Friends

Outside Red Mountain Academy

Tang Ziran did not leave until he had seen Tang Wulin to the academy gates. The academy was very close to home, and he told his son to go straight home after school. Glancing at Nan Fusheng, who was also standing at the gates but all alone, Tang Ziran sighed but said nothing more before heading off to work.

The Soul Master Class had a dedicated teacher waiting to receive students at the academy entrance. Their treatment was clearly much better than that of the regular classes.

Regular classes only provided standard academic education. Beyond that, the Soul Master Class focused more on teaching students born with Innate Soul Power how to become Soul Masters, as well as imparting knowledge about Soul Masters to prepare them for entering intermediate academies in the future.

There were only sixteen students in this year's Soul Master Class. Children whose Martial Souls awakened with Soul Power were simply too rare, especially in a small city like Aolai City. This year's class was already considered relatively large.

At that moment, in the Soul Master Class where Nan Fusheng stood...

"Hey, what's your Martial Soul?" A short, chubby boy sidled up to Nan Fusheng and asked.

They were all children of the same age, full of curiosity about the Soul Master Class life that awaited them.

Nan Fusheng replied blandly, "A Bug." A translucent Bug lay quietly in his palm, wriggling from time to time.

"Pfft." The chubby boy said disdainfully, "A Bug? What a useless Martial Soul." With that, he turned to leave.

Nan Fusheng said nothing more. He merely watched quietly as the chubby boy went around asking the other children what their Martial Souls were.

Before long, the chubby boy reached Tang Wulin. The two seemed to get into an argument, and Tang Wulin said indignantly, "What about you? What's your Martial Soul?"

The chubby boy snorted and waved his right hand. A flash of cold light appeared, and a short blade was already in his hand. "See this? My Martial Soul is a blade. If I can cultivate to become a Title Douluo someday, I'll call myself the Blade God Douluo. My Innate Soul Power is level five. I could chop your few strands of Blue Silver Grass into pieces whenever I wanted."

Looking at the short blade in the other boy's hand, then at the Blue Silver Grass in his own palm, Tang Wulin suddenly recalled what his father had said last night.

Was cultivating Blue Silver Grass into a Soul Master really that difficult?

The other students also showed off their Martial Souls, each with its own unique traits. But no matter what they were, they were all far better than his Blue Silver Grass. Because his Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass, none of the young students gathered in little groups came over to talk to him anymore.

Seeing this, Nan Fusheng knew it was time for him to step in.

"I believe you can definitely become a powerful Soul Master."

Hearing those words by his ear, Tang Wulin turned toward Nan Fusheng. It was him—the person from this morning, Tang Wulin thought.

Just as he was about to say something to Nan Fusheng, the Soul Master Class teacher clapped her hands.

"Hello, everyone. I'm your homeroom teacher, Lin Ximeng. For the next three years, I'll teach you the fundamentals of Soul Masters. First, introduce yourselves. Tell us your names, Martial Souls, and Innate Soul Power Levels."

There were only sixteen students, so the introductions went quickly. When Lin Ximeng heard Tang Wulin and Nan Fusheng introduce their Martial Souls as Blue Silver Grass and a Bug, she could not help but look startled. The other students burst into laughter as well.

Nan Fusheng did not feel much about it. No matter how one looked at it, his Martial Soul was not strong. At least Blue Silver Grass could be used. Tang Sect's founding ancestor, Tang San, had evolved his "Blue Silver Grass" into the "Blue Silver Emperor." As long as they worked hard, perhaps they could achieve it too—at least, that was the excuse he could use to comfort himself.

But what example could he use? Huo Yuhao? He had no Million-Year Soul Beast sacrifice, no old man falling from the sky to give him an inheritance. He only had an inheritance from "Lord of the Mysteries," Nan Fusheng thought, amusing himself.

Tang Wulin, on the other hand, was different. Although Nan Fusheng had comforted him earlier, and although he was now being mocked alongside him, he was still just a child. His state of mind was nothing like Nan Fusheng's. Tang Wulin's little face flushed red, as though a ball of fire were trapped in his heart.

Lin Ximeng quickly returned to normal and smiled. "Today is your first day of class. First, I'll explain the classifications of Martial Souls. This afternoon, I'll guide you through preliminary meditation. Meditation is the only way to train and improve your Soul Power. If you want to become true Soul Masters, you'll have to work hard."

"As everyone knows, every person in our world possesses their own Martial Soul. Martial Souls awaken at the age of six and can take the form of anything. Those born with Soul Power can cultivate to become Soul Masters—that means all of you. So, what classifications do Martial Souls have?"

"First, Martial Souls are divided into two major categories: tool Martial Souls and beast Martial Souls. Those that manifest as living creatures are beast Martial Souls. Those that manifest as nonliving objects are tool Martial Souls. By cultivating Soul Power to strengthen your Martial Soul, you can officially become a Soul Master once your Soul Power Level breaks through level ten."

"Soul Masters are also divided into two major categories: Battle Soul Masters and Tool Soul Masters. Those who cultivate their Martial Souls for combat are Battle Soul Masters, while those who cultivate their Martial Souls for non-combat purposes are Tool Soul Masters. Both Martial Souls and Soul Masters have many further classifications..."

As Tang Wulin listened to Lin Ximeng explain the classifications of Martial Souls and Soul Masters, the resentment in his heart gradually faded. He had been curious about Soul Masters ever since he was little, and this knowledge was like a magnificent world opening a brand-new door before him.

Nan Fusheng listened attentively as well. Although he had learned about the setting of Douluo Continent in his previous life, there was still a difference between novels and reality—not to mention that a certain someone often contradicted established settings.

After explaining some common knowledge about Soul Master cultivation, Lin Ximeng began teaching them some of the writing of Douluo Continent. Even Soul Masters were not born knowing everything. Nan Fusheng did not listen as seriously to this part, since he had already studied it on his own.

Noon arrived quickly. Academy life included one lunch, with no limit on how much students could eat. The Soul Master Class students also ate much better than the regular students.

Although Nan Fusheng was a Soul Scholar, he only ate a little more than an ordinary child. Tang Wulin beside him, however, was different.

Tang Wulin ate a great deal, so much that he immediately earned the nickname "rice bucket." His appetite was nearly equal to half of what the other dozen or so students ate combined. It exceeded even an adult's appetite, leaving Tang Wulin rather depressed.

"Being able to eat is a blessing. I'm actually envious that you can eat so carefree."

Tang Wulin turned to look beside him. It was him—the person from this morning.

"Do you really believe that I can become a powerful Soul Master?"

Tang Wulin looked at Nan Fusheng. For a moment, he did not know what to say, and in the end, he awkwardly managed to ask that question.

"Of course. Didn't Sea God Tang San's teacher, the famous Grandmaster from history, say: 'There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters'?"

Nan Fusheng said words that even he did not believe.

But Tang Wulin believed them. He clenched his fists. "That's right. There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters. Thank you."

Watching Tang Wulin, who seemed to have been brainwashed, Nan Fusheng echoed his agreement. After those few exchanges, the distance between Nan Fusheng and Tang Wulin had narrowed considerably.