A Helpful Citizen, Mr. Yu [Please collect]

During this time, Zhang Yang and Tang San seemed to have grown somewhat distant.

Of course, it had nothing to do with the Work-Study Student slots. They simply had no time to keep in touch.

Tang San was learning blacksmithing from his father, preparing to forge his first set of Hidden Weapons.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yang had been practicing the Rokushiki atop the mountain.

As a modern man born and raised in a law-governed society, Zhang Yang had never fought before. He had not even done something like arranging a fight outside the school gates. Afraid of getting hurt, he had chosen the defensive skill Paper Art as the first one to study in depth.

After comparing the Navy Six Styles from the world of One Piece with the Navy Six Styles of this Martial Soul world, Zhang Yang came up with a bold idea.

Could he, through in-depth research into the Rokushiki, change the Soul Power-powered Rokushiki into one driven by physical strength?

Zhang Yang believed his idea was correct.

After all, the Rokushiki had originally been techniques powered by physical strength. Why did they have to consume Soul Power in this world?

Were Soul Skills somehow not appealing anymore?

So during this period, Zhang Yang had poured nearly all his Soul Power into researching Paper Art.

He would use Borsalino, Infuse, then activate Paper Art with Soul Power, carefully observe the changes as Soul Power flowed through its circuits, and try to simulate it using physical strength.

The difficulty was obvious. After Martial Soul Awakening, Soul Power had become controllable energy, obeying Zhang Yang as readily as his own limbs. Physical strength, however, was still a vague concept. It could only be passively expended and could not be controlled.

Having been an ordinary person for over twenty years, Zhang Yang naturally could not progress as rapidly as a Child of Destiny. After three months of training, he still had not taken the first step, but he was not discouraged.

He was certain that as long as he caught that fleeting flash of inspiration, the other six styles would improve at lightning speed.

After all, once one principle was understood, all principles became clear.

After breakfast today, Zhang Yang unusually did not head up the mountain to continue training, because he was going to school.

After washing up, his father changed into a new set of clothes, hitched up the cleaned carriage, and brought Zhang Yang to the village entrance.

His father had arranged to meet Village Chief Old Jack there.

"Since your little Zhang Yang is going to school too, this saves me quite a bit of trouble," Old Jack said with emotion. "Age truly catches up with people. Back then, I could make two round trips to Nuoding City in a single day."

"Of course. Who in Saint Soul Village didn't know about the village chief's grandeur back then?" his father said with a smile.

The village chief gave Tang San a few more simple reminders before letting him board the carriage.

As the carriage set off, Tang San and Zhang Yang, seated in its rear compartment, waved goodbye to Village Chief Old Jack once more.

Tang San had lived two lives, but this was his first time going to school. He was especially curious about the schools in this Martial Soul world.

So Tang San did not rest at all along the way. He kept chatting with Zhang Yang about Soul Master Academy and asked many questions about it.

That played right into Zhang Yang's hands. Although the junior Soul Master Academy had only received a passing mention in the original work, Zhang Yang had bought many books related to junior Soul Master Academies, so he naturally knew a great deal.

The two flipped through books while discussing their contents. Though the journey was tedious, they enjoyed themselves and became thoroughly engrossed.

Seeing how enthusiastic the two children were about learning, Zhang Yang's father felt deeply gratified. He became even more convinced that his son would become an extraordinary Soul Master.

A carriage was much faster than walking. At around ten in the morning, they had already arrived beneath the walls of Nuoding City.

Zhang Yang had previously accompanied his father to Nuoding City several times to purchase goods. It was located near the empire's border, and its walls were built rather sturdily. Other than that, it was fairly ordinary.

After passing the inspection at the city gate, the carriage entered Nuoding City without issue. After several turns, it soon arrived at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.

The academy gate was arched, twenty meters wide and ten meters tall, built from hard stone. Beneath it stood an iron gate forged from fine refined iron.

So much refined iron made Tang San drool with envy.

The carriage stopped outside the academy gate. Zhang Yang and Tang San took their luggage and climbed down one after the other.

As the parent, Zhang Yang's father naturally stepped forward to speak with the gatekeeper.

Then, naturally, because of Tang San's Work-Study Student status, Zhang Yang's father was given a hard time.

However, unlike Village Chief Jack's way of handling things, Zhang Yang's father had run a tavern for many years and naturally understood what this young man wanted.

After obtaining the certificate issued by Spirit Hall from Tang San, Tang's Father took out ten Copper Soul Coins from his pocket and handed them to the gatekeeper along with the certificate.

For someone whose job was merely guarding the gate, ten Copper Soul Coins were more than enough.

It was the same as slipping him a pack of cigarettes.

Although the gatekeeper mocked Tang San for his bizarre combination of Innate Full Soul Power and a useless Martial Soul, the three still entered the academy gates smoothly.

At that moment, Zhang Yang suddenly panicked. Strange, where was the guiding spirit... Master? Why had he not seen Master?

What Zhang Yang had forgotten was that in the original work, Tang San and Old Jack had walked to Nuoding City and only reached the academy in the afternoon. It was morning now, so how could they possibly run into Master just like in the original?

