Nuoding Academy

What was wrong with this child?

How had awakening a Martial Soul turned him stupid?

It was his first time being a father, and for a moment, he had no idea how to handle something like this.

He recalled the time he had spaced out in the Clear Sky Sect...

Duang~

A huge foot slammed into Tang San's stomach, sending him flying a good distance before he barely came to a stop against the wall.

"I'm asking you a question! What the hell are you thinking?"

Tang Hao roared.

He remembered. He remembered everything.

Back when he had spaced out in the Clear Sky Sect, his father had snapped him back to his senses like this.

Although he had already been a Soul Emperor back then, it probably wouldn't make much difference.

After all, it was just a father beating his son.

Tang San's body was already frail, and Tang Hao's massive footprint practically covered his entire stomach.

He lay in the dust for a long while, unable to move. His fingers twitched twice, then his head tilted to one side and he fainted.

"You're far too rebellious, child. You're not even answering me."

Seeing that there had been no movement from him for so long, Tang Hao grew angry. He snorted and turned to return to the house, not forgetting to add at the end.

"Remember to cook."

He no longer wanted to ask Tang San about his Martial Soul.

What good Martial Soul could a shabby little Holy Soul Village possibly have? Besides, judging by the worried look on Old Jack's face whenever he passed his door...

It didn't look like anyone had awakened a good Martial Soul.

Not as good as full Soul Power.

Not as good as the Clear Sky Hammer.

Not as good as Blue Silver Grass...

Forget it.

A few days later, a boy with a Detached Martial Soul joined Nuoding Academy.

"Seventh Dormitory."

Lin Ming carried his old but cleanly washed bedding and pushed open the door to the Seventh Dormitory.

Over the past few days, Lei Yi had fully integrated the Soul Power he had absorbed and now possessed a physical form.

However, compared to Lei Yi...

He looked more like Little Lei Yi.

Little Lei Yi, shrunk down to ten centimeters tall, lay on his shoulder and examined the room with him.

Although his Soul Power was insufficient to support Little Lei Yi remaining outside for long periods, Little Lei Yi could stay out noticeably longer after shrinking his body than at his original size.

Besides...

Lin Ming stroked Little Lei Yi's little head.

He was his only companion now. If possible, he wanted Little Lei Yi to stay outside all the time.

The room was somewhat messy, but there was no one inside. They had probably gone to study.

Apparently, even with Lin Ming included, there were only two people in this room.

Lin Ming found a bed by the window and spread out his bedding.

It was still early, but exhaustion washed over him. Lin Qiu lay on the bed and closed his eyes to rest.

The academy would not distribute the cultivation manual until tomorrow.

After countless years of exploration on Douluo Continent, even the most basic cultivation method was better than figuring things out on his own.

He had not needed to arrive so early, since Nuoding Academy would be going on break in a few days.

But there was no point in staying in Holy Soul Village. As a Work-Study Student, he could earn some pocket money during the holidays.

More importantly, he could learn about cultivation more quickly at Nuoding Academy.

Every extra minute of cultivation would allow him to absorb his first soul ring sooner.

His thoughts gradually blurred as night slowly fell.

The dormitory lights came on.

A jumble of footsteps sounded from the doorway, and Lin Ming opened his eyes.

The door opened, and a weary-looking boy walked in.

He was slightly taken aback when he saw Lin Ming sitting on the bed. Clearly, he had not expected anyone to enroll at this time.

"Hello, my name is Wang Sheng."

"Lin Ming."

"Is this your martial soul? A Detached Martial Soul?"

Wang Sheng curiously sized up Little Lei Yi on Lin Ming's shoulder.

He had never seen such a cute martial soul before.

What was it called again...

A Detached Martial Soul!

Right, the teacher seemed to have mentioned it before. This was a Detached Martial Soul.

"Yes, his name is Little Lei Yi."

Lin Ming nodded.

He had fully shaken off his drowsiness and remembered Wang Sheng's identity.

"What level is your Innate Soul Power?"

Wang Sheng asked.

"Level one."

Lin Ming replied.

"Normally, every Work-Study Student has to fight when they enroll, but you're only level one, so forget it. From now on, Boss Wang will look after you."

Wang Sheng shrugged. With Innate Soul Power at level one, there was no need to fight at all.

Lin Ming did not care in the slightest about who was boss. He had come to Nuoding Academy to cultivate.

A few more boys entered the room in twos and threes. They gathered together to chat, their gazes occasionally drifting toward Little Lei Yi on Lin Ming's shoulder.

Clearly, they were very curious about Detached Martial Souls.

"Oh, right, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Come on, I'll treat you to your first meal."

Before long, Wang Sheng called out, and the group left the dormitory together.

"Oh, right, this martial soul of yours..."

On the way to the cafeteria, Wang Sheng frowned as he examined Little Lei Yi on Lin Ming's shoulder, clicking his tongue repeatedly.

"What about my martial soul?"

Lin Ming asked.

"You probably don't know this, but our academy also has a soul master with a Detached Martial Soul. He might set his sights on you."

"But let me tell you, no matter what he says, don't take it to heart."

"Especially if he wants to take you as his disciple. You absolutely, absolutely cannot agree."

Wang Sheng leaned close to Lin Ming and warned him in a lowered voice.

"That guy goes on every day about how there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters."

"No one in all of Nuoding Academy likes him."

Lin Ming nodded. He knew who Boss Liu was talking about.

Yu Xiaogang.

Nuoding Academy was merely a small academy. Hardly any of the people who came here to study possessed top-tier martial souls.

So Yu Xiaogang's words had offended everyone at Nuoding Academy.

What did he mean, there were no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters?

Who did not want to cultivate into a Titled Douluo?

"I've seen his martial soul before. I thought all Detached Martial Souls looked like that, but your martial soul..."

No matter how he put it, Wang Sheng was still incredibly curious about Lin Ming's martial soul.

Compared to the Luo Sanpao he had seen, Little Lei Yi was like a finely crafted work of art beside a lump of shit.

They simply could not be compared.

It was just a pity about the Innate Soul Power.

After eating, Lin Ming returned to the dormitory to rest.

The next day, led by Wang Sheng and the others, he received a cultivation manual.

Back in the dormitory, he looked at the still-unfamiliar writing in his hands and secretly rejoiced.

Fortunately, the past six years had not gone to waste. At the very least, he could recognize the words of this world.

Having committed the cultivation method to memory, Lin Ming sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and sensed the soul power flowing through his body.

"Little Lei Yi, don't just laze around either. Work on some soul skills."

Now that he had confirmed this method of cultivation truly worked, Lin Ming finally felt at ease, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

But seeing Little Lei Yi playing nearby, he directly assigned him a task.

Little Lei Yi's tiny body shuddered. He looked at Lin Ming with pleading eyes, feeling as though his future was filled with nothing but soul skills.

Every day afterward, Lin Ming went to the place Nuoding Academy had assigned for Work-Study Students to do their jobs.

Little Lei Yi sat cross-legged on Lin Ming's shoulder, tiny arcs of electricity flickering through the air around him.

Lin Ming had only said it casually. He simply did not want Little Lei Yi to be having the time of his life while he himself cultivated miserably.

Yet unexpectedly, Little Lei Yi actually began creating his own Self-Created Soul Skill.