Ten-Year-Old Soul Elder

Bei Bei and Zhang Lexuan rested at the Lin Family for two days before continuing on to Thunder Grand Canyon.

Although Thunder Grand Canyon was farther away than the Star Dou Great Forest, the lightning-attributed dragon-type soul beasts living there were highly suitable for Bei Bei's Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex martial soul. That was why they feared neither the distance nor the hardships of the journey and insisted on going to Thunder Grand Canyon.

After much consideration, Lin Yan decided not to go with them.

The journey was too long. A round trip would take more than twenty days; he would be better off spending that time cultivating. Besides, he did not need Spirit Rings.

In a world where the strong preyed on the weak, increasing his own strength was what mattered most.

His mother's disappearance surely concealed many secrets.

He needed sufficient strength to uncover the hidden circumstances and truth behind it.

That was also one of the reasons he cultivated so frantically!

And so, another year and a half passed.

Nine Treasure City, Lin Estate, rear garden.

It was the season when a hundred flowers bloomed.

The spring breeze drifted past like a mother's hand, gently brushing over the flowers and carrying away a trace of fragrance.

At the center of the garden stood a large tree over ten meters tall.

Beneath it, a handsome young man dressed in white sat cross-legged and motionless on the grass under the canopy. His eyes were lightly closed, as if he were asleep.

A breeze blew down a fallen leaf, which landed on the young man's shoulder. At that moment, he opened his eyes.

As his eyelids lifted, a faint gleam flashed through his black-pearl eyes. A powerful surge of soul power suddenly erupted from his body, instantly reducing the leaf on his shoulder to dust without leaving the slightest trace.

"I succeeded!"

The corners of Lin Yan's mouth rose.

Four years after awakening his martial soul, he had finally become a Soul Elder at the age of ten.

A ten-year-old Soul Elder!

He had reached Soul Elder two whole years earlier than his original plan of reaching it at twelve.

Within the Soul Master world of Douluo Continent, this was unquestionably an astonishing achievement.

Even within Soul Master sects with long legacies and deep foundations, it would be difficult to find such a genius!

Lin Yan's achievement was due partly to his talent and partly to his diligence in cultivation!

Ever since awakening his martial soul four years ago, he had done nothing but cultivate every day, with practically no recreational activities.

How many six-year-old children in this world could persist like him for four full years?

Just as Lin Yan was considering his third Spirit Ring, an elderly figure approached from afar.

It was the old steward.

"Young Master, this is a letter Young Master Bei Bei had someone deliver to you from Shrek City!"

The old steward handed Lin Yan a yellow envelope.

Lin Yan accepted it and gave it a glance. He immediately saw six conspicuous black characters on its surface: "For Cousin Lin Yan."

Opening it, he discovered that Shrek Academy, the continent's number one Soul Master academy, would begin its admissions season in one month. Bei Bei planned to enter Shrek Academy for a more comprehensive Soul Master education and had invited Lin Yan to join him.

"Go to Shrek Academy?"

Lin Yan's gaze flickered, and he hesitated for a moment.

At that moment, the old steward noticed something unusual about Lin Yan's aura and asked in astonishment, "Young Master, y-you broke through?"

The old steward's eyes widened, his aged face filled with shock.

Lin Yan folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket before nodding. "Yes, I just broke through."

Upon hearing this, the old steward sharply inhaled and exclaimed in amazement, "A ten-year-old Soul Elder, Young Master! At this cultivation speed, you may well break the cultivation records of the Soul Master world. This old man has lived for more than seventy years, yet I have never heard of anyone becoming a Soul Elder at the age of ten!"

Hearing this, a proud smile appeared on Lin Yan's face as well.

Inside the main hall.

Lin Yan stood before Lin Yuhuan.

At ten years old, Lin Yan had already grown to one meter sixty-five. He was tall and well-proportioned.

If an ordinary person trained every day as he did, their body would have long since become bulky, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. Yet perhaps due to his physique, Lin Yan had none of that bloated heaviness despite his strength. His body was exceptionally lean and balanced.

Who would have thought that such a body contained strength powerful enough to astonish others?

Combined with his outstanding looks, if appearance were scored out of ten, he could earn a nine.

And on top of that, he possessed thirty ranks of soul power at only ten years old.

Even Lin Yuhuan, a Titled Douluo, could hardly find any flaw in him.

"What are you thinking?" Lin Yuhuan asked.

"I haven't decided yet." Lin Yan shook his head.

Naturally, the topic between grandmother and grandson was Bei Bei's invitation for Lin Yan to attend Shrek Academy.

After some thought, Lin Yuhuan said, "Go. As the number one Soul Master academy in the world, Shrek Academy certainly has qualities worthy of praise. Furthering your studies there will bring you considerable benefits."

"Besides, you should learn some theoretical knowledge about Soul Masters. You cannot keep burying your head in cultivation every day, only to end up recognizing no soul beasts and knowing nothing about the strengths and weaknesses of different martial souls."

Shrek Academy's reputation was only one reason Lin Yuhuan wanted Lin Yan to go there.

Another reason was that she wanted to change Lin Yan's way of life.

His method of cultivating day and night without regard for anything else was far too abnormal and strange for a child who had only just turned ten. It had always been a thorn in Lin Yuhuan's heart.

She feared that Lin Yan would develop psychological problems because of cultivation.

If he truly developed an inner demon and became some kind of lunatic, it would be far too late for regrets.

"Alright, then I'll go!"

Lin Yan nodded.

As the world's number one Soul Master academy, Shrek Academy was filled with geniuses. Setting everything else aside, he wanted to see it for himself just because of its title as the best in the world.

"Grandmother, how about this? I happen to need to obtain my third Spirit Ring. Once I get it, I'll head straight to Shrek Academy instead," Lin Yan suggested.

"Mm." Lin Yuhuan nodded slightly. "Tian's birthday is in two days. Go say goodbye to her, and then we will set out."

"Alright!"

Lin Yan nodded.

That afternoon, Ning Tian and Wu Feng came to find Lin Yan as usual to train together. Over the past nearly two years, it had become a habit.

As they spent more time together, the relationship among the three had become extremely close.

Not only Ning Tian—even Wu Feng's same-sex inclination had been successfully nipped in the bud by Lin Yan. She followed behind him every day calling him Brother Lin Yan, practically becoming his little fangirl.

However, Lin Yan was preparing to set out to obtain a Spirit Ring and go to Shrek City, so he did not train that day.

Seeing this, the two girls found it rather strange.

Lin Yan immediately explained why.

When they learned that Lin Yan would soon leave to obtain his third Spirit Ring and then head to Shrek Academy, the two little girls were initially surprised, followed by deep reluctance.

Ning Tian's fair, adorable little face scrunched up in misery. "Brother Lin Yan, why are you going to Shrek Academy? Isn't it good enough to stay in Nine Treasure City?"

Wu Feng, standing beside her, nodded as well. "Ning Tian's right. Our Nine Treasure City isn't worse than Shrek Academy."

Lin Yan affectionately rubbed their heads and said with a smile, "Shrek Academy has many geniuses. I want to spar with them. Don't worry, the academy has holidays every year. I'll come back to see you."

"Mm, then Brother Lin Yan, you absolutely have to remember to come back and see us!" Ning Tian and Wu Feng said together.