Competing

"Student Lin Wan has given this considerable thought. Very good. The environment does indeed have a significant effect on the cultivation efficiency of Soul Masters with specific attributes. That is why the major elemental Soul Master sects often choose places compatible with their own attributes as their sect grounds. During the early stages..."

Teacher Zhou went into a detailed explanation following Lin Wan's question.

Lin Wan listened attentively, nodding from time to time and occasionally adding a comment or two. Although his ideas were wildly unconventional, the angles he raised often made Teacher Zhou's eyes light up.

By the end of the lesson, not only had Lin Wan avoided criticism, but several rather profound questions had left a very favorable impression on the elderly teacher.

As for why Lin Wan had shown off in class, it was naturally for the Reputation Points in the system.

Although Lin Wan always said he wanted to become a behind-the-scenes big boss and leave earning Reputation Points to the fairy-tale characters—

Mermaid Princess Ariel and The Frog Prince Levin were still infants. The Nine-Colored Deer had become an Auspicious Beast in the Star Dou Great Forest, but because it was still too young, Di Tian, who had discovered him, was currently keeping him in the Lake of Life area within the Star Dou Great Forest.

Yet precisely because the Nine-Colored Deer had been discovered by Di Tian and the others, Lin Wan had gained a large sum of Reputation Points.

As for Queen Eva, the only one with an adult body, her move had made Lin Wan marvel at just how awesome it was.

Perhaps Queen Eva had already grown accustomed to being a queen, because she was actually preparing to enter the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial harem and continue being a queen.

All Lin Wan could say was, "Queen, you certainly have ideas."

At present, every fairy-tale character Lin Wan had summoned was restricted in where they could move. It would take time to accumulate a large amount of Reputation Points.

So Lin Wan could only earn a few Reputation Points himself. After all, even a mosquito was still meat.

As for the Reputation Points earned by the Nine-Colored Deer, Lin Wan planned to save them for now and draw cards when the time was right.

After class, Wang Dazhuang, who shared a dormitory with Lin Wan, came over with a look of admiration.

"Brother Wan, you're impressive! Even Old Zhou thinks highly of you now. The things you asked about had me completely lost."

Wang Dazhuang and Lin Wan had both awakened their Martial Souls this year. But because Lin Wan was far more mature than someone his age should be, Wang Dazhuang had started calling him Brother Wan.

Besides that, Wang Dazhuang had his own ulterior motive for getting close to Lin Wan. Lin Wan was so good-looking that he would definitely have a huge crowd of fangirls at school in the future, and Wang Dazhuang could profit from being known as Lin Wan's good brother.

Lin Wan smiled and casually said, "I was just thinking nonsense. I merely happened to ask the right questions."

Yet a trace of delight flickered deep in his sea-blue eyes. Thanks to showing off during class, his Reputation Points had already increased by more than ten.

The physical training grounds that afternoon presented an entirely different scene.

The biting cold wind stung their faces.

The massive open-air training ground was covered in hard, frozen earth.

The teacher in charge of physical training was surnamed Zhao, a burly man built like an iron tower, with a vicious scar across his face.

His voice was thunderous and his gaze razor-sharp. Just standing there, he made Lin Wan feel a fierce, imposing aura rushing toward him.

Lin Wan had also heard Wang Dazhuang beside him say that Teacher Zhao's nickname was Iron-Faced Zhao and that he was exceptionally strict.

Lin Wan nodded. Teacher Zhao certainly lived up to his nickname.

"Class Two! Assemble!"

Iron-Faced Zhao's furious roar made their eardrums buzz.

The new students quickly formed ranks, each standing ramrod straight and scarcely daring to breathe.

"Soul Masters are powerful not only because of Soul Power. Your physiques and wills are just as important. Without a good body capable of bearing Soul Power, even the greatest talent is nothing but a castle in the air."

"Today's first lesson: run around the training ground. Until I tell you to stop, nobody stops. Anyone who falls behind gets extra training!"

At the command, every student in Class Two rushed out.

One lap around the training ground was a full eight hundred meters. The frozen ground beneath their feet was hard and icy, while the cold wind cut against their skin like knives.

Lin Wan moved amid the group, his steps light and steady.

His physical condition, nourished by Innate Full Soul Power and further tempered by the body-refining effects of Queen Eva's meditation technique, already far surpassed those of the other students.

Lin Wan deliberately controlled his pace, staying slightly above the middle of the pack—neither standing out nor falling behind.

One lap, two laps, three laps...

Before long, the gap became apparent.

The work-study students with poorer stamina began panting heavily, their speed visibly slowing.

Qin Yi ran at the front, his strides steady and powerful. Though his breathing was heavy, its rhythm remained stable. It was obvious that he had a solid foundation.

Li Ergou was barely keeping up behind the first group, but his face had already turned pale.

Lin Wan continued at an even pace. His silver-white hair flew in the cold wind, and his sea-blue eyes calmly watched the road ahead. His breaths were long and steady, and he even had the spare attention to observe his classmates around him.

By the fifth lap, most of the work-study students were panting with exhaustion, and more and more had fallen behind.

Qin Yi had slowed somewhat, but he still led the group. Li Ergou had fallen even farther back, gasping for breath.

"Keep going! Only trash stops!" Iron-Faced Zhao's roar came from the side from time to time.

Just as Lin Wan was planning to run two more laps before slowing down with the crowd, Qin Yi, who was diagonally ahead of him, suddenly turned and glanced back at him.

There was curiosity in that gaze, but also a trace of fighting spirit.

Then Qin Yi suddenly accelerated. His footsteps, which had already grown somewhat heavy, became powerful again, and his speed abruptly rose.

Clearly, he still had strength left.

Lin Wan froze for a moment, then understood. A guy with only level-one Innate Soul Power had somehow been keeping pace behind Qin Yi, a genius with level-five Innate Soul Power, without appearing rushed.

That undoubtedly provoked Qin Yi's sensitive pride.

Lin Wan sighed inwardly. Though things had not unfolded quite as he had expected, he truly did not want to stand out too much.

Is keeping a low profile really this hard?

Lin Wan complained inwardly, but his feet did not slow in the slightest.

The instant Qin Yi accelerated, Lin Wan naturally picked up his pace a little as well, still keeping exactly two body lengths behind Qin Yi—not more, not less.

Qin Yi could naturally feel Lin Wan following behind him like a shadow. His heart sank, and disbelief flashed through his eyes, quickly replaced by an even fiercer competitive spirit.

He gritted his teeth again and activated the level-four Soul Power within him, channeling it into his legs. His speed increased once more.

Lin Wan remained behind Qin Yi, but he was beginning to regret competing with him. If he had known, he would not have kept up with Qin Yi.

They had already run six laps. He was really getting tired!

After all, before awakening his Martial Soul, his physique had been rather average. Although he was now practicing a meditation technique that also tempered the body, he had only been training for a few days.

But then he remembered that his Reputation Points would definitely rise by a few more after this class, and he immediately found the motivation to keep going.