Teacher Yan

Yan felt like he was being singled out.

And the evidence was obvious.

Hu Liena was teaching Martial Soul and Mind.

Xie Yue was teaching Soul Skill Coordination and Combat Rhythm.

Then it was his turn.

Meow Meow had assigned him—

Soul Master Ethics and Martial Soul Hall Statutes.

When Yan received the lesson plan, he froze completely.

He stared in silence for a long while at the lazy little orange-red cat on the cushion.

"Lord Holy Cat."

"Hmm?"

"Can I teach something else?"

"No."

Meow Meow flicked her tail.

"Why?"

"Because you need to learn this the most."

Yan: "..."

Hu Liena lowered her head beside them, trying not to laugh.

Xie Yue, on the other hand, took a serious look at the lesson plan.

Then he fell silent too.

This really wasn't the sort of thing Yan would usually deal with.

Seeing Yan's unconvinced expression, Meow Meow slowly sat up.

"Yan."

"Yes?"

"Do you think that being a powerful Soul Master means you can lose your temper whenever you want?"

"I don't."

"Then did you burn three floor tiles in the training ground yesterday?"

Yan's voice grew a little quieter.

"That was a trial."

"Did you burn through someone's shield during a sparring match the day before?"

"He said I could go all out."

"And did you say the day before that, 'The weak should just keep their distance'?"

Yan shut his mouth.

Meow Meow looked at him.

"So you're the most suitable person to teach this lesson."

Yan was a little confused.

"I'm like this, and I'm still suitable?"

"Of course."

Meow Meow nodded.

"If you know where you went wrong, you can speak from the heart."

"If you just recite the lesson plan, those kids won't listen."

"You need to show them that being strong doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."

"Fire can burn enemies, but it can also light the way."

"You're the Flame Lord, not a walking disaster."

Hu Liena finally couldn't hold back and laughed out loud.

Xie Yue lowered his head and gave a quiet cough.

Yan's face reddened, but he didn't argue again.

He thought Lord Holy Cat was infuriating.

But even if she was infuriating,

she was sometimes right.

Bibi Dong stood nearby, quietly watching the three of them.

"This trip to Notting City isn't for you to throw your weight around as the Spirit Hall Golden Generation."

"It's for you to see what life is like for ordinary commoner Soul Masters when they first begin cultivating."

"Unlike you, they haven't had the best teachers, resources, and training grounds since childhood."

"Many of them don't even know how to circulate Soul Power."

Hu Liena and the others grew serious.

"Yes, teacher."

Meow Meow added, "Also, if you meet a child named Tang San, don't go out of your way to get close to him, and don't deliberately suppress him."

"Just teach as usual."

Yan was startled.

"Who's Tang San?"

"A Blue Silver Grass that's not quite ordinary."

Meow Meow replied.

"He may be a lot of trouble in the future."

Hearing Blue Silver Grass, Yan couldn't help asking, "How much trouble can Blue Silver Grass be?"

Meow Meow looked at him.

Yan immediately shut his mouth.

Over the past few years, he had gotten into the habit of listening.

If Lord Holy Cat said someone was trouble, then that person was probably trouble.

Doubting her was likely to earn him a scolding.

Meow Meow nodded with satisfaction.

"Remember, never look down on any Martial Soul."

"Especially you, Yan."

Yan: "..."

Why me again?

Three days later.

The three special teachers arrived at Notting City's Martial Soul Hall Holy Fire Primary Academy.

Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.

They weren't particularly old,

but their bearing was clearly different from that of ordinary students.

As soon as the three arrived, the Branch Hall Master of Notting City came out personally to greet them.

Su Yuntao stood especially straight.

These were geniuses from Spirit City.

They were very likely to become true high-ranking members of Spirit Hall in the future.

The children at the academy were curious too.

Wang Sheng leaned over the window for a look, then quickly pulled back.

"What a pretty big sister."

Xiao Wu took a look too.

