Li Ping'an stayed at home for a few days, then returned to Notting Academy.
Xiao Wu and the others had returned, too, and the two were reunited.
When Li Ping'an saw Xiao Wu back, he was a little surprised. Shouldn't she have stayed in the Star Dou Great Forest?
"Xiao Wu, what's wrong? Why are you so down?" Li Ping'an asked with concern.
Xiao Wu opened her mouth, but didn't know how to explain it to Li Ping'an.
Was she supposed to tell him that she wasn't human at all, but a Soul Beast who had taken human form—and now admitted she was a bird in a cage?
So all she could do was shake her head and say, "It's nothing."
"Xiao Wu, if you're having any difficulties, you can tell me. I might be able to help!"
Xiao Wu was strangely moved. Maybe these humans aren't so bad after all!
But Li Ping'an saw Xiao Wu's favorability toward him shoot up on the system interface, reaching sixty-five.
I wonder if Xiao Wu will sacrifice herself to me when her favorability reaches eighty, Li Ping'an thought.
"Notting Academy doesn't have much left to offer me."
"It's a pity I can't just leave. Otherwise, Tang Hao might notice something's wrong."
If a Soul Master cultivating Blue Silver Grass went from one level of Soul Power to over ten levels in a little more than a year, who wouldn't get suspicious?
And Tang Hao would definitely think of Ah Yin, then go inspect the secret chamber in the cave.
When that happened, Li Ping'an would surely be exposed, and his parents in this life would be dragged into it.
So he had to reveal his cultivation gradually, making himself look normal.
"If I reveal two levels of Soul Power a year, and gain another level from absorbing a Soul Ring, I can only reach level fourteen in six years."
To hide his strength, he had even given up registering with Spirit Hall to claim the one Gold Soul Coin subsidy.
"No, that's too slow. I'll make myself into a genius."
"To become a genius, I'll start with Martial Soul Theory!"
A few months later.
At the clinic where Li Ping'an worked part-time, several physicians saw that he was spending all his earnings on Whale Rubber and smiled knowingly.
"Being a Soul Master really is the best. When I was his age, I didn't even have a girlfriend."
"I can't believe Physician Li is already using Whale Rubber!"
"But as a physician, I still have to remind you, Physician Li: take care not to overdo it."
"Well, as the saying goes, when you're young, you don't know..."
Li Ping'an was easygoing at the clinic, so the physicians even dared to tease him.
But he didn't really care. He'd lived two lifetimes already—was he going to be afraid of a few dirty jokes?
He had bought the Whale Rubber because he was about to publish a theory on Martial Soul Theory. If he waited any longer, the price would go up.
"Doctors, I don't think there's anything else for me today. I'll head back first!" Li Ping'an said.
The physicians immediately grinned. "Go on, go on. We understand. A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold coins!"
Li Ping'an ignored them and left the clinic.
"Whale Rubber really is cheap right now. Three thousand Gold Soul Coins got me one piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue and two pieces of thousand-year Whale Glue!"
"Ten thousand years from now, that piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue will be worth tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins!"
"I have the clinic to thank for getting me this Whale Rubber. Otherwise, in a small city like this, I'd never find anything of this quality!"
In a small city like this, there weren't many nobles who would spend thousands of Gold Soul Coins on Whale Rubber to boost their virility.
To buy better-quality Whale Rubber, you had to go to a coastal city or one of the major cities or imperial capitals.
"Now that I've bought the Whale Rubber, it's time to publish my theory!" Li Ping'an thought.
With a theory to back him up, he could break through a little faster without arousing suspicion.
Otherwise, with a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and an Innate Soul Power of one, he might not even graduate from a junior Soul Master Academy. And he wanted to be a genius?
The next day, at the Academic Affairs Office.
Director Su held the few sheets of manuscript Li Ping'an had handed him.
"You say this is a theory on Martial Soul Theory that you wrote, and you want to use our academy's connections to publish it?"
Director Su gave him a peculiar look, as if he were looking at a fool.
"Director Su, why not read it before asking? I can answer any questions you have!"
"If you think the theory isn't fit to publish, I can try to find another way!" Li Ping'an said.
"Another way? What connections could a work-study student like you possibly have?" Director Su said with an incredulous laugh.
This was a world where connections mattered, too.
If Yu Xiaogang hadn't had the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Spirit Hall backing him, how could his theories have spread so widely?
"Director Su, Xiao Chenyu, the city lord's son, is our underling!"
"If that still doesn't work, I'll go to Spirit Hall. Surely someone there will recognize its value?" Li Ping'an said.
"You little rascal!" Director Su wasn't angry. In fact, he was quite pleased.
What Li Ping'an had just said showed that he had given this serious thought. Perhaps his theory really did have some substance.
Director Su opened the manuscript and began to read.
"A rebuttal to the soul ring age theory in the 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul'?"
"You brat, are you trying to climb the ranks using the Grandmaster's reputation? You'd better be careful. He's staying at the academy right now!" Director Su warned him.
After turning a few pages, Director Su was about to hand the manuscript back to Li Ping'an when its contents suddenly caught his attention.
"The age of the Soul Ring a Soul Master can absorb isn't fixed. It depends on the Soul Master's body, spirit, and Martial Soul?"
"This is an interesting point! I'll go find the Academy Dean!"
After casually flipping through the pages, he came across another piece: "A Rebuttal to the Different-Power Martial Soul Soul Ring Fusion Theory in the 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul'?"
This one refuted the Grandmaster's theory that plant Martial Souls should absorb animal Soul Rings, while animal Martial Souls should absorb plant Soul Rings.
He understood now: Li Ping'an wanted to use the Grandmaster as a stepping stone.
If he succeeded, then the greater the Grandmaster's reputation, the greater Li Ping'an's would become.
"Sigh, I'd better let the Academy Dean decide. My Soul Power isn't high enough to understand these two theories."
Director Su told Li Ping'an to wait, then went to find the Academy Dean.
In Yu Xiaogang's room, he was dressed in a red skirt, dancing gracefully.
Just then, his door was suddenly pushed open, and the Academy Dean walked in.
"Grandmaster! You..." The Academy Dean stared in shock. What had he just seen? The Grandmaster was dancing in women's clothes?
"Academy Dean? Why did you come in without knocking?"
Yu Xiaogang's face turned red. He opened his mouth and said, "Academy Dean, if I told you I was practicing a Self-Created Soul Skill, would you believe me?"
The Academy Dean looked at Yu Xiaogang. Clearly, he didn't believe him, and he took a step backward.
"Academy Dean, watch this!"
To dispel any suspicion, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly performed a series of swift sword moves from the Evil-Warding Sword Manual.
"What speed! What a fast sword!" His Soul Power surged, and the Academy Dean was impressed.
"All right, Grandmaster, I believe you! Be careful!"
Yu Xiaogang let out a sigh of relief. Good thing I managed to fool him!
"The Dancer Who Defeated the Courtesan is Tang Xiaoyu. It has nothing to do with me, Yu Xiaogang!"
If anyone finds out in the future, I can use this excuse to fool them! Yu Xiaogang thought.
Before you continue