On the way back to Notting Academy, Wang Xian continued experimenting with Blue Silver Grass's new abilities.
A small section of the main vine condensed in his palm. With a thought, a row of dense, tiny barbs immediately sprouted across its surface.
With another thought, the barbs vanished, replaced by several blade-like offshoots as thin as cicada wings.
He withdrew his Soul Power, and the vine dispersed, returning everything to normal.
"Not bad." Wang Xian nodded in satisfaction and quickened his pace.
If he could use these abilities proficiently, they would prove highly useful in battle.
Notting Academy's outline had already appeared ahead of him.
Wang Xian entered through the gates and first went to the Academic Affairs Office to have his leave canceled by Director Su.
Director Su was sitting at his desk drinking tea. When he saw Wang Xian push open the door and walk in, he paused in surprise. "You're back so soon?"
"The matters at home were settled, so I came back early." Wang Xian handed over his leave slip.
Director Su accepted it, wrote a few words on it, and stamped it, officially canceling Wang Xian's leave.
He placed the slip in a drawer, then looked Wang Xian over. He could not shake the feeling that something about the boy had changed.
He could not put his finger on it. Wang Xian simply seemed steadier than before he had left, and his bearing felt somewhat stronger as well.
Still, Director Su did not dwell on it. With Blue Silver Grass and only Rank Three Innate Soul Power, Wang Xian had cultivated for less than a year at most. How much could he really have changed?
Perhaps the trip had simply made him grow up a little.
"All right, go back and rest properly. Remember to attend class tomorrow."
"Thank you, Director Su." Wang Xian thanked him and turned to leave the Academic Affairs Office.
When he returned to the dormitory and pushed open the door, Wang Sheng was lying on his bed rummaging through something. Hearing the sound, he looked up and immediately sprang to his feet.
"The boss is back!"
The other Work-Study Students also climbed off their beds and crowded around him at once, chattering away with questions.
"Boss, where did you go? You've been gone for almost a month."
"We thought you weren't coming back."
"Did you finish what you had to do?" Wang Sheng squeezed to the front, his face full of curiosity.
Wang Xian set his bundle on the bed and said with a smile, "Something came up at home, so I went back to handle it. It's settled now."
He did not elaborate, and Wang Sheng and the others did not press him. They chatted around him for a while longer before finally dispersing.
Wang Xian tidied his bedding a little, then sat cross-legged on the bed and began cultivating.
More than two months passed in the blink of an eye, and Wang Xian had already spent a semester at Notting Academy.
During that time, he had not been cultivating constantly. Instead, he occasionally slipped away from Notting Academy, concealed his identity, and went to the Soul Fighting Arena in Notting City to battle.
While honing his practical combat skills, he also earned some Gold Coins.
After all, cultivation required resources, and Old John and the villagers of Emperor Soul Village also needed Gold Coins for support.
At the Soul Scholar level, his combat strength was essentially unmatched. Naturally, he won battle after battle.
He earned quite a few Gold Coins, and his meals improved considerably as well.
During the break, he made time to return to Emperor Soul Village and gave Old John a large portion of the Gold Coins he had earned.
He also specifically went to see Zhao Dazhuang in the village.
Because he had captured Zhao Dazhuang's Martial Soul and put it through extreme training, Wang Xian wanted to see what would happen after the quality of Zhao Dazhuang's Martial Soul declined.
In the end, he saw Zhao Dazhuang looking thin and frail, pale-faced, and weak from head to toe.
It seemed that the decline in his Martial Soul's quality had greatly affected his body, leaving him completely debilitated.
However, this might only apply to people like Zhao Dazhuang, who had no Soul Power.
Other Soul Masters with Soul Power would likely not become as frail as he had, even if their Martial Soul quality declined.
What could be confirmed was that their strength would definitely decrease greatly.
Notting Academy, Work-Study Student dormitory.
Wang Xian emerged from his cultivation state, opened his eyes, and turned to look at Wang Sheng beside him.
"Is today the day new students enroll?"
Wang Sheng was making his bed. Hearing this, he nodded. "Yeah. The new students are registering today. They should all arrive by morning."
The corners of Wang Xian's lips curved upward slightly. He had finally waited for this day.
Tang San had arrived.
Outside Notting Academy's gates, people came and went.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Yu Xiaogang stood just inside the gates. His gaze swept over each new student entering the academy, his expression as serious as though he were selecting precious treasures.
He had arrived earlier this year than in any previous year.
Ever since Wang Xian had left him speechless in public and forced him to slink away in humiliation, life at the academy had not been easy for him.
The way those students looked at him had changed. There was more gossip behind his back, and even several teachers wore faintly mocking expressions whenever they saw him.
"Grandmaster? Heh..."
Thinking of those looks, Yu Xiaogang's face turned slightly green.
He took a deep breath, suppressed his displeasure, straightened his chest again, and made his gaze even more eager.
This year, he had to take in a talented disciple and train him well. Once that disciple became an unparalleled powerhouse in the future, he would see who still dared to look down on Yu Xiaogang.
When the time came, that ignorant Wang Xian brat would have to kneel and beg him to accept him as a disciple.
As he was thinking this, an argument suddenly broke out at the gates.
The gatekeeper shouted in a gruff voice, while a child's voice answered him. It was not loud, but it was clearly calm.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up. He adjusted his collar, changed his expression, and quickly headed toward the entrance.
At the gates, an ordinary-looking young boy dressed in coarse hemp clothing stood before the gatekeeper. He held a Martial Soul Certificate in his hand, his expression calm.
Yet the gatekeeper blocked his way, frowning as he stared at the certificate and muttering, "Blue Silver Grass? And Innate Full Soul Power? This must be fake, right?"
Old Jack hurriedly explained to the gatekeeper that it had been issued by a Spirit Hall envoy.
But the gatekeeper remained unmoved. After all, he had never seen Blue Silver Grass with Innate Full Soul Power.
The blue-clad boy's eyes darkened slightly.
His right hand lifted faintly, and something seemed to move beneath his sleeve, glinting like metal.
This man has already earned the right to die, the boy silently recited in his heart.
Just as he was about to act, a hand reached out and took the Martial Soul Certificate from the gatekeeper.
"Let me have a look."
Yu Xiaogang stood between them. He lowered his head to inspect the certificate, then looked the boy over. A gentle smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"This certificate is genuine. Let the child enter."
The gatekeeper opened his mouth, but seeing that it was the academy's "Grandmaster," he could not say anything more. He waved them through.
Yu Xiaogang turned around, returned the certificate to the boy, and let his gaze linger on the boy's face for a moment. His smile deepened.
"Xiao San, go in with this teacher," Old Jack hurriedly said.
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