After bidding Old John farewell, Wang Xian entered Notting Academy and followed the signs to the vicinity of the Academic Affairs Office.
Just as he was about to go inside to register, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared.
The man had short black hair parted three-seven, and his expression looked extremely stiff. The stubble on his face gave him an air of decadence and laziness.
He blocked Wang Xian's path.
Wang Xian frowned at the middle-aged man before him, unsure what this strange person who had suddenly appeared wanted.
After carefully examining the man, a thought suddenly sprang to mind.
"Could this be Yu Xiaogang?" His appearance was simply too iconic.
Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back and held out one hand. "You're one of this year's Work-Study Students, right? Let me see your Martial Soul Certificate."
Wang Xian frowned slightly, but still handed over his Martial Soul Certificate.
Yu Xiaogang took the certificate, glanced at it, and then frowned.
"Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass. Innate Soul Power: level three."
This was not the disciple he had hoped for. With Innate Soul Power this low, who knew when he would break through to level ten?
Reaching Soul Elder would be the end of the road for him. There was simply no way he could prove Yu Xiaogang's theories.
What Yu Xiaogang wanted was an unparalleled genius who could validate his Martial Soul theories.
After loafing around Notting Academy for so long, he had stationed himself at the entrance almost every year when Work-Study Students came to enroll, hoping to find a suitable genius and take them as a disciple.
"Another Trash Martial Soul." Yu Xiaogang felt a hint of disdain.
"Take it back. Here's some advice: when you reach level ten, it's best to choose a snake-type martial soul when absorbing a Soul Ring. One with Poison would be even better."
After saying that, Yu Xiaogang casually returned the Martial Soul Certificate and turned to leave.
Holding the certificate, Wang Xian watched the strange middle-aged man's retreating back and became completely certain that this person was Yu Xiaogang.
"Could it be that Yu Xiaogang had been waiting there specifically for Work-Study Students?"
Yu Xiaogang had appeared so quickly and blocked his way, making Wang Xian unable to help considering that possibility.
The corner of Wang Xian's mouth twitched. Yu Xiaogang truly was something else to go this far.
In the end, he really had encountered a Twin Martial Souls genius like Tang San.
"Absorbing a Poison-attribute snake-type martial soul is not something ordinary Blue Silver Grass can handle."
Yu Xiaogang thought he was helping others with his advice, but in reality, he was spouting nonsense before even proving his own theories.
He was truly harming both others and himself.
Putting Yu Xiaogang out of his mind, Wang Xian walked a few more steps and arrived at the Academic Affairs Office.
The door was open, and two teachers inside were receiving new students.
One was over sixty, with graying hair, deep wrinkles on his face, and a pair of reading glasses as he sat behind a desk.
The other looked to be in his early thirties. He sat nearby organizing things, with several sets of clothes stacked on the table.
Wang Xian waited at the entrance until the student ahead of him finished registering and left before walking in.
"Hello, Teacher. I'm a Work-Study Student here to register." He walked up to the older teacher and handed over his Martial Soul Certificate.
The elderly teacher accepted the certificate and lowered his head for a look. He froze slightly, then raised his head to examine Wang Xian again.
"Blue Silver Grass, Innate Soul Power level three?" There was a trace of surprise in his voice. "It's rare for a Blue Silver Grass martial soul to possess Soul Power."
Wang Xian nodded without saying much.
The elderly teacher did not press further. He adjusted his reading glasses, took a thick registration book from a drawer, flipped to a fresh page, and began writing.
The elderly teacher wrote each stroke carefully, his handwriting neat. After finishing, he checked it over once more before closing the book.
"All right, you're registered." He pointed to the stack of clothes on the table. "Your dormitory is Dormitory Building Room 7. When you get there, the teacher in charge will arrange your Work-Study Student duties. If anything comes up at the academy, come find me."
Only then did the younger teacher move. He picked up a set of neatly folded white clothes from the table and handed them over.
"This is the academy uniform. It's free. You must wear it when attending classes from now on, so don't lose it."
Wang Xian accepted it with both hands. The clothes felt rather heavy. The material was not particularly good, but it was not bad either.
"Thank you, Teacher."
After thanking them, he folded the uniform and stuffed it into his bundle, then left the Academic Affairs Office and headed toward the dormitory building.
Notting Academy was not large, and it had only one dormitory building. With the signs pointing the way, Wang Xian quickly found it.
He reached the door of Dorm Seven and pushed it open.
The gazes of everyone inside Dorm Seven instantly turned toward him.
At that moment, an older boy, nearly two heads taller than him, walked over.
"Are you the new Work-Study Student?"
There was an empty bed beside Wang Xian. After placing his belongings on it, he smiled and said, "That's right. I'm the new Work-Study Student. Just call me Wang Xian."
Looking at Wang Sheng before him, Wang Xian had already made him the target for earning his first pot of gold.
Besides obtaining a Meditation Method, the best thing about studying at Notting Academy was that the people here had relatively high-quality martial souls.
At the very least, they were certainly better than those villagers who did not even possess Soul Power.
If he captured all of their martial souls, he would surely obtain better traits and a large number of Cultivation Points.
"Then that settles it. My name is Wang Sheng, and I'm the boss of Dorm Seven. Now that you've joined us, you have to call me Boss too. From now on, you'll listen to me. Understand?" Wang Sheng said proudly, puffing out his chest.
Wang Xian still wore a smile as he replied calmly, "And if I refuse?"
"If you refuse, then you'll have to beat me." Wang Sheng glared at Wang Xian unfriendly.
"Then come on." Wang Xian beckoned at Wang Sheng.
"You've got nerve, kid. You actually dare challenge me? Then I'll let you see how formidable I am!"
After saying that, Wang Sheng lunged at Wang Xian, arms spread wide. It looked like he intended to grab Wang Xian and slam him to the ground.
Wang Xian shifted his footing and sidestepped. Wang Sheng missed and charged past him.
Wang Xian did not hold back. He lifted his leg and kicked Wang Sheng directly in the waist.
Wang Sheng let out a muffled grunt and flew sideways. With a bang, he crashed face-first onto an empty bed nearby, making the bedframe rattle violently.
The other children in Dorm Seven were dumbfounded. Their eyes widened, and none of them even dared breathe loudly.
Wang Sheng climbed off the bed, his face flushed red, his eyes filled with shock and anger.
He had been the boss of Dorm Seven for so long, yet no one had ever knocked him down so cleanly.
"Good kid!" A tiger-like roar burst from Wang Sheng's mouth as pale yellow light suddenly emerged from his body and swirled around him.
His hands became thicker, his fingernails lengthened slightly, and his entire presence changed.
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