Graduating Early

Half a month later, Nuoding Academy.

Inside Dorm Seven.

Early morning.

Lin Ming was jolted out of his cultivation by a knock at the door: three knocks at a time, unhurried and steady.

He opened his eyes. Little Lei Yi, sprawled beside his pillow, sleepily lifted his head and let out a soft "Yi."

Lin Ming rubbed his head, got out of bed, and went to open the door.

A girl in a Skywater Academy uniform stood outside.

She looked thirteen or fourteen, with a neat ponytail and a smile in her eyes.

"Are you Lin Ming?"

She looked him over and asked.

Lin Ming nodded.

The girl pulled a delicate, pale blue envelope from behind her and held it out with both hands.

"I was asked to deliver this."

Lin Ming took the envelope. Two overlapping snowflakes were stamped on the seal.

Having completed her task, the girl didn't linger. She smiled, said goodbye, and turned to leave.

Lin Ming closed the door and went back to sit on the bed.

Wang Sheng was already wide awake. He leaned over curiously, craning his neck.

"Who was that? Coming all this way just to deliver a letter..."

His voice caught when he saw the two snowflakes on the envelope.

"Skywater Academy?"

He blinked once, then again.

"How do you know anyone from Skywater Academy?"

Xiao Wu had woken up too. Lying on her side, she propped her head up and watched Lin Ming.

Lin Ming didn't answer. He opened the envelope and took out the letter.

The paper was pale blue, carrying a faint, cool fragrance.

Wang Sheng stretched his neck to sneak a peek,

but Xiao Wu grabbed him and pulled him back.

"He's reading a letter. Why are you trying to look?"

For once, she was being reasonable.

"I'm just curious..."

Wang Sheng sheepishly leaned back, but he still couldn't help glancing over.

Lin Ming ignored them and looked down at the letter.

"Lin Ming:

I got your reply.

I've learned Ice Shield. It's much more stable now. The method you taught me really works.

I'm still not very good at Ice Cone. It crumbles as soon as I form it.

Sister Yue'er stepped on the broken ice and fell. She chased me around three times.

Once you reach level twenty, you have to come.

Shui Bing'er."

Lin Ming stared at the last sentence on the letter for a long while.

At some point, Little Lei Yi had floated onto his shoulder. His little head leaned closer as he stared at the letter.

"Yi."

He gave a soft call.

Lin Ming folded the letter and carefully put it back in the envelope.

Then he put the envelope into his ring.

Even with everyone looking at him curiously, he had no intention of explaining.

Tang San still went to Yu Xiaogang's place for lessons every day.

He studied Martial Soul Theory, Soul Beast knowledge, and Soul Ring configurations.

Yu Xiaogang taught with great care, and Tang San studied just as diligently. The two maintained a cordial appearance during class.

But Yu Xiaogang sometimes lost focus.

Every now and then, in the middle of a lesson, his gaze would drift out the window and settle on some distant part of the area the Work-Study Students were assigned to clean.

Tang San noticed, but said nothing.

He kept those moments of distraction in his heart, like leaves falling one by one.

He pressed them flat, dried them, and tucked them away in a drawer he would never open.

He still remembered the day he had asked Yu Xiaogang,

"Teacher, do you still intend to study Lin Ming's Martial Soul?"

Yu Xiaogang had been silent for a long time.

"He doesn't want me to study it."

"If he were willing, would you still take him as your disciple?"

No matter how many times Tang San repeated the question, Yu Xiaogang remained silent.

He didn't refuse, nor did he say that Tang San was all he needed.

He just stayed silent.

That silence was clearer than any answer.

Tang San couldn't remember what he had felt at the time.

He only remembered his reply.

"I understand, Teacher."

After that, he never asked again.

Time passed through Nuoding Academy, through Dorm Seven.

Three years flew by.

Time slipped past in the letters exchanged between Lin Ming and Shui Bing'er.

Sometimes, a Skywater Academy student passing through delivered them. Sometimes, it was someone else.

Two overlapping snowflakes were stamped on the seal of every letter.

Lin Ming sorted the letters by date and placed them neatly in a corner of his Soul Tool.

At first, they were simple reports on her cultivation progress. Later, she occasionally mentioned little things about the academy. Then, one letter arrived with a snowflake sealed in resin inside.

The letters grew more numerous, their contents shorter, but they never stopped.

Three years. Thirty-six letters.

His Soul Power had broken through level twenty six months earlier.

But he hadn't told anyone.

He still cleaned his assigned area every day and cultivated cross-legged in Dorm Seven at night.

He completed Nuoding Academy's six-year curriculum in just four years.

He had read through the basic theory books in the library again and again.

"You can graduate early."

In the dean's office, the elderly dean looked over Lin Ming's assessment records, then raised his head to look at him.

"Since Nuoding Academy was founded, fewer than ten students have graduated early. You're the youngest."

Lin Ming stood in front of the desk and quietly waited for him to continue.

"Teacher Shen from Skywater Academy wrote to me."

The elderly dean's voice held a hint of emotion.

"She said you were a promising talent and asked me to look after you. I thought she was exaggerating."

He closed the assessment records and took a document bearing a red seal from his drawer.

"Your graduation certificate. Take it."

Lin Ming took the document and thanked him.

"Go on, go on. Get your things together. You leave tomorrow."

Lin Ming nodded and turned to leave.

The sun was shining when he stepped out of the dean's office.

Little Lei Yi poked his head over Lin Ming's shoulder and squinted in the sunlight.

"Yi~"

"Mm. It's time to go."

Lin Ming rubbed his head and spoke softly.

By evening, the dining hall was buzzing with voices.

Lin Ming carried his tray to a seat by the window.

Little Lei Yi floated down from his shoulder and sat across from him.

"Yi~"

"Mm. Time to eat."

Lin Ming broke off half a steamed bun and handed it to him.

At some point, Little Lei Yi had started enjoying meals.

Though it did nothing to improve his Soul Power, it kept Little Lei Yi in good spirits.

That afternoon, Lin Ming had just collected his graduation certificate from the dean's office.

The red-sealed paper was now tucked inside his ring.

It was stored with the letters from Skywater Academy.

Four years.

He had completed six years of coursework in just four.

He was leaving tomorrow.

Little Lei Yi held the bun and nibbled at it. Every so often, a few tiny sparks crackled over his body.

Lin Ming watched him, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

A commotion suddenly erupted at the dining hall entrance.

"Make way, make way!"

Several people pushed their way in. At the front was Xiao Chenyu.

His gaze swept over the dining hall before landing on Lin Ming by the window.

The memory of being pinned to the ground and shocked four years ago made him hesitate.

But today, he didn't back down.

He led his group straight over.

The dining hall grew noticeably quieter. Everyone's eyes followed Xiao Chenyu to Lin Ming.

"Lin Ming."

Xiao Chenyu stopped in front of him.

Lin Ming raised his head and glanced at him.

"What is it?"

Xiao Chenyu tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"I heard you're graduating early?"

"Yeah."

"Which academy are you going to?"

"Skywater."