Of course, the power of the world line's correction was Invincible. Zhang Yang immediately experienced that firsthand.

Unfamiliar with the academy, Zhang Yang's father naturally stopped a Middle-aged Man walking down the road and asked, "Hello, Teacher. We're from Saint Soul Village. Where should we go to complete registration for Work-Study Students?"

This Teacher appeared to be in his forties or fifties. He had short black hair parted three-to-seven, an ordinary face, and a medium build. Upon hearing Zhang Yang's father's question, he pondered for a moment.

"Work-Study Student?" The Teacher glanced at Zhang Yang and Tang San behind Zhang Yang's father, then looked over the thick stack of books in their arms.

Though their families were not wealthy, they were extremely eager to learn. That was the first impression Zhang Yang and Tang San left on the Teacher.

For two children so eager to learn, what kind of Martial Soul talents did they possess?

Thinking this, the Teacher looked at Zhang Yang's father. "Do you have a Spirit Hall certificate?"

"Of course, of course." Zhang Yang's father hurriedly handed the certificate in his hand to the passing Teacher.

"Innate Full Soul Power? Blue Silver Grass?" the Teacher murmured, his gaze sweeping up and down Zhang Yang and Tang San again.

Perhaps thinking this Teacher was going to mock the bizarre combination too, Zhang Yang grinned mischievously and bumped Tang San beside him with his shoulder.

Tang San suddenly felt as though the Middle-aged Man's gaze had seen straight through him, as if every secret in his heart had been exposed.

"I understand. Leave this child to me." The Teacher nodded and beckoned Tang San over.

"Then we'll have to trouble you."

Since someone was willing to take over, Zhang Yang's father motioned for Tang San to go over.

"Uncle Zhang, thank you for bringing me here." Tang San first thanked Zhang Yang's father, then handed Zhang Yang's books from his arms back to him before walking over to Master.

So those books weren't this child's. The Teacher suddenly understood, and his gaze settled on Zhang Yang again.

Tang San was taken care of, but his own son still had nowhere to go. Following the principle of not troubling two people with one matter, Zhang Yang's father asked the Teacher again, "I'll have to trouble you once more. Where do self-funded students register?"

"Oh?" The Teacher blinked and looked at Zhang Yang, who was holding a stack of books. "Is he also a new student this year?"

"Where is his Spirit Hall certificate? Let me see it," the Teacher said.

In essence, the Teacher was merely satisfying his curiosity, but Zhang Yang's father could not help sighing inwardly. Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy's management is truly strict. Without a Spirit Hall certificate, one really can't take a single step.

Thinking this, Zhang Yang's father took Zhang Yang's Spirit Hall certificate from his clothes and handed it over.

"Another Innate Full Soul Power? And a mutated Martial Soul?" The Teacher's eyes widened.

What kind of village was this? How had two students with Innate Full Soul Power appeared in a single year? One had Twin Martial Souls, and the other had a mutated Martial Soul.

Thus, Zhang Yang also experienced the feeling Tang San had just had, of being stripped bare and thoroughly seen through.

"Let him come with me as well," the Teacher said.

"Then thank you so much," Zhang Yang's father hurriedly said.

After thanking the Teacher, Zhang Yang's father turned to Zhang Yang and carefully gave him a long list of instructions. Then he stuffed a hemp cloth pouch into Zhang Yang's arms and firmly tightened Zhang Yang's collar.

The pouch contained Zhang Yang's tuition, miscellaneous fees, and living expenses for the year, so it naturally had to be handled with care.

Zhang Yang's father left while looking back every few steps. Tang San took Zhang Yang's stack of books again, and he and Zhang Yang followed behind the Teacher toward the depths of the academy.

Along the way, the Teacher asked Zhang Yang and Tang San many questions about Saint Soul Village, including the other children who had participated in this year's Awakening Ceremony.

"Teacher, when will us First-Year Students be able to obtain our first Soul Ring?" Tang San vaguely felt that the breakthrough point for the Mysterious Heaven Skill lay in Soul Rings, so he sounded somewhat impatient when asking this.

"Once school officially begins, the academy will arrange for Teachers to take you to obtain Soul Rings," the Teacher answered.

"Will you take us there, Teacher?" Tang San asked.

Because he had felt as though he had been seen through earlier, Tang San sensed that this Teacher was capable, which was why he asked.

"Me? I'm not a Teacher at this academy. I'm merely a resident mooching food and drink here." The Teacher shook his head.

At those words, Zhang Yang stumbled.

Wait, why did that sound so familiar?

"You're not a Teacher? Then what should I call you?" Tang San asked curiously.

"Everyone calls me Master. You should call me Master too, just like everyone else. Everyone addresses me that way. I've even forgotten my own name. The Spirit Hall certificate says your name is Tang San, right? Tang San, you must understand that Master and Teacher are worlds apart in meaning. Don't call me the wrong thing in the future. Unless..."

A blazing light flashed in Master's eyes. "Unless you truly wish to have me as your Teacher."

They had still managed to meet?

At this moment, Zhang Yang desperately wanted to slap his thigh and shout, "A Child of Destiny is truly terrifying!"