An Oddball Feng Xiaotian, a Kindred Spirit!

The academy's walls were covered in ivy, and its gates were made of heavy solid wood. A plaque hung above them, bearing the four bold characters: "Godwind Academy." The strokes were powerful and sharp, carrying an air of keen edge.

Xiao Lin arrived at the entrance of Godwind Academy, intending to ask around about Feng Xiaotian's whereabouts, when the scene at the gate suddenly caught his attention.

In the open space outside the academy gates, a tall young man was waving his arms and moving about wildly.

He wore a fitted gray outfit, more than half of it soaked through with sweat and clinging to his body, outlining the contours of his solid muscles.

His hair was casually tied behind his head, with several loose strands hanging over his forehead and sticking to his skin with sweat.

His face bore an expression of concentration that bordered on obsession, as though the entire world had nothing to do with him and only the movements in his hands remained.

His hands continuously traced patterns through the air—chopping, sweeping, slashing upward. Every move carried a strange sense of rhythm.

His body kept spinning, leaping, and shifting with his movements, making him seem as though he were performing a bizarre dance. Every time he landed, the ground beneath his feet trembled slightly, leaving behind a shallow footprint.

The passing students all cast him disdainful looks. Some even took detours, as if getting close to him would somehow bring bad luck.

Several girls gathered together, covering their mouths as they snickered and whispered. A middle-aged man who looked like a teacher passed by, shook his head, sighed, and walked away as if he wanted to say something but held it back.

"I seriously can't believe it. He practices moves here every day, and he looks completely ridiculous."

"A perfectly good genius with Innate Full Soul Power, yet he insists on creating some Self-Created Soul Skill. Isn't that just wasting his talent? If he hadn't messed around with all this nonsense, he'd be at least a Soul King by now, right?"

"I heard that in order to study that Gale Demon Wolf Thirty-Six Slashes, he even neglected his Soul Power cultivation. He's only in his forties now, isn't he? What a waste of that talent."

"Who wouldn't say so? Innate Full Soul Power! If he had cultivated properly, he'd be at least a Soul King by now. Yet he just had to mess around with all these flashy things. Who knows what he's even thinking?"

Xiao Lin listened to the surrounding discussion, but his gaze remained locked on the gray-clad young man.

His eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Because he could see that the young man's seemingly chaotic movements actually contained a unique pattern. Every swing of his arm, every turn, every step was storing power for the next attack.

His body was like a bow being drawn tighter and tighter. Each buildup of force was more complete than the last, and each burst of power stronger than the one before it.

Though the movements did indeed look rather comical from an onlooker's perspective, anyone who carefully considered the force techniques and changing rhythm within them would realize that this was far from meaningless flailing.

This was the Gale Demon Wolf Thirty-Six Slashes.

Though it was only in its infancy and still had many rough, incomplete aspects, it had already displayed astonishing potential.

Xiao Lin could even imagine what it would look like once this Soul Skill was fully developed—an unbroken storm of attacks, each slash stronger than the last, leaving the enemy with no chance to catch their breath.

A smile curled across Xiao Lin's lips as he walked toward the gray-clad young man.

"Hello. Are you Feng Xiaotian?"

The gray-clad young man stopped moving and turned around, revealing a sharply defined face with a somewhat simple, honest look.

Sweat covered his forehead, and his breathing was slightly hurried, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, shining with stubborn determination.

He looked Xiao Lin up and down, a hint of confusion and wariness in his eyes, before nodding. "That's me. And you are?"

"My name is Xiao Lin, from Heaven Dou Royal Academy." Xiao Lin got straight to the point, his tone sincere and open. "I heard you were researching a Self-Created Soul Skill. I was interested, so I came specifically to visit you."

Feng Xiaotian's eyes instantly lit up with the excitement of finding a kindred spirit, like someone walking through darkness suddenly catching sight of a lamp.

His wariness and confusion vanished at once, replaced by barely restrained excitement.

"You're researching Self-Created Soul Skills too?!" His voice rose, trembling slightly, as if he feared he had misheard.

"More or less." Xiao Lin smiled and drew the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute from his waist, spinning it in his hand.

"I also have a self-created sword technique called Jade Flute Swordsmanship. But it still has many flaws, so I wanted to find you and exchange ideas. We can learn from each other."

Feng Xiaotian clearly did not believe him, thinking Xiao Lin was just making fun of him.

Xiao Lin smiled without speaking. Instead, he directly drew the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute from his waist, gripped it in his hand, and looked at Feng Xiaotian with a trace of fighting intent in his eyes.

"Brother Feng, please instruct me."

Feng Xiaotian's pupils suddenly contracted.

He could tell—the flute was no ordinary instrument. It was a Martial Soul!

"You... really are creating a Soul Skill?" Feng Xiaotian's voice trembled with excitement and anticipation.

Xiao Lin did not answer. Instead, he gave him an answer through action.

With a flick of his wrist, the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute shot out like a sharp sword, carrying a piercing whistle through the air as it lunged straight for Feng Xiaotian's throat!

This strike was fast and precise, without the slightest flourish, yet it held deadly threat.

Feng Xiaotian reacted just as quickly. He leaned back to evade the fatal thrust, while his right hand swept across his waist and a long azure blade appeared in his grip.

"Good!"

He shouted and advanced instead of retreating. The long blade in his hand transformed into a streak of azure light as it slashed toward Xiao Lin's waist!

Gale Demon Wolf Thirty-Six Slashes—First Slash!

Xiao Lin used the Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens Step, his figure sliding sideways as ghostlike as he evaded the fierce strike. At the same time, the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute changed moves and stabbed toward Feng Xiaotian's ribs from a tricky angle.

Jade Flute Swordsmanship—Flute Cry Shakes the Nine Heavens!

Excitement flashed through Feng Xiaotian's eyes. He flipped his long blade, knocking its spine against the flute with a crisp metallic clang. Borrowing the rebounding force, he spun once, and his second strike followed immediately—faster and fiercer than the first!

Gale Demon Wolf Thirty-Six Slashes—Second Slash!

Xiao Lin neither dodged nor retreated. He held the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute horizontally before him and took the strike head-on.

Clang!

Sparks flew as both men retreated three steps.

After Feng Xiaotian steadied himself, he looked at Xiao Lin with eyes full of excitement and surprise. "What excellent swordsmanship! You really are researching Self-Created Soul Skills!"

Xiao Lin put away the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute and smiled as he nodded. "Do you believe me now?"

"I believe you, I believe you!" Feng Xiaotian burst into laughter, walked over, and threw an arm around Xiao Lin's shoulders. "Come on, come on, don't just stand here. Let's go have a few drinks at my place! I have to have a good talk with you today!"

Without giving him a chance to refuse, he dragged Xiao Lin out of the dormitory and headed toward a small tavern outside the academy.

Everyone else looked at the two of them as if they were idiots.