Academy "Rules" (First Update)

Thunder Academy.

Chunks of broken wall tumbled to the ground, dust drifting through the sunlight.

The loud crash from the reception room completely shattered Thunder Academy's deathly silence.

Compared to Lin Mo and Shen Lin's composure, Thunder Academy's side had practically exploded.

The three boys who had fled in panic had long lost their earlier arrogance. Wearing flustered expressions, they rushed through the academy corridors toward the mimicry training grounds in the inner court.

Thunder Valley, mimicry training grounds.

Dark clouds loomed overhead here, with flashes of lightning faintly flickering within them.

Compared to mimicry training grounds for other elements, Thunder Academy's conditions were far more demanding.

Skywater Academy could simulate an icy environment in the frigid Northern Territory.

Blazing Fire Academy could establish mimicry training grounds around a volcano.

Plant Academy could choose a primeval forest for natural-environment mimicry training.

Thunder Academy alone depended entirely on the season and the weather.

Even their so-called mimicry training grounds were merely located in areas that received frequent thunderstorms. They still had to rely on the seasons; such conditions were not available whenever or wherever they wanted.

This was already Thunder Academy's finest training ground.

At this moment, within Thunder Valley.

A tall, straight-backed youth sat cross-legged, his eyes closed as he regulated his breathing.

He looked no more than eleven or twelve. His Thunder Academy uniform was spotless, his short black hair neat and crisp, and his sharp brows and eyes carried an icy edge. He possessed the innate nobility and pride of an outstanding heir from a great clan.

He was one of the twin stars of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—Yu Tianxin.

He was eleven years old this year.

A level twenty-seven assault-type Soul Grandmaster.

Born with level-nine Soul Power, he followed the most demanding path of extreme cultivation.

His cultivation talent was indisputably the greatest among Thunder Academy's current generation!

At this moment, pale-blue lightning Soul Power slowly coiled around Yu Tianxin's body.

"Senior Tianxin! Something's wrong!"

Three hurried sets of footsteps burst in, breaking the tranquility of the valley.

The three youths who had provoked Lin Mo earlier rushed up, panting heavily, their faces filled with panic and resentment.

Yu Tianxin slowly opened his eyes. A flash of deep-blue lightning streaked across them as his cold, sharp gaze swept over the three.

"What is it? Why are you so flustered?"

His voice was not loud, yet it carried an intimidating pressure that instantly subdued the three youths' panic and made them lower their heads unconsciously.

The short-haired youth at the front gritted his teeth and hurriedly reported.

"Two people from Plant Academy came over, claiming that they had a partnership with our academy. They brought some scrap of paper and demanded to enter our academy's Soul Hunting Forest to hunt for Soul Rings."

"...That guy was incredibly arrogant. Not only did he collapse the reception room wall, but he also spouted nonsense, saying everyone in our academy was trash and that letting us have lightning-type soul beasts was a waste."

"He said... not one of us could fight, and that he was definitely entering the Soul Hunting Forest."

"He, he also said that if anyone could defeat him, they would immediately get the hell out of our academy."

The three embellished the story, completely erasing their own fault in starting the trouble. They portrayed Lin Mo as the one wantonly provoking them and deliberately exaggerated the situation.

"So arrogant? What is his cultivation level?" Yu Tianxin raised a brow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing through his eyes.

"Probably level twenty. A plant Martial Soul, some strange vine with lightning attributes."

Level twenty? Probably?

"He doesn't have a second Soul Ring?" Yu Tianxin asked.

"N-No." The three youths' faces immediately flushed red.

The other party had only one Soul Ring. They had no reason to bully someone weaker.

Moreover, that fellow from Plant Academy had likely been targeting One-Ring Soul Masters of the same realm.

He was stuck at level twenty and causing trouble at Thunder Academy. Did he really think Thunder Academy had no one capable?

"You three couldn't beat him?" Yu Tianxin asked again.

"No... No, that's not it. We didn't fight." The short-haired youth repeatedly waved his hands.

"What exactly happened? Explain it clearly." Yu Tianxin's voice turned cold.

The three stammered before finally recounting how Lin Mo had used a Soul Ring skill to blast down the reception room wall.

"So, the three of you retreated without fighting and ran away?" Yu Tianxin's gaze had already changed.

The three lowered their heads and did not dare make a sound.

"He sounds interesting. Let's go take a look." Yu Tianxin withdrew his Soul Power aura, completely ending his cultivation cycle.

Such a rare lightning-type mutated plant Martial Soul.

The other party's talent was probably not bad. He was just somewhat arrogant, having never received a beating from a true genius.

It was only because they were separated by one Soul Ring. Otherwise, he truly would have liked to test the other party.

Meanwhile, inside the reception room.

Thunder Academy's Dean hurried over with two instructors.

The moment he entered, he wore a sincere and apologetic expression, slightly bowing toward Shen Lin and Lin Mo.

"Instructor Shen Lin, young friend, today's matter was indeed caused by our academy's students being rude, unruly, and spoiled enough to stir up trouble..."

"...I have already severely reprimanded them. They will certainly be punished in the coming days, and I offer the two of you my apologies." The Dean was broad and stout, his face piled with a guilty smile.

With a string of proper pleasantries, he gently brushed aside the matter of the students provoking trouble while preserving Thunder Academy's dignity.

Shen Lin knew they were merely polite formalities and did not press the issue. Instead, he took the initiative to bring up the damaged reception room wall...

Lin Mo took a bag of gold coins from his sleeve and placed it directly on the tea table.

Thunder Academy's Dean stiffened slightly and swallowed the "It's fine" he had been about to say.

There was no reason to refuse free money.

But just now, was that... a storage Soul Tool?

They reevaluated this student from Plant Academy.

Judging by his clothing, generosity, and bearing, he did not seem ordinary.

Thunder Academy's attitude became even more courteous.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Shen Lin got to the point.

He took out the academy document and explained their purpose.

All of this had been decided in advance through discussions among the academy higher-ups. They were merely here to put it into effect.

"I already know about this matter. It's easily handled," the Dean said with a smile.

"However, regarding entry into the Soul Hunting Forest, I must first explain our academy's regulations to you both." The Dean's expression then turned serious.

Shen Lin's heart stirred.

What trick was this old fox trying to pull now?

"As everyone knows, lightning-type soul beasts are already scarce and rare. Hundred-year lightning soul beasts are even more precious. Every one of them is a core resource accumulated through our academy's long-term efforts. They do not come easily, and every loss means one fewer." His tone was fair yet stern, his reasoning sound.

"Therefore, our academy's exclusive Soul Hunting Forest has always allowed only students to enter alone. All instructors and high-level Soul Masters are strictly forbidden from accompanying them into the forest," the Dean said.

The eyes of the two accompanying instructors twitched slightly.

Did our academy have such a rule?

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Lin's expression darkened slightly.

"Other Soul Hunting Forests do not seem to have such a rule, do they?"

"Besides, even artificially maintained hunting forests carry danger. Making a child in his teens face them alone is rather heartless."

"Do your academy's students also need to hunt their first Soul Ring alone after enrolling?" Shen Lin shot back directly.

Hearing this, Lin Mo inexplicably rubbed the tip of his nose.

He's not talking about me.

"No, no. Soul Scholars are naturally not included," the Dean said with a smile.

"In other words, this rule only applies to Soul Masters advancing from one Soul Ring to two?" Shen Lin's face had already turned cold.

Thunder Academy was going too far.

They could make up rules on the spot and even add restrictions specifically tailored to their situation.