"The Junior Spirit Master Academy teaches some basic things, like the culture and history of our continent, introductions to different Martial Spirits, and a little about Soul Beasts! The course lasts six years. If you haven't achieved anything by the time you're twelve, you'll have to become an ordinary Spirit Master. Those mundane professions will be waiting for you. It all depends on how strong your Martial Spirit is, but you don't need to worry. With Innate Full Soul Power, you're destined to become Spirit Masters very quickly! Even if your Martial Spirit is a bit useless, it doesn't matter..."
On the way, Old Jack slowly told Tang San about Notting City's Junior Spirit Master Academy.
He wanted to tell the two little ones in advance what he'd learned, so they wouldn't arrive at the academy without knowing a thing.
"But graduating from an Intermediate Spirit Master Academy is much harder."
Old Jack held up two fingers and said, "You need to reach level twenty and obtain your second Spirit Ring to earn the title of Soul Grandmaster!"
Wang Feng listened closely too.
Honestly, when he'd read Douluo Continent, he'd mostly skipped over explanations like these.
He hadn't been interested.
He'd thought the author was padding things out, rambling about all sorts of nonsense that made for a dull read.
So Wang Feng had long since skipped most of the explanations and naturally couldn't remember them.
After all, when reading a novel, people focused on the important parts.
But now that he'd transmigrated here, Wang Feng listened closely to these explanations and found them fascinating.
"You can graduate from an Intermediate Academy once you reach level twenty?" Tang San asked in surprise.
"That's easy enough." Wang Feng nodded too.
He felt the energy inside him had probably already passed level twenty.
He just didn't have a Spirit Ring.
So he couldn't bring it out.
"Easy? You little rascal!"
Old Jack tapped Wang Feng on the head. "How could it be that easy? You two have Innate Full Soul Power, so you can ask the academy instructors to help you hunt down your first Spirit Ring. But for a level-twenty Spirit Ring, you have to hunt it yourself!"
"Do you know how dangerous Soul Beasts are? Countless commoner Spirit Masters have been injured or even killed because of them. Do you think it's easy? Only the children of nobles have family warriors accompanying them, so they're much safer than we are! Having to hunt Soul Beasts on your own is what holds so many Spirit Masters back."
Wang Feng pursed his lips. Soul Beasts.
He hadn't seen many yet, and he was a little curious.
How strong were these Soul Beasts?
How did they compare to Spirit Masters?
And... did they taste much different from ordinary wild animals?
Were they all crispy, with the flavor of chicken...
Ahem...
Looks like my Huaxia nature hasn't changed much, even after six years here... Wang Feng grumbled to himself.
How had he ended up thinking about food without even realizing it?
"Grandpa Jack, if there are junior and intermediate academies, there must be advanced ones too, right?" Tang San asked curiously. He hadn't been thinking about as much as Wang Feng.
"Advanced?"
Old Jack froze, then sighed. "An Advanced Spirit Master Academy is beyond the reach of commoners like us... It's too difficult to get in. The Heaven Dou Empire has only two Advanced Spirit Master Academies, and they admit fewer than a hundred students a year. Most of those places are taken by noble children. But Spirit Masters who graduate from these academies are in such high demand that all kinds of people and institutions fight to recruit them. The empire even grants them noble titles."
Nobles.
Wang Feng smiled. This world of Douluo Continent was structured much like the Middle Ages.
It even had nobles.
Advanced Spirit Master Academies were probably like Peking University and Tsinghua University, or Harvard and Cambridge, in his previous life.
And the entry requirements were no joke.
Ordinary people really did have a hard time getting in.
"Advanced Spirit Master..." Tang San murmured a few times.
He really wanted to see one for himself.
"Besides, even if you get into an Advanced Spirit Master Academy, graduating isn't easy."
Old Jack continued, "Spirit Masters are held back by something as simple as a Spirit Ring. Without help from their families or powerful forces, it's very difficult to hunt Soul Beasts and obtain Spirit Rings while also cultivating and improving themselves."
"Some people are born to wealth and privilege, as though everything has been arranged for them. They lack for nothing. But for commoners like us, every step is incredibly difficult..."
Old Jack shook his head gently.
He was past fifty and only the village chief of a small village. Perhaps his knowledge wasn't extensive, but every word he said still gave Tang San plenty to think about.
Even Wang Feng found himself reflecting on it.
Grandpa Jack's words applied to more than just Douluo Continent.
Wasn't it the same in my previous life?
Some people were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They didn't have to do a thing to possess wealth that ordinary people couldn't gain even after decades of hard work.
And their families' legacy and support made it all the more real than anything in Douluo Continent.
For countless young people, they might spend their whole lives trying to afford a house and a car. Many things were things they could only learn about through snippets online, longing for them, feeling envious, dreaming of them...
No resources, no connections, no status.
A lifetime of hard work was still only someone else's starting point.
Just like Brother Tao, who'd worked hard for over twenty years only to reach the point Wang Feng was at now. That was what Wang Feng thought.
"To graduate from an Advanced Spirit Master Academy, you need to reach level thirty and obtain your third Spirit Ring. Cross that threshold, and you become a Soul Elder, also known as an Earth Spirit Master. Even Spirit Rings and age have restrictions. You can't just graduate with any old Spirit Ring."
Old Jack continued, "Even among those who get into an Advanced Spirit Master Academy, perhaps only a quarter or a third actually graduate. As for what comes after that, let's not talk about it for now; it's too far off. The further you cultivate, the stronger the Spirit Rings you need, and the stronger the Soul Beasts you have to hunt. It only gets more dangerous! Otherwise, how many people could truly become Titled Douluos? We could probably count them on the fingers of one hand."
After saying all this, Old Jack fell silent.
After all, he didn't know much himself. He could only pass along simple, basic knowledge to the two children.
As for the rest, they'd have to figure it out on their own.
By afternoon, the three of them had reached Notting City.
"You must both do your best and become Spirit Masters. When the school term ends, I'll hire two carriages and come bring you back myself!" Old Jack said with a smile as they entered Notting City. Holy Soul Village had been doing well, so Old Jack had the confidence to make such a promise.
Wang Feng hadn't been to Notting City much. It was too far, and he hadn't felt like making the trip.
Besides, country folk who came to the city were often looked down on. Back then, Wang Feng hadn't had a cheat, and Holy Soul Village had been run-down, so he hadn't felt like coming to Notting City just to make himself uncomfortable.
But now, Wang Feng strode into the city with his head held high.
He looked around.
There were plenty of people on the streets, and the ground was level, making it comfortable to walk on.
Although Holy Soul Village had improved quite a bit over the past two years, the three of them were still dressed plainly, with no fancy clothes.
"Not bad. It's quite pretty."
Wang Feng bobbed his head and glanced around, spotting a few pretty young women.
He couldn't help but marvel. Without all that makeup, their faces were full of collagen, pure and unpolluted. Even the ones who weren't particularly pretty were still a pleasure to look at.
"Wait, I came here to study, not to look at pretty girls."
Wang Feng coughed a few times and turned his gaze away.
But what's the harm in looking twice? It won't cost me anything.
After hesitating, Wang Feng took a few more casual glances, then reluctantly looked away again.
Back and forth like this, Wang Feng's head kept turning from side to side.
It was as though:
His head: No, I came here to learn. I don't want to look!
His eyes: No, you do!
Feels like my head and eyes have split up... Damn.
Wang Feng shook his head, took a deep breath, and steadied himself.