Enrolling at Heaven Dou Royal Academy!

Heaven Dou Royal Academy was affiliated with the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family, and its nominal dean was the Heaven Dou Empire's emperor, Xue Ye.

However, Xue Ye naturally could not personally handle such matters, so the academy's affairs were decided by the Education Committee, which consisted of the three Heaven-Dou Tier teachers with the greatest strength and longest seniority.

Of course, important matters still had to be reported to the royal family.

Although Xue Ye would not come personally to oversee the dean's duties, he would send a member of the royal family to take charge.

That royal family member was Xue Ye's younger brother, Xue Qinghe's uncle, Prince Xue Xing.

When Xia Yuan and Xue Qinghe arrived at the academy gates, a guard had already rushed ahead to notify the three Education Committee members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Thus, by the time Xue Qinghe led Xia Yuan into the Education Committee within the main campus, the three committee members were already standing outside its entrance, waiting quietly.

Seeing Xue Qinghe approach with Xia Yuan, the three committee members bowed in unison. "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Xue Qinghe smiled gently. "There is no need for such formality, gentlemen."

The three committee members all wore black formal robes. Once Xue Qinghe had finished speaking, their gazes fell upon Xia Yuan.

Having been informed beforehand by the guard, they naturally knew that Xia Yuan was someone Xue Qinghe had personally brought to enroll.

Crown Prince Xue Qinghe was outstanding within the Heaven Dou Empire, whether in political reputation or personal character.

Naturally, they were curious about someone personally recommended by the Crown Prince.

"This must be young friend Xia Yuan. Greetings." The committee member standing in the middle spoke.

Xue Qinghe then introduced them one by one. "Brother Xia, this is the Education Committee's chief, Meng Shenji, an eight-ring control-system Soul Douluo."

To Meng Shenji's left stood an exceedingly fat old man named Bai Baoshan, the Education Committee's second seat and an eight-ring defense-system Soul Douluo.

To Meng Shenji's right was the Education Committee's third seat, Zhi Lin, an eight-ring control-system Soul Douluo.

After the introductions, they entered the Education Committee hall.

Xue Qinghe smiled. "Brother Xia, please trouble yourself to demonstrate it again."

"So that the three committee members will know I did not come here merely to send in someone with connections."

"Your Highness jests," Meng Shenji said with a smile. "Who does not know of Your Highness's sterling reputation?"

"How could we make such presumptuous assumptions?"

"That said, if we can learn of young friend Xia Yuan's talent, it will be easier for me to arrange his placement."

With that, Meng Shenji looked toward Xia Yuan.

He truly trusted Xue Qinghe's character, but as he had said, he needed to see it with his own eyes before he could make a proper decision.

Xia Yuan rose to his feet and gave the three committee members a slight nod before releasing his Martial Soul.

Blue-gold light surged from his palm as a crystalline Blue Silver Emperor slowly grew forth. Faint golden patterns flowed across its surface like dragon scales.

Two Soul Rings rose with it, one yellow and one purple.

The Education Committee hall fell deathly silent.

Meng Shenji's hand, which had been holding a teacup, froze in midair as the tea inside trembled slightly.

Bai Baoshan's round body stiffened as well, and even the fat on his face seemed to forget to shake.

Zhi Lin rose directly to his feet, staring fixedly at the purple Soul Ring around Xia Yuan as his lips moved several times.

"A thousand-year second Soul Ring?!"

Meng Shenji set down his teacup and took a deep breath.

When the guard had arrived earlier, he had only said that Xue Qinghe had brought someone to enroll, nothing more.

He had never imagined that Xia Yuan possessed such terrifying talent.

"Young friend Xia Yuan, how long have you cultivated...?"

"A little over a year," Xia Yuan answered calmly.

"A year... a little over a year..." Meng Shenji murmured, repeating the words as he turned to exchange looks with Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin.

Zhi Lin said heavily, "Chief, the theoretical limit for a second Soul Ring is around seven hundred years."

"Under normal circumstances, a thousand-year Soul Ring has already exceeded the limit an ordinary Soul Master can endure."

Meng Shenji nodded slowly and looked at Xia Yuan again. "Young friend, forgive this old man's boldness, but what exactly is your Martial Soul...?"

Xia Yuan withdrew his Martial Soul and gave them the same explanation about a mutated Blue Silver Grass.

When they heard that Xia Yuan's Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass, Meng Shenji and the other two visibly froze.

After all, the notion that Blue Silver Grass was a useless Martial Soul had long been deeply ingrained in people's minds.

Yet this was mutated Blue Silver Grass capable of awakening Innate Full Soul Power. Moreover, as eight-ring Soul Douluo, all three of them could sense that Xia Yuan's Martial Soul utterly lacked the ordinary feeling of normal Blue Silver Grass.

What did that mean?

It meant Xia Yuan's Martial Soul was as different from ordinary Blue Silver Grass as clouds were from mud, separated by an enormous gulf.

How could such a Martial Soul possibly be useless?

The three quickly exchanged several looks. In the end, Meng Shenji made the decision. "Young friend Xia Yuan, Heaven Dou Royal Academy welcomes talent such as yours with open arms."

"This old man will personally arrange your enrollment. You will receive the best treatment in every regard."

Xue Qinghe rose at the right moment and smiled. "Since the three committee members have made their decision, I shall leave Brother Xia in your care."

"I must return to the palace to assist Father Emperor with state affairs, so I will take my leave first."

Meng Shenji and the other two hurriedly rose to see him off.

Xia Yuan followed them to the entrance as well.

Before leaving, Xue Qinghe turned back to glance at Xia Yuan and smiled. "Brother Xia, cultivate well. Your elder brother looks forward to seeing you grow."

Xia Yuan cupped his hands. "Thank you, Brother Xue."

After Xue Qinghe departed, Meng Shenji looked at Xia Yuan and pondered for a moment.

"Xia Yuan, since His Highness the Crown Prince has already introduced the academy's general situation to you, I will not go into further detail."

"I wonder if you have heard of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."

Xia Yuan said, "I have heard a little about it."

Meng Shenji said, "The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is the grandest Martial Soul competition in the Soul Master world, jointly organized by our Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, with Spirit Hall's cooperation."

"You will not make it in time for the next Soul Master Tournament, but based on the talent you have displayed, you should be able to participate in the tournament after that, seven years from now."

Xia Yuan immediately thought of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's seeded team, the Imperial Fighting Team.

Meng Shenji continued, "Our Heaven Dou Royal Academy has a seeded team that may skip the preliminary rounds and advance directly to the finals."

"Once the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Spirit Fighting Tournament concludes, the academy will form a new seeded team."

"When that time comes, you must perform well. Do not become complacent simply because you have talent."

"I will," Xia Yuan said, nodding.

While Xia Yuan was still becoming familiar with Heaven Dou Royal Academy, within the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace—

"Father Emperor." Xue Qinghe bowed to Xue Ye, emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire.

"Qinghe, is that you?" Seeing that it was Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, Xue Ye beckoned to him.

"I heard that you recruited a genius into the Royal Academy today?"