Director Su and the other teachers stared in shock at the gap in the distant mountain peak, unable to help drawing in a sharp breath!
They had to remember, this was only his first Soul Skill. Chu Qing had only just stepped over the threshold of becoming a Soul Master.
Chu Qing smiled at the teachers before him and continued, "Of course, that's not all. I've discovered that my Martial Soul seems to have the ability to control flames."
Then he urged his Soul Power again. As it surged, the lava pool atop Blazing Mountain began to churn under his pull, gathering in the air into columns of lava that streamed toward him!
The flames seemed almost alive. They only circled Chu Qing without harming him, like ordinary foot soldiers at his command!
In an instant, flames blazed around Chu Qing. Clusters of crimson fire encircled him, though he was already surrounded by black flames. As the fire closed around him, Chu Qing slowly rose into the air. The two kinds of flames shone together, dazzling as the sun!
The teachers looked up at the boy, who was only six years old, and saw him standing like an emperor amid the flames!
Soon, Chu Qing slowly descended, and the flames around him dispersed. He walked over to the teachers and said, "Teachers, aside from controlling fire, I seem to have inherited the Heaven-Burning Crane's ability to fly. I can stay in the air for a short while."
Director Su's eyes had gone numb. After all, he had lost count of how many times he'd been shocked.
If he'd been only half-convinced by Chu Qing's words before, now he believed him completely.
This was a true genius! At just six years old, he already had his own understanding of Martial Souls. He stood by his convictions, and the facts had proved him right.
Of course, this also proved in no uncertain terms that the theories of a certain Grandmaster whose name was better left unmentioned were complete nonsense!
If Chu Qing had actually followed the so-called Ten Great Martial Soul Fusion Theories and chosen a defensive First Soul Ring, that would have been a criminal waste of his gifts.
Thinking of this, Director Su couldn't help feeling a surge of admiration.
Chu Qing walked up to the teachers and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, teachers, for your help. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today!"
"Good, good! Once you've entered our academy, you're our student. There's no need for such formalities!" Director Su hurriedly helped Chu Qing up, speaking with delight.
The other teachers looked at Chu Qing with equal warmth. The boy wasn't just exceptionally talented and powerful; there wasn't a single flaw in his character, either. With ability and character like that, he was bound to go far.
Mo Hen said, "Director Su, Xiao Qing, it's getting late. I think we should head back."
"Quite right, quite right! Look at me, so happy I lost track of the time! Come on, everyone's had a long day, and Xiao Qing needs time to rest and get familiar with his Soul Ring. Let's head back," Director Su said.
Soon, they left Soul Hunting Forest, climbed into their carriage, and returned to Nuoding Academy under cover of night.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Soul Hunting Forest, Grandmaster was in a sorry state as he struggled against the Mandala Snake before him.
A fart like thunder! Earth-Shattering Luo Sanpao!
With the ridiculous incantation, the chubby Luo Sanpao wiggled his backside comically and sprayed yellow gas at the Mandala Snake.
After a long, drawn-out struggle, Tang San finally subdued the Mandala Snake, risking his life in the process.
Though master and disciple had nearly met their end, once a teacher, a father for life!
Grandmaster had to be right! That brat who wouldn't listen to him would never amount to anything!
First Soul Skill, Blue (Mom) Silver (Entanglement)!
Tang San gazed proudly at the Soul Skill he'd unleashed, filled with a satisfaction he couldn't put into words!
That was right! A Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass could only reach its true potential by piling on poison!
And the Soul Ring had come from a Mandala Snake nearly four hundred years old! His Soul Power had also broken through level ten!
Grandmaster looked at his disciple with satisfaction. His Martial Soul Theory had always been baseless conjecture, but today, his disciple had finally put it to the test and proved it! Sure, there'd been a few minor risks! But no matter how you looked at it, the test subject... no, his disciple Tang San had successfully absorbed the Soul Ring!
The Martial Soul Theory he'd peddled for years had finally been validated through practice! At that moment, a swell of pride rose within him!
Then he thought of the handsome yet arrogant boy who'd refused to follow his teachings. "Hmph, what an overestimation of himself! He's wasted his Innate Full Soul Power talent! Just a fire-type Martial Soul, and he dares act so presumptuous in front of me! Just wait until my disciple tramples him underfoot!"
At the thought, even the dry wrinkles on his face smoothed out, like the furrows in a hundred-year-old tree.
"Xiao San, pack up. We're heading back to the academy. I still have something to discuss with you later."
"Yes, teacher!" Tang San put away the Hidden Weapons he'd had ready to launch. After wrestling with the idea for a while, he gave up on killing Grandmaster.
Then the two master and disciple, each harboring their own schemes, rode back to Nuoding Academy.
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, Chu Qing headed to the library to study all kinds of knowledge about the Soul Master World. He believed that the books written with such care by the predecessors of this continent were surely far more valuable than the armchair fantasies of some Grandmaster.
After all, those were lessons distilled by generations of Soul Masters, who had poured their hearts and blood into them and even paid with their lives.
Before long, noon arrived. Chu Qing put down the illustrated guide to medicinal herbs in his hands, stretched, left the library, and headed for the cafeteria.
As he walked, he suddenly heard an angry shout from behind him: "Stop!"
He turned to look and saw a short, plain-looking boy glaring at him, malice in his eyes. Beside him stood a petite girl who looked quite young, her hair tied into a scorpion braid.
Behind them stood a group of students in uniforms, boys and girls alike. It was obvious the girl was the one in charge.
Chu Qing was taken aback, but ignored him and continued toward the cafeteria.
"My brother told you to stop! Didn't you hear him?" the girl shouted, glaring at him furiously.
"Exactly! Exactly! Didn't you hear my Sister Xiao Wu calling you?"
"I think this guy's got a lot of nerve! How dare he ignore Sister Xiao Wu!"
"Wait! Isn't this the one who had Innate Full Soul Power a while back? The one with the fire-type Martial Soul?"
"So what? It's just an ordinary fire-type Martial Soul. Our Brother San has Innate Full Soul Power too! And his First Soul Ring came from a nearly four-hundred-year-old Mandala Snake! How could he compare to Brother San?"
The crowd jeered, staring at Chu Qing with disdain.
Tang San spoke smugly, too. "You're that Chu Qing, right? I've been looking for you for a long time!"