Admission

When the first ray of morning sunlight streamed in, Li Hanche was having a dream.

In the dream, he stood at the pinnacle of Douluo Continent, with a group of Titled Douluo beneath his feet, Qian Renxue in his left arm and Bibi Dong in his right, delivering an acceptance speech.

"Thanks to Spirit Hall, thanks to the Heaven Dou Empire, and thanks to my parents for making me an orphan..."

Then he was shaken awake.

"Young Master, it's time to get up. You need to report to the academy today."

A maid with willow-leaf brows and almond eyes stood beside the bed, her voice gentle.

Her name was Qingluo. She had introduced herself last night.

Li Hanche opened his eyes and stared blankly at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling for three seconds.

This wasn't a dream.

He really was living in a mansion.

He really had a top-tier martial soul.

He really had Innate Full Soul Power.

Everything that had happened yesterday was real.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

Qingluo had already brought over a brand-new set of clothes. The fabric was sky blue, with subtle silver embroidery along the collar and cuffs—a style that was understated yet refined.

A pair of polished calfskin boots sat beside them.

"Breakfast is ready. Once you've washed up, you may go downstairs to eat."

Qingluo stepped aside.

Li Hanche got out of bed and was led away to wash up by another maid, the delicate-looking girl named Baiwei.

The hot water had already been prepared, a towel hung on the rack, and even the toothpaste had been squeezed out for him.

He stood before the washstand and looked at the face of a six-year-old child in the mirror.

His skin was rather pale, his features fairly proper, though he was a little too thin, with a pointed chin that made it obvious he had suffered from malnutrition for a long time.

But his eyes were bright, their black and white clearly defined. Deep within his pupils, a faint icy-blue glimmer seemed to flow—that was the change brought about after he had fused with the Frost Heaven Record technique yesterday.

He smiled at his reflection.

Then he silently mouthed four words.

"I don't eat beef..."

He did not say the final word aloud, since Baiwei was still waiting outside the door.

But the smug satisfaction swelling up from the depths of his heart was impossible to suppress.

Ever since arriving in Douluo Continent, he had worried every day that he would awaken some useless martial soul like a hoe, sickle, or rolling pin, then muddle through life until some passing soul master casually slapped him to death, leaving not even a name behind.

Now, though, things were different.

A top-tier mutated martial soul, Innate Full Soul Power, and the Crown Prince personally arranging his enrollment.

What did this mean?

This was rising straight to the heavens in a single step.

This was reaching the pinnacle right from the start.

This was the heavens chasing after him to spoon-feed him.

After washing up, Li Hanche changed into his new sky-blue clothes, pulled on his calfskin boots, and looked himself over in the mirror.

Clothes made the man, just as saddles made the horse. Once he put on this outfit, he immediately looked much more spirited. He was still thin, but at least he no longer looked like he had crawled out of a slum.

Satisfied, he nodded and headed downstairs.

Breakfast had been laid out on the long dining table.

Li Hanche stood before it in silence for three seconds.

He thought of the breakfasts he had eaten in the past, then looked at the spread before him...

What a filthy rich household.

He cursed inwardly once more, then sat down without the slightest guilt and began eating.

He ate with great focus, and very neatly.

Qingluo watched from the side, her eyes full of pity.

How much hardship must this child have endured to cherish even a breakfast so dearly?

What she did not know was that Li Hanche simply could not help himself because the food was too delicious.

After finishing his meal and wiping his mouth, Li Hanche stood up and drew a deep breath.

Let's go.

Heaven Dou Imperial Junior Academy.

He was here.

The carriage driver was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in the standard uniform of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. A silver sword-and-shield emblem was embroidered on his chest. Upon seeing Li Hanche, he bowed respectfully.

"Young Master Li, I am Zhou Ping, an external affairs steward of Heaven Dou Imperial Junior Academy. By His Highness the Crown Prince's command, I have come to escort you to enroll."

Li Hanche nodded and stepped into the carriage in his calfskin boots.

The carriage passed through three streets before stopping before an imposing gate.

Heaven Dou Imperial Junior Academy.

The gilded plaque gleamed beneath the morning sun, while two three-meter-tall stone soul beast statues stood at the entrance.

On the left was an eagle poised to take flight, and on the right was a lion crouched low with a rumbling roar. The craftsmanship was exquisite, making them seem almost alive.

Rows of students in academy uniforms stood on either side of the gate, boys and girls ranging from six to twelve or thirteen years old. When they saw the carriage stop, they all cast curious looks toward it.

Then the carriage door opened, and a small, skinny child stepped out.

The students' curiosity turned into scrutiny.

"So this is the one His Highness the Crown Prince personally arranged to enroll?"

"He doesn't look like much. He's thin as a monkey."

"I heard he's a commoner, from the slums."

"The slums? Then why would His Highness the Crown Prince..."

"Shh, keep it down. Don't let him hear."

Li Hanche heard them.

But his expression did not change. He simply followed Zhou Ping calmly into the academy.

The academy was even more impressive than he had imagined.

The bluestone paths were broad and smooth, with neatly trimmed evergreens planted along both sides. In the distance stood rows of teaching buildings and training grounds, their architecture uniform and solemn.

Students occasionally passed by along the way. Whenever they saw his unfamiliar face, they would glance at him a few extra times and whisper among themselves.

Zhou Ping led him across more than half the academy to an independent two-story building.

A woman in her early thirties stood at the entrance. She wore the dark-blue robes of an instructor, her hair gathered into a neat, capable bun. Her features were lovely, but her face currently bore a smile that was... how should he put it? Far too enthusiastic.

It was the kind of smile an innkeeper's wife wore upon seeing an honored guest, or a gambler wore after drawing an excellent hand.

"Student Li Hanche!"

She hurried over, her voice sweet.

"I'm your homeroom instructor, Lin Ruoxi. Starting today, you'll be studying in my class. If you need anything at all, just tell me. Don't be polite."

As she spoke, she reached out as though to pat Li Hanche on the head, but withdrew her hand halfway through. Perhaps she felt that was too abrupt for their first meeting, so she instead patted his shoulder.

"Come, come. I'll show you your dormitory first."

Lin Ruoxi led Li Hanche upstairs.

The dormitory was at the end of the second-floor corridor. She pushed open the door and stepped aside to let Li Hanche enter first.

Li Hanche stepped into the room, then paused.

This was a fucking dormitory?

There was a spacious single bed, covered in snowy-white bedding folded with perfect neatness.

Beside the bed stood a desk already stocked with a full set of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. There was even an exquisite soul tool desk lamp.

A large wardrobe stood in the corner, its doors half-open to reveal several brand-new academy uniforms hanging inside.

A pot of orchids rested on the windowsill, its pale purple blossoms giving off a faint, subtle fragrance.

The window faced the academy's martial arts grounds, offering an expansive view of the layered pavilions in the distance and, farther beyond, the outline of Heaven Dou City.

"This is the academy's finest single dormitory."

Lin Ruoxi stood in the doorway with her hands folded before her, wearing a smile as if awaiting praise.

"It was originally reserved for collateral members of the royal family, but His Highness the Crown Prince specifically instructed us to assign it to you. Of course, if you're not used to dorm life and would rather stay at home, that's completely fine too. A carriage will pick you up and drop you off every day—it only takes fifteen minutes. You can live wherever you want, whatever makes you most comfortable."

Li Hanche glanced at her.

Lin Ruoxi's hair bun was wound very tightly, with a hairpin running through it and keeping every strand firmly in place.

Yet Li Hanche somehow felt that if she had another spare hairpin in hand right now, she would not hesitate to wind her hair even tighter.

That was the influence brought by power.