Holy Soul Village

Bibi Dong tapped her fingertips against the desk after hearing Meow Meow's words.

"Notting City?"

"Mm."

Meow Meow lay sprawled on the meditation cushion, his tail swaying lazily.

"The Martial Soul Hall branch in Fasnuo Province isn't weak, but the grassroots academies are still not perfect. If commoner children are left to figure things out on their own after awakening their Martial Souls, many talents will be wasted."

Bibi Dong looked at Meow Meow, her gaze flickering slightly.

Over the years, many of Meow Meow's arrangements for the Martial Soul Hall, while seemingly casual, were actually focused on commoner Soul Masters.

The Soul Pact Academy was one such example.

The Basic Formation Academy was another.

Now, even a remote place like Notting City had caught his eye.

"Are you doing this for that child with Innate Full Soul Power?"

Meow Meow blinked.

"Just a side thought."

Bibi Dong did not expose him.

She was already too familiar with Meow Meow.

The more lightly this cat spoke, the more calculated his intentions were.

"Yue Guan."

Bibi Dong spoke up.

A soft voice drifted in from outside the hall immediately.

"Your Holiness."

Yue Guan walked into the hall, his gaze landing on Meow Meow first before quickly shifting away.

In the current Pope's Palace, while many orders were issued by Bibi Dong, the true source was often this little orange cat.

"Send an order to the Notting City branch."

Bibi Dong said.

"Establish a Martial Soul Hall Primary Academy near Notting City, specifically for commoner Soul Masters, with tuition waived for the first year after awakening."

"At the same time, send over a batch of textbooks on basic Soul Master theory, Martial Soul common knowledge, and Soul Beast identification."

Yue Guan was stunned.

"Only in Notting City?"

Bibi Dong looked at Meow Meow.

Meow Meow thought for a moment and said, "Trial it in Notting City first; if the results are good, we can gradually expand."

"One must eat a meal one bite at a time."

"If too many academies are built without enough teachers to keep up, they will only end up as decorations."

Yue Guan nodded.

"This subordinate understands."

Meow Meow added another sentence.

"Don't just look for people who can lecture on theory; find a few Soul Masters who have actually hunted Soul Beasts."

"The children are just starting their cultivation; knowing the names of Soul Beasts is useless if they don't know how to survive when they encounter one."

Yue Guan took note of this seriously.

Bibi Dong said, "Go and get it done."

After Yue Guan withdrew, Meow Meow rolled over on the cushion once more.

"I hope it's not too late."

Bibi Dong asked, "What is not too late?"

Meow Meow buried his head in his paws, his voice muffled.

"Nothing, I just feel that the child's path might soon be led by someone else."

Bibi Dong did not press him.

She merely lowered her eyes to look at the files in her hands, speaking only after a moment, "If you feel it is important, then go and see for yourself."

Meow Meow's ears twitched.

"Now?"

"Mm."

Bibi Dong said indifferently, "If you don't go, you probably won't be able to sleep soundly tonight anyway."

Meow Meow looked up at her.

It seemed that was indeed the case.

He had originally thought he would just go to Holy Soul Village for a look and arrange things upon his return.

Yet for some reason, the more he thought about it, the more he felt a restless itch in his heart.

The thread involving Tang San should not be left entirely to its own devices.

But it could not be crudely severed, either.

The best approach was to have Martial Soul Hall appear on his path as well.

Not to block the way.

But to walk alongside him.

As for who could go further, that would depend on their own abilities.

The more Meow Meow thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.

"Then this Meow will make another trip."

Bibi Dong nodded.

"Don't cause too much trouble."

Meow Meow had just jumped onto the windowsill when he nearly slipped upon hearing this.

"Does this Meow look like a cat that causes trouble?"

Bibi Dong looked at him without saying a word.

Meow Meow coughed.

"That also depends on the situation."

Having said that, he transformed into a streak of orange-red light and vanished outside the window.

Outside Notting City.

Holy Soul Village.

Tang San held the certificate issued by the Martial Soul Hall deacon, standing at the entrance of the blacksmith shop.

Old Jack was still trying to persuade Tang Hao.

"Tang Hao, Little San has soul power, and it's Innate Full Soul Power at that!"

"What a wonderful opportunity this is!"

"As long as he goes to study at Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, he will have the chance to become a soul master in the future."

Tang Hao sat inside the room, holding a wine flask, his eyes lazy and unfocused.

"Blue Silver Grass, a trash martial soul."

Old Jack was so angry his beard stood on end.

"So what if it's a trash martial soul? Having soul power means there is hope!"

