Lin Ximeng

The Red Mountain Soul Master Academy's opening ceremony took place on the spacious training grounds. Morning sunlight bathed the earth, and more than a hundred Newborn stood in neat rows, their faces glowing with excitement and anticipation.

Tang Wulin stood among them, with Tang Wutong beside him. She had accompanied him here. Although this was far from her first time witnessing such a scene, her gaze never left her younger brother, as though she were checking something.

Just then, a round, plump figure caught everyone's attention. It was a chubby boy with a somewhat arrogant expression, darting between the lines like a busy little bee and constantly grabbing other children to ask about their martial souls.

"Hey, what exactly is your martial soul?" The chubby boy suddenly turned his attention to Tang Wulin and asked loudly.

Tang Wulin looked at the energetic boy before him. Rather than getting angry at his rudeness, he puffed out his chest and answered proudly, "My martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, just like the founding ancestor of the Tang Sect!"

"Tch, isn't that just a trash martial soul?" The chubby boy immediately sneered upon hearing this, curling his lip. "What's there to brag about?" He deliberately shook his head, clearly unimpressed by Tang Wulin's martial soul.

Then a cold gleam flashed over the boy's hand, and a sharp dagger appeared in his grasp. Holding it with a smug expression, he declared loudly, "Look at my martial soul! It's an incredibly powerful blade! And my innate soul power is a full five ranks! Once I cultivate into a Titled Douluo, I'll call myself Blade God Douluo and shake the entire continent!"

At this, the chubby boy raised his head and puffed out his chest even farther, as though he could already see his glorious future as a peerless powerhouse. He glanced at Tang Wulin out of the corner of his eye and challenged him, "Those few strands of Blue Silver Grass of yours? I could chop them into pieces without even trying!"

The surrounding Newborn cast curious glances their way upon hearing his words. Some whispered among themselves, some looked envious, and others gazed at Tang Wulin with sympathy.

Apparently satisfied that he had thoroughly intimidated Tang Wulin, the chubby boy seemed to remember something and asked again, "Oh, right, you said your name was Tang Wulin, didn't you? What rank is your soul power now? Don't tell me you haven't even reached rank one?"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes focused on Tang Wulin. They all wanted to know just how much strength this boy with a "trash martial soul" possessed.

Tang Wulin stood quietly. Faced with the chubby boy's insults and provocations, he showed neither anger nor panic. Instead, his eyes remained as calm as still water, as though those words were nothing more than a breeze brushing his face.

He spoke evenly, his voice quiet yet carrying clearly across the entire training ground:

"Rank nineteen."

"Rank nineteen?!" The chubby boy froze, nearly dropping the dagger in his hand.

The surrounding Newborn erupted in an uproar, staring in disbelief at this boy who was even younger than they were.

"How is that possible? He's only six, isn't he?"

"Rank nineteen soul power? Doesn't that mean he's about to condense his first soul ring?"

"This... he's an absolute genius!"

Even the teachers maintaining order nearby couldn't help casting shocked glances his way. They knew all too well what rank nineteen soul power meant for a six-year-old child.

The chubby boy's face alternated between red and white. He opened his mouth, hoping to say something to salvage his pride, only to find himself completely speechless. The dagger in his hand seemed so powerless now.

Tang Wulin paid him no further attention and simply withdrew his gaze, as though everything that had just happened were merely a minor interlude in the opening ceremony.

Standing beside him, Tang Wutong watched her younger brother's composed figure, a gratified smile curving her lips.

The opening ceremony came to a hasty close amid the uproar and shock. After learning that Tang Wulin possessed rank nineteen soul power, the chubby boy who had proclaimed he would become "Blade God Douluo" slunk back into the crowd with his tail between his legs, never daring to mention sparring again.

Following the Red Mountain Academy's usual practice, Newborn had to be assigned to classes upon enrollment. The academy offered two main tracks: ordinary classes and soul master classes.

The ordinary classes focused on general education, providing children whose martial soul awakening had produced no accompanying soul power with the skills needed to make a normal living in society. The soul master classes, meanwhile, were designed specifically for promising children born with soul power, teaching them soul master theory, meditation methods, and basic physical conditioning and combat training.

Naturally, Tang Wulin was led to the soul master classroom.

The soul master classroom was on the top floor of the teaching building and enjoyed excellent natural light. A beautiful young teacher stood at the lectern, leafing through a roster of Newborn. Her figure was graceful, and her features held an air of intelligence and gentleness. She was the soul master class's homeroom teacher—Lin Ximeng.

Hearing movement at the door, Lin Ximeng raised her head. Her gaze swept over the children who had just entered before settling on Tang Wulin.

"You're Tang Wulin?" Lin Ximeng's voice was gentle, like a spring breeze sweeping across a lake.

"Yes, teacher," Tang Wulin answered obediently.

Lin Ximeng closed the roster, approached him, and crouched down to look this six-year-old child in the eye, a complicated light flickering in her gaze.

As an experienced teacher at the Red Mountain Academy, she understood only too well what rank nineteen soul power meant.

"Wulin, your soul power test result was rank nineteen, correct?" she asked, confirming it once more.

"Yes." Tang Wulin nodded.

Lin Ximeng drew a deep breath as towering waves surged through her heart.

Six years old, with rank nineteen soul power. On the Douluo Continent, this was a miracle that should have been almost impossible.

"Your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass..." Lin Ximeng murmured, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "Innate full soul power?"

She shook her head, rejecting that guess. Though Blue Silver Grass was a trash martial soul, having innate full soul power with it would be far too heaven-defying. More likely, this child had relied on astonishing perseverance and talent to force his soul power to such a level through cultivation.

Whatever the reason, Lin Ximeng thought as she looked at that tender little face, alarm bells ringing in her heart, he will definitely become a supreme powerhouse someday.

