Wait, why was this guy talking to himself?

Director Su was a veteran of Notting Academy. He had already been teaching there back when Qi Father and Qi Mother were students.

He was delighted to see his two former students again.

When he learned that they had brought Qi Dao to enroll, he personally escorted him to the dormitory.

Apart from the work-study students' dormitory, Notting Academy housed all the students in each year in a single dormitory.

Each dormitory held a full forty or fifty people.

The dormitory was incredibly noisy, with a bunch of children running wild!

To be honest, the dormitory was nicely furnished. After all, this wasn't the work-study dormitory.

But with so many people crammed together, it wasn't exactly suited to meditation.

Once Director Su, Qi Father, and Qi Mother left, the surrounding children immediately gathered around.

At their head stood a boy in fine, ornate clothes, his expression carrying a hint of arrogance.

"Hey, new kid, what's your name?"

Qi Dao gave him an indifferent glance and casually replied, "Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking someone else's name?"

The boy leading them paused, then lifted his chin. "My name is Xiao Chenyu. My father is the lord of Notting City!"

"Xiao Chenyu?"

Hearing that familiar name, Qi Dao took another look at the boy before him and immediately figured out where he was in the timeline.

In the original story, Xiao Chenyu had been a sixth-year student when Tang San arrived at Notting Academy.

Clearly, this was five years before the story began!

"My name is Qi Dao," he said calmly.

"Oh, right. My martial soul is a wolf, and I have innate level-three soul power. What about you?"

Xiao Chenyu asked another question. As the city lord's son, he was a little more mature than other children his age, even if he was still just a brat. He could tell there was something unusual about Qi Dao's bearing and wanted to befriend him.

"My martial soul is the Peerless Sword. Innate half-level soul power!"

"Huh?"

Xiao Chenyu froze. Upon hearing the first half, he had thought Qi Dao's innate soul power would be high.

After all, the name Peerless Sword sounded pretty damn impressive.

But then he heard the soul power level. So he was just some little scumbag!

What was the difference between innate half-level soul power and being useless?

Xiao Chenyu's gaze cooled as he looked at Qi Dao. He glanced at the sword hanging from the latter's waist and asked in confusion, "Your martial soul is already a sword. Why are you carrying another sword?"

Qi Dao remained perfectly composed. "This is my martial soul!"

"What a weirdo. Who carries their tool martial soul around with them?" Xiao Chenyu muttered. He looked Qi Dao up and down, and an idea suddenly occurred to him.

This kid's innate soul power might be trash, but he looks pretty sharp. Maybe I could follow Father's example and recruit him as an adviser.

With that thought, Xiao Chenyu imitated his city lord father's manner from memory and gave a light cough.

"Qi Dao, I think you have real potential. How about joining me?"

"As long as you stick with me, I guarantee no one at Notting Academy will dare bully you!"

Watching these children form cliques as if they were playing house, Qi Dao couldn't help smiling.

"What are you laughing at?" Xiao Chenyu frowned. "Do you look down on me? Or do you think I can't protect you?"

As far as Xiao Chenyu was concerned, the moment he made the offer, Qi Dao should have eagerly accepted and thanked him.

Otherwise, an Innate Half Rank good-for-nothing like him was bound to get bullied at the academy.

Qi Dao shook his head. "I'm just not in the habit of being someone's lackey!"

"Heh. If you don't want to be a lackey, do you want to be the boss instead?" Xiao Chenyu scoffed.

Qi Dao countered, "Why not?"

"Hahaha! Boss Xiao has innate level-three soul power, and he's the city lord's son. We all accept him as our boss. But who the hell are you?"

"You think you can compete with Boss Xiao for that position?"

"Exactly! Kid, it's an honor that Boss Xiao invited you personally. Don't push your luck."

The two boys beside Xiao Chenyu burst out laughing.

They also had innate level-three soul power, and their parents were all soul masters. Naturally, they felt superior and looked down on Qi Dao.

Standing between them, Xiao Chenyu wore a rather smug expression.

"You heard them, kid. Not just anyone can be the boss."

"You don't have the strength for it, understand?"

"Just behave yourself and be my lackey. I'll give you one more chance."

Qi Dao looked at Xiao Chenyu. "So you're saying you have the strength?"

Xiao Chenyu lifted his chin. "Of course!"

"Then if I defeat you, won't I be qualified to be the boss too?"

Qi Dao pressed further. He wasn't determined to fight a bunch of little kids for the position of boss, but they were far too noisy. He needed to establish order and create a quiet environment for cultivation.

"Hahahaha!"

Laughter erupted all around them.

"An Innate Half Rank good-for-nothing actually wants to challenge Boss Xiao!"

"He must be crazy, or he's still half asleep!"

"Forget Boss Xiao. Even I could beat his teeth out."

Even Xiao Chenyu found it unbelievable.

"You actually want to challenge me? Do you have any idea what you're saying?"

He was beginning to doubt whether Qi Dao could serve as his adviser at all.

He really has no idea of his own limits.

In truth, Qi Dao had considered the gap between their levels.

But he still felt it was worth a try.

Before level ten, none of them had soul skills. Although Xiao Chenyu's physique would be greatly enhanced after Martial Soul Possession, he was still flesh and blood in the end.

Although the Peerless Sword's blade was cracked, it was still sharpened and could pose a threat to Xiao Chenyu.

Qi Dao rested a hand on the sword's hilt and murmured to himself.

"Peerless, oh, Peerless. None of them believe in us. What do you say? Should we still challenge him?"

"Bzzz..."

The next moment, Qi Dao felt a faint vibration, along with a trace of fighting spirit.

"I understand!"

Everyone nearby stared at the sight in astonishment.

Wait, why had this guy suddenly started talking to himself?

Talking to a sword?

Was there something wrong with his head?

That would explain why an Innate Half Rank good-for-nothing like him dared challenge Xiao Chenyu, who had innate level-three soul power.

Qi Dao's gaze grew more serious as he looked at Xiao Chenyu.

"I know exactly what I'm saying and doing."

"Now it's my turn to ask you!"

"Do you accept my challenge?"

Xiao Chenyu gave a light snort.

"Fine, I accept. If an Innate Half Rank good-for-nothing like you isn't afraid, why should I be?"

"But we need to go somewhere else. There's not enough room here!"

Qi Dao looked around and nodded in agreement.

"All right!"

Before long, everyone poured out of the dormitory and arrived at a grove on the hill behind the academy.

The commotion caused by their sizable procession drew looks from passersby.

Were they going to have a gang fight?

In a spacious clearing within the grove on the back hill.

Qi Dao and Xiao Chenyu faced each other from seven or eight meters apart.

"Qi Dao, I won't go easy on you!" Xiao Chenyu looked arrogant, unable to imagine any reason he might lose.

Qi Dao slowly drew the Peerless Sword and held it horizontally before him.

"What a coincidence. Neither will I!"