"She really is pretty."

Tang San also looked up.

He saw Hu Liena.

The girl was much older than them. Her gaze was gentle, yet there was something indescribably captivating about her features.

Tang San immediately looked away.

He had a feeling there was more to her than met the eye.

Xiao Wu grinned when she saw this. "Tang San, are you blushing?"

Tang San replied calmly, "No."

"You just dodged her gaze."

"She's a spiritual-type Soul Master," Tang San said.

Xiao Wu paused, then looked at Hu Liena again.

"How do you know?"

"A feeling."

Tang San didn't elaborate.

Although his Purple Demon Eye hadn't reached mastery yet, he was sensitive to fluctuations in spiritual power.

The aura around Hu Liena wasn't something an ordinary Soul Master could possess.

Just then, Su Yuntao walked to the lectern.

"Today, three students from Spirit Hall Academy will be teaching you."

"The first class is Soul Master Ethics and Martial Soul Hall Statutes."

"Today's instructor is Yan."

Yan stepped forward.

The whole room fell silent.

Yan's expression stiffened a little.

He'd rather fight three matches on the training ground than stand in front of a group of children and talk about statutes.

Hu Liena sat to one side, smiling faintly.

Xie Yue glanced at him too.

Yan took a deep breath.

He couldn't let Spirit Hall down.

And he especially couldn't let Lord Holy Cat down.

He picked up the Meow Meow Chalk and wrote the first line on the board.

Strength is no excuse for bullying the weak.

As the chalk touched the board, the writing glimmered faintly.

The children in the classroom immediately paid closer attention.

Yan had originally planned to read from the lesson plan.

But once he stood up there, he suddenly remembered Meow Meow's words.

If you know where you went wrong, you can speak from the heart.

So he set the lesson plan aside.

"I didn't really understand this before."

The children were taken aback.

Hu Liena raised her head slightly too.

Yan looked at the board, his voice quieter than usual.

"My Martial Soul is the Flame Lord."

"Ever since I was a kid, I thought that as long as my flames were strong enough, that was all that mattered."

"When I faced an opponent, I'd burn my way through."

"When I encountered an obstacle, I'd burn my way through."

"When I met someone weaker than me, I thought they should just get out of my way."

He paused there.

"Then Lord Holy Cat gave me a good scolding."

The children perked up immediately.

Lord Holy Cat!

Xiao Wu perked up her ears too.

Tang San's gaze shifted slightly.

He had heard that title several times already.

Many of Spirit Hall's recent changes seemed to be connected to that Lord Holy Cat.

Yan continued:

"She said fire can burn enemies, but it can also light the way."

"If a powerful Soul Master only knows how to bully the weak, that isn't strength."

"It means he's lost control."

The classroom fell silent as his words settled.

Wang Sheng lowered his head and looked at his hands.

He had once been the boss of Dorm Seven, and he had bullied new Work-Study Students, too.

They had only been dormitory rules, but now that he thought about it, they didn't seem quite right.

Xiao Wu glanced at Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng immediately sat up straight.

Yan continued:

"Spirit Hall awakens the Martial Souls of children from ordinary families not to raise a bunch of Soul Masters who use their Soul Power to bully ordinary people."

"If you become powerful one day, remember this."

"People without Soul Power aren't beneath you."

"They simply can't walk the path of a Soul Master."

"If one day you use your Martial Soul to bully them, then the subsidies, textbooks, and schooling Spirit Hall gave you will all become a joke."

Tang San felt a slight stir in his heart as he listened.

He hadn't expected someone from Spirit Hall to teach like this.

It was quite different from what he'd originally heard about the world of Soul Masters.

Xiao Wu was quiet, too.

She had thought that this man named Yan looked hot-tempered, so he would probably speak just as harshly.

But what he said was surprisingly righteous.

As Yan continued, he seemed to get more and more comfortable with the lesson.

"Statutes aren't meant to restrain you."

"They're meant to remind you."

