In the headmaster's office, Qi Dao explained why he had come.
"What? You want to graduate early?!" Headmaster Hans exclaimed, his voice echoing through the office.
Qi Dao had always respected the headmaster.
He explained his plans. "Headmaster, I've reached Level Twenty, but the Soul Beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest can't quite meet my needs."
"I've heard the Heaven Dou Crown Prince is generous and treats capable people with respect. I plan to go to Heaven Dou City and enter his service, and ask him to help me obtain my Second Soul Ring."
Headmaster Hans was startled when he heard this.
"You've reached Level Twenty?"
Qi Dao nodded. "Just yesterday."
Hans clicked his tongue and gave Qi Dao an odd look. "Xiaogang once reckoned your Innate Soul Power was at least level five. I didn't believe him then, but now I'm beginning to wonder..."
"Were you really born with only half a level?"
Qi Dao shrugged. "The genuine article!"
Hans did not doubt him. He merely sighed. "If you were getting your Second Soul Ring in the Soul Hunting Forest, I could help. But you've set your sights too high for the Soul Beasts there."
Headmaster Hans had limited talent. Even now, he was only a Level 42 Soul Ancestor.
With his strength, he could stride through the Soul Hunting Forest unchallenged. Elsewhere, though, he would be out of his depth.
Still, he understood Qi Dao's choice.
He, too, had heard that the Crown Prince was wise.
Entering the Crown Prince's service was a good choice for Qi Dao. At the very least, he would no longer have to worry about Soul Rings.
It was hard for a poor family to produce a distinguished son.
If Commoner Soul Masters wanted to rise, they either needed generations of effort or a powerful patron.
Otherwise, never mind anything else—they could not even secure the best combination of Soul Rings.
Hans pondered for a moment, then said, "Since you've made your decision, you have my support as headmaster."
"But the waters run deep in Heaven Dou City. To guard against trouble, I'll give you another layer of protection."
"When I studied at an advanced Soul Master Academy, I had a good friend. He's now an Earl of the Heaven Dou Empire and a powerful Soul Emperor. He lives in Heaven Dou City."
"I'll write you a letter of introduction. Take it to him. With his recommendation, the Crown Prince may well see you in a different light."
"At the very least, he can help you obtain your Second Soul Ring."
When Hans finished, Qi Dao bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Headmaster Hans!"
Hans had gone as far as anyone could reasonably ask to help him.
Hans waved it off with a smile. "I'm doing this because I want to see whether you can keep working miracles."
"I look forward to seeing just how far you'll go!"
After leaving the headmaster's office, Qi Dao found Xiao Chenyu and the others.
They had spent years together. He was not about to leave without saying goodbye.
Xiao Chenyu and the others had not expected this day to come so soon. Their spirits sank.
But Qi Dao had made his decision, and they supported him.
"Keep working hard at your training while I'm gone," Qi Dao told them.
"Don't worry, boss," Xiao Chenyu and the others said. "We won't forget what you told us."
Qi Dao nodded, satisfied.
The next day.
Xiao Chenyu came to Qi Dao and took out a gold card.
"What's this...?"
Xiao Chenyu grinned. "Even a hero can be brought low by an empty purse. There are fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins on this card. Consider it a gift from me, boss."
Qi Dao accepted the card without ceremony and teased him. "You're getting good at making connections, kid!"
Even though their work together over the years had earned Xiao Chenyu plenty, fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins was no small sum for him. It had nearly emptied his purse.
Xiao Chenyu spread his hands. "What can I say? I've got a feeling that once you leave, you'll be like a dragon bursting free of the depths. How could I not place a bet on you?"
He could not help looking pleased with himself. "Besides, I'm the only one who can do this. Liu Long, Ling Feng, and Wang Sheng would help if they could, but they can't!"
Qi Dao burst out laughing.
On the day he left, the teachers and students of the academy all came to see off the legend of Notting Academy.
Qi Dao waved goodbye to everyone.
At the back of the crowd, Tang San stood beside Yu Xiaogang. Watching Qi Dao walk away, he shook his head slightly.
"What a pity. I wonder if we'll ever meet again."
Yu Xiaogang smiled faintly. "Xiao San, there's no need to regret it. From today on, the two of you belong to different worlds!"
"The next time you meet, he may only be able to look up at you!"
Tang San asked curiously, "Teacher, is he going to an intermediate Soul Master Academy?"
"But it isn't time for those academies to enroll new students yet."
Yu Xiaogang shook his head. "No. He's leaving for Heaven Dou City to enter the Crown Prince's service."
A trace of contempt flashed through his eyes.
"Xiao San, don't follow his example. He has fallen completely. He's willing to serve the powerful just to obtain a Soul Ring, without a shred of a Soul Master's dignity."
Tang San hesitated when he heard this.
He saw nothing wrong with serving the Crown Prince.
In his previous life, there had even been a saying about mastering the civil and martial arts and offering them to the emperor. He saw nothing wrong with Qi Dao's choice.
But he would not contradict his teacher.
After all, this was a different world. He did not have to live by the rules of his previous one.
Still, his thoughts returned to his teacher.
His teacher might be a master of theory, but he was not strong. When he had taken Tang San to obtain his First Soul Ring, a Soul Beast had nearly killed him.
What would they do when it was time to obtain his Second Soul Ring?
Yu Xiaogang noticed Tang San's worry and smiled. "Xiao San, you don't need to worry about your Soul Ring. A friend of mine is very powerful. If need be, I'll take you to ask for his help."
Tang San quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
With a friend like that to help his teacher, he would not need to enter someone else's service for a Soul Ring as Qi Dao had.
Meanwhile.
Soon after leaving Notting Academy, Qi Dao arrived home.
"Son, you've already reached Level Twenty?!"
Qi Father and Qi Mother were stunned to learn that Qi Dao had reached Level Twenty.
They had both been eighteen or nineteen when they reached that level.
But their son?
He had reached Level Twenty at only eleven!
Qi Father could not help exclaiming, "Our Qi family is going to have someone great!"
Qi Mother was just as excited.
But after hearing Qi Dao's plans, the couple sighed.
"Ah, we've held you back!"
Qi Dao took their hands and smiled. "You haven't held me back. Besides, you've done everything you could to give me the best conditions, haven't you?"
Only then did smiles return to Qi Father's and Qi Mother's faces.
Qi Dao had planned to travel to Heaven Dou City alone.
But Heaven Dou City was thousands of miles from Notting City. How could Qi Father and Qi Mother feel at ease letting him go alone?
Qi Mother had advanced to Soul Elder the year before. Their family now had two Soul Elders.
The couple immediately decided to accompany Qi Dao to Heaven Dou.
They set out that very day!
Before you continue