Why Is This Guy Talking to Himself?

Director Su had been with Notting Academy for many years. Back when Qi Dao's parents were still at Notting Academy, he had already been a teacher there.

He was delighted to see his two former students again.

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

Aside from the work-study student dormitories, students of every grade at Notting Academy lived together in the same dormitory.

And each dormitory housed forty or fifty people.

The dormitory was incredibly noisy, with a group of half-grown children playing wildly!

To be honest, the dormitory was decorated quite nicely. After all, this was not a work-study student dormitory.

But with so many people and so much commotion, it was hardly suitable for meditation.

After Director Su and Qi Dao's parents left, the children around them immediately gathered around.

Leading them was a boy dressed in splendid brocade robes, his expression carrying a trace of arrogance.

"Hey, newbie, what's your name?"

Qi Dao gave him an indifferent glance and casually replied, "Before asking someone's name, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

The leading boy froze for a moment, then raised his chin. "My name is Xiao Chenyu. My father is the city lord of Notting City!"

"Xiao Chenyu?"

Hearing that familiar name, Qi Dao could not help taking another look at the boy before him, instantly understanding the current point in the timeline.

When Tang San came to Notting Academy in the original story, Xiao Chenyu had been in sixth grade.

Clearly, this was five years before the story began!

"My name is Qi Dao!" Qi Dao said calmly.

"By the way, my martial soul is a wolf, and my innate soul power is level three. What about you?"

Xiao Chenyu asked again. As the city lord's son, although he was still just a little brat, he was somewhat more mature than children his age. He could tell that Qi Dao had an unusual air about him, so he intended to befriend him.

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

"Huh?"

Xiao Chenyu was stunned. Upon hearing the first half, he had thought Qi Dao's innate soul power was very high.

After all, Peerless Sword sounded incredibly impressive.

But once he heard the soul power level, he realized Qi Dao was just a worthless nobody!

Half-level innate soul power—how was that any different from being trash?

The look in Xiao Chenyu's eyes immediately turned colder. Looking at the sword hanging from Qi Dao's waist, he asked in confusion, "Your martial soul is already a sword, so why are you carrying another sword on you?"

Qi Dao remained utterly calm. "This is my martial soul."

"What a weirdo. Who carries their weapon martial soul around with them?" Xiao Chenyu muttered. His gaze swept Qi Dao from head to toe, and an idea suddenly came to him.

This kid's innate soul power might be pathetic, but he looked clever. Perhaps Xiao Chenyu could follow his father's example and recruit him as an advisor.

With that thought, Xiao Chenyu imitated the manner of his city lord father from his memories and gave a light cough.

"Qi Dao, I think highly of your potential. How about you follow me?"

"As long as you follow me, I guarantee no one in Notting Academy will dare bully you!"

Seeing this childish scene of kids forming a gang, Qi Dao could not help but laugh.

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

In Xiao Chenyu's eyes, the moment he spoke, Qi Dao should have eagerly agreed and thanked him.

Otherwise, with half-level innate soul power, that useless loser would definitely get bullied at the academy.

Qi Dao shook his head. "I just don't have the habit of being someone's lackey!"

"Heh, if you won't be a lackey, do you want to be the boss instead?" Xiao Chenyu sneered.

Qi Dao asked in return, "Can't I?"

"Hahaha, Boss Xiao has level-three innate soul power and is the city lord's son. We all accept him as the boss, but what the hell are you?"

"You want to compete with Boss Xiao for the boss's position too?"

"That's right, kid. Boss Xiao personally invited you—it's an honor. Don't push your luck."

The two boys beside Xiao Chenyu burst into laughter.

Their innate soul power was also level three, and both their parents were soul masters. Naturally, they carried themselves with a certain sense of superiority and looked down on Qi Dao.

Xiao Chenyu stood between the two of them, looking somewhat smug.

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

"You don't have that kind of strength, understand?"

"Be my lackey obediently. I'll give you one more chance."

Qi Dao looked at Xiao Chenyu. "So, that means you have the strength for it?"

Xiao Chenyu lifted his chin. "Of course!"

"Then if I defeat you, wouldn't I be equally qualified to be the boss?"

Qi Dao asked again. It was not as though he insisted on competing with a group of brats for the position of boss, but they were simply too noisy. He needed to establish order—a quiet environment for cultivation.

"Hahahaha!"

A burst of laughter immediately erupted around them.

"A worthless guy at innate half-rank actually wants to challenge Boss Xiao!"

"He must be crazy, or maybe he hasn't woken up yet!"

"Forget Boss Xiao—even I could beat him until he was crawling around looking for his teeth."

Even Xiao Chenyu found it unbelievable.

"You want to challenge me? Do you even know what you're saying?"

He was now beginning to doubt whether Qi Dao could truly serve as his adviser.

He was simply overestimating himself.

In truth, Qi Dao had not failed to consider the gap between their levels.

But he still felt it was worth a try.

Before level ten, no one had soul skills. Although Xiao Chenyu's physique would be greatly enhanced after possessing his martial soul, he was still flesh and blood in the end.

Peerless's blade bore cracks, but it was still sharpened. It was enough to pose a threat to Xiao Chenyu.

Qi Dao placed one hand on the sword hilt and murmured to himself.

"Peerless, Peerless... no one believes in us. Do you think we should still challenge him?"

"Buzz~"

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

"I understand!"

The people beside him watched this scene with stunned expressions.

What was going on? Why had this guy suddenly started talking to himself?

Talking to a sword?

Was there something wrong with his head?

That would explain why a worthless guy at innate half-rank dared to challenge Xiao Chenyu, who was at innate rank three.

Qi Dao's gaze grew several degrees 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!"

"Will you accept?"

Xiao Chenyu gave a cold snort.

"Fine, I accept. If a worthless guy at innate half-rank like you isn't afraid, what do I have to fear?"

"But we need to change locations. There's not enough room to fight here!"

Qi Dao swept his gaze around and nodded in agreement.

"Alright!"

Not long after, everyone streamed out of the dormitory and headed to a grove in the academy's rear mountain.

The sheer commotion of the group drew the attention of passersby.

Were they going to have a gang fight?

In the forest behind the mountain, on an open clearing.

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 wore a proud expression, unable to think of any reason he could lose.

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

"What a coincidence. Neither will I!"