School? My Ass.

The hall suddenly fell silent.

"Twin martial souls..." Xue Qinghe's voice came through, and her usual composure was gone from her face.

Porcupinefish Douluo's smile froze completely, his narrow eyes widening into circles.

As for Serpent Spear Douluo She Long, his entire body stiffened in place. His lips moved twice, yet he failed to utter a single word.

He suddenly stepped forward, his voice cracking. "Twin martial souls, Xiao Fei, you... you actually have twin martial souls!"

Zhang Fei had no time to respond.

The Eight-Foot Serpent Spear in his palm grew heavier and heavier. The weight made his entire right arm tremble faintly, and a thin sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Xiao Fei, use your mind to retract your martial soul!" She Long saw how hard Zhang Fei was struggling and immediately spoke.

Zhang Fei hurriedly steadied his breathing and focused. With a thought, the Eight-Foot Serpent Spear slowly shrank and vanished into his palm, while the Golden Python phantom behind him turned into a streak of golden light and entered his back.

The oppressive pressure abruptly vanished. Zhang Fei staggered a step and gasped for air.

Before he could recover, a crystal ball was already held out before him.

She Long crouched in front of him and urged impatiently, "Quick, Xiao Fei, test your innate soul power."

Zhang Fei reached out and pressed his hand against the crystal ball.

The instant the cold touch reached him, a suction force arose from the ball's core, as though something inside him were being slowly drawn out.

Then, a faint glow appeared within the crystal ball. The light swiftly spread, growing brighter and brighter until the entire crystal ball was filled with dazzling blue radiance.

"Full innate soul power."

She Long grabbed Zhang Fei in a tight embrace, holding him so hard that tears streamed down his aged face.

Zhang Fei was nearly unable to breathe from the squeeze and looked toward Xue Qinghe beside them.

Xue Qinghe regained her composure and slowly said, "All right, Uncle She."

After pondering for a moment, she continued, "Xiao Fei's martial soul should have undergone a beneficial mutation. Your Azure-Purple Serpent Spear mutated into that black serpent spear, and it gained lightning power. Because your weapon martial soul's true form could take on a beast soul form, the mutation also triggered that beast soul form, turning it into a Golden Python. Twin souls in one body, along with full innate soul power."

She Long finally released Zhang Fei, though the delight on his face had yet to fade. "Xiao Fei, what are your two martial souls called?"

Zhang Fei answered, "Since my martial soul is also a serpent spear like Grandpa's, let's call it the Eight-Foot Serpent Spear. The other one is the Golden Python."

He was puzzled too. Why did I have twin martial souls? Could that lightning bolt have split the original owner in two?

Xue Qinghe nodded and stepped forward, speaking softly. "Xiao Fei's talent is rare even across the entire continent. One day, he will surely become a great powerhouse of Spirit Hall."

She glanced at She Long before her gaze settled on Zhang Fei's face. "Such talent cannot be handled carelessly. We need to make proper plans for Xiao Fei's growth."

She Long and Porcupinefish exchanged a look. Neither hurried to speak.

After a long while, She Long carefully opened his mouth. "Young Master, after thinking it over, since this child has awakened twin martial souls, leaving him to grow up freely in the residence is not a long-term solution. In my opinion, we should send him back to Spirit City and have him undergo systematic study at Spirit Hall Junior Academy."

He paused, then added, "The academy has a complete soul power cultivation system and simulated cultivation environments. They would also benefit Xiao Fei's foundation."

This had originally been She Long's plan. Once Zhang Fei awakened his martial soul at six and could more or less take care of himself, he would be sent back to Spirit City for school.

But Xue Qinghe did not respond immediately.

She lowered her eyes, turned around, and returned to sit behind the desk. Her hands rested on its surface, her fingertips lightly tapping against it.

Xue Qinghe was weighing her options. If Zhang Fei had awakened only a single martial soul, then even if his talent had been fairly good, she would have sent him back to Spirit City according to the original plan.

But Zhang Fei's talent was simply too high. Not only had he awakened twin martial souls, he also possessed full innate soul power.

