Eastsea City

Tang Ziran and Lang Yue immediately reined in their emotions, forcing smiles onto their faces as they rose to see their son to the door.

Lang Yue repeatedly straightened Bai Lin's already neat collar, nagging him with precautions she had reminded him of countless times before.

Tang Ziran, meanwhile, gave his son's shoulder a firm pat. In the end, all the words he wanted to say condensed into a single sentence:

"Son, once you get to the academy, take good care of yourself!"

"If anything happens..."

"Be sure to call home!"

"Mm!"

"Don't worry, Mom and Dad!"

"I will!"

Bai Lin nodded firmly, a warm and confident smile blooming across his face.

He slung his simple luggage over his back—

Aside from a few changes of clothes,

the most important items—the heavy Thousand-Forged Heavy Silver Hammers and his everyday forging tools—had already been placed inside his storage Soul Tool.

He took one final look at the little home that held countless warm memories of his growth. Taking a deep breath, he turned and walked with steady steps into the morning crowds of the city.

He had not let his parents see him off at the station.

Setting out alone was, after all, the first step toward independence.

The soul-guided train sped along the tracks. The scenery racing past the windows gradually changed from the familiar outskirts of Aolai City into unfamiliar, more prosperous urban landscapes.

Bai Lin sat by the window, his clear brown eyes curiously taking in the city that would become the stage for his life over the coming years—Eastsea City.

Tall buildings rose everywhere, soul-guided vehicles streamed through the streets, and massive soul-guided screens flickered with dazzling lights. The air carried an atmosphere busier and more vibrant than that of Aolai City.

This place was bigger and more prosperous, which also meant...

more challenges and opportunities!

The soul-guided train came to a smooth stop at Eastsea City's soul-guided train station.

Bai Lin followed the crowd off the platform. Beneath the enormous dome, people came and went in noisy but orderly streams.

He steadied himself, his gaze searching through the massive signs and surging crowds.

Before long, he spotted a conspicuous sign reading "Eastsea Academy New Student Reception," beside which several large soul-guided buses bearing the academy emblem were parked.

Bai Lin quickly headed over.

A fairly long line had already formed in front of the reception desk. Most were children around his age, usually accompanied by their parents, their faces carrying the excitement and faint nervousness of arriving somewhere new.

Bai Lin silently joined the end of the line.

Just then, a gentle, pleasant voice sounded beside him:

"Hello there, junior!"

"Are you a new student here to enroll at Eastsea Academy?"

Bai Lin looked up toward the voice.

A tall senior girl in Eastsea Academy's light-blue uniform was smiling at him, her demeanor gentle and graceful.

Her smiling eyes curved like they held clear spring water, making people instinctively like her.

A badge reading "New Student Reception Volunteer" hung from her chest, with a name written beneath it—Liu Yuxin.

"Yes, hello, Senior."

Bai Lin answered politely, his voice clear.

"Welcome, welcome!"

The smile on Liu Yuxin's face became even warmer. She picked up a form and a pen and handed them to Bai Lin.

"I'm Liu Yuxin, a first-year student in Eastsea Academy's advanced division, and I'm responsible for this new student reception."

"Here, Junior, fill out this basic information form first."

"Once you're done, just show me the recommendation letter from your junior academy so I can register you."

"Alright, thank you, Senior." Bai Lin took the form, walked to a small table set up nearby, and began filling it out carefully.

Name: Tang Wulin.

Age: 9.

Graduating Academy: Red Mountain Junior Academy, Aolai City...

Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass.

Soul Power Level: 23...

Control-Type Soul Grandmaster.

After finishing, he handed the form and the recommendation letter issued by Red Mountain Academy back to Liu Yuxin.

Liu Yuxin took the form, her eyes habitually sweeping over the information on it.

When she saw the key details—"Tang Wulin," "nine years old," "Level 23," "plant-type Soul Grandmaster," and "Blue Silver Grass martial soul"—her gentle smile instantly froze on her face!

She abruptly raised her head. Her curved smiling eyes were now wide open with utter shock, while her rosy little mouth parted unconsciously as she let out a brief, almost unseemly cry:

"Tang Wulin!"

"You..."

"You're that legendary genius!"

The cry was not loud, but like a stone dropped into a tranquil lake, it instantly caused a small commotion around the reception area!

Several older students sitting beside Liu Yuxin, who had been registering other new students or answering questions, nearly all stopped what they were doing and turned their heads in unison!

Their gazes, like searchlights, instantly locked onto Bai Lin!

Their eyes held the same shock, curiosity, and a trace of barely concealed...

awe!

Nine years old!

A Level 23 Soul Grandmaster!

A Blue Silver Grass martial soul!

Those few labels together had long spread like wildfire throughout Eastsea Academy!

They had practically become the hottest topic among teachers and students during their idle conversations!

Everyone was curious: just who was this boy who had broken common sense and created a miracle?

Some had even privately speculated whether his Blue Silver Grass martial soul contained the dormant bloodline of the legendary Blue Silver King, or even the Blue Silver Emperor. Otherwise, there was simply no way to explain such heaven-defying cultivation speed!

They had never expected that this "monster-level" genius, who had existed only in rumors, would appear before them so...

ordinarily!

There were no family members crowding around him, no arrogant bearing. He was merely a clean-cut, handsome boy with clear eyes and even a hint of shyness, carrying simple luggage all by himself!

As one burning gaze after another landed on him, Bai Lin felt his cheeks grow a little hot and unconsciously raised a hand to scratch the back of his head.

Being called a "genius" to his face still made him feel embarrassed.

Yet deep within, the joy born from having his hard work and strength recognized flowed quietly through him like a warm current.

He lowered his head slightly, avoiding those overly direct gazes.

"Ahem! Ahem!"

Liu Yuxin was the first to recover from her immense shock. Realizing her lapse in composure, her pretty face flushed faintly.

She hurriedly coughed a few times, suppressing the stormy waves in her heart. A gentle, proper smile returned to her face as she stepped forward, cleverly using her body to block some of the stares directed at Bai Lin and rescue him from the awkwardness.

"So it really is you, Junior Wulin!"

Liu Yuxin's voice carried delight and a faint excitement that was hard to detect.

"Before I came here, the teacher specifically told me that I had to take good care of you!"

"Come on, don't stand here. Senior will take you to find a good seat on the bus!"

She naturally took Bai Lin's luggage. Bai Lin had wanted to decline, but Liu Yuxin was insistent. She led him around the waiting crowd and straight toward a soul-guided bus that already held quite a few new students.