Work-Study Student Quota

Chen Huang immediately thought of a possibility. He grabbed Tang Shan's left hand and used his body to block it from view.

Tang Shan turned back, looking at Chen Huang in confusion. Chen Huang shook his head, signaling for her not to say anything. Sweat involuntarily beaded on his forehead. Only now did he realize how important Tang San's momentary caution had been.

"Blue Silver Grass?" Su Yuntao said.

"Little girl, quickly check your Soul Power."

Sure enough, Tang Shan had Innate Full Soul Power. This truly made Su Yuntao's eyes widen in shock. Before long, he kept lamenting how unfortunate it was. "What a pity. It's only Blue Silver Grass. If it had even a little offensive power—if it were a hammer or a hoe—it could have become a Soul Master."

Looking utterly dejected, he waved his hand and headed for the doors of the small hall.

"Well? Respected Martial Soul master, were there any children this time who could become Soul Masters?" Old Jack asked.

"Sigh... There were two. One had Innate Full Soul Power, and the other had Innate Soul Power at level one. But their Martial Souls were only Blue Silver Grass and a Weed. Fate truly toys with people," Su Yuntao sighed.

"What? Is there really no way around it?" Old Jack was already advanced in age. He knew what Innate Full Soul Power meant, and he also knew that Blue Silver Grass and a Weed were nothing more than useless Martial Souls.

"Even if they're useless Martial Souls, they can still become Soul Masters, can't they? Isn't that what you were hoping for? All right, I still need to visit the next village. I'll take my leave first."

Su Yuntao's departing figure looked somewhat lonely. His mood was much like Old Jack's, as though he had ridden a roller coaster again and again. If only they had not been useless Martial Souls.

After leaving the Martial Soul Branch Hall, Chen Huang and Tang Shan saw Old Jack looking torn between hope and disappointment. They stepped forward and greeted him, "Grandfather Jack~"

"Oh, Xiao Huang and Xiao Shan. Could it be that you are the ones with Innate Full Soul Power and Innate Soul Power at level one?" Of all the village children, these two before him were the cleverest and most sensible. As the village chief, Old Jack knew that well.

"Yes. I have Innate Soul Power at level one, while Xiao Shan has Innate Full Soul Power." Chen Huang smiled, but after his earlier relief, a deep sense of loss surged into his heart.

Chen Huang knew that feeling. It was called defeat. He had clearly done nothing wrong. If there was any fault, it was that he had not been born into a better family. Nothing had even begun, yet he had already lost at the starting line.

Chen Huang knew that Sacred Soul Village had one Work-Study Student quota. He was basically unable to get it, especially with Tang Shan here. Without that quota, the expensive tuition was not something a family like his could afford.

Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe I can be like the male leads in those farming stories, create wealth with my own hands, and use my actions to change the world, starting from Sacred Soul Village. That was what he thought.

Old Jack smiled and asked, "Xiao Huang, Xiao Shan, do you want to become Soul Masters?"

Chen Huang forced out another smile. "Grandfather Jack, I'd better forget it. My talent is too poor. I can't become a Soul Master. I should just stay home and help my parents with work. In a few years, I'll be able to farm plenty of land too."

Old Jack felt sorry for him as well. What a sensible child. Why could Heaven not give them a chance?

"Grandfather Jack, what is a Soul Master?" Xiao Shan asked. Unless one deliberately tried to learn about it, it was truly difficult to come across such information in a village without any Soul Masters.

"A Soul Master is like that battle soul master from Spirit Hall earlier. They are people who have developed their Martial Souls to a very high realm and possess all sorts of miraculous abilities," Old Jack explained.

"Then my Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass. I won't turn into grass when I use it, will I?" Tang Shan's innocent words made the two of them laugh.

When Chen Huang imagined what it would look like to use the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul Avatar, he almost laughed too.

"Don't worry. You won't," Old Jack said.

"That's good. But I still need to ask my father first," Tang Shan said.

"Good child, you should ask your father. Come, Grandfather Jack will go with you."

The three chatted as they walked. Halfway there, Chen Huang parted ways with them.

He headed alone to the slope on the Back Mountain. It was Tang San's favorite place. There were flowers and grass, and it offered a full view of Sacred Soul Village. There was no Tang San in this world, so it had become Chen Huang's favorite place instead. It was quiet, and it was also suitable for him to do some training here.

He gently lay down amid the grass and flowers on the slope, staring up at the sky without knowing what he was thinking.

Meanwhile, Old Jack and Xiao Shan arrived at her home.

"Tang Hao! Tang Hao!" Old Jack entered the house and shouted.

"Who's making such a racket?" Hearing the voice, Tang Hao stopped what he was doing. "Oh, Old Jack."

"Today was the day your daughter awakened her Martial Soul. Why didn't you accompany her?" Old Jack said irritably. Although Tang Hao was no longer that drunkard, Old Jack still did not think much of him.

In Old Jack's eyes, Tang Hao was just a rough man. How could he possibly raise a daughter properly? He did not even know to find another woman to care for the child. Old Jack was always trying to arrange another marriage for Tang Hao, which annoyed Tang Hao endlessly. Naturally, Tang Hao never showed him a pleasant face.

"Xiao Shan, your Martial Soul awakened? What is it?" Ignoring Old Jack, Tang Hao asked.

"Father, it's... Blue Silver Grass."

Tang Hao was greatly relieved to hear that it was Blue Silver Grass.

"Although Xiao Shan's Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass," Old Jack said, "she has the rare Innate Full Soul Power. So I've decided that this year's Work-Study Student quota for the village will go to her. She'll attend Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy."

Tang Hao said in a deep voice, "No."

Old Jack could hardly believe his ears. What the hell was he talking about? "Do you know how precious this quota is? You say she won't go, so she won't go? As long as Xiao Shan becomes a Soul Master, she can rise above others. Don't tell me you expect a girl like her to follow you into blacksmithing in the future?"

"Enough. Stop talking. If I say no, then no. Where's Xiao Huang? What Martial Soul did he awaken?"

"What a pity for Xiao Huang. His Martial Soul is a Weed, and his Innate Soul Power is only level one," Old Jack said.

"Then give it to Xiao Huang. Innate Soul Power at level one still gives him a chance to become a Soul Master." Tang Hao naturally had his reasons for refusing to let Xiao Shan go.

First, what could a Junior Soul Master Academy in such a small place possibly teach? Its teaching quality was poor. In the original story, even by the end, Tang San never mentioned learning anything at school. Master taught him everything.

Second, if he truly wanted his child to attend school, Tang Hao would swallow his pride and find a way to contact old acquaintances, sending her to a better academy. The Four Clans, Tang Yuehua, and the Clear Sky Sect all had that kind of influence.

Third, he had killed Qian Xunji, the former Pontiff of Spirit Hall, several years ago. The matter had not yet blown over, and Spirit Hall was still investigating Tang Hao's whereabouts. Going to school was not safe. In the original story, Tang Hao had followed Tang San all the way, protecting him.

"Xiao Huang said he won't go. He said that with talent like his, he can't become a Soul Master anyway, so he decided to stay home and help his parents with work," Old Jack said.

The two argued for a long time. Seeing that he could not persuade Tang Hao, Old Jack had no choice but to leave.