Soul Power, Level 10

December 1st, morning.

Zhang Yang finished his breakfast in the school cafeteria as usual and headed to the classroom.

Inside, the students were still chattering away, discussing topics that interested them.

Zhang Yang walked into the room and sat down in an empty seat at random.

No one approached him to talk, because the whole class knew Zhang Yang was difficult to get along with; even if someone took the initiative to chat, he would be cold and indifferent.

These children were young, but they weren't stupid; gradually, no one wanted to talk to Zhang Yang anymore.

Zhang Yang actually felt more at ease with this situation.

I pretend to be a child in front of my parents because they are my parents, and I have to consider their feelings, letting them enjoy the joy of teasing a child.

As for you lot, I have no mood to play house with you.

After reaching level 10, Zhang Yang had taken a good two-day rest, not even opening the system. The items he had brought out from the dungeon over the past two days were all piled up in the warehouse, messy and unpleasant to look at.

So, while class hadn't started yet, Zhang Yang took the time to tidy up the warehouse.

He kept the useful items, sold the useless ones, and cleared out some space.

And what was considered useful?

Cola and lemon tea were useful, and vitamin effervescent tablets were useful too.

Zhang Yang would definitely pick these up whenever he saw them.

A can of ice-cold cola could truly embody an author's homesickness.

Just as Zhang Yang was busy cleaning the warehouse, Dean Beckett accompanied a man and a woman, arriving silently outside the classroom.

The visitors were naturally Zhang Lingyue and Zhu Ranqing.

Today was the day Zhang Yang would show off his prowess in public, and as his parents, Zhang Lingyue and Zhu Ranqing would naturally not be absent.

Of course, Zhu Ranqing and Zhang Lingyue did not go inside, but stood quietly outside the door with Dean Beckett, watching.

After bidding farewell to the group, the homeroom teacher Clyde walked into the classroom slowly, carrying a crystal ball.

Then, the first-grade students who had been noisy in the classroom immediately sat up straight, and the room quickly quieted down.

"Teacher Clyde certainly has high standards for classroom discipline," the Dean outside the door said to Zhang Lingyue and his wife with satisfaction.

Zhang Lingyue and Zhu Ranqing did not speak, only watching Zhang Yang, who was lost in his own world in the back row, quietly through the window of the back door.

In the classroom, Clyde placed the crystal ball on the desk and opened the folder in his hand: "Students, the annual school-wide soul power assessment has begun."

"We won't be having class today; instead, we will test your soul power and compare it to your soul power at the time of awakening to see how much progress you have made since then."

Clyde flipped through the files in his hand and said, "Now, when I call your name, come up and touch this blue crystal ball. Hannah Abbott."

Hannah Abbott walked onto the podium and, under everyone's gaze, placed her right hand on the blue crystal ball.

A soft light burst forth from the blue crystal ball.

Teacher Clyde nodded: "Level 3 soul power."

Hannah Abbott walked off the podium, and Clyde recorded the result before looking up and calling out: "Susan Bones."

One student after another walked onto the podium to test their soul power.

After more than 120 students had finished, and everyone had been tested, the homeroom teacher Clyde finally called out: "Zhang Yang."

Finally my turn.

Zhang Yang, who had long been impatient, walked quickly to the podium. Amidst the noisy chatter below and the expectant gazes of his homeroom teacher and his parents outside, he reached out and pressed his hand onto the blue crystal ball.

As Zhang Yang's hand touched the crystal ball, the originally clear and transparent sphere immediately began to glow.

A faint blue halo radiated outward, the light dazzling as if it were a brilliant gemstone.

"Wow."

The light on the podium caught the attention of the students below, and everyone couldn't help but look over.

Among the students before Zhang Yang, it wasn't as if there hadn't been students with level 5 or 6 soul power, but they hadn't been this dazzling when touching the crystal ball.

This left everyone very surprised and curious; just what level of soul power could emit such a brilliant light?

