The next morning, Lin Ye stepped out of the dormitory, feeling refreshed.
He happened to run into Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing as they left their room.
"Well, well~ Up so early?"
Lin Ye was genuinely a little surprised to see them.
Were people really this dedicated to cultivation now?
Up first thing in the morning!
"G-good morning."
Zhu Zhuqing's face was stiff, and faint traces of bloodshot eyes were visible.
Ning Rongrong was even worse, stepping out with dark circles under her eyes.
"What happened? Did you not sleep well last night?"
Lin Ye asked. They were classmates, after all, so it was only reasonable to show a little concern.
"N-no, I slept fine. Really fine."
Ning Rongrong shook her head repeatedly and dragged Zhu Zhuqing away.
Lin Ye stared after them, utterly bewildered, and scratched his head.
Did they sneak out to steal chickens last night? They definitely didn't sleep!
Staying up late is bad for you. When you're older, it'll be too late to regret it.
Hearing his thoughts, Ning Rongrong raged inwardly.
You bastard!
That voice last night had tormented her so badly. It only quieted down near morning, so there was no way she could sleep!
Zhu Zhuqing was in the same boat. Being able to hear his thoughts was a good thing, but sometimes those bizarre thoughts were simply too much to handle.
This guy's mind was so active even while he was up to no good!
He was even giving a running commentary!
But Xiao Wu really was bold, wearing pajamas like that and taking Lin Ye down right there in the academy.
Wasn't she afraid someone would find out?
After breakfast, they went to the training field. Zhao Wuji was in charge of their training.
"Where's Xiao Wu?"
Zhao Wuji looked around. Four of the five had arrived, but Xiao Wu was nowhere to be seen.
"Ahem~ Xiao Wu isn't feeling well, so she's resting."
"Not feeling well?"
Zhao Wuji thought it over, then suddenly understood what was going on.
"If she's not feeling well, then she should get some proper rest. Young people really do need to learn moderation."
Lin Ye gave an awkward laugh, while Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing rolled their eyes.
This guy knew moderation?
Those thoughts last night had completely upended their worldview.
He'd probably gotten a taste for it, and would only get more reckless from now on.
They were the ones who'd suffer.
His thoughts had been unusually active while he was at it. It was simply too much to handle.
Oscar glanced at Lin Ye and naturally figured out what had happened, too.
He was jealous. Seriously jealous.
They were all young men, yet Lin Ye got to live so freely at the academy.
And him?
Only when Dai Mubai occasionally treated him could he go have some fun in Suotuo City and get a taste of the good life.
But now Dai Mubai had been sentenced to three years.
There was basically no chance Dai Mubai would get out during that time.
That meant he'd have to rely on his five fingers to get through the next five years.
Or use the Spirit Hall's allowance to go have some fun every now and then.
He could collect ten Gold Soul Coins a month now.
That was enough to cover his living expenses, but if he wanted to have some fun, he'd have to spend carefully and watch every coin.
If all else failed, he could only look for women who were past their prime. That would cost a lot less.
"Now, formal training begins. For a Soul Master, practical combat experience is essential. But theoretical knowledge matters, too."
"I'll be in charge of your combat training, and I'll also point out any problems with your meditation."
Soul Masters relied mainly on meditation to improve their Soul Power.
It was the most basic and widespread method of cultivation.
By sitting in meditation, Soul Masters absorbed the Soul Power in the world around them—in other words, the world's vital energy—and used it to raise their Soul Power Level.
The method was slow, but it built a solid foundation and suited the vast majority of ordinary Soul Masters.
Even at Shrek Academy, this was basically how everyone trained.
Besides meditation, they could also build experience through combat, put pressure on their Soul Power, and encourage it to accumulate in other ways.
Shrek had a clear advantage in that regard, because its teachers were genuinely high-level Soul Masters.
They were also extremely experienced!
"Now we'll begin practical combat training. Without enough combat experience, no matter how much Soul Power you have, it's all for nothing."
"So, you little brats, are you ready?"
At that, Lin Ye immediately perked up.
"I'm ready!"
As soon as he spoke, he summoned his Nine-Leaf Sword Grass Martial Soul, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.
Zhao Wuji: "..."
Damn it, he strongly suspected this kid was about to cause trouble.
The entrance examination was still fresh in his mind.
This super-monster defied all common sense.
He already had plenty of combat experience, and his attacks were brutally sharp.
"Lin Ye, just watch from the sidelines."
Zhao Wuji made his decision without hesitation.
If Lin Ye took part in the practical training, he probably wouldn't be able to handle him.
He'd seen the power of the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass Martial Soul and had no desire to test it again.
Especially if Ning Rongrong boosted him. That would make Lin Ye's Soul Power terrifying.
He might end up seriously injured!
"Why? How is that fair?"
Lin Ye was stunned. He'd come to Shrek to study, so what was this about excluding him?
They were all students. How could they be treated differently?
Zhao Wuji was speechless.
Since when did this kid care about fairness?
A Martial Soul as terrifying as the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass was already unfair in itself.
And his Soul Ring Configuration was downright heaven-defying.
He was a Soul Emperor above level sixty. Even Zhao Wuji, a Soul Saint above level seventy, found him intimidating.
"There's nothing unfair about it. That's final!"
"This training is too easy for you. You don't need to take part in this sort of training from now on."
Zhao Wuji really didn't want to fight Lin Ye.
If they fought, he'd definitely be the one to suffer.
It was much more comfortable to deal with Ning Rongrong and the others. At least he didn't have to worry about getting beaten up.
Besides, he knew Lin Ye must have his own way of cultivating.
If Zhao Wuji got involved, he might actually hold Lin Ye back.
So the best choice for Lin Ye was to cultivate on his own.
He still had to discuss the matter with Flender. They needed to talk carefully about Lin Ye's path at the academy.
Given the academy's current abilities, it seemed they truly had no way to train him.
He was already above level sixty. Perhaps in another year or two, he'd become a Soul Saint.
And Zhao Wuji and Flender were both Soul Saints. What could they possibly teach Lin Ye?
Faced with Zhao Wuji's firm decision, Lin Ye could only step aside.
He'd thought it might be a little interesting, but he'd never expected this.
What a disappointment. He might as well just keep clocking in like usual.
There was no fun to be had!
Oscar was genuinely envious that Lin Ye didn't have to train.
What level was this guy, anyway? Why would Teacher Zhao say the training was too easy for him?
"Teacher Zhao, why doesn't Lin Ye have to train? Is there some special reason?"
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Oscar asked.
Zhao Wuji snorted. "You don't want to train either? Fine. Once you reach Soul Emperor, you won't have to train anymore!"
"S-Soul Emperor?"
Oscar's jaw dropped. He hadn't misheard, had he?
A Soul Emperor?
So Lin Ye was actually a Soul Emperor-level expert?
Holy crap!
How was that possible?
He was only twelve!
This had to be a joke. It had to be.
Oscar couldn't believe it. No such prodigy had ever appeared in the history of the Soul Master World.
A Soul Emperor at sixteen or seventeen might be possible, but at twelve?
It was impossible!
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