But things were different now. Zhang Fei had not only awakened twin martial souls, but also full innate soul power. In an instant, he possessed the continent's most exceptional talent.

If she sent him back to Spirit City just like that, would she not be handing him over to the Papal Hall for free?

Although both belonged to Spirit Hall, the conflict and competition between the Papal Hall and the Hall of Consecrates had grown increasingly intense in recent years. Her relationship with Bibi Dong had also never improved.

If such talent fell into Bibi Dong's hands, she would surely do everything possible to win him over.

Besides, over the past three years, she had grown close to this child, as though it had become a habit. She truly felt reluctant to send him away.

And while Xue Qinghe tapped her fingers against the desk and silently weighed her options, a fierce, soundless protest was unfolding inside Zhang Fei's heart.

While Xue Qinghe deliberated, Zhang Fei was already shouting in his heart.

School? School my ass!

I got transported here right after finishing the college entrance exam. I'd only just survived ten years of grinding through school, and now you're telling me I have to go back?

Spirit Hall Academy is strict as hell too, like one of those elite high schools from my previous life—six in the morning to nine at night, every day.

How nice was staying at the Crown Prince's Residence!

Someone waited on me every day, I never had to worry about food or clothes, and I could build a relationship with the little angel up close.

You want to send me to school when I'm living like a god? No way in hell!

But before Zhang Fei could speak, Xue Qinghe spoke first.

"No need to send him back. He will remain at the Crown Prince's Residence."

Xue Qinghe continued, "At the Crown Prince's Residence, you and Porcupinefish can personally teach and protect him. With two Titled Douluo guiding him, the instruction will be better than at Spirit Hall Academy, and obtaining soul rings will be safer as well."

She paused, tilted her head toward Zhang Fei, and curved her lips into a smile. "Besides, Xiao Fei is not an ordinary child. He is very sensible and knows what he should do."

Zhang Fei returned her smile while giving her a thumbs-up in his heart. Sis, you're absolutely right. What's this called? This is mutual devotion.

But then another thought occurred to him. Is this little angel trying to raise me? I'm not going to become a child husband, am I?

As he was thinking, She Long beside him was already beaming with delight.

The Young Master had personally suggested keeping the child. How could he possibly object?

He patted his chest readily. "All right, everything will be arranged as the Young Master wishes! Then I won't send him back!"

"But, Young Master, Xiao Fei has twin martial souls. Which one should he cultivate first?"

She Long glanced at Zhang Fei and analyzed aloud, "Based on His Holiness the Pope's experience, those with twin martial souls should first cultivate one of them. If we returned to Spirit City, I would have him cultivate the serpent spear first, since that is my direct-line martial soul."

He rubbed his chin, looking troubled. "But we are now in Heaven Dou City, and our identities cannot be exposed. If Xiao Fei trains that serpent spear in the residence every day and someone notices, they may connect it to me, She Long."

Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe took over. "Then he should cultivate the Golden Python first. Cultivating a beast martial soul in the early stages, as well as absorbing soul rings, will temper his physical constitution more comprehensively. At the same time, he can practice the serpent spear's techniques."

Zhang Fei listened from the side and nodded repeatedly. This suited him perfectly.

That Eight-Foot Serpent Spear was over two meters long, more than a head taller than he was. Just imagining himself miserably swinging that heavy spear around every day to practice the basics made his arms ache.

If he waited until his physical constitution had been strengthened by the beast martial soul before practicing spear techniques, he would get twice the result with half the effort, and be less likely to leave himself with hidden injuries.

Besides, his serpent spear's attack power was absolutely no weaker than the Clear Sky Hammer, the greatest weapon martial soul under heaven. Once he equipped the serpent spear with all ten-thousand-year, or even hundred-thousand-year soul rings in the future, the visual impact would be off the charts.

After hearing Xue Qinghe's analysis, She Long nodded in agreement as well. "All right, then we'll follow the Young Master's decision."

He patted the back of Zhang Fei's head. "Xiao Fei, starting today, I will personally teach you."