Reading Ten Thousand Books

Five days later, a black-clad figure arrived at Blazing Academy. His clothes were tattered, and he wore a mask. He reeked of blood, and anyone who came near him felt oppressed, as though their throat had been gripped shut.

This person was Xiaofei. When he was about to enter Blazing Academy's gates, a guard stopped him and said, "Sorry, sir. Those who are not students or teachers of this academy are not allowed inside. Dressed like that and wearing a mask, I cannot allow you to enter."

Blocked by the guard, Xiaofei seemed to feel a peculiar impulse. A killing aura had already locked onto the guard. He forcibly suppressed the Killing Intent within him, removed his mask, and said painfully, "I'm Wang Xiaofei."

As an academy guard, he naturally recognized Wang Xiaofei. Upon seeing Xiaofei's face, he found him pale, as though he were gritting his teeth to endure something. Pain showed in his eyes.

The guard hurriedly stepped aside. "Student Xiaofei, hello. How did you end up like this? Are you feeling unwell? Would you like me to call the Principal?"

Xiaofei shook his head without saying anything and slowly headed toward his Dormitory. Before long, everyone learned that Xiaofei had returned to the academy.

Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, Huo Tianchen, and Huo Lie all came to Xiaofei's Dormitory just as he finished washing up. Huo Wu rushed over and hugged Xiaofei directly. "Xiaofei, you're finally back." She sniffled now and then. Xiaofei, meanwhile, seemed somewhat at a loss, but his aura was extremely repellent. His Killing Intent was violently berserk. Huo Wushuang hurriedly pulled Huo Wu away. Huo Wu asked in surprise, "Xiaofei, what's wrong? How did you become like this?"

Dean Huo Tianchen was more experienced and immediately stopped Huo Wu from questioning him. After examining Xiaofei's body, he said, "Xiaofei, your condition is extremely unstable. The killing aura in your body feels as though it could explode at any moment. If you cannot control yourself, you could burst apart and die at any time, or go mad."

Huo Wu covered her mouth in fright, crystalline tears falling from her eyes.

Xiaofei nodded. "Principal, I know my own condition. As the saying goes, read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles. I need to use the academy library, and it must remain absolutely quiet."

Dean Huo Tiancheng considered it, then nodded. "All right. I'll make the arrangements immediately."

He then took everyone away from Xiaofei's Dormitory. Even Huo Wu, who had wanted to stay behind, was dragged away. As soon as they left, Huo Wu asked, "Grandpa, what happened to Xiaofei?" Huo Tiancheng said with a grave expression, "Xiaofei should have just come out of the City of Slaughter. The Killing Intent on his body has already become tangible. He must have killed many people over the past two years. What Xiaofei needs most right now is peace and quiet. We can discuss anything else later. You should not see Xiaofei for the time being either."

Soon afterward, an announcement spread through Blazing Academy: "Due to the theft of important internal academy materials, the library is temporarily closed. No one may approach the library. Anyone who does so will be treated as a thief."

Once the library had been cleared out, Xiaofei went there alone and began reading. Huo Lie became the librarian and remained outside the library to prevent anyone from entering.

For the time that followed, Xiaofei stayed alone in the library, reading books, studying books, copying books, and writing books. Everything he did was related to books. The only things he did not do were cultivate his Soul Power or come into contact with his Martial Soul.

A year later, Xiaofei emerged from the library. This was the first time he had left it in an entire year. By then, there was no trace of Killing Intent left on him, not even a fluctuation of Soul Power. He looked completely like an ordinary person, like a scholarly teacher filled with refined literary air, his entire bearing perfectly natural. Huo Lie, standing at the entrance, also breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiaofei, Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, Huo Tianchen, and Huo Lie gathered once more. Xiaofei recounted some of what had happened in the City of Slaughter, including how he had obtained Divine Slaughter's Domain.

Xiaofei asked, "Dean, has anything happened over the past few years?"

Huo Tianchen nodded. "Quite a few major events have occurred these past few years. Both Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire have approached me multiple times, trying to recruit me. The terms they offered were extremely generous. Spirit Hall offered to make me an elder and give me several high-year Soul Bones. The Heaven Dou Empire offered to appoint me Imperial Preceptor or even grant me a title of king, and make me the dean of Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Xiaofei nodded. "Dean, how did you respond? Those offers are terrifyingly generous."

Huo Tianchen shook his head. "The higher the offer, the greater the risk. If we accept recruitment from either side, the other will certainly become a mortal enemy. Neither of these factions is one we can casually offend."

Xiaofei hurriedly asked, "By the way, Dean, how did you refuse Spirit Hall?"

Huo Tianchen gave Xiaofei a meaningful look. "I did not completely refuse Spirit Hall. I only said that I wished to join Spirit Hall, but my people, the academy, and even my ancestral foundation are all within the Heaven Dou Empire, so I dared not agree. Xiaofei, do you know something?"

Xiaofei thought for a moment. "Has the Soul Master World been much more peaceful these years than in Teacher Huo Lie's generation? Spirit Hall has been accumulating strength all these years, and their power is now extremely frightening. If conflict breaks out, they will likely eliminate all hostile forces swiftly."

Huo Lie said with some surprise, "That can't be, can it? Spirit Hall's Soul Masters may be powerful, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan are also very strong. The Upper Three Sects should be able to contend against Spirit Hall."

Xiaofei shook his head. "Spirit Hall has at least more than ten Titled Douluo."

Everyone said in astonishment, "How is that possible? Could you be mistaken?"

Xiaofei shook his head. "There are only more than ten, not fewer, and they are high-level Titled Douluo. The Dean is older, so he should know more."

Dean Huo thought for a moment. "That's right. Spirit Hall may indeed have more Titled Douluo than we imagine. When I was young, Spirit Hall's figureheads were not the current Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo. Over the past several decades, the only Titled Douluo Spirit Hall has publicly lost was the previous Pope."

They fell silent for a while. At last, Huo Wu said, "Xiaofeizi, what's your Soul Power Level now? Your big sister is already level 66. Soon, I might become the youngest Soul Saint in history."

Xiaofei smiled. "I reached level 60 two years ago. Now I only lack a Soul Ring."

Huo Tianchen asked, "When do you plan to hunt for a Soul Ring, and what age limit are you aiming for?"

Xiaofei shook his head and took out the Inner Core of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent. "This is the Inner Core of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent. I intend to use it as my sixth Soul Ring."

Huo Tianchen examined the Inner Core carefully. "This Inner Core contains extremely pure Fire Element, and its energy is exceptionally high. However, I don't know whether it can become a Soul Ring."

Xiaofei thought for a moment and said, "There shouldn't be a problem. I can feel that the Fire Phoenix Martial Soul yearns for it."