Chen Zhou lay in bed for a long time. Perhaps it was because he had fused with a Soul Spirit, or because he was utterly exhausted. By the time he woke up, it was already the next morning.
When he remembered that he hadn't even eaten dinner, he couldn't help but sigh.
Still, the breakfast at the Spirit Pagoda was quite sumptuous.
After a quick breakfast, Su Xin told him he would be starting at a primary academy that day.
This compulsory education was something he had to attend, too, so Chen Zhou didn't refuse.
Of course, he was sure to be placed in one of the best classes at East Sea Primary Academy.
Since it was the first day of school after their Martial Souls had just awakened, Chen Zhou wasn't considered a transfer student.
With millet porridge, meat buns, braised pork, and sweet-and-sour ribs, Chen Zhou wolfed down a few bites before eagerly following Su Xin into the Soul Guidance Car.
The Soul Guidance Car headed toward East Sea Primary Academy. Inside, Su Xin gently handed Chen Zhou a card.
"Young Master Chen Zhou, this is a card from the tower master. It has 10,000 Federal Coins deposited into it every month for your daily expenses."
"Of course, if you need any additional resources, just tell me, and I'll pass your request along to the tower master."
Su Xin spoke in a gentle voice.
Hearing her, Chen Zhou gave a quiet, "Oh."
He was chewing on a chocolate candy, but still asked somewhat indistinctly:
"Sister Su Xin, I want some spirit herbs to help me cultivate and increase my cultivation speed."
Chen Zhou's words were a little jumbled, but Su Xin still understood him.
Looking at the adorable little boy in front of her, Su Xin paused for a moment, then nodded.
"All right, Young Master Chen Zhou. I'll put in a request with the tower master. I'm sure the tower master will meet your needs."
As she spoke, Su Xin glanced at Chen Zhou's face. She actually wanted to pinch the handsome little boy's cheek.
But when she thought of his status, she could only sigh helplessly.
As the vehicle slowly came to a stop, they finally arrived at East Sea Primary Academy.
It was the best-located primary academy in Eastsea City, and the best of all the primary academies.
A large proportion of its students could go straight on to Eastsea Academy.
That was the best school in Eastsea City, the one countless parents went to great lengths to get their children into.
Getting into East Sea Primary Academy was a good start, giving students a much better chance of entering Eastsea Academy than everyone else.
But none of that was something Chen Zhou needed to worry about.
His status spoke for itself. No matter what, he was sure to get into Eastsea Academy.
Thinking of this, he didn't give it another thought.
When he arrived at Class One and opened the door, he found a little over twenty children scattered around the room.
Chen Zhou glanced around, then plopped down in a seat at the very back.
He had barely sat down when a chubby little boy eagerly walked over to him.
The boy gave him a once-over, comparing their heights and builds. Convinced he had the advantage, he spoke in a gruff little voice:
"Hey, brat, move. Only the strongest kid in the class gets to sit on the throne in the back. This is my seat!"
The boy's words made him sound rather simpleminded, but Chen Zhou only glanced at him.
Then, a gigantic Water Dragon abruptly appeared behind him, along with a Soul Ring.
The sudden appearance of the giant Water Dragon and the Soul Ring scared the chubby boy straight to tears.
Looking at the chubby boy rolling around on the floor and throwing a tantrum, Chen Zhou wore a faint smile.
"See? Now you know who's the strongest. I'll give you a chance: be my underling. Tell me your name."
With a hint of amusement on his face, Chen Zhou spoke without hesitation and pinched the chubby boy's cheek.
He didn't use much strength, but the boy's cheek still turned red.
The chubby boy looked at the boy his own age, smiling at him. His eyes brimmed with tears as he blinked, then continued in his gruff little voice:
"My name's Zhou Changxi. I'm six years old, and I just started school. My Martial Soul, my Martial Soul is a Great Strength Ape."
Zhou Changxi sounded a little aggrieved. But when Chen Zhou heard his name, his eyebrows lifted.
He looked the chubby boy over once more, then pinched his other cheek, too.
"Remember this: whether you're at school or anywhere else, you're not allowed to bully your classmates, and you're especially not allowed to bully them at school. If I find out you're bullying someone, then... heh."
Chen Zhou smiled as he spoke, a warning in his expression.
But Zhou Changxi was only six years old. He had no idea what Chen Zhou meant.
He twisted his face in an aggrieved pout, then looked at Chen Zhou.
"Big bro, what's your name? If you're thirsty, I've got water. You can have some."
"Water your head."
Chen Zhou replied, raising a hand to smack the chubby boy on the head. But just then, the classroom door opened.
A woman in her twenties walked in.
She glanced around the room, and her gaze settled on the two of them.
Seeing Chen Zhou bullying a classmate on his very first day, the woman frowned.
But when the chubby boy stood up and obediently took a seat beside Chen Zhou, she said nothing more.
"Hello, everyone. I'm your teacher. You can call me Teacher Xiao Yue."
"For the next three years, I'll be teaching you all the relevant subjects."
"Now, please turn to the first page of your textbook. I'll explain what a Martial Soul is and what kinds of Martial Souls there are."
The school day passed quickly.
As soon as school let out in the afternoon, the students shot out like cannonballs, each heading straight for their parents.
Chen Zhou took his time. A car picked him up and dropped him off, so all he had to do was find his driver.
But he didn't plan on going straight home. Instead, he wanted to explore Eastsea City.
Just after he stepped outside, he nearly collided with a little boy.
The boy had long golden hair and shot Chen Zhou a glance.
He looked a little displeased, but seemed to remember that his mother was waiting for him.
So the boy only snorted before rushing off.
Chen Zhou didn't mind.
He followed behind the boy, and when he had just left the school gates, he saw the boy throw himself into a woman's arms.
She was a gentle-looking woman, and her clothes and everything else about her seemed quite nice.
Her family probably wasn't badly off, yet she still insisted on picking up her child every day.
But if you looked closely, there seemed to be a weariness in her eyes.
It wasn't the kind of exhaustion that came from picking up her child every day. It came from something else.
Chen Zhou didn't say anything.
He greeted his driver, who followed behind him, and the two of them started strolling around the neighborhood.
At first, Chen Zhou was quite interested, but he hadn't gone far when he heard a few men speaking in leering voices:
"What a pretty little girl! Hey, little miss, want to come home with us? You don't see a pretty little girl like you every day."
"Ooh, this little girl even has silver hair? That's a rare color!"