He immediately sat up and saw two boys walk in, one tall and stout, the other tall and thin. They looked like they came from farming families as well, since both had dark, sun-browned skin.
The stout boy spoke first. When he saw Yao Shi's face, he was slightly startled. "Miss, did you go to the wrong dormitory?"
Yao Shi froze at his words. I may have become a little more valiant-looking, but surely I can't be mistaken for a girl, right? Only then did he notice that his originally short hair had somehow grown to his shoulders. Through the window's reflection, he really did look rather like a woman now.
Strange, why had his hair grown so fast?
Yao Shi did not dwell on it and hurriedly explained, "I'm not in the wrong place. I'm a boy."
"Damn, bro, are you really a guy? Even Xiaocui from my village isn't as pretty as you."
Even after hearing Yao Shi say so, the stout boy still found it hard to believe. The other boy beside him felt the same.
"Oh, right. My name is Tian Dali. My Martial Soul is a sickle, and I have level two Soul Power. This is Niu San. His Martial Soul is a kitchen knife, and he also has level two Soul Power. He's from the same village as me."
The stout boy did not press the matter further. He introduced himself in a forthright manner and pointed at the boy beside him.
"My name is Yao Shi. My Martial Soul is a tree branch, and my Soul Power is... Level Twelve."
"Holy shit, brother, that's incredible! You cultivated that fast? You're already a Soul Master?"
Upon hearing Yao Shi's Soul Power level, Tian Dali and Niu San excitedly crowded closer.
"Heh, just luck, just luck. My Innate Soul Power was relatively high, and I didn't enroll until I was seven, so I cultivated for an extra year compared to you. That's why it's this high."
Other than the Awakening Master who had awakened his Martial Soul and Yao, no one knew that Yao Shi possessed Innate Full Soul Power, and he could not be bothered to publicize it.
"So you're a year older than us. But since your Soul Power cultivation is so fast, your talent must be amazing. We'll call you Brother Yao from now on!"
Tian Dali had a particularly bold personality. Once they learned Yao Shi's age, the two immediately acknowledged him as their big brother.
Yao Shi repeatedly waved his hands in refusal. "Don't say that."
In the end, he could not out-stubborn the two of them. Tian Dali kept saying that strength commanded respect, and since Yao Shi had the highest level, he was the boss. Thus, Yao Shi somehow became their big brother.
"Oh, right, Brother Yao. Since you're Level Twelve, you must have your first Soul Ring already, right? What's your Soul Skill?" Tian Dali asked.
"Mm—my first Soul Skill is healing. In theory, it should be able to treat any injury or illness."
Although asking about someone else's Soul Skill was considered a major taboo in the Soul Master world, Yao Shi felt that it was only a healing ability and nothing worth hiding, so he told them directly.
The three gradually became acquainted. Through their conversations, Yao Shi learned that the two were neighbors. Tian Dali's family also farmed, and they owned quite a bit of land. After growing enough food for themselves, they sold the surplus, so they had some savings. Niu San was the third child in his family, hence his name. His family raised cattle and was somewhat wealthier than Tian Dali's. His two older brothers had both undergone Martial Soul awakening, but neither possessed Soul Power.
This year, the two had just reached the proper age, so both sets of parents pooled some money to take them for Martial Soul awakening. To their surprise, both boys had Soul Power. Though it was very low, their families at least had hope of producing Soul Masters, so they sent them to this junior Soul Master academy.
To be honest, Yao Shi felt somewhat envious after listening to their stories. After personally spending the past three years saving money, he truly understood how exhausting it was. Fortunately, all his problems had now been resolved, and everything was moving in a better direction. From here on, he only needed to cultivate diligently.
God Realm.
A figure stood amid the clouds. Looking closely, one could see that he was a man, with waterfall-like azure hair cascading all the way to his feet.
"Third Brother, what are you doing?"
A soft voice called out. The newcomer was a woman with a scorpion braid and a long pink dress.
The man pulled the woman into his arms and sighed softly. "One day in the God Realm is one year in the mortal world. I never expected that after twenty years in the God Realm, the Douluo Continent would already be ten thousand years in the future, and the Tang Sect would have declined."
The woman in pink said, "Third Brother, don't think too much about it. In a sense, doesn't the Tang Sect's decline also signify the progress of the times?"
The blue-haired man nodded. "But the Tang Sect was founded by my own hand. I still can't bear to see it perish. As a law enforcer of the God Realm, I also cannot interfere with the lower realm..."
At this point, the man paused. The corners of his lips curled up as he continued, "However, I see that a new star seems to have emerged on the Douluo Continent. He will have countless connections with my Tang Sect. Perhaps he can help me restore the Tang Sect's former glory."
"If even you call him a new star, then he must be an excellent candidate." The woman smiled in his arms.
"Hm!"
The blue-haired man looked at the Douluo Plane and gave a soft cry of surprise.
"Third Brother, what's wrong?"
"I think I just saw a calamitous star descend upon the Douluo Continent. In the Future, he may change the entire continent's landscape, but the instant I saw him, he disappeared."
"Oh, Third Brother, perhaps you've been too busy lately and simply saw wrong. Your most urgent task now should be going back to get some proper rest."
"I hope I really did see wrong..."
Could a new star and a calamitous star truly be born at the same time?
The blue-haired man was still somewhat worried, but he nevertheless left with the woman in pink.
The next day, Yao Shi officially began classes.
Most teachers at the junior academy were merely Soul Masters with two or three Soul Rings, so they taught only basic Soul Master theory. They would occasionally spar with the students, but opportunities to fight Soul Beasts in actual combat were almost nonexistent, because the teachers' cultivation might not be enough to guarantee the students' safety.
Yao Shi spent his days studying theory and sparring with his classmates, while Yao found a blacksmithing job in town. The income was fairly considerable.
As the days passed, the daily expenses of a Soul Master's cultivation remained extremely high. One day, while Yao Shi was worrying over living expenses, Tian Dali suggested that he could use his Soul Skill to treat people and earn money.
That reminded Yao Shi. From that day onward, whenever he was not cultivating, he would hold up a cloth banner reading "Miraculous Healing" and practice medicine in town. At first, people thought such a young child was a swindler, until he healed a man whose finger had been severed by a sickle right before their eyes. Gradually, people began seeking him out.
At first, it was farmers injured while working who came to him for treatment. Yao Shi charged them only one copper coin. Slowly, some nobles began seeking him out as well. Naturally, the fee for treating them was much higher.
His first Soul Skill was extremely powerful. Whether it was a cold, fever, cut, broken leg, impotence, or premature ejaculation, there was nothing Yao Shi could not cure with a single Soul Skill. His reputation began to grow. Some nobles even offered high prices in hopes of recruiting him, but he refused them all. Life had only just improved, and he had no desire to be controlled by others.
The commoners Yao Shi had treated gradually gave him a title—the Medicine King.
Rumors began spreading from Bluestone Town: The Medicine King is compassionate. He is a god sent by heaven to help the common people. He walks the mortal world to save lives and deliver all beings from suffering!
And so, five years quietly passed after Yao Shi awakened his Martial Soul.
Before you continue