Beneath a rainbow, a boy was running.
He spread his arms.
He breathed without restraint.
Li Luo entered a state of sudden enlightenment, and the Red Mountain Meditation Method began to circulate through his body.
At first, it was unfamiliar, then it flowed smoothly.
His Soul Power rose.
A pair of seven-colored Rainbow Dragon King wings unfurled from his back, and Li Luo took flight.
Toward the rainbow.
He opened his mouth.
"Whoosh!"
He sucked the essence contained in the brilliant rainbow into his stomach.
His Soul Power surged.
It rose from Level 7 to Level 9.
Then it advanced toward Level 10.
It felt incredible.
Unfortunately, the rainbow's essence was limited. His Soul Power Level was still just a tiny bit short of Level 10.
But he should reach Level 10 soon.
Li Luo drifted down to the ground.
"Good." Lin Ximeng clapped her hands. Though her strength as a teacher was nothing exceptional, she could still sense the improvement in Li Luo's Soul Power.
"A rainbow after the rain, and his Soul Power has increased."
Lin Ximeng narrowed her eyes slightly as she sensed the lingering ripples of Soul Power around Li Luo. "He's almost at Level 10."
She said with satisfaction, "Li Luo, you've done very well."
It was no wonder Lin Ximeng was pleased.
Every additional student in the grade with Level 10 Soul Power was proof that her studies of Gangzi's theory had paid off.
Lin Ximeng praised him. "Given time, you'll surely earn a place on the Young Genius Ranking."
"Thank you for the praise, Teacher," Li Luo replied.
Tang Wulin was incredibly envious.
The Young Genius Ranking had been created by the Spirit Pagoda to list the top young Soul Masters under the age of eighteen.
It ranked only thirty people across the entire continent.
Teacher Lin Ximeng said Brother Luo had a chance of making the Young Genius Ranking. Brother Luo was truly amazing.
Tang Wulin gazed at Li Luo with admiration.
He remembered that when Li Luo had first enrolled, his Soul Power Level had been the same as his.
Now, in less than three months, Li Luo was already close to Level 10.
He encouraged himself, Tang Wulin, you've got to work hard. Otherwise, you won't even be worthy of standing behind Brother Luo...
Lin Ximeng praised Li Luo some more.
She told the students in the class to learn from him.
Li Luo became the teacher's model student.
That was more than enough to make some people want to crack him over the head with a cudgel.
After school, Tang Wulin volunteered to escort Li Luo.
Li Luo declined.
Na'er was still waiting for him at home.
If Na'er saw them, who knew if her jealousy would boil over? That could lead to a real quarrel.
Meanwhile, on the commercial street in the city center, Na'er—the person Li Luo had been thinking about—was pedaling her Soul Guidance Bicycle and cheering herself on.
"Come on, Na'er!"
"Faster!"
"Faster!"
"Or I'll be late and they'll deduct my pay."
Huff, huff, huff.
Her feet spun like wheels of fire, and she raced like a gust of wind all the way to the east side of the city.
After delivering the order, she patted her chest and said, "Phew, phew. Good thing I wasn't late."
"Hehe."
"I earned another five Federation Coins."
Na'er was quite pleased.
It was almost time for school to let out, and that had been her last order.
She didn't plan to take any more.
However, there was still a beautifully packaged pizza meal in her delivery box.
A man surnamed Su had ordered it for his girlfriend.
But the girl hadn't wanted it.
She'd thrown it out.
And told Na'er to take it.
Na'er said to herself, "It's not like I didn't deliver it. She didn't want it."
"But either way, I should let that Mr. Su know."
"Otherwise, it wouldn't be good if he gave me a bad rating."
"Thump, thump!"
The Soul Guidance Communicator connected.
Na'er said, "Hello, sir. The takeout you ordered for your girlfriend—she threw it away."
"Oh, she's like that. Whenever she gets angry, she throws things around," came the voice from the other end of the Soul Guidance Communicator.
Na'er continued, "It doesn't look dirty, and it'd be a shame to throw it out. Can I eat it?"
"Huh???" The communicator carried a startled voice. "Th-that's not very hygienic!"
Na'er smiled. "It's fine. If I eat a little outside, I can eat less when I get home."
"Then my brother can have more."
"Besides, my brother's Soul Power is already Level 7. I need to save up to buy him a Soul Spirit."
At the other end of the communicator, Su Xiaotao fell silent.
After ending the call, a sly look crossed Na'er's face. "Hehe, the pizza isn't dirty at all."
"I can eat it with my brother."
She happily pedaled her Soul Guidance Bicycle and raced toward her home in the east side of the city.
As she passed a shop, Na'er slowed down a little.
Her gaze lingered briefly on a pink dress in the clear display window.
It was beautiful.
Brilliant gems were set into it.
They glittered.
Na'er looked away, and her Soul Guidance Bicycle whizzed past...
She didn't know that shortly after she left, Li Luo arrived there too.
He entered the shop, his gaze falling on the pink dress.
"Sir, would you like this dress?"
The sales assistant didn't look down on Li Luo just because he was a child.
The noble air about him made it impossible to treat him with such contempt.
He nodded. "Wrap it up."
"Yes, sir." The sales assistant was glad she'd been professional—she'd just landed another sale.
Li Luo put the wrapped dress into his backpack...
Dinner.
By the table.
Nine large bowls sat in front of Li Luo.
Eight large bowls sat in front of Na'er.
The number of bowls had switched from the first time they'd eaten together.
Na'er had kept her promise from earlier that day, when she'd been making deliveries.
She ate one bowl less.
So her brother could eat one more.
"Burp!"
They both burped at the same time.
With a mischievous grin, Na'er brought out the pizza she'd hidden in the kitchen. Its aroma filled the air.
Li Luo scolded her, "So, Na'er, you'd ordered a pizza in secret. That's why you let me eat an extra bowl tonight."
"Hehe." Na'er waggled her eyebrows. "Let's see if you've got room for it, Brother."
"You underestimate me!"
After a playful scuffle, they finished off the pizza. Li Luo let out a contented burp and leaned back in his chair.
Then he said casually, "Something good happened today, and I want to tell you about it."
Na'er contentedly narrowed her eyes. "What is it, Brother?"
"My Soul Power is close to breaking through to Level 10. Then I'll be able to buy my first Soul Spirit," Li Luo said.
"What?!" Na'er cried in surprise. "Already?!"
Li Luo smiled. "Isn't faster better?"
"It is." Na'er smiled.
Only when she went to bed that night did worry appear on Na'er's face.
She'd heard that a ten-year Soul Spirit cost at least thirty thousand Federation Coins.
Her brother's Soul Power was improving too quickly.
She hadn't saved enough yet.
Na'er clenched her fists beneath the covers. "No, I'll get two jobs and earn more money."
"I'll buy a Soul Spirit for my brother."
She remembered an advertisement she'd seen while delivering food that day.
It was for a workshop.
The workshop's owner was surnamed Mang.
His name was Mang Di.
He was hiring blacksmithing apprentices.
The pay was twenty Federation Coins an hour.
"That's the one."
Na'er made up her mind before falling asleep.
Before you continue