Martial Soul Theory

The time Zhou Yi had given them to change was a quarter of an hour. Yet aside from Bai Cai and Wang Dong, no one took longer than the time it took to burn two sticks of incense.

Bai Cai waited for Wang Dong, but when she still didn't show, she went to wash up in the public bath at the end of the hallway and lost track of time.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhou Yi arrived at the Freshman Class One classroom right on time. She silently counted heads. All ninety-one remaining students were present, and she said with satisfaction, "Class is starting. The vast majority of you honestly completed the running test. I'm basically satisfied."

"Before we begin, Huo Yuhao, stand up."

"Teacher Zhou." Sitting beside Bai Cai, Huo Yuhao sprang to his feet, his back ramrod straight.

Zhou Yi said coldly, "State your Soul Power Level."

Most students at Shrek Academy belonged to a hierarchy of discrimination. At the bottom were usually common-born Soul Masters with low Soul Power Levels and poor family backgrounds. Their chances of graduating were extremely slim.

In the middle were either talented common-born Soul Masters or students with connections to nobles and various Martial Soul sects. The latter made up the vast majority.

At the very top were figures like Xu Sanshi, the young sect master of the Black Tortoise Sect; Bei Bei, grandson of the Dragon God Douluo; Ning Tian of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect; and Wang Dong, the Clear Sky Sect's darling.

Of course, Bei Bei and Wang Dong were both hiding their true identities. Wang Dong had even enrolled as an ordinary Soul Master.

Huo Yuhao knew that if he revealed his Soul Power Level, his classmates would surely laugh at him.

The rule among Soul Masters was that the strong were respected. A student with a poor family background and a low Soul Power Level would inevitably be ostracized.

But could he refuse Zhou Yi's order? Or try to hide the truth from a Six-Ring Soul Emperor?

"My Soul Power Level is eleven," Huo Yuhao replied respectfully.

When they heard Huo Yuhao admit that his Soul Power Level was only eleven, most of the students showed some doubt in their eyes. Only Bai Cai and Wang Dong were exceptions.

Bai Cai remembered how this part of the story went. Wang Dong's mind had wandered off, and no one knew what she was thinking about.

Everyone knew that Shrek Academy's minimum admission requirement was to reach Soul Power Level fifteen before turning twelve. Huo Yuhao had only reached level eleven, so how had he passed the academy's entrance examination?

Most students were filled with questions, while a few watched with interest. Nearly every strange gaze in the class converged on Huo Yuhao, who had stood up on his own.

"Exactly. Huo Yuhao's Soul Power Level is only eleven. I know you're all wondering why he was able to pass the academy's entrance examination."

"Now that I've told you, no student is allowed to use this as an excuse to make things difficult for Huo Yuhao before he's eliminated."

"Huo Yuhao is an academy-invited student. He didn't need to take the entrance examination to enroll. That's the only privilege invited students receive. If he can't complete the academy's assigned coursework, he'll still be eliminated."

"All right, sit down." Zhou Yi nodded to him.

"Thank you, Teacher." Huo Yuhao bowed gratefully. Zhou Yi had clearly made him state his Soul Power Level to protect him!

Zhou Yi smiled, her wrinkles crinkling like orange peel. Then she turned to the blackboard and wrote the characters for offense and defense, circling each one.

"I know many of you are very dissatisfied with my teaching methods, but you don't dare talk back to a Six-Ring Soul Emperor."

"But once you become high-ranking Soul Masters, you'll naturally understand my intentions. I can't be bothered to explain the rest."

"You all know the two words circled on the board. The second lesson today is about offense and defense among Soul Masters."

"Since ancient times, Soul Masters have been divided into many systems according to the focus and tendencies of their Martial Souls. These include the Power Attack System, Agility Attack System, support, food, control, and defense systems, among others."

"Some Soul Masters take an unconventional path and forge their own way; others follow the rules and proceed step by step. The different methods of cultivation are too numerous to list."

After reviewing the classifications and systems of Soul Masters, Zhou Yi suddenly called on someone. "Bai Cai, answer this. Which systems are good at attacking, and which tend toward defense or support?"

Bai Cai rose calmly and thought for a moment. "Soul Masters who are good at attacking are good at attacking. Soul Masters who tend toward defense tend toward defense."

"A glib answer that means nothing." Zhou Yi frowned. "Incorrect."

"Teacher Zhou, please hear the rest of my answer," Bai Cai said evenly.

"Oh?" Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow. "I'll give you another chance."

Bai Cai took a deep breath and explained, "Offense, defense, and support aren't suitable standards for dividing Soul Masters into systems. They're better understood as three tendencies in combat style."

"Some Power Attack System Soul Masters aren't necessarily good at attacking head-on; they're better suited to counterattacks. Some defense-type Soul Masters excel at defending a wide area and are suited to support. Some support-type Soul Masters lean toward weakening and controlling their enemies, taking the lead in battle. Their actual role is the same as that of Power Attack System or Agility Attack System Soul Masters."

"Soul Masters with turtle-type Martial Souls usually take defensive Soul Rings. But the Eagle Turtle, Crocodile Turtle, and Black Tortoise Martial Souls all have powerful attack attributes, with defense as a secondary strength. They're perfectly suited to become Power Attack System Soul Masters."

"Vine-type Martial Souls usually take control-type Soul Rings. However, vine-type Martial Souls such as Ghost Vine and Thorn Vine lean more toward weakening the enemy and counterattacking from a defensive position. They could be called team-defense Soul Masters."

Teachers at Farnos Junior Soul Master Academy hardly ever checked Bai Cai's Martial Soul Theory assignments. Her grades in the subject were excellent, and by the first half of her second year, her assignments had already turned into academic papers.

In the second half of the year, Bai Cai was advised to leave the academy. Her papers were too profound. Some teachers had a relatively limited grasp of the subject and struggled to grade her work; they couldn't even tell whether her conclusions were right.

Of course, most Soul Master academies didn't care about academic grades at all. Knowing how to tell the species and age of a Soul Beast and choose a suitable Soul Ring was enough to make someone a qualified Soul Master.

To put it simply, graduates of most Soul Master academies remembered only the basics, such as how to choose a direction for future development based on their Martial Soul's abilities. Only graduates of Shrek Academy knew more.

Bai Cai had even given serious thought to the basis for classifying Soul Master systems, and whether that basis matched reality.

"Excellent!" Zhou Yi praised her, a rare occurrence. "The five-part classification used ten thousand years ago—Power Attack System, Agility Attack System, defense, control, and support—was full of flaws. Some Soul Master academies and sects still use those outdated methods to train Soul Masters."

"Shrek Academy recruits students from all over the continent. Once new students enroll, we have to quickly change their old ideas about Martial Souls and Soul Masters."

"Of course, the original approach was to discuss how the development of Soul Tools blurred the lines between offense and defense." Zhou Yi applauded her answer. "You didn't mention Soul Tools, but your grounding in Martial Soul Theory is quite solid."

"However, our main goal over the next three months is to pass the freshman examination. Only after that will we divide you into classes according to your Martial Souls and your inclinations as Soul Masters."

"All right, that's it for this morning's lessons. I suggest you have a good lunch. This afternoon, we begin physical training."

"Also, Bai Cai and Huo Yuhao, I'll be waiting for you in my office."