"The stronger a Soul Master is, the easier it is to make mistakes."

"Because there are plenty of people who can't beat you."

"But just because they can't beat you doesn't mean you're right."

After saying the last sentence, even he seemed a little stunned.

It sounded as if he'd said it for the children.

And as if he'd said it for himself, too.

Hu Liena looked at Yan, her gaze softening a little.

Xie Yue nodded slightly.

Yan had taught this lesson better than they'd expected.

After class, Wang Sheng was the first to stand up.

"Teacher Yan."

Yan almost didn't react.

Teacher?

That sounded a little strange.

"What is it?"

Wang Sheng scratched his head. "If I bullied people in the past, is it still in time to change now?"

Yan fell silent for a moment.

"It is."

"But just saying you'll change won't do any good."

"You have to act."

Wang Sheng nodded.

"I understand."

Xiao Wu smiled beside him. "Then don't act like the boss of Dorm Seven all the time from now on."

Wang Sheng looked a little embarrassed.

"You're the boss now."

Xiao Wu huffed.

"Then I won't bully people, either."

Watching them, Yan suddenly felt that his lesson might really have been worthwhile.

Tang San, meanwhile, walked up to Hu Liena.

"Teacher Hu Liena."

Hu Liena looked at him.

"You're Tang San?"

"Yes."

"What would you like to ask?"

Tang San said, "I'd like to know whether a spiritual-type Soul Master can influence someone's judgment of a Martial Soul."

Hu Liena's eyes shifted slightly.

That was a rather profound question for a child who had just enrolled.

"Yes."

She answered seriously.

"But you shouldn't use it carelessly."

"If you influence someone's mind in battle, it's a Soul Skill."

"If you use it in everyday life to manipulate someone's emotions at will, that's an evil act."

Tang San nodded.

"Is Charm the same?"

Hu Liena smiled.

"Yes."

"Charm isn't about making someone lose themselves."

"A truly skilled spiritual Soul Master must first understand what someone else is thinking."

"Not just make them unable to see you clearly."

Tang San fell into thought.

Hearing this, Xiao Wu chimed in.

"Then can you tell what I'm thinking?"

Hu Liena glanced at Xiao Wu.

She was about to answer when she suddenly sensed an unusual aura about her.

Lively.

And pure.

Yet with a hint of wariness hidden beneath it.

Hu Liena didn't probe her forcefully.

She only smiled and said, "You're thinking that the people from Spirit Hall don't seem as annoying as you thought."

Xiao Wu's eyes widened.

"How did you know?"

Hu Liena blinked.

"Just a guess."

Xiao Wu huffed.

"I'm not!"

Tang San glanced at her but didn't call her out.

Just then, Xie Yue walked over and casually picked up a wooden training sword.

"The next lesson is Combat Rhythm."

Wang Sheng and the others immediately grew excited.

Xie Yue looked at Tang San.

"Want to give it a try?"

Tang San looked up.

"Me?"

"Mm."

"You only awakened your Martial Soul recently, so you're perfect for a demonstration."

Tang San didn't refuse.

He walked into the center of the training ground, and Blue Silver Grass sprouted from his palm.

Xie Yue didn't use his actual Moon Blade; he only had a wooden sword.

"The first thing a control-type Soul Master needs to learn isn't how to control others."

Tang San paused.

Xie Yue said, "It's how to control distance."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Yue stepped forward.

Tang San instinctively lashed out with Blue Silver Grass.

Xie Yue easily knocked it aside with a flick of his wooden sword.

Then the tip of the sword stopped in front of Tang San's shoulder.

"If your opponent gets this close, you've already lost."

Tang San's expression turned serious.

He wasn't upset just because he'd lost.

On the contrary, he saw that Xie Yue had taken only one simple step.

But that step had landed exactly where Blue Silver Grass was hardest to use.

"Again,"

Tang San said.

Xie Yue nodded.

The second time, Tang San retreated in advance and sent Blue Silver Grass curling around from the side.