Teacher Clyde blinked and sighed with emotion: "Zhang Yang, you have really given the teacher a huge surprise."

After saying this, Teacher Clyde turned his head and said loudly to the hundred or so first-grade students below: "Zhang Yang, level 10 soul power."

"Wow~~~"

With "level 10 soul power" confirmed by Clyde, Zhang Yang's classmates immediately cried out in shock.

The classroom was suddenly filled with the sound of frogs croaking.

Outside, Zhang Lingyue and Zhu Ranqing's faces were full of pride, while Dean Beckett kept offering his congratulations from the side.

"Entering with level 1 Innate Soul Power and rising directly to level 10 in three months, your son's talent is truly peerless," Beckett laughed. "His future achievements will surely be limitless. Congratulations in advance, Vice Hall Master."

In truth, Zhang Yang had already reached level 5 on the day he enrolled, but there was no soul power test at enrollment, so no one—from the academy to his parents—knew about it.

"The Dean is too kind," Zhang Lingyue said, his face full of irrepressible pride.

The soul power test concluded, Clyde announced the end of class, and the students left the classroom in twos and threes.

Once the classroom was nearly empty, Zhang Yang walked out with a calm expression.

Stepping out of the classroom, the first thing Zhang Yang saw were Zhang Lingyue and Zhu Ranqing, and his face immediately lit up with a brilliant smile: "Dad, Mom."

"Good boy." Zhu Ranqing stepped forward, scooped up the running Zhang Yang, and gave him a face-full of affection.

Seeing this, the academy principal Beckett felt it was inappropriate to remain a third wheel, so he immediately took his leave.

After the family chatted for a while outside the classroom, Zhang Lingyue said: "Alright, let's head home first; we can talk more when we get back."

As they walked out of the teaching building, Zhang Yang rested in Zhu Ranqing's arms, his gaze lingering for a long time on the building as it grew smaller in the distance.

Today might be the last time he would ever walk into a teaching building in reality.

Because as early as that night when they returned home, Zhang Lingyue had already agreed with Zhang Yang that once this test was over, he would transfer schools.

Zhang Lingyue and Zhu Ranqing would not allow Zhang Yang to waste his talent in a place like the Heding City Junior Soul Master Academy.

Zhang Lingyue intended to send Zhang Yang to the Martial Soul Hall Heaven Dou City Academy, which had a faculty several times stronger than his own alma mater, the West Academy.

The Martial Soul Hall Heaven Dou City Academy was the comprehensive academy with the most powerful faculty under the Martial Soul Hall within the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire, featuring a 12-year integrated curriculum with a graduation requirement of reaching the level 31 Soul Elder rank.

An 18-year-old Soul Elder; such a harsh condition was not only a strict gatekeeping of student talent but also placed extremely high demands on the academy's educational resources.

"I have already submitted the application; calculating the time, it should be arriving in Heaven Dou City soon."

"With Yangyang's cultivation talent and his astonishing potential, the transfer should be no problem," Zhang Lingyue said to Zhu Ranqing.

The next day, Zhang Yang climbed out of his familiar large bed, finished washing up and eating breakfast, and headed out with Zhang Lingyue and Zhu Ranqing.

Outside the main gate, a carriage made of exquisite materials and beautifully decorated sat quietly, with the family coachman standing respectfully to the side.

Zhang Lingyue and Zhu Ranqing had also changed out of their usual attire.

Zhang Lingyue's purple deacon robe, which represented his status in the Martial Soul Hall, and Zhu Ranqing's noblewoman furs had all been replaced with form-fitting warrior gear.

Even Zhang Yang was no exception; his loose school uniform had been swapped for clothing that was warm but did not restrict movement.

Boarding the carriage, Zhang Lingyue said to the coachman: "Let's go, to the Star Dou Forest."

On this very same day, a work report was dispatched from the Heding City Martial Soul Branch Hall, with its destination being the Martial Soul Sacred Hall in Heaven Dou City.