School Matters, Breaking Through Level Ten

The day after arriving at Balak Junior Soul Master Academy, Yu Yan and Xiao Wu attended their first class since coming to the school.

Mm... it was boring, incredibly boring—an exceptionally boring class.

The classic self-introductions, the classic first lesson of the school term, the most classic of classic routines—it was enough to make anyone drowsy.

"Yu Yan, weren't you really looking forward to school? Why did you seem to have lost interest now that you're actually here?"

Seeing Yu Yan sprawled across his desk, Xiao Wu, who was equally bored, found a topic and quietly started chatting with him.

Yu Yan did not answer Xiao Wu's question. Instead, he asked, "Do you want to take this kind of class?"

"No. Not at all."

Xiao Wu shook her head. She had come to the Junior Soul Master Academy to learn real things, not to listen to this boring stuff.

The entire morning, the teacher did not cover anything useful. He repeatedly explained the rules and precautions at Balak Junior Soul Master Academy—what students could do and what they could not.

The Junior Soul Master Academy only held classes in the mornings, while the rest of the day was free time. If Blue Star had such a schedule, countless students would shed tears of excitement and utter fragrant words.

Since they had money to spend, Yu Yan and Xiao Wu turned down the work arranged by the school. They still had practical sparring to do in the afternoon, so there was no need to waste time on such meaningless work.

Balak Junior Soul Master Academy taught the following: Martial Soul theory, Soul Power cultivation, Soul Ring knowledge, Soul Beast studies, and continental history and geography.

The five subjects corresponded neatly to the mornings from Monday through Friday, with one subject studied each day in order.

Martial Soul theory mainly introduced the differences between tool Martial Souls and beast Martial Souls. Using famous Martial Souls from across the continent as examples—such as the Clear Sky Hammer, Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Snow Swan, Evil Eye White Tiger, and Hell Spirit Cat—it explained the development paths of Martial Souls and gave students early career planning for the future.

Soul Power cultivation covered the tricks of cultivating Soul Power and guided students through meditation cultivation. Yes, that was right. Three months had passed since the awakening of their Martial Souls, yet aside from Yu Yan and Xiao Wu, not a single person in the class had mastered the Meditation Method. There was even one noble child who had never even read a Meditation Method. It was hard to judge, really.

Soul Ring knowledge explained the functions and sources of Soul Rings, how to choose their age, absorption methods, risks, and the principles behind Soul Rings granting soul skills. It was the class Xiao Wu least wanted to attend and the one Yu Yan found most useful. The first lesson did not discuss Soul Ring knowledge at all; the teacher first went over a series of cautionary examples of people exploding to death while absorbing Martial Souls.

Soul Beast studies covered the types, traits, habitats, weaknesses, suitable Soul Ring ages, and attributes of different Soul Beasts. It was the foundation for hunting Soul Beasts and obtaining suitable Soul Rings, though the pace was a little slow.

Continental history and geography covered the history of Douluo Continent, the distribution of its powers—such as the two great empires and Spirit Hall—and important locations, including Soul Hunting Forests like the Star Dou Forest and Sunset Forest.

All five subjects were basic knowledge.

As for combat techniques, Junior Soul Master Academies did not teach them at all.

The graduation requirement for a Junior Soul Master Academy was obtaining one's first Soul Ring. Before acquiring that first Soul Ring, diligently cultivating Soul Power and gaining a Soul Ring were the priorities above all else.

How to use Soul Rings in battle was something for Intermediate Soul Master Academies and Advanced Soul Master Academies to worry about. Junior academies did not care.

Yu Yan was like a sponge, constantly absorbing the knowledge taught by the Soul Master Academy.

Urged on by Yu Yan, Xiao Wu finished the thin Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Master Cultivation Insights. She truly gained some inspiration from the growth path of that Soul Master.

After Xiao Wu finished Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Master Cultivation Insights, Yu Yan found her another travel journal to read. It was a collection of reflections written by a level fifty-five Soul King after traveling across the continent.

Yu Yan had read that travel journal before. Its content was interesting, its values were sound, and it recorded many local customs and amusing anecdotes, along with quite a few rare Soul Beasts. It was well suited as introductory reading for children, and also for a special existence like Xiao Wu, who was like a half-blank sheet of paper.

Judging by Xiao Wu's attitude, she clearly preferred books like travel journals that leaned more toward storytelling. Yu Yan told her to read two pages, but she had already read five.

"Xiao Wu, do you really like this book?"

"Mm. The stories inside are wonderful. It describes many places I've never been and records many things I never knew about. Yu Yan, I want to visit those places someday too."

"Of course. I haven't been to those places either. I want to see them too."

"Then it's a promise. We'll go together someday."

"Mm, we'll go together someday."

It was another night of the full moon. Yu Yan and Xiao Wu left Balak Junior Soul Master Academy, left Balaque City, and arrived at a small hill outside the city.

Absorbing Moon Essence caused a greater disturbance and took longer than absorbing Purple Qi. Therefore, it was best to find a secluded place before absorbing Moon Essence.

After scattering some Beast Repellent Powder around their cultivation site, Yu Yan was the first to enter a cultivation state. Moon Essence was drawn into his body as he fully activated the Meditation Method to refine it.

Sensing the high-quality Soul Power radiating from Yu Yan, Xiao Wu entered cultivation as well. The quality of her Soul Power was rapidly improving.

The night passed in the blink of an eye. Having calculated the timing, Yu Yan drew in a large mass of Moon Essence and kept it within his body just as the Morning Sun was about to rise, without refining it immediately.

Because he had drawn in too much Moon Essence at once, the Fire Fish was having trouble suppressing its chill. Able to observe the situation inside his body, Yu Yan noticed that the blood near the Moon Essence showed faint signs of freezing.

Fortunately, the Morning Sun soon rose in the east. The instant Purple Qi was drawn into his body, the chill emitted by the Moon Essence was neutralized.

One strand of Purple Qi could not completely neutralize all the Moon Essence. Realizing this, Yu Yan drew in Purple Qi again. On the fourth attempt, Purple Qi and Moon Essence reached a perfect balance.

The Sun and Moon Essence formed by the fusion of Purple Qi and Moon Essence was an energy that could be absorbed extremely easily, bringing enormous benefits to Yu Yan.

His Soul Power successfully broke through level ten, the quality of his Soul Power began to change, and his physical strength grew stronger once again.

Unable to absorb any more high-quality Soul Power, Xiao Wu withdrew from her cultivation state.

When she saw frost appear on Yu Yan's body, Xiao Wu began to worry that something might happen to him. Fortunately, the frost soon turned into water vapor and vanished.

Even as she breathed a sigh of relief, Xiao Wu decided that once Yu Yan woke up, she would thoroughly ask him what exactly had happened to him.

This absorption took more than half an hour. When Yu Yan opened his eyes, he saw Xiao Wu close beside him, watching him.

"Mm?"

"What are you doing?"

They looked at each other for a while. When the other said nothing, Yu Yan took the initiative to ask what Xiao Wu wanted.

After confirming that Yu Yan was safe, Xiao Wu looked into his eyes. "Just now... were you doing something dangerous?"