"Just because you have no ambition, do you want to ruin Little San's entire life?"

Tang San kept his head lowered, saying nothing.

He was already accustomed to his father being this way.

It was just that the words Old Jack spoke today truly caused a stir in his heart.

Soul master.

The most unique group of people in this world.

If he could become a soul master, he would be able to uncover more secrets regarding martial souls, soul power, and this world itself.

On the roof, a small orange cat crouched quietly.

Meow Meow did not get too close.

Tang Hao's state appeared decadent, but that vigilance buried deep in his bones remained.

Especially when it concerned Tang San, this Clear Sky Douluo would never truly be muddled.

"This Old Jack is a good man."

Meow Meow watched the old village chief below, who was arguing until his face was red, and nodded inwardly.

Old Jack genuinely wanted to see Tang San step out into the world.

Even if he didn't understand what Innate Full Soul Power truly signified, he knew this was a rare opportunity for the village.

Tang Hao remained silent for a long time before finally waving his hand.

"Do as you please."

Old Jack was stunned.

Tang San also looked up.

"Dad?"

Tang Hao glanced at him.

"If you want to go, then go."

Tang San's eyes brightened.

"Thank you, Dad."

Old Jack also breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, "That's right, with such great talent, Little San shouldn't let it go to waste."

Tang Hao did not speak again, merely lowering his head to drink.

Meow Meow stared at him for a while.

It was not that Tang Hao did not care about Tang San.

It was just that he hid too many things away.

He hid them so deeply that even Tang San could not understand.

"Troublesome."

Meow Meow shook his head.

If father and son did not speak clearly, problems would easily arise later.

However, that was not something he needed to worry about right now.

Meow Meow leaped lightly and vanished from the roof of the blacksmith shop.

Notting City Martial Soul Hall.

Su Yuntao had just returned to the branch hall and had not even had a chance to drink any water before he was summoned by his superior.

"An order from Martial Soul City?"

Su Yuntao was taken aback.

Notting City was merely a remote, small city; it was rare for them to receive direct orders from Martial Soul City.

The Branch Hall Master looked at the scroll, his expression even more serious than Su Yuntao's.

"A direct order from the Pope's Palace."

Su Yuntao immediately stood at attention.

The Branch Hall Master said slowly, "A Martial Soul Hall Primary Academy is to be established near Notting City, recruiting students from civilian soul masters."

"The first batch of students shall be prioritized from children who awakened their soul power this year."

Su Yuntao immediately thought of Tang San.

Innate Full Soul Power.

Blue Silver Grass.

If it were in the past, he would only have felt it was a pity.

But now that the Pope's Palace had suddenly ordered the construction of a civilian soul master academy, Su Yuntao felt a vague sense that this matter might not be so simple.

"Lord Deacon, there is a child in Holy Soul Village this year..."

The Branch Hall Master looked up.

"Does he have soul power?"

"He does."

"What is his martial soul?"

"Blue Silver Grass."

Just as the Branch Hall Master began to frown, Su Yuntao added another sentence.

"Innate Full Soul Power."

The scroll in the Branch Hall Master's hand nearly dropped.

"Blue Silver Grass, Innate Full Soul Power?"

"Yes."

The Branch Hall Master was silent for a long time.

If it were ordinary Blue Silver Grass, there would be no need to overthink it.

But with the words Innate Full Soul Power placed here, even the most useless martial soul should not be underestimated.

"Add him to the first list of recommendations."

"Additionally, send someone to Holy Soul Village to notify them that before the Notting City Martial Soul Hall Academy is completed, he may first attend the Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, with half of the expenses subsidized by the Martial Soul Hall."

Su Yuntao was stunned for a moment.

"A subsidy?"

"The order from the Pope's Palace is clear: we must support civilian Soul Masters."

The Branch Hall Master looked at him. "You will handle this matter personally."

Su Yuntao nodded hurriedly.

"Yes."

Just then, a small orange cat jumped down from the rafters without a sound.

"Well done."

Both men in the room were startled.

The Branch Hall Master was about to reprimand the intruder, but upon seeing the small golden bell around the cat's neck, he froze.

There was only one cat in the entire continent that could appear so casually within the Martial Soul Hall.

"H-Holy Cat, my lord?"

Su Yuntao also widened his eyes.

He had only just awakened the martial souls of the children in Holy Soul Village today, and upon returning, he had encountered the legendary Holy Cat.

Wasn't this all a bit too sudden?

Meow Meow raised a paw to signal them not to be nervous.

"This Meow is just passing through to take a look."

"Notting City will be very important in the future."

"Do your jobs well."

The Branch Hall Master bowed immediately.

