Two Years Later

Han Li sat on his bed, meditating as he cultivated.

Two years had passed...

He had changed considerably.

He was a head taller than he had been two years ago. Though his face was still youthful, there was now a hint of composure between his brows.

Those eyes were calm and profound, and the occasional glint within them revealed a maturity far beyond his age.

Han Li was now nine years old.

Over the past two years of grueling cultivation, his Soul Power had steadily risen to level twenty-seven.

Level twenty-seven was already an astonishing number for a nine-year-old child.

Ordinary Soul Masters at that age...

were mostly still hovering around the teens. Those who reached level twenty were already considered exceptionally talented.

As for his second Soul Ring, it was a Millennium Spirit Ring.

He had cultivated it himself using the Heavenly Bottle.

After absorbing this Millennium Spirit Ring, Han Li gained his second soul skill. It was also a healing support skill, but its effects surpassed his first soul skill, Life Liquid, by far.

His second soul skill was called "Light of Life." It could release a pale green halo that enveloped a certain area and healed everyone within it.

With this soul skill, his endurance in battle had greatly improved, and he could even look after his teammates.

At the same time, he had made a trip to Eastsea City.

At an auction house there, he bought a card for the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, entered it, and upgraded his first Soul Ring from a hundred-year ring to a Millennium Spirit Ring as well.

Although that meant spending an extra two million.

At least it was safe.

Han Li understood this very clearly.

With his physical constitution at the time, it was not impossible for him to directly absorb a Millennium Spirit Ring as his first Soul Ring.

But doing so carried too much risk.

If anything went wrong, the losses would outweigh the gains.

Therefore, rather than taking a risk, it was better to spend more money and steadily improve through the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Han Li could accept that price.

Over the past two years, he had also traveled to auction houses and other shops in different cities to sell his goods, bringing his savings to thirty million.

After all, thousand-year plant soul beasts were more than ten times as expensive as hundred-year ones.

And a thousand-year plant soul beast could sell for at least ten million at an auction house.

Thus, after two years, the balance in Han Li's bank card had finally surpassed thirty million.

Of course, throughout this time, he had continued selling under the banner of the Spirit Pagoda.

So nothing had gone wrong.

At the same time, he had graduated from Red Mountain Academy.

Red Mountain Academy was an elementary academy that only taught children between the ages of six and nine.

During those three years of study, Han Li had completed every course required by the academy.

His grades in every subject ranked among the best.

The academy's teachers never stopped praising him, though they also felt that this student was too quiet and did not fit in well with others.

The intermediate academy he would attend next was the same one Tang Wulin was going to: Eastsea Academy in Eastsea City.

Eastsea Academy was one of the most prestigious intermediate academies on the eastern coast of the Sun Moon Federation.

It was located in Eastsea City, right beside the sea.

The academy had a long history and a powerful faculty, having produced countless outstanding Soul Masters.

When Han Li applied to intermediate academies, he considered many factors before ultimately choosing Eastsea Academy.

Because Eastsea Academy was severely lacking in geniuses.

As a genius himself, he would naturally find it easier to obtain a better cultivation environment and more resources there.

So, after bidding farewell to the headmistress...

Han Li packed his luggage and set off for Eastsea City.

The headmistress stood at the orphanage entrance, watching Han Li's retreating back with slightly reddened eyes.

Ever since the day he arrived at the orphanage, this child had been exceptionally quiet. He never cried or fussed, never fought or competed with others, and always kept his own affairs in perfect order.

In more than nine years...

she had never seen Han Li cause trouble for anyone.

"Be careful on the road."

The headmistress spoke softly.

Han Li turned around, bowed to her, then picked up his luggage and left.

Eastsea City's soul train station.

People came and went in a bustling stream.

But perhaps because he had arrived early, Han Li did not run into Tang Wulin.

He followed the crowd out of the station.

The air in Eastsea City was more humid than in Aolai City, and the sea breeze carried a salty, fishy scent as it rushed toward him.

Outside the station, traffic flowed through streets lined with skyscrapers. As an important city on the eastern coast, Eastsea City was far more prosperous than Aolai City.

Han Li hailed a car outside the station, gave the driver the name of Eastsea Academy, then leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest.

The car passed through several bustling streets and, after driving for around forty minutes, stopped at the gates of Eastsea Academy.

Eastsea Academy's gates were tall and imposing. The words "Eastsea Academy" were carved into gray-white stone pillars, the strokes bold and forceful.

Beyond the gates was a broad tree-lined avenue, with towering parasol trees planted along both sides. Dappled shade scattered patches of light across the ground.

In the distance, he could see the outlines of several teaching buildings and training grounds. The entire campus covered an enormous area and radiated grandeur.

By coincidence...

he had been assigned to the same dormitory as Xie Xie and Tang Wulin.

Han Li received the dormitory assignment sheet at registration. When he saw the names on it, his heart stirred slightly.

Xie Xie, Tang Wulin.

He was familiar with both names.

Xie Xie was Tang Wulin's early companion in the original story, a Twin Martial Souls agility-type Soul Master with a proud and prickly personality.

As for Tang Wulin, there was even less need to explain.

Han Li carried his luggage and found the dormitory.

There were four beds, arranged as bunk beds.

He chose the upper bunk by the window, put away his luggage, and began organizing his belongings.

In order to avoid being inexplicably assigned to Class Five, when Zhou Changxi and Yun Xiao from the neighboring dormitory came over...

Han Li did not waste words on empty pleasantries.

He simply gave each of them a punch and crushed them both.

Zhou Changxi was sturdy, but he could not even keep his feet under him before Han Li's fist.

With one punch from Han Li, he staggered back several steps and crashed into the doorframe, his face full of disbelief.

Yun Xiao fared even worse. His thin frame folded under Han Li's punch, and he dropped into a crouch, clutching his stomach without being able to speak for a long while.

The two boys exchanged a glance and saw shock in each other's eyes.

However, Han Li had not hit them hard. He had merely stopped at the right point, enough to let them know he was not someone to be provoked.

Although Zhou Changxi and Yun Xiao felt aggrieved.

They wisely did not provoke Han Li again.

Then, later, while Tang Wulin was organizing his belongings...

the newly arrived Xie Xie inexplicably threw a fit.

Tang Wulin was crouching on the floor, sorting through the clothes in his suitcase with his back to the door, completely unaware that someone had entered.

Xie Xie pushed open the door, swept his gaze across the dormitory, and fixed his eyes on Tang Wulin. After sizing him up, he strode over with an arrogant expression and looked down at him.

"Hey."

"You. Move to the top bunk. The bottom bunk is mine."