Eastsea City

At Lan Kai's suggestion, Juggler didn't take Lan Kai and Na'er back to Shrek City, the Spirit Pagoda's headquarters. Instead, he brought them to Eastsea City, a major city in the eastern part of the Douluo Federation, where they settled for the time being.

Since Juggler and Lan Kai had successfully beaten everyone else to Na'er, there was no need for them to stay in Aolai City.

The three years Tang Wulin spent in Aolai City wouldn't change his dual nature, either. According to Lan Kai and Juggler's analysis, what truly brought about the history-altering transformation in Tang Wulin's character was Eastsea City—or, more precisely, the Tang Sect Branch there.

As for why Lan Kai and the others settled in Eastsea City instead of Shrek City... it was because there was a genius Saint Craftsman there, Mu Chen, who was the most suitable person to apprentice under besides Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua.

Moreover, Juggler had used his authority as a Spirit Envoy to arrange for the Soul Spirit Lan Kai needed to be sent to the Spirit Pagoda in Eastsea City.

The Unyielding Soul Spirit: a Bright Lion King with a thousand years of cultivation.

Although an Unyielding Soul Spirit could be transferred among the Eighteen Pillars of the Spirit Pagoda, its dangerous nature meant it wasn't allowed to be sent to other ordinary Spirit Pagoda branches unless absolutely necessary.

To anyone else, trying to use a thousand-year Soul Spirit as their first Soul Spirit would certainly seem rather presumptuous.

Especially a lion king Soul Spirit. Its innate pride was something no ordinary Soul Master could hope to tame.

But what right did the light attribute of Douluo Continent have to compare itself with a Warrior of Light?

Even Ultraman Belial or that Lord Zoffy could crush the entire world of Douluo Continent when it came to the power of light.

And as a transmigrator who possessed the Light of Orb, Lan Kai's spiritual power was nothing to scoff at. Naturally, he had no trouble fusing with a thousand-year Soul Spirit.

As for the pride the Bright Lion King might possess, that wasn't a problem either. Lan Kai's will was just as firm, and he already knew what kind of terrifying enemies he would have to face.

Perhaps his will was still green, and his fighting strength had yet to take shape, but it was already enough to withstand the Bright Lion King's pride.

In the Bright Lion King's eyes, though, the one standing before it at first was only a human child. It felt insulted.

Even those young people with formidable strength hadn't been able to make it submit. It had even killed several of them. How could a mere child earn its recognition?

Then, a blinding light robbed it of its strength.

When its vision finally returned, the one standing before it was no longer a child, but a Giant of Light fifty meters tall.

The Giant of Light merely glanced at the Bright Lion King, and it immediately dropped to its knees, as obedient as a lapdog.

A strong ally! Take me with you!

Under Na'er's worried gaze, Lan Kai successfully fused with his first Soul Spirit, and his Soul Power increased as well.

At the same time, two cards appeared in Lan Kai's hands. Their images were extremely blurry, and their colors very faint.

Before Lan Kai could get a good look, Juggler snatched the cards from him and studied them closely.

"Just as I thought: cards of Ultraman and Ultraman Tiga... But it looks like you'll need to keep increasing your Soul Power cultivation before you can hope to transform into the Specium Zeperion Form.

"By the looks of it, the attributes you'll need from your next Soul Spirits are wind and fire..."

Perhaps remembering how Kurenai Gai had beaten him to a pulp with the Thunder Breastar Form—and how that form could make him lose control—Juggler didn't want to mention anything related to it.

After making out the blurry images on the cards, Juggler handed them back to Lan Kai.

"I've already registered you and Na'er at Eastsea Academy. But a human with no Martial Soul sounds pretty interesting..."

As for Na'er's Martial Soul, Juggler had also tried using what he'd learned from the Spirit Pagoda to set up a Martial Soul Awakening array, then awakened Na'er's Martial Soul twice.

The first time, Juggler had Yan Yu use his Soul Power to awaken Na'er's Martial Soul. But Na'er showed no reaction at all. Even a Trash Martial Soul—the kind that failed to awaken Innate Soul Power—never appeared.

The second time, Juggler sent Yan Yu out of the room, then poured his own dark power into the awakening array. A colossal Silver Dragon Phantom appeared behind Na'er.

But Juggler was cunning enough to withdraw his dark power in an instant, leaving Na'er's "no Martial Soul" state undisturbed. Na'er herself hadn't even noticed that her "Martial Soul"—or rather, her true form—had been completely exposed to the Sharp-Horned Alien.

So when Na'er saw Juggler looking at her with a knowing smile, she had no idea what was going on. In the end, she hid behind Lan Kai, seeming a little afraid of him.

Seeing the Silver Dragon King, who planned to lead the Soul Beasts in resisting the "oppression" of humanity and the Divine Realm, acting so "timid," Juggler smiled faintly. Then he turned away, apparently to handle his duties as a Spirit Envoy.

Lan Kai took Na'er to get ready for school.

To be honest, attending a beginner Soul Master Academy on Douluo Continent would help Lan Kai less than going to an ordinary class.

With his current strength, he could already beat plenty of people at an Intermediate Soul Master Academy.

But he was still willing to go to school. He wanted to see if he could build good relationships with some characters who had appeared in the original story—and might even join the protagonist's group—so he could make them reliable teammates. He could also think about how to get beaten up by Juggler a little less often.

Besides, school life could help Na'er better "experience" the "emotions" of humanity.

As for whether, three years later, she would leave for a while just as she had in the original story, then return in triumph as Gu Yue—or find a way to manifest an entirely new Martial Soul and suddenly become a formidable Soul Master...

Both Lan Kai and Juggler were looking forward to it.

"Just as I thought. There's no point going to this beginner academy.

"I can't believe that God King of Defeat actually just didn't show up. If I didn't need to keep an eye on Na'er and make sure she didn't get bullied by some female creature who instinctively loves people, I wouldn't want to go to school either."

On his first day of school, Lan Kai soon received one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.

Good news: his classmate was Xie Xie, the God King of Defeat.

Bad news: Xie Xie simply didn't come to school.

If Lan Kai weren't worried Na'er might run into some absurd female creature who instinctively loved people—strike that, who bullied others—he'd want to follow the God King of Defeat's example and stop going to the beginner academy.

That might mean spending more time getting beaten up by Juggler until he was thoroughly defeated, but getting stronger faster wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Fortunately, perhaps because they'd heard Na'er had a genius Soul Master for a big brother, her classmates treated her with exceptional friendliness. Lan Kai was relieved.