Survival of the Fittest: So, All Roads Lead to... the Brothel?

Although it was communication through thoughts, it was even more distracting.

Xu Huxiao frowned and looked at the little mermaid beside him, whose small hands were twisting together. He sent his thoughts again.

"Loyalty isn't a transaction. It needs to be nurtured and earned through effort."

"If you truly want to complete the ritual, then prove through your actions that you are worthy."

"But I must tell you this: soul beasts are destined to become Soul Masters' soul rings. Once I reach the point where I can absorb a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, I will definitely turn you into one."

After thinking for a while, he still decided to give the little mermaid some inspirational advice and keep her by his side.

Since she was so obsessed with this so-called destiny, he could hardly be blamed for taking advantage of it. He had already said what needed to be said.

"Earn it through effort?" Yun Ji's eyes lit up. She did not reject him outright again, sensing that her holy knight's words had softened somewhat.

"Alright, Brother Huxiao. Yun Ji will work hard~"

That tiny change alone immediately filled Yun Ji with energy.

Loyalty wasn't a transaction. It needed to be nurtured and earned through effort. Keep it up, Yun Ji. You can definitely go home!

Yun Ji secretly encouraged herself, paying no attention at all to what he had said about Soul Masters and soul rings.

Because she believed what her mother had told her: though the princess and the holy knight would face hardships, they would ultimately overcome them.

Her holy knight's cold attitude now was merely a small hardship.

Before long, they arrived at Spirit Hall Junior Academy.

The academy was located within Spirit City, in the north of the city, near Cold Moon Lake.

Today, the butler Luo Ming had accompanied them. Once he completed the enrollment procedures and handed Xu Huxiao and Yun Ji over to the academy teachers, his task would be complete.

Spirit Hall's junior Soul Master academy managed its students very strictly. In principle, from the moment they enrolled, they could only live on campus and accept the academy's unified closed management.

They could return home only once every six months. The academy's guards were also extremely strong, with Spirit Hall guards assigned to patrol and protect the grounds.

As long as they remained within the academy, nothing could go wrong.

All boarding supplies were distributed uniformly by the academy as well, and students were not permitted to bring anything in advance.

Registration lasted three days. Xu Huxiao and Yun Ji had arrived on the first day. Yun Ji followed him the entire time, only separating from him before they entered the dormitory buildings.

Yun Ji wanted very much to stay with Xu Huxiao, but the academy's rules were strict, and the male and female dormitory buildings were separate.

The dormitory building was clean and bright, with six floors in total. Newly enrolled students stayed on the sixth floor.

Since he had arrived early, there were still very few people in the building. When Xu Huxiao reached the room assigned to him, Room 603, it was still empty.

The dorm room accommodated four people. Xu Huxiao chose an inner bed and put away the bedding, daily necessities, and school uniform he had received. With time still left in the morning, he planned to visit the academy's physical training hall for a workout.

He had planned his schedule: basic body training in the morning, then Soul Skill control practice in the afternoon.

Therefore, as long as he had time, he could not waste even a second of training.

Now that he had successfully become Bibi Dong's disciple, all that remained was to strengthen himself until he could pass the trial of Slaughter City. He would obtain Divine Slaughter's Domain first.

As for immortal herbs and everything else, he planned to consider them after obtaining Divine Slaughter's Domain. That would give him a better chance.

According to the information Xu Huxiao possessed, he only needed to acquire those things before Tang San became a Soul Elder.

As for how to accurately determine that point in time—

Based on the current timeline, Tang San would become a Soul Elder at the age of twelve, when Xu Huxiao himself turned eighteen. Moreover, when Tang San became a Soul Elder, he would register his Soul Elder title at the local Spirit Hall branch.

Xu Huxiao was currently in Spirit Hall, and his father was even a titled elder. Keeping track of a Soul Master's registration information would be ridiculously easy.

After leaving the dormitory building, Xu Huxiao headed straight for the academy's physical training hall. Its equipment was already quite complete by this world's standards, though it still seemed somewhat crude to Xu Huxiao.

Still, it was more than enough for his current training. Stretching, curls, compound strength exercises, and weighted endurance training—those were the only areas Xu Huxiao focused on for now.

By noon, after he finished his daily workout, Yun Ji, that little tagalong, came looking for him.

Xu Huxiao had no interest in talking much with the little mermaid for the time being. If she wanted to follow him, she could follow him.

The academy cafeteria was quite good. As long as one had soul coins, it could provide high-grade ingredients. Gold Soul Coins were what Xu Huxiao lacked least, so naturally, he replenished himself with the best food available.

Before coming here, he had also told his father that in addition to the academy's high-grade ingredients, he needed heavenly treasures that nourished the body—the same ones he had been consuming at home.

Xu Bayan readily agreed, promising that as long as his son attended school, he would periodically send people to haul those heavenly treasures to the academy for his son's daily consumption.

Although the academy's rules were strict and students were, in principle, forbidden from bringing in other things, such insignificant rules held virtually no restraint over a titled elder.