Xie Yue didn't rush to attack. Instead, he pressed down on the Blue Silver Grass with his wooden sword, forcing Tang San to change direction.

The third time.

The fourth time.

The fifth time.

Tang San lost every time.

But each time, he understood why.

This was different from simply being beaten.

Xie Yue didn't show off.

He simply helped Tang San see what openings a control-type Soul Master was most likely to expose in actual combat.

Xiao Wu watched closely from the side.

She noticed that Xie Yue's speed wasn't remarkable, and he wasn't using much strength, either.

But his judgment was sharp.

Someone like him would be difficult to deal with.

Watching Tang San try again and again, Yan said quietly, "That kid really is extraordinary."

Hu Liena nodded.

"He learns quickly."

When Xie Yue put away his sword, he offered his own assessment, too.

"Not bad."

"But don't rely too much on Blue Silver Grass."

Tang San cupped his hands.

"Thank you, Teacher Xie Yue."

Xie Yue paused.

That was the second time he'd been called teacher today.

It felt a little strange.

But he didn't mind it.

Far away in Spirit City, Meow Meow watched the scene and licked his paw in satisfaction.

"Good."

"The Golden Generation is starting to feel like a group of teachers, too."

Bibi Dong sat beside him, watching the scene inside the Soul-Calming Bell.

"Tang San learns quickly."

"Of course,"

Meow Meow said.

"He's clever to begin with."

Bibi Dong looked at him.

"Aren't you worried he'll grow stronger and stronger?"

"Strong opponents make things interesting."

Meow Meow's tail swished.

"If all we do is suppress others and keep them from growing stronger, Spirit Hall will never become truly strong."

"Let them grow."

"Then make sure Spirit Hall's people are stronger than they are."

Bibi Dong fell silent for a moment.

"You certainly sound confident."

"Of course."

Meow Meow drawled, "People trained by the Cat Sect can't possibly lose to a blade of grass."

The corners of Bibi Dong's mouth lifted slightly.

Just then, a system notification chimed.

[Ding! Yan has completed a public lesson. His temperament has improved slightly.]

[Ding! Hu Liena's understanding of spiritual abilities has been corrected.]

[Ding! Xie Yue's combat instruction has taken shape.]

[Ding! Tang San's understanding of combat has improved ahead of schedule.]

[Ding! Xiao Wu's hostility toward the Spirit Hall Golden Generation has decreased.]

[Reward: One Golden Generation Advanced Training Pack.]

Meow Meow's eyes lit up.

There was a pack for this, too?

As expected of me.

He opened the pack.

[Golden Generation Advanced Training Pack: One Earth Fire Insight for Yan, one Moon Phase Blade Intent for Xie Yue, and one Heart Shadow Dreamscape for Hu Liena.]

After reading it, Meow Meow's tail nearly shot straight up.

Excellent stuff.

These three were just what each of them needed to address their weaknesses.

"Your Holiness."

"Yes?"

"When they get back, give them more lessons."

Bibi Dong looked at Meow Meow.

"Didn't you say they needed to balance work and rest?"

Meow Meow put on a solemn expression.

"They've already been out having fun."

Bibi Dong: "..."

Notting City.

Yan suddenly shivered.

Hu Liena looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

Yan frowned.

"Not sure."

"I just have a feeling Lord Holy Cat is plotting against me."

Xie Yue calmly replied, "No need to just have a feeling."

Yan: "..."

That was true, too.

Just then, Xiao Wu came over.

"Teacher Yan."

Yan looked at her.

"What is it?"

Xiao Wu asked with a grin, "Did you really burn the training ground's floor tiles?"

Yan's face darkened.

"Who said that?"

"You did, during class."

"..."

Everyone in Dorm Seven burst out laughing.

Yan rubbed his forehead.

He suddenly realized that being a teacher was much more trouble than fighting.

But for some reason,

he didn't dislike it that much.