the girl.

The first time he saw her, he felt that she was somehow familiar.

The girl had long black hair and had already changed into a green academy uniform. Her features were delicate, her fair skin tinged with rosy color, and her bright black eyes were full of spirit. She was clearly a beauty in the making.

That was not what Huangfu Ji cared about most. He truly found the girl somewhat familiar, yet he could not figure out where that sense of familiarity came from.

In the six years since his rebirth, he had never met her.

Sensing someone looking at her, the girl looked toward Huangfu Ji.

Seeing that he was still staring at her, the girl immediately became displeased.

"Is he provoking me?"

Her little fists clenched, threat gleaming in her eyes as she raised a fist at Huangfu Ji in warning.

"Why are you looking at me? Want to fight?"

Huangfu Ji withdrew his gaze and could not help shuddering. Why did she want to fight the moment they disagreed?

At that moment, Zhao Yuan returned carrying the food. After the two had eaten and drunk their fill, they returned to the dormitory.

Huangfu Ji entered cultivation once more, while Zhao Yuan took out a storybook and began reading it with relish.

While cultivating, Huangfu Ji could not help thinking of the girl from the Cafeteria again.

Who exactly is she?

That feeling of being both unfamiliar and familiar was truly perplexing.