Everyone Has Their Own Path to Walk!

"Phew—"

Early the next morning, Ji Bai opened his eyes, took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

Looking out through the window, the sky had only just begun to brighten. Yet he did not feel the slightest bit tired. He was full of energy, as if his entire body possessed endless strength.

"Not bad. Didn't need it."

Ji Bai glanced at the bucket, carried it outside, and then plunged both hands into it.

A faint red Soul Power emerged from his palms, and the water gradually began to warm. In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the originally cool water had become warm water, perfect for washing his face.

The morning breeze was at its coolest. Ji Bai immediately headed to the cafeteria. After breakfast, he began his daily training: practicing his ability to control fire and using the accumulated Evil Fire to temper his muscles, bones, and spirit.

Every time his muscles and bones were burned and torn apart by the Evil Fire, they became tougher after recovering. Every time his spirit broke past the brink of collapse, it reached a higher limit.

After completing the lesson Flender had assigned—running three laps around the academy while using Soul Power—Ji Bai's day came to an end.

The days passed one by one, and nine months slipped by without notice. During those nine months, Ji Bai had raised his Soul Power by three levels, reaching level fifteen.

His progress could be called astonishingly fast.

Ma Hongjun had also broken through his bottleneck a few days earlier, reaching level thirteen.

Compared with Ji Bai, he was progressing a little more slowly.

In just nine months, the gap between the two had clearly widened. Flender was quite troubled by this and began urging Ma Hongjun to train twice as hard.

As their Soul Power Levels increased, the Evil Fire accumulated inside them more and more quickly. Ma Hongjun needed to vent his fire increasingly often. Combined with his growing appetite and insufficient activity, his figure gradually began to go out of shape.

Ji Bai was not particularly muscular, but muscles had already formed beneath his black clothes, and he was gradually growing taller as well.

Shrek Academy was unusually quiet today.

Zhao Wuji had now broken through level seventy and become a Soul Sage. He had personally led the academy's few students to the Star Dou Great Forest to search for soul beasts.

Only Ji Bai and Ma Hongjun remained as students in all of Shrek Academy.

Inside the dormitory, Ji Bai packed his luggage.

He did not have much luggage to begin with. Aside from two sets of clothes, he only had some dried provisions. Once everything had been stuffed into his bundle, he slung it over his back and prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Ma Hongjun froze for a moment before hurriedly asking, "Xiaobai, where are you going?"

Ji Bai stopped, turned back to look at Ma Hongjun, and said with a solemn expression, "The Evil Fire inside me is accumulating faster and faster. I'm leaving this place to search elsewhere for a way to solve the Evil Fire problem."

"You're leaving?!" Ma Hongjun's eyes widened in disbelief. Then he frowned and said, "Isn't there already a way to deal with the Evil Fire? As long as you say the word, I'll take you to deal with it right away!"

Ji Bai shook his head and said in a low voice, "A wise man seeks strength within. I won't use that kind of method."

Ma Hongjun curled his lips speechlessly and rolled his eyes in irritation. "What do you mean, a wise man seeks strength within? Can a wise man help you vent your fire?"

Ji Bai sighed. "Little Ma, I know you won't believe anything I say, so I won't try to persuade you anymore. Goodbye. If I ever return to Suotuo City, I'll come visit you."

He and Ma Hongjun had come from the same village and had also been classmates for a year.

He had already done everything he could. Next, he needed to walk his own path, parting ways with Ma Hongjun and Shrek Academy.

Over the past year, he had personally witnessed Shrek Academy's shortcomings.

The academy's lack of resources was only the least important issue. More importantly, it was the attitude these teachers had toward their students.

Some of the previous students had actually been killed by soul beasts while hunting them. What did that mean? It meant the teachers leading them had not valued those students at all!

Every teacher here possessed cultivation beyond that of a Soul Emperor. As long as they had paid some attention, such an avoidable tragedy could never have happened!

Before long, Ji Bai found Flender and got straight to the point. "Dean, I want to leave Shrek Academy and go to the northernmost part of the Heaven Dou Empire. I want to use the natural environment there to help me control the Evil Fire."

Flender frowned, adjusted his glasses, and stared at Ji Bai for quite some time. Only after seeing Ji Bai's resolute expression and realizing he had seemingly made up his mind did he speak.

"Do you know how far it is from here to the northernmost city of the Heaven Dou Empire? Never mind the dangers you may encounter along the way—how exactly do you plan to get there?"

"This will also be a form of training for me. Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. Thank you for taking care of me over the past year. I'm leaving." Ji Bai bowed slightly.

Flender said helplessly, "Xiaobai, why do you have to be so stubborn? Isn't Hong Jun doing fine now? Nothing serious has happened yet!"

Ji Bai clenched his fist and said firmly, "Everyone has the right to choose the path they wish to walk. I want to keep going according to my own ideas."

Seeing this, Flender sighed and stopped trying to dissuade him. He waved his hand. "Then go. Be careful on the road, and keep your wits about you."

Ji Bai had always displayed a maturity that made him seem like an adult. What he had said today had also greatly exceeded Flender's expectations.

"Farewell!"

Ji Bai turned and left with his bundle on his back.

Just as he walked out of the academy gate, he saw Zhao Wuji returning from outside with the academy members. Yet every face was filled with sorrow, without the joy they should have felt after obtaining Soul Rings. It was clearly abnormal.

Something had happened again?

Ji Bai stood by the roadside and quietly waited for everyone to pass. During that time, not a single person paid him any attention. Every one of them was dejected.

After thinking it over briefly, a bad feeling rose in his heart, but even if he asked, he would not be able to change anything.

Ji Bai immediately set off. His first destination would be Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, because the Four Elements Academies were all located in cities near Heaven Dou City.

After all, when these four advanced Soul Master Academies participated in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, they all took part in the Preliminary Round in Heaven Dou City.

Over the past nine months, Ji Bai had often entered the city to sell grilled fish. He could train his fire-control ability through grilling fish while also earning money for tuition.

After paying all his tuition fees, he still had some money left: one Gold Soul Coin, thirteen Silver Soul Coins, and fifty Copper Soul Coins—an odd assortment.

"Now is the enrollment period for the new term at the major academies. Compared with the other advanced Soul Master Academies, Blazing Academy is clearly more suitable for me."

Ji Bai took a map of Douluo Continent from his bundle. It marked the distribution of the two great empires, including every main city, capital, and the locations of Spirit Hall and the Star Dou Great Forest.