Farewells

Over the past year, many things had remained the same, but many people and events had also changed.

In a little over a year, aided by the fatigue-resetting and restorative cheat of Deep Sleep, as well as the accelerated environment cheat created through self-hypnosis mimicry of "Blue Silver Grass" and the cultivation of a "Blue Silver Grass" environment, Ling Yi's Soul Power had risen by nearly three full levels.

From what Ling Yi had learned through conversations with several elderly Soul Masters in town over the past year, although his low starting point in Soul Power was a factor, this pace had already matched that of ordinary Soul Masters with Level 1 or Level 2 Innate Soul Power.

Besides Soul Power cultivation, Ling Yi had not neglected strengthening his physique.

The Basic Body Tempering Exercise had gained Rabbit Form and Chicken Form compared to a year ago. Their effects largely overlapped with Cat Form and Dog Form, but they also trained certain parts of the body that had previously been overlooked.

As for the Farmer Three Forms, during last year's autumn harvest, Scything Form had been successfully perfected through observing more than three hundred people laboring continuously for half a month. Axing Form, meanwhile, had only been perfected before winter, after Ling Xiaoshan and Zhang Dahe took the lead in organizing the Shan Hai Village villagers to chop down five or six hundred dead and crooked trees in the Old Forest.

Unfortunately, as a child whose body had yet to fully develop, he had his limits. His increase in strength was fairly limited, amounting to less than fifty jin.

This brought up the slingshot made from Iron Birch. Although its bowstring had been replaced with one of greater elasticity, its effective range could only be kept within seventy meters.

It was not that it could not hit targets farther away. In terms of accuracy alone, Ling Yi could now calculate the point of impact and precisely strike a peanut-sized target one hundred and twenty meters away.

But at that distance, its power was no different from an ordinary falling object.

Only within seventy meters could he guarantee that a single Stone Bullet would blow apart a pheasant's head.

If he switched to iron pellets forged at the blacksmith shop, then with the instantaneous explosive force boosted by his Level 3 Soul Power, he could pierce a wild boar's skull within twenty meters.

Unfortunately, he had too little Soul Power. Such an outburst only had enough force for one strike, and targeting weak points such as the eyes, ears, joints, and so on offered the greatest efficiency.

As for the Path of the Mind, there had not been much progress in realm. He was still at the second stage of Deep Sleep, while the third stage, Sleep in Motion, continued to elude him by just a little.

His Hypnosis, on the other hand, had improved. With his entire family, A'Huang, Meow Meow, and cattle, sheep, pigs, rabbits, and the like as practice subjects, coupled with his Mental Strength naturally growing along with his age and Soul Power, Ling Yi had recently begun to grasp the Rhythm of Life of his targets. Without needing their cooperation, he only needed to mobilize his own Mental Strength and use verbal cues, gestures, and other hints to hypnotize them in an extremely short time.

The prerequisite was that the other party did not possess strong vigilance or resistance.

In addition, thanks to his Blue Silver Grass martial soul, Ling Yi could use Soul Power to turn his own aura into that of one among the Blue Silver Grass at any time. Within the environment of Blue Silver Grass now spread all over Shan Hai Village, with his Mental Strength, he was the ruler of that entire Blue Silver Grass colony!

Blue Silver Mimicry was terrifying indeed!

Amused by his own thoughts, Ling Yi bade farewell to Master Jiang and Ling Bai, left Jiang Blacksmith Shop, and headed north through a small side path.

North River Mouth Town was not large. With Ling Yi's brisk pace, it took him only around ten minutes to arrive before a courtyard near the edge of town.

After knocking and entering, he saw a space of more than two hundred square meters as soon as he stepped into the courtyard. Several rows of brown wooden racks stood along the edges, displaying all manner of weapons—sabers, spears, axes, staves, and more.

"Yi lad, you're here~"

In front of the main house, directly facing the courtyard gate, a burly old man reclined in a lounge chair. Seeing Ling Yi approach, he did not get up. He merely smiled and nodded in greeting.