"This subordinate will certainly do his utmost."

Meow Meow looked at Su Yuntao.

"As for that child you awakened today, do not disturb him too much for now."

"Follow the normal procedures."

"Give him the subsidy as required and record his details as usual."

"Do not revolve around him just because he has Innate Full Soul Power."

Su Yuntao was somewhat puzzled, but he still agreed quickly.

"This subordinate understands."

Meow Meow added, "Also, Blue Silver Grass is not necessarily a trash martial soul."

Su Yuntao was stunned.

Meow Meow did not explain further.

"In the future, when awakening martial souls, do not just look at the name."

"Sometimes, even if they are both called Blue Silver Grass, there can be differences within them."

Su Yuntao fell into deep thought.

The Branch Hall Master, however, firmly committed these words to memory.

Since the Holy Cat had personally offered a reminder, this was definitely not just a casual remark.

Seeing that their reactions were quite earnest, Meow Meow nodded with satisfaction.

"Alright, this Meow is leaving."

Having said that, his figure flashed and vanished once more.

Su Yuntao stared blankly at the empty floor.

"Branch Hall Master, what did the Holy Cat mean by..."

The Branch Hall Master took a deep breath.

"Do as he said."

"Furthermore, recompile the files on that child from Holy Soul Village."

"Blue Silver Grass, Innate Full Soul Power."

"This matter cannot simply be recorded as a trash martial soul."

Su Yuntao nodded.

Yet, he still felt a bit uneasy in his heart.

It seemed he had truly misjudged the situation today.

After leaving Notting City, Meow Meow did not immediately return to Martial Soul City.

He strolled leisurely along the main road for a while.

The roadside was overgrown with weeds, and occasionally, ordinary wild beasts darted through the woods.

As Meow Meow walked, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Not far away, there was a faint, gentle aura.

That aura did not belong to a human.

Nor did it resemble an ordinary soul beast.

It carried a trace of spiritual agility, along with a deeply hidden scent of vegetation.

Meow Meow looked up toward a patch of forest in the distance.

"Xiao Wu?"

He did not approach.

The current Xiao Wu was likely still somewhere preparing to enter the human world.

For a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to take human form was an inherently dangerous choice on the Douluo Continent.

If Meow Meow were to rashly approach now, he might startle her instead.

More importantly, Xiao Wu was entangled in too much.

She was both a soul beast in human form and the most important person in Tang San's future.

Furthermore, her mother was linked to Bibi Dong.

This thread was even more troublesome than Tang San.

Meow Meow squatted by the roadside and pondered for a while, his tail tapping the ground gently.

"Cannot be impatient."

"Impatience leads to chaos."

He had not yet decided how to handle Xiao Wu.

Save her directly?

That would change too much.

Leave her be?

That didn't quite sit right.

After all, Bibi Dong was no longer as extreme as she had been originally; if that same tragedy were to occur in the future, it would mean all of Meow Meow's hard work over these years had been in vain.

"Mark it for now."

Meow Meow extended a paw and tapped lightly in mid-air.

A subtle soul mark descended into the world and quickly vanished.

This was not for tracking.

It was merely a reminder.

If that aura of the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form encountered genuine lethal intent, Meow Meow would sense it.

Having done this, Meow Meow turned around, satisfied.

But just as he took two steps, a faint, ethereal voice suddenly echoed in his ears.

Ding, main storyline of Douluo detected as beginning.

Ding, host has pushed for the early implementation of the Martial Soul Hall commoner soul master training system.

Ding, host has altered the foundational education node of Notting City.

Reward: One Junior Soul Master Textbook Deduction Card, one volume of Martial Soul Adaptation Atlas.

Meow Meow's eyes lit up.

"This is good."

The Junior Soul Master Textbook Deduction Card could be used perfectly to refine the Martial Soul Hall academies.

The Martial Soul Adaptation Atlas was also useful.

In the future, both Soul Pacts and soul ring selections could be made more stable.

Meow Meow's mood improved significantly.

"It seems this trip was not in vain for this cat."

He was just about to head back to Martial Soul City when he suddenly looked toward the direction of Holy Soul Village again.

Over there, Tang San had already returned to the blacksmith shop.

Tang Hao sat at the entrance, his wine flask set aside.

Neither father nor son spoke.

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows before the blacksmith shop.

Meow Meow glanced at it, then withdrew his gaze.

Everyone has their own path to walk.

Tang San would walk his path.

Martial Soul Hall would also walk the path of Martial Soul Hall.

As for who would be right or wrong, who would win or lose in the end, it was far too early to tell.

