Enrollment

It was once again time for Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy to enroll new students for the year. Chen Huang and Tang Shan had also reached the time to leave home.

"Xiao Shan, come here," Tang Hao called.

"Coming," Xiao Shan replied.

Tang Hao held a sapphire necklace in his hand.

"This is for you."

Xiao Shan looked delightedly at the beautiful necklace. "Thank you, Dad."

"Try channeling your Soul Power into the sapphire," Tang Hao said with a smile.

Xiao Shan did as she was told. A moment later, she let out a cry of surprise. "Ah! This—"

Tang Hao said, "This is a Storage Soul Tool. It has ten cubic meters of space inside, and I've already stored all your luggage in it. I also put quite a bit of money inside for you. Don't mistreat yourself when you're out there. Buy whatever you want and eat whatever you want."

"Mm-hmm, Dad, how do I take things out?" Xiao Shan asked.

Tang Hao said, "Channel Soul Power into it, then think about taking the item out. Putting things in works the same way."

Xiao Shan quickly became adept at using the Storage Soul Tool. It did not consume much Soul Power either.

"In a little while, Old Jack will take you two to register at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy. The academy has fixed holidays. When you come back for break, Dad will take you hunting for a Spirit Ring," Tang Hao said.

Xiao Shan asked, "Dad, what does hunting for a Spirit Ring mean?"

"That's right, Dad hasn't explained it to you yet."

"Soul Power cultivation is divided into many ranks, and each rank has a different title: Soul Warrior, Soul Master, Great Soul Master, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor, Soul Sage, Soul Douluo, and Titled Douluo. Everyone starts out as a Soul Warrior, while you possess Innate Full Soul Power, meaning you are already a level-ten Soul Warrior. If you want to become a Soul Master, you must add a Spirit Ring to your Martial Soul. Otherwise, you'll remain at level ten forever."

"Spirit Rings can only be obtained from Soul Beasts. After a Soul Beast is killed, it will drop a Spirit Ring. Soul Beasts of different ages produce Spirit Rings of different colors. Those below a Hundred Year are white, Hundred Year ones are yellow, thousand-year ones are purple, ten-thousand-year ones are black, and Hundred Thousand Year ones are red. However, most Soul Beasts are extremely dangerous, and the teachers at a junior Soul Master Academy won't hunt overly powerful Soul Beasts for you either. So when the holidays come, Dad will take you."

"Okay," Xiao Shan answered. "Then I'll go see whether Xiao Huang is ready."

"Go on, go on."

Chen Huang did not have much to pack. He had no Storage Soul Tool, so he could not bring too many things. One quilt, a change of clothes, and some dried provisions were enough.

"Xiao Huang, Xiao Huang, are you packed?" Xiao Shan soon arrived at Chen Huang's home.

"There wasn't much to pack. I've been ready for a while, just waiting for Grandpa Jack," Chen Huang said.

"Xiao Huang, take this with you," his mother said, bringing over a small cloth pouch.

Only after she placed the pouch in Chen Huang's hand did he realize how heavy it was. When he shook it, it made a crisp clinking sound. It was a bag of money.

His mother said, "Take this money with you. You'll need it."

Chen Huang did not look to see how much was inside, because his family could not afford much anyway. Once he entered the city, no amount of money would truly be enough. Poor people had to live like poor people.

When he enrolled, he would be taking the village's Work-Study Student quota. Xiao Shan, however, would not. She would enroll normally and pay tuition. Tang Hao was not short on money. In fact, Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy had not had a Work-Study Student in many years. It was simply too difficult for these small villages to produce someone with Soul Power.

Not long afterward, Old Jack came to take Chen Huang and Xiao Shan away. Neither Tang Hao nor Chen Huang's parents came to see them off. They might have been watching from some corner in secret.

After walking several kilometers of mountain paths and then taking the main road, they finally reached Nuoding City. It had a strong Western-style atmosphere. There were quite a few people in the city, but it truly could not be called prosperous.

The three of them had a very clear destination: Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.

The gatekeeper at the academy entrance greatly surprised Chen Huang. Wasn't he supposed to be some snobbish fellow from the original story? Yet the one they encountered was amiable and polite. Old Jack showed him the certificate issued by Martial Soul Hall Su Yuntao, and he let them in.

Once everything had been handled, Old Jack went back.

Work-Study Students had separate dormitories, so Chen Huang was assigned to Seventh Dormitory, while Xiao Shan was assigned to Fourth Dormitory, a girls' dormitory. Work-Study Students were not separated by gender, but ordinary students were. Even if the students themselves were willing, their parents would not be.

"Come on, Xiao Huang. I'll go with you to Seventh Dormitory first so you can get familiar with the way. Then I can come find you to play," Xiao Shan said with a smile.

Seventh Dormitory was in the dormitory district, so it was not actually far away.

"Looks like that's Seventh Dormitory," Chen Huang said, looking at the signpost along the path.

The moment he pushed open the door to Seventh Dormitory, a child slightly taller than him rushed at him with both fists swinging.

Chen Huang's powerful Mental Power gave him reaction speed far beyond ordinary people. As if shocked by electricity, he reacted instantly, took Xiao Shan's hand, and lightly dodged aside.

Xiao Shan looked at the child and shouted, "Hey! What are you doing?!"

"You're the new Work-Study Students, right?" the child asked.

"I am," Chen Huang said. He looked at Xiao Shan and shook his head. "She isn't."

"It's like this. These are the rules of Seventh Dormitory. New Work-Study Students have to fight the boss of Seventh Dormitory. Whoever wins becomes the new boss," the child said.

"So that's why you attacked me?" Chen Huang asked.

"Yes."

"Fine, then let's have a little spar," Chen Huang said. He did not like being the boss and showing off, but he also did not like being ridden over by others and calling someone else boss.

"Good! War Tiger! Martial Soul Possession!"

Chen Huang could tell that this person was the boss of Seventh Dormitory, Wang Sheng. The academy had not received Work-Study Students for many years, so these students were much older than Chen Huang. The academy also taught some basic Martial Soul usage. Though they had yet to obtain Spirit Rings, they were not easy opponents. After all, Chen Huang's Soul Power was much lower. He only had level three Soul Power.

After Martial Soul Possession, beast Martial Souls greatly enhanced one's physical abilities, especially speed, strength, and defense.

After exchanging several moves with Wang Sheng, Chen Huang realized that he could not contend with him in strength.

Chen Huang brought out the rudimentary lightness skill he had honed, along with the advantage of his powerful reaction speed. Facing Wang Sheng's attacks, he appeared entirely at ease.

Whenever Wang Sheng exposed an opening, Chen Huang would land a punch or a kick. However, he did not strike any lethal areas, such as certain special acupoints—or the third leg.

Very quickly, Wang Sheng ran out of Soul Power and fell into a disadvantage during his fight with Chen Huang, before finally being defeated.

"Yeah! Xiao Huang, you won! That means you're the boss now!" Chen Huang did not seem particularly happy, but Xiao Shan was even more excited than he was.