First Soul Skill, Thunder God's Awakening

Lin Ming scanned the gazes of everyone from Skywater Academy.

All of them revealed expressions of curiosity.

He nodded. Little Lei Yi landed on his shoulder, instantly switching to the combat form of Lei Yi, standing at 1.29 meters tall.

"First Soul Skill: Thunder God's Awakening."

The yellow Soul Ring shone brightly. Golden lightning surged around the combat form Lei Yi, and its aura soared.

Behind him, on his shoulder blades, two highly compressed balls of lightning energy erupted and extended.

Amidst the dazzling golden light and crackling sounds, they condensed into a pair of magnificent wings made entirely of solidified golden lightning.

The wingspan was nearly 1.5 meters. The lightning-etched feathers were clear and sharp, and with every flap, wind and thunder followed.

At the same time, a sense of lightness and increased power fed back into Lin Ming's body.

He tapped his toes, his figure retreating several meters. His speed had increased significantly compared to before.

"An amplification-type Soul Skill! It's a main-body amplification Martial Soul, and it can partially feedback to the host, compensating for the speed disadvantage of Soul Masters with detached Martial Souls!"

Teacher Shen instantly deduced, her voice filled with amazement.

Lin Ming retracted his Soul Skill. The lightning wings dissipated, and Lei Yi reverted to its basic wingless form, once again becoming Little Lei Yi and returning to perch on his shoulder.

This demonstration allowed him to gain a preliminary grasp of Thunder God's Awakening's amplification and consumption.

"Teacher Shen has a keen eye," Lin Ming said.

First Soul Skill, Thunder God's Awakening.

Lei Yi grows wings, increasing speed and attack by 200%, and feeding back half of the attribute increase to the host.

Teacher Shen waved her hand and asked the crucial question from before absorbing the Soul Ring.

"Child, can you tell me your name and origin now? With the talent you've shown, why did you come to the Star Dou Great Forest alone?"

Lin Ming spoke frankly.

"My name is Lin Ming, and I'm from Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy. I have no master. Academies usually only assist in obtaining ten-year Soul Rings. I need a more suitable lightning-attribute Soul Ring, and I can't afford the high costs, nor do I want to settle. So, I had to come alone."

"A ten-year Soul Ring?" Shui Yue'er exclaimed.

"Your first Soul Ring is only ten years? What's the point of that?"

Xuewu also frowned.

"Even for our academy's support-type students, their first Soul Ring is at least a century-old one with a compatible attribute. For those who are slightly more outstanding, their families or the academy will do their best to help them obtain a Soul Ring with a more suitable age. Only providing a ten-year Soul Ring... this..."

The Skywater Academy students exchanged glances. This was like a matter from another world to them.

Their backgrounds, talents, and the platforms they were on meant they had never encountered such a cruel and helpless side of the bottom of the Soul Master world.

Shui Bing'er listened quietly. Her ice-blue eyes looked at Lin Ming's calm, unruffled face, and she suddenly spoke.

"So, you knew the danger, yet you chose this path. Because you knew a ten-year Soul Ring would limit your future potential."

Her voice was soft, yet it hit the nail on the head.

Lin Ming glanced at her and nodded.

Teacher Shen sighed softly.

Her sigh contained emotion, as well as helplessness regarding the uneven distribution of resources on the continent.

But more than anything, it was admiration for the decision-making ability of the young man before her.

"Limited resources are the helplessness of many commoner geniuses. You refused to be content with that, undertaking such a dangerous task at your young age, and you succeeded."

"This mindset, courage, and strength. Lin Ming, you are truly remarkable."

She paused, her tone becoming serious.

"So, Lin Ming. Have you thought about your future path? Do you have a preferred advanced Soul Master Academy?"

Lin Ming fell silent for a moment.

Names of Soul Master Academies flashed through his mind.

Finally, his gaze settled on the academy standing in Heaven Dou City.

"I... I've considered Heaven Dou Royal Academy," he said truthfully.

There weren't many advanced Soul Master Academies in the Heaven Dou Empire that met his criteria.

Excluding elemental academies like Thunder Academy, after much thought, it seemed only Heaven Dou Royal Academy was suitable.

It gathered the most top-tier resources in the Heaven Dou Empire.

"Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"

Teacher Shen raised an eyebrow slightly, then understood.

"It is indeed a good choice, the empire's top academy with abundant resources. However, its threshold is extremely high. It's difficult for those who aren't nobles or don't have a letter of recommendation from someone with influence to enter."

She looked at Lin Ming, especially at the patched clothes on the young man in front of her.

It was obvious he didn't meet those conditions.

Even among elemental academies, only Skywater Academy recruited from commoners.

Lin Ming fell silent. Teacher Shen's words were precisely the practical obstacles he faced.

Teacher Shen pondered, her gaze drifting between Lin Ming and Little Lei Yi on his shoulder.

She seemed to be weighing something.

After a moment, she appeared to have made up her mind.

"Lin Ming, according to the rules, you are not of water attribute, and your gender doesn't match, so you cannot join my Skywater Academy."

Teacher Shen said slowly, then her tone shifted.

"However, with my authority, and what I've seen today, if I personally write a letter to our dean."

"With your special circumstances and astonishing potential, I will implore her to write a letter of recommendation in the name of Skywater Academy to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy... perhaps, there's a chance."

Lin Ming suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with thought.

A letter of recommendation from the dean of Skywater Academy?

That carried significant weight.

Someone of that caliber could crush Lin Ming's current academy, Nuoding Academy, with almost a single sentence.

"Teacher Shen... this favor is too great."

Lin Ming was not ungrateful. She was a stranger to him, and her assistance made him feel a bit lost.

He was accustomed to the indifference of people like Tang San and the schemes of Yu Xiaogang.

At Nuoding Academy, he tried his best to keep a low profile.

The appearance of someone from Skywater Academy was like a lotus blooming in a murky, stagnant pond.

Teacher Shen, however, smiled. Her smile was gentle, yet held a hint of clarity and composure.

"Lin Ming, you don't need to overthink it. While I have a heart for nurturing talent, this is also a form of investment for me."

She looked at Lin Ming's young but resolute face.

"I'm betting on your limitless future."

"This act of recommending you today, this good deed, might bring unexpected returns to my Skywater Academy in the future."

"In the world of Soul Masters, building good relationships is never a bad thing."

"You just need to remember, if you achieve something great in the future, to maintain some goodwill towards my Skywater Academy."

As she spoke, a flicker of memory crossed her eyes.

Skywater Academy did not reject commoner Soul Masters.

Just like herself, back in the day...

Listen to that.

Listen to it!

This is what a truly high-level Soul Master Academy teaches.

This is hundreds of times better than that "those who dare not cause trouble are mediocre" nonsense from Shrek Academy.

However, her words did relieve some of Lin Ming's burden and surprise him.

This wasn't charity, but an equal exchange based on a judgment of the future.

"Teacher Shen is magnanimous, and Lin Ming will keep it in his heart."

Lin Ming no longer hesitated and spoke solemnly.

"If there is anything Lin Ming can do to serve you, Teacher, please do not hesitate to ask. Though my strength is currently limited, I can offer my humble efforts."

Having accepted her kindness, he wanted to see if he could repay it, as it was his principle.

Teacher Shen's eyes showed even more admiration.

Not arrogant, not impatient, and grateful for favors received – his character was truly rare.

She pondered for a moment, thinking of one of the purposes of her visit, perhaps