What an Evil Place. Sooner or Later, I'll Raze It to the Ground!

Spirit Academy was not far from the Pope's Palace.

It stood halfway up Spirit Mountain.

Before long, the carriage finally rolled to a stop.

"Young masters, young lady, we've arrived."

Yue Guan's voice came from outside.

The next moment,

Qian Renchuan, who had been asleep, woke at once.

He slowly hauled himself out of his seat and stretched at length.

At the sight,

Huo Yuhao's eyelid twitched, and his fists clenched.

Damn it!

I thought you were dead just now.

And now you spring right back to life?

I even thought you'd been reborn!

Qian Renchuan paid no mind to Huo Yuhao's murderous glare.

"Second Brother?"

"What's wrong? Why are your eyes so wide?"

"Did a bug get in there? Want your big brother to blow it out?"

Blow it out, my ass!

Huo Yuhao nearly lost his temper.

Without another word, he pulled back the curtain and climbed out, his face dark.

Outside the carriage

stood an immense, magnificent complex.

Above its broad gates hung a gilded plaque bearing the words "Spirit Academy."

The towering stone pillars around it were carved with images of various Martial Souls.

It was imposing,

solemn and dignified.

Looking at Spirit Academy's gates, Huo Yuhao sneered inwardly.

So this is where Spirit Hall trains its lackeys?

It looks respectable enough on the surface. Who knows how many filthy things they do behind closed doors?

What an evil place. Sooner or later, I'll raze it to the ground!

No one in this era knew

that in his previous life, he had wiped out Evil Soul Masters to the last one.

Huo Yuhao had always been the sworn enemy of evil. Naturally, that made him Spirit Hall's sworn enemy too.

Just then, Yue Guan turned toward them. He lowered his voice, his expression stern.

"Eldest Young Master, Second Young Lady, Third Young Master."

"His Holiness the Pope has ordered that once you enter Spirit Academy, your titles mean nothing."

"Everyone here is a student, including you."

"If you cause trouble here, or if someone bullies you, no one from Spirit Hall will step in to back you up."

Those words were clearly meant for Qian Renchuan.

Qian Renxue and Huo Yuhao remained expressionless. Qian Renchuan merely picked at his ear.

"Got it, got it. Uncle Yue Guan, you nag too much."

After they entered the academy,

several middle-aged men in elegant robes soon came to greet them.

They were the Chiefs of Spirit Academy,

responsible for managing its affairs day to day.

Yue Guan handed the three over and gave the Chiefs a few instructions. Then he winked at them and left with a smile.

But...

the Chiefs looked rather troubled.

Even so, they treated Qian Renchuan and the others politely. After a brief chat,

they led them toward the Second-Level Class.

Spirit Academy's classes began with the Beginner Class, for six-year-olds whose Martial Souls had just awakened.

After that came first year, second year, third year, fourth year, and fifth year.

At their age, Qian Renchuan and the others would ordinarily have joined the Beginner Class.

But their strength was plain to see, and the Chiefs had His Holiness the Pope's instructions to carry out.

The Beginner Class

would hardly be enough for them!

So, after discussing it the previous night, the three Chiefs had decided to place Qian Renchuan and the others in the Second-Level Class.

Its students were almost all above level twenty.

Most were around ten years old, too.

At that moment,

inside the Second-Level Class,

an Instructor was earnestly teaching Martial Soul theory at the front of the room.

When he saw the Chiefs enter with the newcomers, he immediately stopped his lesson.

The Chiefs led the three into the classroom. One cleared his throat and introduced them to the class.

"These are your new classmates: Qian Renchuan, Qian Renxue, and Qian Yuhao."

"You'll all be studying together from now on."

As soon as he finished speaking, every gaze in the room swung toward the three of them.

When those gazes fell on Qian Renchuan in particular,

the students' expressions turned hostile.

They had already been tipped off that these three were the Pope's own children.

But they also knew the Pope had no intention of giving them special treatment.

Word had even come down in secret: as long as they weren't killed, the others could do as they pleased with them.

More importantly, rumors about the Eldest Young Master, Qian Renchuan, had spread throughout the academy not long ago.

Everyone knew he was useless.

He had the powerful gift of twin Martial Souls, yet all he ever did was sleep in!

In a world where the strong prey on the weak, failing to train is a sin in itself. Who cares if you're the Pope's son?

He's in for it later. We'll show him what's what!

These gifted students were proud to a fault. The person they despised most was someone like Qian Renchuan, who squandered an opportunity others would have killed for.

After introducing the three, a Chief smiled and pointed to three empty seats beside one another at the back of the classroom.

"You three can sit there."

Once the Chiefs had left, the Instructor greeted the newcomers with a smile.

"Go on, take your seats. We'll continue the lesson."

The Instructor knew the higher-ups had hinted that these children were to receive no special treatment. They were meant to be tested.

But they were all adults.

He knew exactly what that meant.

No special treatment, certainly, but he absolutely could not afford to offend them.

The next moment, however,

the Instructor's expression changed.

Qian Renchuan had barely reached his seat before he spread his hands.

Swish.

A pillow dropped from his Storage Soul Tool onto the desk.

Then Qian Renchuan sprawled over it, closed his eyes, and promptly fell fast asleep again.

The whole sequence was smooth as could be.

Everyone in the class stared at him.

Beside him, Qian Renxue ground her teeth in anger.

That bastard. Sleeping in front of everyone on his first day of class! He's disgraced the entire Qian Family!

Huo Yuhao was equal parts exasperated and furious.

How did I end up with such a stupid big brother?

Surrounded by people waiting to pounce, and instead of staying alert, he dares to sleep like the dead?

He won't even know what hit him!

At the front of the room, the Instructor's mouth twitched.

In all his years of teaching, he had never seen such an arrogant student.

But when he remembered who Qian Renchuan was, he swallowed his anger, pretended not to notice, and continued the lesson.

The gifted students below him were not so willing to let it go.

They were beside themselves with rage,

all of them seething.

Damn it!

How arrogant! He doesn't take any of us seriously!

He's insulting the Instructor and provoking us!

Looks like we'll have to teach him a lesson!

Time flew by.

Qian Renchuan slept soundly at his desk and even had a pleasant dream.

Soon, the dull morning theory lesson came to an end.

The Instructor closed his lesson plan.

"That's all for this morning."

"Next is Practical Class. Everyone, gather on the field."

"In Practical Class, you'll learn how to use and control your Martial Souls, and how to release soul skills."

At the words "Practical Class,"

every student in the Second-Level Class lit up.

The next moment,

Swish, swish, swish!

They all turned to look at Qian Renchuan.