A Sudden Twist, Ji Bai's Way of Surviving! Enrolling at Blazing Academy!

Within the Balak Kingdom, the sky gradually darkened.

On the official road, a figure hurried along. He wore plain black clothes and carried a bundle on his back, looking somewhat frail beneath the setting sun.

The figure was Ji Bai.

This was already the third day since he had left Shrek Academy, and he had yet to leave the Balak Kingdom.

To travel from the Balak Kingdom to Heaven Dou City, he had to cross the Silves Kingdom—a journey of over two thousand li. For a fifteenth-level Soul Master like Ji Bai, it would take around ten days if he wished to preserve his strength.

"Rumble—"

Suddenly, the sound of rolling wheels came from behind Ji Bai.

He looked back and discovered a long convoy of around thirty people. A flag stood atop the leading carriage, bearing the four words: Xinyi Escort Agency.

He stepped aside and waited for them to pass.

As the carriages passed Ji Bai, the people aboard instinctively looked at him. A young boy walking alone on the road at dusk was indeed rather strange. However, the convoy did not linger and simply continued onward.

Only after they had left did Ji Bai resume his journey. Once night had completely fallen, he climbed directly into a large tree by the roadside.

Then, he rested while nibbling on dried provisions. Cool breezes swept past him, carrying away some of the heat.

"Hmm?"

Ji Bai gazed into the distance. Flickers of fire suddenly appeared in the darkness, growing more numerous by the moment.

"A fire? What's going on?"

As the blaze intensified, Ji Bai frowned. A sense of foreboding rose in his heart, and he quickened his pace of eating.

He watched quietly.

Suddenly, someone on horseback burst out of the darkness and entered his field of vision.

Ji Bai sat in the tree, concealed by the night, and was not discovered.

Yet even in the darkness, he could see that the newcomer looked extremely anxious and disheveled. There was also a familiar emblem on his clothing.

The character "Escort."

"They're from the convoy earlier. Did they... run into bandits?"

Ji Bai looked back toward the place where flames shot into the sky and made a quiet guess after some thought.

His body did not move in the slightest. He remained reclined against the tree branch, resting.

Time slowly passed.

The next morning, thick mist rose. Ji Bai abruptly opened his eyes and jumped down from the tree.

The damp feeling all over his body made him frown. He immediately released his Soul Power, evaporating the moisture from his clothes.

"Hiss—"

Streams of vapor rose from Ji Bai's body and head. His soaked clothing and hair became completely dry in the blink of an eye.

"That feels much better."

"Let's take a look."

Thinking of what had happened the previous night, Ji Bai hurried forward. Before long, he arrived at a place of utter ruin, where carriages and corpses lay scattered everywhere.

"Probably no survivors, huh?"

Ji Bai looked at the hoofprints covering the ground and the various weapons—sabers, spears, swords, and halberds—and clicked his tongue inwardly.

Besides the escort agency's people, there had also been a group of black-clad men.

He glanced around. Many of the corpses still had their eyes open, clearly unwilling to die.

"Brothers, I'm truly sorry. I'm a poor soul too, so please understand."

After speaking, Ji Bai took a deep breath and closed the eyes of those corpses that had not yet done so. Then he began cleaning up the battlefield, packing away everything useful that he could carry.

"Phew—"

After a while, Ji Bai let out a breath and smiled in satisfaction. "Brothers, thank you for your help. Farewell."

He wasted no time, released his Martial Soul, and hurried away at full speed, leaving the scene to avoid any accidents.

Seven days later, Blazing City.

Ji Bai arrived before the gates of this city named after Blazing Academy. He took a deep breath, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

"I'm finally here..."

Even his steps became a little lighter.

Blazing Advanced Spirit Master Academy was a renowned academy with an enormous campus and mimetic training grounds. Ji Bai had little trouble finding it.

People constantly came and went before the academy gates, though most were older teenagers. A boy like Ji Bai standing there looked particularly conspicuous.

"Little friend, do you need something?"

A teenager in an exquisite red school uniform approached Ji Bai, studying him as he spoke.

"Hello. I heard Blazing Academy only admits fire-attribute Soul Masters. I'm here to enroll."

Ji Bai directly released his Martial Soul and Soul Ring. The Fire Phoenix and a yellow Soul Ring appeared simultaneously, and the surrounding temperature instantly rose with the Fire Phoenix's appearance.

"Fire Phoenix?"

"A top-tier beast Martial Soul! A supreme-grade fire attribute!"

The teenager opened his mouth in surprise. He looked at the yellow Soul Ring, then at Ji Bai, his astonishment deepening. "Little friend, how old are you this year? What level is your Soul Power?"

Ji Bai replied, "Seven years old. Level fifteen."

"Hiss!"

The teenager sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes widening round.

Upon hearing Ji Bai's words, the passersby nearby also turned to look at him in shock.

"Y-you wait here! No, that's not right! Come with me—I'll take you inside!" As soon as he finished speaking, the teenager grabbed Ji Bai and pulled him into Blazing Academy.

"My surname is Xiao. Just call me Senior. I'll take you to meet the director of our External Affairs Department, and I'll introduce Blazing Academy to you on the way."

"Thank you, Senior."

Before long, under the teenager's guidance, Ji Bai met the director of Blazing Academy's External Affairs Department—Xiao Huohuo.

"Second Uncle, there's a genius here to enroll!"

The young man surnamed Xiao led Ji Bai into the director's office and called out to the middle-aged man seated behind the desk.

Ji Bai noticed the nameplate on the desk, which read "Xiao Huohuo."

"Baobao!"

"How many times have I told you?"

"At the academy, address me by my title!"

Xiao Huohuo glared at Xiao Baobao before turning to Ji Bai and examining him briefly.

"I know... but next time, could you... not call me by my childhood nickname?"

Xiao Baobao felt that he had completely lost face.

"Hello, Director Xiao."

"My name is Ji Bai. I'm seven years old, my Martial Soul is the Fire Phoenix, and my Soul Power is level fifteen."

Ji Bai introduced himself.

At the same time.

He released his Martial Soul and Soul Ring together.

At the sight of this, Xiao Huohuo's pupils contracted sharply. He could no longer remain seated and suddenly stood up, staring at Ji Bai.

"Junior, test your Soul Power."

Xiao Baobao brought the crystal ball from the desk before Ji Bai, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Xiao Huohuo also watched him curiously.

"Buzz—"

Ji Bai did as instructed. In the next instant, the crystal ball lit up.

"It really is the strength of level fifteen."

"Damn... with a Fire Phoenix and talent like this, I'm getting promoted..."

Xiao Huohuo muttered to himself.

"You're admitted!"

"Baobao, take him to collect his school uniform. If there isn't a suitable size, have two sets custom-made!"

Before he had even finished speaking, he had already begun processing Ji Bai's enrollment. By the time he was done talking, the procedures had been completed as well.

"The tuition fee is ten Gold Soul Coins per year. You'll handle your own three meals, and the academy cafeteria charges money too."

"The tuition is a little expensive, but our academy is equipped with a mimetic training environment. Fire-attribute Soul Masters can achieve twice the results with half the effort by cultivating there."

"Our academy also has an exceptionally strong teaching staff. Our dean is a Soul Douluo, while even the weakest teachers are Soul Ancestors. Every one of them possesses extensive knowledge."

"Furthermore, the academy will help every student who needs a Soul Ring find a suitable Soul Beast."

"Trust in Blazing Academy's capabilities."

Xiao Baobao shrugged. "I already told him all that."

Ji Bai smiled and nodded.