Heading to Notting Academy to Report

The first barrier, broken!

Ye Feng felt a surge of wild joy in his heart, but he forcibly suppressed his excitement, knowing now was not the time to be distracted.

With the first burst of energy, the second attempt wanes, and the third is exhausted.

Concentrating all his focus, he guided that thread of energy, which had already grown slightly, to continue along the established path, charging toward the second barrier.

Another soft sound.

The second barrier, broken!

The third...

The fourth...

Like a bamboo being split, unstoppable!

As that initial thread of golden energy breached barrier after barrier, it seemed to trigger a certain power dormant within Ye Feng's body. His innate seventh-rank soul power foundation was, at this moment, fully activated.

Within his silent body, wisps of golden energy began to emerge of their own accord, merging into that torrent and causing it to grow continuously.

From a strand of hair, to a thread of cotton, then to a stream.

The moment the final major barrier was breached, Ye Feng felt his entire body shudder violently.

The golden energy within him, now gathered into a stream, finally completed its first full cycle, surging into his Dantian and settling there to form a tiny golden vortex.

This was his very first strand of soul power!

Though weak, it was incomparably pure, carrying an aura of grand, righteous light.

It's done!

Although it was only the most basic application, it meant that he had officially stepped over the threshold from an ordinary person with mere talent into a Soul Master!

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, another month passed.

During this month, Ye Feng's life became increasingly disciplined.

By day, he remained the most inconspicuous waiter at the Red Romance Hotel.

By night, he transformed into the most devout ascetic.

Whenever the night was deep and quiet, he would sit cross-legged on his wooden dormitory bed, circulating his meditation technique over and over, drawing in energy particles from heaven and earth to strengthen his soul power vortex.

His innate seventh-rank talent was fully revealed at this moment.

In just one month, the soul power in his Dantian had grown from that initial thread to nearly the tenth rank.

Early this morning, before the sky was fully bright, Ye Feng packed up all his belongings.

In truth, there wasn't much.

A semi-old cloth bundle containing a newly purchased black brocade outfit, with fine stitching and fairly sturdy fabric.

This outfit, along with the one he was currently wearing, had cost him a total of one Silver Soul Coin.

This was the largest expense from all the savings he had painstakingly accumulated over the past three months of working from dawn till dusk.

The remaining twenty-nine Silver Soul Coins were carefully wrapped in cloth strips and tucked securely against his chest.

After packing his bag, Ye Feng went to the kitchen in the hotel's backyard.

Wang Dali was chewing on a toothpick, supervising the cooks as they prepared ingredients for breakfast.

"Uncle Wang."

Ye Feng walked up and bowed slightly.

Wang Dali turned around, and seeing him carrying a bundle, he wasn't surprised at all; he simply removed the toothpick and smiled.

"You've decided? You're leaving today?"

"Yes."

Ye Feng nodded:

"The academy starts today, it's time for me to go."

"You kid..."

Wang Dali looked him up and down and shook his head:

"You're going to the academy without any luggage? Are you planning to sleep on a bare wooden bed tonight?"

Ye Feng scratched his head and smiled sheepishly:

"It's fine, I'll make do for one night and go buy some things in the city tomorrow."

Wang Dali rolled his eyes at him, turned, and walked into the adjacent storage room. Before long, he came out carrying a neatly folded quilt and shoved it directly into Ye Feng's arms.

"Here, take it! This is an extra quilt from the hotel. Take it; consider it... consider it Uncle Wang's support for you."

The quilt was thick and carried the scent of sunshine and soap.

Holding the quilt, Ye Feng was momentarily at a loss for what to do.

Over these past three months, although Wang Dali never said it aloud, Ye Feng had kept every bit of the care he received close to his heart.

Teaching him how to read, arranging for him to do relatively light work.

This kindness was heavy.

"Uncle Wang... I..."

"Alright, alright, you're a grown man, don't be so wishy-washy."

Wang Dali waved his hand impatiently, yet he couldn't help but urge him:

"Once you get to the Soul Master Academy, cultivate well and don't let your talent go to waste.

If you don't do well in the future, or if you get bullied, come back anytime. I'm still short a waiter here."

"Mm!"

Ye Feng nodded heavily:

"Uncle Wang, I'll thank you in advance for that."

"It's nothing, come back and visit whenever you're bored."

"Understood, Uncle Wang!"

Ye Feng bowed deeply once more, then clutched the bedding in his arms tightly and turned to walk out of the hotel.

Passing through streets still carrying a hint of the morning chill, the gate of the Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy—not exactly grand, but quite imposing—soon appeared before his eyes.

At the entrance, two guards in academy uniforms were standing watch, bored out of their minds.

Seeing Ye Feng, a youth carrying a bundle and clutching a quilt, walking toward them, one of them instinctively prepared to shoo him away.

Ye Feng said nothing, simply pulling the Spirit Awakening Certificate from his chest and handing it over.

"Hello, I'm a new student here to register."

One guard reluctantly took the certificate and glanced at it casually, but the next second, he froze completely.

"Spirit... Light and Shadow... Innate Soul Power... Level Seven?!"

He rubbed his eyes and leaned in to look again, and after confirming he hadn't misread it, he looked up at Ye Feng as if staring at some kind of monster.

The other guard curiously leaned in as well, and upon seeing the words on the certificate, he also gasped.

"You... you're that genius soul master who awakened in our Nuoding City three months ago?!"

One of the guards asked in shock, his voice filled with disbelief.

A genius with Innate Level Seven Soul Power!

This was no secret in Nuoding City, especially in upper-class circles and fields related to soul masters; it was practically common knowledge.

As academy guards, they had naturally heard of it countless times.

They just hadn't expected the legendary genius to be this youth before them, dressed in simple clothes and even carrying an old quilt.

"Heh, I wouldn't go that far."

Ye Feng smiled modestly:

"There are plenty of geniuses out there; I don't even make the list."

This was actually true.

Innate Level Seven might be a once-in-a-century occurrence in a small place like Nuoding City.

But looking at the entire continent, he was just a minor talent, barely worth mentioning.

The guards' attitudes did a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn; they respectfully returned the certificate to Ye Feng and proactively cleared the way for him.

"Please, go ahead. The registration office is on the first floor of that tallest teaching building ahead."

Ye Feng thanked them and walked through the academy gates with his bedding in his arms.

However, just as he stepped into the academy, a familiar and unpleasant figure appeared ahead.

Yu Xiaogang.

With his hands behind his back, he stood in the middle of the path with a haughty expression, as if he had been waiting specifically for him.

"Ye Feng, is it?"

Yu Xiaogang spoke slowly, his posture one of total control.

"This Master knew you would definitely come to the academy to study."