The Eleven-Year-Old Prodigy

Lin Feng's gaze shifted, landing on the buff shop nearby, his eyes lingering longingly on the Shadow Overlord shrouded in darkness at the very top.

Then there was that glaring price tag of "one million Gold Soul Coins" for unlocking it below, and he couldn't help but click his tongue.

"One million... I have no idea when I'll ever be able to scrape that much together."

He muttered to himself in his heart, "I can only hope my cheap teacher pulls through and brings a bit more investment capital next time she visits."

Heaven Dou City.

Inside the imperial palace, Qian Renxue had shed her crown prince's robes and was dressed in a simple white palace gown embroidered with gold. Her long golden hair was loosely pinned behind her, revealing that breathtakingly beautiful face—the one she usually kept hidden beneath a mask—which was enough to topple kingdoms.

She leaned lazily against her chair, holding the letter that had just arrived from Suotuo City, reading the contents word by word.

"Thank you for lending me such a high-level expert, Teacher. Uncle Long is very professional and useful, he's great. These gold coins and some gemstones are my tribute to you, Teacher. I hope you like them; the gift has been sent and I refuse to take it back."

Seeing that stubborn "refuse to take it back," a rare, genuine smile bloomed in Qian Renxue's usually cold and calm eyes, her dimples appearing faintly. It was a pity that no one was there to witness such a beautiful sight.

She continued reading the latter half of the letter, "Teacher, remember to balance work and rest, and eat well. Your student has developed a new dish recently; I'll make it for you to taste when we meet next time..."

Qian Renxue took the exquisite, beautiful pink gemstone out of the envelope, staring at it in a trance.

The gem shimmered with brilliant radiance under the light, without a single impurity.

"Is this what it feels like to be cared for? So this is how wonderful it is; it feels so good!"

Qian Renxue looked up toward the direction of Suotuo City, her eyes revealing a tenderness and anticipation she hadn't even noticed herself.

"Soon, we will be able to meet again very soon..."

Three years later, Shrek Academy, Morning light spilled through the window lattice, landing on the handsome youth sitting cross-legged in meditation on his bed.

The youth was dressed in a golden martial outfit, his soul power circulating steadily throughout his body.

After an unknown amount of time, He slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through his pupils before he exhaled a long, turbid breath.

"Three years, three whole years."

Lin Feng clenched his fists, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions, "Finally, I've reached the level of a thirty-level Soul Elder."

The innate cultivation defects of a support-type martial soul were far more severe than he had originally anticipated.

A normal soul master with Innate Full Soul Power could steadily reach the threshold of a Soul Elder within two years, yet he had been forced to spend an entire extra year.

And that was only the result of pouring countless cultivation resources into himself over these three years, absorbing soul rings beyond his level, and consuming top-tier Whale Rubber to push his limits.

For three years, his contact with Qian Renxue had never been broken, and the bond between teacher and student had grown steadily. The plan for the immortal herbs he had kept buried in his heart was finally ready to be put on the agenda.

The moment he thought about unlocking more Godly Gear in the shop after absorbing his third soul ring, Lin Feng jumped out of bed and rushed outside in a flurry.

In a small, open square, Flender stood with his hands behind his back, conducting a cultivation check on Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun.

As soon as the results came out, Flender's face turned gloomy. He looked at Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun and barked sharply.

"I'd like to ask you two: do you still have any shame left?"

"Two power-attack beast martial soul users, and you were almost overtaken by a food-system soul master in training. Especially you, Ma Hongjun—look at these results. As your teacher, I feel like I've lost all face."

Ma Hongjun grew anxious, stiffening his neck as he retorted defiantly.

"Dean, I haven't been slacking off! I've completed every training task you assigned honestly. How can this be entirely my fault? If you want to blame someone, blame..."

He got halfway through his sentence before meeting Flender's death stare. He instantly wilted, lowered his head, and obediently shut his mouth.

"Fine, fine, fine, blame me, it's all my fault..."

Flender looked at these two hopeless disciples and felt his anger rising. He let out a cold laugh.

"It is my fault—my fault for underestimating your potential. From today on, your daily training volume will be doubled."

"What! Doubled!"

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun suddenly jerked their heads up, feeling as if the world had gone black. They nearly collapsed on the spot, hurriedly pleading in low, bitter voices.

"Dean, this... isn't this too much? We will definitely work twice as hard from now on..."

Flender didn't even lift an eyelid, ignoring their pleas entirely. He turned to look at Oscar, his expression instantly shifting from overcast to sunny.

He reached out and patted Oscar on the shoulder, his eyes full of gratification as he praised him warmly.

"Oscar, you have done very well. You are excellent."

"I hope you can maintain this state and keep moving forward. Time will prove everything, and every bit of your effort will not be in vain."

"Follow Lin Feng's lead, and don't learn from these two rascals."

Receiving affirmation from the Dean, Oscar's face flushed with excitement. He immediately straightened his back and replied loudly:

"Yes! Dean, I will certainly not let you down."

Flender caught a glimpse of Lin Feng rushing over from a distance out of the corner of his eye and immediately chuckled. He adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose and teased, "Oh! What did I say? I just mentioned you, and here you are."

He scanned Lin Feng up and down.

"Little Lin, looking at how happy you are, could it be that you've broken through to level 30?"

Lin Feng paused his steps, a look of surprise appearing on his face.

"Oh, Dean, you're sharp! I only broke through less than two minutes ago, and you actually guessed it?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Oscar, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun, who were standing nearby, instantly widened their eyes as if they had seen a ghost, exclaiming in unison:

"You really broke through to level 30?!"

"Lin Feng, you aren't joking, are you? An eleven-year-old Soul Elder? How is that possible?"

Flender laughed heartily and raised his hand to pat Lin Feng's shoulder heavily, with enough force to nearly make him stumble.

"Good lad, I certainly didn't misjudge you."

An eleven-year-old level 30 Soul Elder, and with an Auxiliary-system Martial Soul that is naturally slower to cultivate—throughout the history of the entire Spirit Master world, this was unheard of.

The word "genius" was no longer enough to describe Lin Feng; he was simply a monster.

Flender adjusted his glasses, the smile on his face fading as he turned to look at the three shocked students, his expression suddenly turning serious.

"What's impossible about it? Think more about where the gap between you and others lies. Why can others do things that you cannot?"

"Mubai, you are older than them, but the advantage brought by age is not eternal. Go back and think about it carefully."

"Yes! Dean."

Dai Mubai replied with a look of indifference. The moment he lowered his head, a flash of undisguised jealousy flickered in his eyes as he looked at Lin Feng.

Talent, it was talent again.

If he had such heaven-defying talent, he wouldn't have had to flee from the Star Luo Empire in such a sorry state.

He sneered in his heart.

So what if his talent is good? He is just an Auxiliary Spirit Master, a piece of trash who can only hide behind others and rely on them to survive.

Beside him, the joy in Oscar's heart vanished without a trace, and a tremendous sense of pressure surged over him like a tidal wave.

He secretly clenched his fists.

"Level 30? The gap between me and Big Brother is getting wider and wider. It seems my efforts are still not enough."

Only Ma Hongjun was daydreaming the entire time, his mind occupied with where to blow off steam once training ended, not taking the matter to heart at all.

Lin Feng was two years older than him anyway; wasn't it only natural that he was stronger? What was there to be so surprised about?