Training, replenishing, training, replenishing...

Xu Huxiao spent every day in such a monotonous routine, and three days passed quickly.

Once all students had enrolled, each grade had a little over a hundred students. Including the academy teachers, logistics staff, and guard warriors, the entire junior academy had nearly a thousand people. It was fairly lively.

And with enrollment complete, all students would now be subject to unified management.

Spirit Hall Junior Academy's management was strict. There were two fixed classes every morning, while afternoons and evenings were free cultivation time. Students could freely use the academy's physical training hall and martial soul simulated-cultivation area.

The academy's facilities for martial soul cultivation were very comprehensive. Both the physical training hall and the martial soul simulated-cultivation grounds had instructors on duty every day, ready to resolve any problems students encountered.

However, unlike other academies, Spirit Hall's junior Soul Master academy assigned all students, regardless of grade, logistics and maintenance tasks, including cleaning the grounds and transporting supplies.

Every student had to complete them.

But Xu Huxiao had no intention of doing so. There was no way he would waste his time on such boring tasks.

And since every morning was his physical training time, attending class was out of the question as well.

Academy Academic Affairs Office, Director's Office.

"You're requesting to skip classes and arrange all your own time?"

"Yes, Teacher Gale."

Gale was a middle-aged man in a blue robe. Resting his chin on his hands, he looked at the blond first-year student standing before his desk.

On the left breast of his blue-and-white school uniform was embroidered the student's name:

Xu Huxiao.

The son of that Demon Bear elder.

"You should know that the academy's management is strict. Academy teachers must be responsible for their students, so your unreasonable request cannot possibly be approved."

"I trust your father would not permit such truancy either," Gale added at the end.

"But, Teacher Gale, I know the academy has another special rule: as long as one passes the corresponding assessment, a student may be granted special treatment."

Gale narrowed his eyes. This kid... showed signs of being a rebellious troublemaker. That Xiao Ji had been the same before.

"The academy does have such a rule, because Spirit Hall Academy follows survival of the fittest. Our school motto is: Equality for everyone is the greatest inequality."

Then Gale changed the subject and continued.

"However, special treatment is reserved for those who come prepared. That will not change for anyone."

"I understand, Teacher Gale. I am prepared. Please set the assessment."

What an arrogant little brat.

Gale looked at the calm and composed Xu Huxiao, took out an authorization slip from a drawer, wrote his approval, stamped it, and handed it over.

"Very good. As expected of a titled elder's son. You have courage. Here is your exclusive assessment order."

"Take the assessment order to your homeroom teacher. He will know what to do."

Xu Huxiao accepted the document. It listed the relevant requirements for the exclusive assessment, along with the signed words, "Assessment Application Approved." The deadline was within three days.

Under the section for the exclusive assessment fee, it read: Payment Pending... twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins!

Not bad. The Xu family was never short of Gold Soul Coins. He could have Uncle Luo notify his father to pay it.

"Thank you, Teacher."

Holding the authorization slip, Xu Huxiao placed his right fist against his chest and bowed.

The Demon Bear elder's son was quite polite, but the exclusive assessment would not be so easy.

"Xu Huxiao, I must remind you once more. This assessment includes not only a written examination, but also a one-on-one soul battle in the academy's training field."

"Only by passing the written examination and winning the soul battle will you pass the assessment. What you are doing amounts to challenging the academy's rules, so the assessment will be extremely difficult."

"Although your file says you possess Innate Full Soul Power and have already obtained your first soul ring, the opponent for this soul battle will be selected from among upper-year students approaching Level 20."

"Perhaps you have already learned some martial soul knowledge at home, but I must still tell you that if the gap in Soul Power is too great, winning a soul battle will be extremely difficult."

"I hope you are mentally prepared. And..." Gale paused.

"If you fail the exclusive assessment challenge, the assessment fee will not be refunded."

Xu Huxiao smiled. "Thank you for the reminder, Teacher. I'm merely curious enough to give it a try. It doesn't matter if I fail."

With that, Xu Huxiao left the Academic Affairs Director's office directly.

He made it sound so easy. Trying his luck with twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins—rich people really were different. Gale felt a small blow to his spirit.

After all, despite being a Soul King, Gale earned only a little over six thousand Gold Soul Coins at the academy. Twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins was nearly three months of his income.

"Someone running toward Rome meets someone born in Rome. What a disaster."

Thinking of that, Gale suddenly lost interest in today's work.

So Gale decided to treat himself that evening.

Well, he would go relax at the newly opened brothel.

The three-day enrollment period quickly passed. Today was the first day of classes at Spirit Hall Junior Academy.

Most students who had just awakened their martial souls and enrolled were excited, because today their teachers would formally begin instructing them and guide them in martial soul cultivation.

This was also the first step that newly enrolled children took toward the noble profession of a Soul Master.

Among them was a plainly dressed brother and sister who had arrived at the classroom early, carrying such hopes in their hearts.

Though they were more than a year apart in age, both had enrolled today.