Hans, You'll Regret This!

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

"Hans!"

"Hans!"

Hurried footsteps sounded outside the Dean’s Office, followed by urgent shouts.

Yu Xiaogang shoved open the office door without permission.

Hans was sitting behind his desk. At the sight of Yu Xiaogang rushing in, his brows drew together.

"Xiaogang, what's wrong?"

Yu Xiaogang strode forward and slapped Hans's desk. Staring him straight in the eye, he asked grimly, "Hans, do you know what happened at the academy yesterday?"

At first, Yu Xiaogang had thought the Qi Dao those two young teachers mentioned merely shared a name with the Qi Dao he knew.

But when he pressed them, one of the teachers told him a cruel truth.

The Qi Dao they meant was the very same Qi Dao he knew.

Innate Half-Level Soul Power, with a Sword Martial Soul that had undergone a malignant mutation!

But how could someone with Innate Half-Level Soul Power defeat a Soul Master who already had his First Soul Ring?

That was why Yu Xiaogang had come to Hans. He desperately wanted to understand one thing.

How had Qi Dao gravely wounded Xiao Haijie with a single sword strike?

A Soul Master with a Trash Martial Soul and a mere Innate Half-Level Soul Power could never have done that.

Unless...

His Martial Soul Awakening report was false!

He had never been a good-for-nothing with a malignantly mutated Martial Soul and Innate Half-Level Soul Power. He was a genius with a beneficially mutated Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power.

Only then would there be the slightest chance that he could gravely wound Xiao Haijie with one strike.

Seeing Yu Xiaogang's expression, Hans sighed.

"Xiaogang, I know what you want to ask."

"That child Qi Dao defeated Xiao Haijie fair and square, though Xiao Haijie's carelessness played a part."

"Stop!" Yu Xiaogang cut him off. "I only want to know whether his Innate Soul Power really was half a level."

Hans sighed and shook his head. "Xiaogang, I know it's hard to believe, but I can confirm that the child's Martial Soul report was correct. When he defeated Xiao Haijie, he was even still a half-level Soul Scholar."

"H-how is that possible?" Yu Xiaogang could hardly believe it.

"No. I have to study his Martial Soul myself. There must be more to it!"

"Hans, didn't you want me to take him as a disciple?"

"As long as Qi Dao cooperates with my research into his Martial Soul, I'll agree to take him as a nominal disciple."

Longing shone in Yu Xiaogang's eyes as he spoke. He had completely forgotten how he had looked down on Qi Dao for having Innate Half-Level Soul Power.

"Xiaogang!"

Hans raised his voice, disappointment and anger appearing on his face.

"Don't you realize how arrogant you're being?"

"You're not looking for a student. You're looking for a test subject!"

"Qi Dao would never agree to this, and neither will I."

Yu Xiaogang stared at him in disbelief. He had never imagined Hans would refuse him.

He said urgently, "Hans, this is for Qi Dao's own good. With his Innate Half Rank Soul Power, without my guidance, he'll struggle to break through Level Twenty, let alone reach Level Thirty."

"As long as he cooperates with my research, I won't hurt him!"

Hans gave a cold snort.

"Xiaogang, say no more. I won't agree!"

Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth.

"Hans, you'll regret this!"

Hans did not budge. He said in a low voice, "Xiaogang, I'm the dean here!"

Bang!

Yu Xiaogang stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

First-year classroom.

The first lesson of the school year.

As a junior Soul Master Academy, the academy mainly taught theory.

Of course, Notting Academy's teachers generally had low Soul Power Levels. Some teachers of the lower grades had not even surpassed Level Twenty.

Expecting teachers at barely a dozen levels to teach practical combat was hardly realistic.

In class, the first-year teacher stood at the lectern, introducing basic concepts such as Martial Souls and Soul Power. At the end of the lesson, he also taught them about a common Soul Beast.

For Soul Masters, especially those of ordinary talent and no background, the academy was the easiest place to learn about Soul Beasts.

Otherwise, once they graduated from a Soul Master Academy, they could only gain that knowledge through lesson after bloody, tearful lesson while Soul Hunting.

Unless they never went Soul Hunting in their lives!

Even if they paid a high price to hire a dedicated Soul Hunting team, the team might simply find any old Soul Beast and call the job done.

After class.

The teacher came over to thank Qi Dao.

"Qi Dao, thank you for helping me keep order during class."

The teacher looked quite young. In his introduction, he had said that he too had graduated from Notting Academy.

His talent had fallen short, though, and he had failed to enter an intermediate Soul Master Academy. After becoming a Soul Master, he had returned to Notting Academy to teach the lower grades.

Having been through it himself, he knew how unruly children who had just entered the academy could be. Getting them to sit quietly and listen to dry Soul Master theory was all but impossible.

But Qi Dao commanded such respect that a single glance or soft cough from him would make the entire classroom fall silent and listen.

The young teacher had taught three first-year cohorts, and he had never had such an easy time.

Qi Dao smiled. "I was helping myself too. Their noise made it hard for me to listen."

Hearing this, the young teacher could not help marveling.

As if Qi Dao's strength weren't impressive enough, he was so considerate too.

If only every student were like him.

Unfortunately, he would only get to teach a student like this for one year.

Still, the young teacher liked students as eager to learn as Qi Dao. He said kindly, "Qi Dao, if you want to learn more theory, you can visit the academy library. I took some notes when I was studying, too. I'll bring them for you tomorrow. They may not amount to much, but I hope they'll help."

Qi Dao replied respectfully, "Thank you, Teacher!"

The young teacher smiled, then turned and left.

After the young teacher left, another theory lesson soon began.

The afternoon was devoted to meditation class.

Clearly, the academy also understood how hard it was to get children so young to meditate and cultivate on their own initiative.

Without supervision, these students might not cultivate for even an hour or two a day.

During class, Qi Dao also got to know Wang Sheng.

There were two work-study students in this year's first-year class, and Wang Sheng was one of them.

Wang Sheng's talent was by no means lacking among the first-years. He, too, had innate level-three Soul Power.

But because of his background, the other first-years looked down on him.

Qi Dao did not try to correct that prejudice directly. He simply told every one of them:

"If you look down on him, put up your fists and fight him."

Among Soul Masters, strength did the talking!

If they were weaker than him, what right did they have to scorn him?

Were kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born to their stations?