"Our Class Guarantees We Won't Use Kong Bo"

"That makes sense," Lin Jiayi said. "Your Moon Shuttle is on the expensive side, but it has great potential. Wait here, Kong Bo. I am going to present you with your First-Class Soul Master badge. Congratulations, Kong Bo; you are now officially a soul master. I never expected your first soul tool to be one controlled by a martial soul. It's truly a pleasant surprise."

"Director, I intend to use this Moon Shuttle for actual combat. If I ever encounter a soul master with a mental attribute who tries to interfere with me using their mental power, I have to be fully prepared for such a situation."

Lin Jiayi then handed a gold-plated badge to Kong Bo. The badge had gear-like edges and the number "1" in the center, signifying that Kong Bo was a First-Class Soul Master.

"Thank you, Director," Kong Bo said. "Brother Xiao, Sister Meng, are you here to see Director Lin to take the Second-Class Soul Master test?"

"Only me, little brother Kong Bo," Xiao Hongchen said. "I am now a level 24 Grand Soul Master, and my sister is a level 23 Grand Soul Master. After studying soul tool theory for nearly two months, it's time to pass the exam. I never imagined I'd run into you here, little brother!"

"You are too kind, Brother Xiao. May I take a look at your Second-Class soul tools?" Kong Bo asked.

"Of course you can," Xiao Hongchen replied.

Xiao Hongchen's Second-Class soul tool was a soul cannon. He retrieved it from his storage ring, aimed at the target, and channeled his soul power into the device. As the core array began to hum, a red beam of soul light shot from the barrel, piercing a hole straight through the target.

"You pass," Lin Jiayi said.

Next was Meng Hongchen's test. She had crafted a melee soul sword, the materials of which were highly compatible with the ice attribute. After channeling her soul power into it, she thrust the blade at a training dummy, piercing it clean through. Meng Hongchen also passed her Second-Class certification.

"Good, excellent," Lin Jiayi said. The Hongchen siblings were truly brilliant young talents to pass the Second-Class exam at only nine years old. "Children, you have given me a great surprise. Our Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy has never seen geniuses like you. However, you must remember that whether it is cultivation or crafting soul tools, there is a long road ahead. You must not slack off."

"Yes, Director," the three of them replied.

"If there is nothing else, you may return to your classes," Lin Jiayi said.

Kong Bo returned to his classroom. He was in the first grade, and his homeroom teacher was Zhuang Yi, a young woman. The first-grade curriculum was not overly complex, focusing primarily on the foundations of being a soul master and a soul master.

"Hello, Teacher Zhuang," Kong Bo said. As he entered the classroom, the lesson was already in progress, so he politely knocked on the door and bowed to her.

"Kong Bo, I know you took two days off. Did something happen on your way?" Zhuang Yi asked. She knew Kong Bo lived nearby, but since he was two hours late, she felt responsible for checking on her student.

"Teacher, I went to see Director Lin to take my First-Class Soul Master certification exam," Kong Bo said, pointing to the gold badge pinned to his left chest. "Look, Director Lin gave me this."

"Kong Bo, you..." Zhuang Yi and the rest of the class stared at the gold badge with their mouths agape. Zhuang Yi even stuttered, "Kong Bo, you... you really became a First-Class Soul Master? Can... can I see your soul tool?"

"Yeah, Kong Bo!" a classmate named Zhao Chaoyong said excitedly. "My father works in the archives at Mingde Hall. You're the first person I've ever heard of to craft a soul tool after only one week of school. Show us!"

"Alright, I'll show you all. This soul tool is called the Moon Shuttle." Kong Bo took the device from his storage ring. With a thought, the tetrahedron split into two shuttles, which he controlled as they zipped around the classroom before returning to his hands.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Zhao Chaoyong and the other students watched with wide, envious eyes.

Kong Bo waved his hand, and the two shuttles returned to his palms, snapping back into a single tetrahedron after a few mechanical shifts.

Zhuang Yi had watched the entire transformation process and asked, "Kong Bo, the transformation process seems quite complex when you retract the Moon Shuttle."

"Of course, Teacher. Otherwise, I wouldn't have spent an entire week drawing the blueprints. When the other students went out to play, I was busy designing, and you saw me drawing in the classroom, didn't you?" Kong Bo said.

Zhuang Yi suddenly remembered. Kong Bo had indeed been drawing all last week. She had assumed he was just an introverted child who liked to sketch; she never imagined he was actually designing a soul tool.

"Good, this is truly excellent," Zhuang Yi said. "Kong Bo, we have a student soul combat tournament this afternoon. You must represent our class!"

"That's right, Kong Bo! Let the other classes see how strong you are!" another student added.

By the afternoon, it was time for the first-grade practical combat class. The instructor, Zhong Yue, was a former soul master officer in the Sun Moon Empire's army who had joined the academy after retiring. He taught more than just the first grade.

After the lecture, the classes were paired off for combat. Kong Bo's class, Class One, was matched against Class Five. "Go, Kong Bo! Show them what you've got!" his classmates cheered.

A large, burly boy stepped out from the ranks of Class Five. His martial soul was a Black Bear. Seeing Kong Bo—who was shorter, thinner, and younger than him—walk onto the stage, he couldn't help but look down on him.

"Does Class One have no one left? You're actually sending a six-year-old shrimp to fight. State your name! I am Peng Shan, a level 15 Power Attack System Soul Master, martial soul Black Bear," the boy declared.

Kong Bo looked up and smiled at the soul master. He said in a clear voice, "Kong Bo, level 13 Soul Master, martial soul Three Moons, First-Class Soul Master." Kong Bo activated his martial soul, and three moons circled his body. Simultaneously, he released the mechanical tetrahedron from his storage ring, and with a thought, it transformed into two Moon Shuttles.

"A First-Class Soul Master? You're actually a First-Class Soul Master?" It wasn't just Peng Shan; everyone, including Zhong Yue, was stunned. Seeing the shuttles hovering at Kong Bo's sides and the badge on his chest, Peng Shan finally realized that Kong Bo was indeed a First-Class Soul Master.

"So what? I'm not afraid of you!" Peng Shan activated his own martial soul.

"Classmate Peng Shan, I suggest you reconsider. It wouldn't be good if you were seriously injured," Kong Bo said. "How about this? Feel the power up close first."

Kong Bo snapped his fingers, and the two Moon Shuttles began firing continuous, scorching red soul rays, drawing a circle around Peng Shan.

Peng Shan could naturally feel the searing heat and realized the power of the rays. If they actually hit him, he would be severely injured or even face a life-threatening situation, regardless of his higher soul power level.

"I concede! Thank you for showing mercy!" Peng Shan said.

From that day on, whenever Kong Bo's class had a match in the practical combat course, the opposing side would always ask, "Is Kong Bo playing?" To which Zhuang Yi would reply, "We promise not to use Kong Bo."