The old man's hair and beard were both white, while the muscles all over his body bulged powerfully. Many scars covered the exposed parts of his body, giving him a fierce and intimidating air. Most eye-catching of all, however, was the empty left pant leg—he was missing a leg!

After nodding his thanks to the woman who had opened the door and led him in, Ling Yi turned to the burly old man and cupped his hands in salute. "Master Huang, I came to say goodbye."

Master Huang, Huang Liang, was a retired veteran. He had once served as a Squad Leader in the Waterwood Principality's army. More than ten years ago, he had accompanied his hundred-man unit to guard the outskirts of a Soul Hunting Forest in the Northern Lands. During a patrol, they had been attacked by a pack of Gray Shadow Wolves. Though he lost a leg, he had managed to keep his life.

After becoming disabled, he naturally could no longer remain in the military. Taking his years of savings and thirty percent of the Gold Soul Coins issued by the army, he returned to his hometown of North River Mouth Town, bought a house and land, married, had children, and became Master Huang.

A year ago, accompanied by Ling Xiaoshan, Ling Yi had brought two Adult Wild Boars that he and Zhang Lei had hunted in the Old Forest to visit the Huang Residence. With the advantage of his status as a Soul Master, Ling Yi had successfully begun learning Master Huang's military Combat Skills with sabers, spears, staves, and other weapons.

"Say goodbye?" Master Huang paused with the teapot in his left hand. Then, as if nothing had happened, he raised it to his mouth and took a sip before turning his pair of tiger eyes toward Ling Yi. He examined the boy carefully from head to toe for quite some time, then sighed. "Yes~ It's time for Martial Soul Academy to begin again..."

Then he said to Ling Yi, "Last year's work-study student slot was taken by those two families. This year, no matter by reason or sentiment, it should be your turn~"

After a pause, seeing that Ling Yi's expression remained as calm as ever, without even a trace of resentment or unwillingness, Master Huang first nodded inwardly, then shook his head, suppressing certain thoughts that had just arisen. At the same time, he could not help but feel a bit more appreciation, and considering the boy's young age, even a faint sense of admiration.

Skipping over the previous topic as though he had never mentioned it, Master Huang asked, "Have you found a carriage to Mu Zhi City? It's not exactly far, but you're not planning to walk all the way there, are you?"

Ling Yi nodded, then shook his head. "I didn't specifically look for a carriage. The young master of the Ison Family happens to be taking two younger cousins from their Second Branch to Mu Zhi City to report back to the academy early. They said they could bring me along on the way~"

At that, a glint flashed through Master Huang's eyes. He stared fixedly at Ling Yi, and only after several breaths, seeing the boy's frank expression, did he let out a rough chuckle. "That's a good thing—"

"Fine, then. Study and cultivate properly once you reach the academy. Although your Innate Soul Power is only half a level, if you work hard, you still have a great chance of cultivating to Level 10, obtaining a Soul Ring, and becoming a Soul Master~"

"It's a pity your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass. Still, you learned the techniques for the four weapons I have—saber, spear, staff, and axe—in just one year. I imagine that among Soul Masters below the Great Soul Master rank, as long as they aren't geniuses with high-grade martial souls, you should be able to handle anyone of the same level—"

As he listened to Master Huang's assessment, Ling Yi wore a gentle smile from beginning to end, occasionally agreeing or offering a word or two of thanks.

For a time, Master Huang's hearty laughter filled the vast training ground in the front courtyard of the Huang Residence.

After saying farewell to Master Huang, Ling Yi left the Huang Residence and headed straight for the Spirit Hall in the center of town.

He ought to say something to Yan Bin, Yan Zhishi, as well~

A year had passed, and Yan Bin's position had not changed, though his Soul Power had risen by a little over one level and was nearing Level 25.

Given his age and aptitude, he had hopes of making a push for the Soul Elder realm before turning 30 Years Old.

Coupled with his status as a Spirit Hall steward, he was someone with whom it was very necessary to maintain friendly relations.

Thanks to reader 20210317235826218 and reader 20210317235826218 for the rewards. Thank you all for your support and continued reading!! (`)