Copper Skin

The first layer of the Diamond Skill was called [Copper Skin].

Duan Fan could clearly feel that his body had grown much stronger, brimming with power from head to toe.

His skin had become as tough as copper and iron, as if ordinary blades could barely cut through it.

In Duan Fan's view, the reason he had reached the first layer of the Diamond Skill so quickly was related to his Soul Power.

The more Soul Power he had in his body, the faster he could cultivate the Diamond Skill.

And it was a virtuous cycle: the higher the layer of the Diamond Skill he cultivated, the faster his Soul Power would grow.

After spending the whole day cultivating the Diamond Skill, Duan Fan felt that he was one step closer to reaching Level 18.

At this rate, he might break through tomorrow. The day after that, at the latest.

Duan Fan had already felt the Diamond Skill's power, and he liked this cultivation method more and more.

By the time Duan Fan left the Mimicry Cultivation Area, dusk had begun to fall.

As luck would have it, he ran into Wen Xiyue on his way out. She had just finished cultivating, too.

Duan Fan politely greeted Wen Xiyue.

Wen Xiyue only gave a slight nod, her expression cold as ever.

Duan Fan had long since grown used to it.

The fact that Wen Xiyue had responded at all was already a huge improvement.

In the past, when he greeted Wen Xiyue, she wouldn't even lift an eyelid or spare him a glance.

For a while, Duan Fan had thought Wen Xiyue might have some psychological issues, which was why she had become so cold and withdrawn at an age when she should have been innocent and lively.

The time he had seen Wen Xiyue show the strongest emotions was during their first practical training session together.

After her crushing defeat, Wen Xiyue had lost control of her emotions.

It was also the time she had said the most.

Duan Fan had never seen Wen Xiyue like that again.

Putting Wen Xiyue's personality aside, she was undoubtedly an extremely hardworking genius Soul Master.

This wasn't the first time Duan Fan had run into Wen Xiyue in the Mimicry Cultivation Area. She worked hard at cultivating every day, too.

Wen Xiyue's Soul Power Level was now 16, just one level below Duan Fan's.

Soul Masters with Innate Full Soul Power cultivated this quickly. As long as they were willing to put in a little effort, their Soul Power grew rapidly.

Only that certain Tang San spent every day neglecting his cultivation and devoting huge amounts of time and energy to other things, leaving his Soul Power stagnant.

At the dining hall, Duan Fan checked on Tang San's situation as usual while eating dinner.

To his surprise, Tang San was having dinner with Yu Xiaogang in the Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy dining hall.

"Huh? Isn't Notting Academy still closed for the term?"

"Yesterday Tang San was still at Ding Xiulun's place, and today he's already at Notting Academy?"

Duan Fan immediately checked what Tang San had done that day.

It turned out that Tang San had run into Yu Xiaogang that morning.

Curious about Yu Xiaogang's title of "Grandmaster" and wanting to learn about the situation at Notting Academy, Tang San had taken the initiative to greet him and strike up a conversation.

The two hit it off in no time, and Yu Xiaogang even took Tang San on a tour of Notting Academy.

When they got to talking about Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, Yu Xiaogang had deduced that Tang San possessed Twin Martial Souls, leaving Tang San deeply shaken.

When Duan Fan saw this, he had thought Tang San would follow the story's original plot and become Yu Xiaogang's disciple on the spot after hearing just a few words from him.

But when he read on, that hadn't happened.

Ding Xiulun had left Tang San with a psychological shadow during this period, and Tang San had developed an instinctive aversion to taking a master.

He planned to leave Ding Xiulun as soon as Notting Academy opened.

Before he left, he would leave behind a Gold Soul Coin as rent for his stay.

After learning everything, Duan Fan couldn't help thinking, Looks like Tang San has finally made up his mind to cut ties with Ding Xiulun.

Ding Xiulun probably won't be able to accept this. He might even make things difficult for Tang San later.

That would fit with the direction I set up earlier when I changed the story so that Tang San's Innate Full Soul Power was reported by Su Yuntao, drawing Spirit Hall's attention and putting him at risk of having his identity exposed.

Ding Xiulun had always had ulterior motives. He wanted to take Tang San as his disciple and keep him by his side, so he never reported Tang San's Innate Full Soul Power.

Now that Tang San has resolved to run away, Ding Xiulun won't get to keep him. There's a good chance he'll report Tang San's Innate Full Soul Power after all.

When that happens, the higher-ups in Spirit Hall will surely notice something unusual about Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. Even Yu Xiaogang could tell that Tang San had Twin Martial Souls. There's no reason the higher-ups in Spirit Hall wouldn't figure it out.

Things are getting more and more interesting.

As for Tang San, it's a good thing he's getting closer and closer to Yu Xiaogang. When Tang San goes to obtain another Soul Ring, Duan Fan can work through Yu Xiaogang and get Tang San to test his theory that a plant-type Martial Soul can absorb Soul Rings from beast-type Soul Beasts.

The only frustrating part is that Tang San puts no effort into cultivating at all. Who knows when he'll obtain his Second Soul Ring.

I've just finished changing Xiao Wu's storyline. For now, I don't have another chance to change Tang San's fate.

Duan Fan put those thoughts aside, and the text about Tang San's current situation soon disappeared.

After dinner, Duan Fan returned to his dormitory.

He was about to do as usual: draw a blueprint for a firearm part, then read for a while.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Is Duan Fan there?"

A middle-aged man's voice came from outside.

"I'm here."

Duan Fan went to open the door.

Standing outside was a tall, slender middle-aged man wearing a long gray robe and black-rimmed glasses. A black mole sat between his brows.

He looked somewhat like Duan Fan's teacher, Li Ruolan.

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Duan Fan, do you remember me? I'm Teacher Li Yi."

Duan Fan nodded. "I remember."

Of course he remembered.

Not long after Duan Fan first demonstrated the Soul Skill Life from the Brush, Teacher Li Yi had come to see him.

He was a teacher at Spirit Hall Academy who specialized in researching Martial Souls, as well as the older brother of Duan Fan's teacher, Li Ruolan.

Li Yi had come to see Duan Fan several times already, usually after Duan Fan's Soul Power Level increased. He would ask about Duan Fan's Martial Soul, Soul Rings, Soul Skills, and what had changed after his Soul Power Level rose. Every time, he asked in great detail.

Now that Duan Fan was about to reach Level 18, Li Yi had come to arrange a time to see him in advance.

"Good. How has your cultivation been going lately?" Li Yi asked.

Duan Fan said, "Not bad. I should reach Level 18 in the next day or two."

Li Yi smiled. "That's impressive."

"You're the most hardworking Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power I've ever met!"

"Then I'll come see you again in five days to hear how things went."

"Sure," Duan Fan replied.

Li Yi had only come to arrange a time. Once they had agreed on one, he asked after Duan Fan for a few moments and then left.

Duan Fan was used to it by now.

As long as Li Yi didn't interrupt his cultivation, he had no complaints.

The next day.

At the Spirit Hall Academy Soul Fighting Arena.

Junior Class Ten began a new day of practical lessons.

By the time the whole class arrived at the Soul Fighting Arena, three people were already waiting there.

Two boys and a girl, all around twelve years old.

Li Ruolan smiled as she introduced them. "Class, these three are the senior students I told you about yesterday. They've all reached the three-ring Soul Elder level, and they're the three most outstanding students at Spirit Hall Academy in recent years."

"Today, they'll be guiding you through your practical training."