However, there was one thing Meow Meow was very clear about.

This time, Martial Soul Hall would not stand idly by and wait to be overthrown.

Bibi Dong would not.

Qian Renxue would not.

Hu Liena would not.

And those commoner Soul Masters supported by Martial Soul Hall would not, either.

Meow Meow transformed into a streak of orange light, vanishing into the night.

Martial Soul City.

When Meow Meow returned to the Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong had not yet retired for the night.

It was as if she had known Meow Meow would return; a small plate of dried fish sat on the table.

Meow Meow's eyes lit up.

"Who prepared this?"

Bibi Dong said indifferently, "It is not for you."

Meow Meow had already leaped onto the table and snatched a piece of dried fish in his mouth.

"Then this cat will eat it on their behalf."

Bibi Dong looked at him, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes.

"How was Notting City?"

"Everything has been arranged."

Meow Meow chewed on the dried fish, speaking vaguely, "That child is indeed not simple."

Bibi Dong did not ask for a name.

Since Meow Meow did not offer it voluntarily, it meant the time was not yet right.

"Is he a threat to Martial Soul Hall?"

Meow Meow thought for a moment.

"Not at the moment."

"But it is hard to say for the future."

Bibi Dong's gaze turned slightly cold.

"If he poses a threat in the future, dealing with him early is not out of the question."

Meow Meow shook his head hurriedly.

"Don't."

"It is still too early."

"Besides, there is someone behind him."

Bibi Dong's eyes flickered.

"Tang Hao?"

Meow Meow looked up.

Bibi Dong said calmly, "Blue Silver Grass, Innate Full Soul Power, Holy Soul Village in Fasnuo Province."

"Add to that your assessment that he is not simple."

"It is not hard to guess."

Meow Meow blinked.

"You knew?"

"After the Clear Sky Sect went into seclusion, Tang Hao went missing for many years."

Bibi Dong's voice was calm.

"If he is truly in Holy Soul Village, it is not entirely unexpected."

Meow Meow lowered his head to chew on the dried fish.

It seemed Her Holiness the Pope was even sharper than he had imagined.

"Don't touch him for now."

Meow Meow said.

"Tang Hao is like a hammer buried in rags right now; whoever touches him gets hurt."

"Besides, our focus right now is not Tang San."

Bibi Dong looked at him.

Meow Meow said earnestly: "It is Martial Soul Hall itself."

"As long as Martial Soul Hall becomes strong and stable enough, even if Tang San grows up in the future, he won't be able to shake the entire Martial Soul Hall as easily as he did before."

Bibi Dong was silent for a moment.

"You saw such a future?"

Meow Meow fell silent as well.

He did not answer directly.

He simply swallowed the last bite of dried fish.

"I saw some of it."

"But things are different now."

Bibi Dong looked at Meow Meow.

After a long while, she nodded gently.

"Then let it continue to be different."

Meow Meow smiled.

"Mm."

He thought for a moment, then added: "Right, I will organize the textbooks for the Notting City Academy tonight."

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't sleeping?"

Meow Meow's body stiffened.

That question was quite piercing to a cat.

"This Cat is doing it for Martial Soul Hall."

"And for the future."

Bibi Dong looked at him with a faint, enigmatic smile.

Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, Meow Meow hurriedly raised a paw to summon the system reward.

"Textbook Deduction Card!"

A faint light fell onto the table, transforming into a thick stack of books.

Martial Soul Basic Identification

Soul Power Introduction and Meditation

Low-Level Soul Beast Illustrated Handbook

Soul Hunting Safety Regulations

Commoner Soul Master Cultivation Common Sense

Soul Master Ethics and Martial Soul Hall Statutes

Meow Meow looked at the last one, his mouth twitching.

"Even this is included?"

Bibi Dong picked up the Soul Master Ethics and Martial Soul Hall Statutes and flipped through it.

"Not bad."

Meow Meow: "..."

He had a feeling those children in Notting City were going to have a very painful time.

But thinking about it, it was for the best.

At least establish the basic rules first.

Don't let them learn how to bully the weak before they even become strong.

If Martial Soul Hall is to improve, it cannot rely solely on the upper echelons.

The foundation must change as well.

Meow Meow lay on the table, looking at the stack of textbooks, and suddenly felt a bit sleepy.

"Is This Cat becoming more and more like an old schoolmaster?"

Bibi Dong said, "Not like him."

Meow Meow breathed a sigh of relief.

Bibi Dong continued, "The old gentleman was not as lazy as you."

Meow Meow: "..."

He silently buried his head into his paws.

Not listening, not listening.

This Meow is going to sleep.