She stood, her face filled with unprecedented solemnity and warmth, and even a barely perceptible trace of awe.

"Children, this is your classmate, Tang Wulin." Lin Ximeng turned to face the class and introduced him in a serious tone. "Starting today, he is a member of our soul master class."

The students below whispered among themselves, clearly intrigued by Tang Wulin's age and the rumors they had already heard.

Lin Ximeng pressed her hands downward, signaling for silence. Turning back, she looked at Tang Wulin with encouragement in her eyes. "Wulin, go find your seat. If there's anything you don't understand from now on, you can come ask me anytime."

Tang Wulin nodded and headed toward an empty seat at the back of the classroom.

Watching his small figure, Lin Ximeng silently warned herself, He's a future Titled Douluo in the making, perhaps even something greater. I must teach him properly. I absolutely cannot neglect him.

She hardly dared imagine what would happen if a moment of carelessness or a poor attitude on her part angered this genius. What if he grew into a towering figure one day and came to settle the score with her?

I must pamper him, protect him, and hold him up! Lin Ximeng settled on this teaching policy in her heart.

The bell for the morning's second lesson had barely rung when Lin Ximeng entered the soul master classroom carrying a stack of brand-new textbooks. Although thoughts of Tang Wulin's identity and background had already churned her heart like an overturned sea, her professionalism as a teacher allowed her to quickly compose herself.

"Students, last lesson we discussed martial soul awakening. Today, we'll officially begin studying the heart of the Douluo Continent's soul master system—the classifications of soul masters and the mysteries of soul rings."

Lin Ximeng's voice was clear and pleasant. She walked to the blackboard, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote the word "combat" in large letters.

"As everyone knows, soul masters are powerful because we can hunt soul beasts and obtain soul rings, thereby increasing our strength. But did you know that not all soul masters follow the same path?"

She turned, sweeping her gaze across the class, and began explaining in detail. "According to the characteristics of their martial souls, soul masters are divided into five main categories."

"The first is the power attack system. These soul masters possess tremendous destructive power and are their team's main damage dealers. Examples include soul masters with tool martial souls such as blades and swords." At this point, she glanced at Tang Wulin, whether intentionally or not. His Blue Silver Grass martial soul came to mind, and she inwardly sighed at the pity of it. Then she remembered his terrifying soul power and thought that perhaps, in his hands, even Blue Silver Grass could blossom into something remarkable.

"The second is the agility attack system. These soul masters are extremely fast and excel at surprise attacks and skirmishing. Examples include soul masters with beast martial souls such as rabbits and leopards."

"The third is the defense system. They are their team's shields, possessing exceptionally high physical defense. Examples include soul masters with martial souls such as shields and armor."

"The fourth is the support system. They are the glue that holds a team together, providing beneficial effects to their teammates. Examples include soul masters with martial souls such as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."

"The fifth is the control system. These soul masters are the most mysterious. They can restrict their enemies' movements and control the battlefield. Examples include soul masters with martial souls such as Blue Silver Grass and spiderwebs."

Here, Lin Ximeng deliberately paused before adding, "Although Blue Silver Grass is usually considered a trash martial soul, there was once a great control-system Titled Douluo who attained Godhood through it. So no martial soul is absolutely strong or weak. The key lies in the person."

Sitting at the back, Tang Wulin listened with keen interest, his little head bobbing like a chick pecking grain.

After finishing her explanation of soul master classifications, Lin Ximeng turned and drew several circles of different colors on the other side of the blackboard.

"Next, we'll discuss the colors of soul rings. A soul ring's color directly determines the upper limit of a soul master's strength."

She pointed to the first circle, her tone serious. "Ten-year soul beasts produce white soul rings. The soul skills these rings provide are usually like chicken ribs—little meat to enjoy, yet a shame to throw away. Generally, only commoner soul masters or those from impoverished backgrounds choose them."

"Hundred-year soul beasts produce yellow soul rings. These are the best choice for most soul masters below the Soul Elder rank."

"Thousand-year soul beasts produce purple soul rings. These are the standard choice from the Soul Elder to Soul King stages."

"Ten-thousand-year soul beasts produce black soul rings. These are standard equipment for powerhouses at the Soul Emperor rank and above."

"And the legendary hundred-thousand-year soul beasts produce red soul rings. These are as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns on the Douluo Continent. Every soul master who possesses a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring is an astonishingly brilliant talent."

Finally, she drew the golden circle, a trace of longing in her voice. "As for the legendary Million-Year Soul Ring, its color is said to be gold or platinum. That is no longer merely a soul ring, but a divine miracle."

The lesson flew by. Lin Ximeng had expected this dry theory class to be difficult to get through. After all, most of the children before her were only seven or eight years old and had trouble concentrating. Yet the atmosphere during this lesson was surprisingly good.

Whenever she posed a question, such as, "If a soul master's martial soul is a hammer, what path would he most likely follow?" Tang Wulin was the only one in the class to raise his hand high, and his answer was always, "The power attack system or defense system, depending on the hammer's weight and shape."

When she asked, "Why are hundred-year soul rings yellow rather than another color?" Tang Wulin again cited authoritative sources and presented a theory involving light refraction and soul power density. Although parts of it left even Lin Ximeng somewhat bewildered, its overall logic was actually entirely correct.

This made Lin Ximeng increasingly interested in Tang Wulin.

This child... Lin Ximeng thought, not only has heaven-defying talent for soul power, but knows so much theory as well. Could an expert in his family have instructed him? Or... was he an old scholar in his previous life?

The bell rang to end the lesson. Lin Ximeng closed her textbook and looked gently at Tang Wulin. "Wulin, come to my office for a moment."

Tang Wulin obediently followed her out of the classroom.

Watching the two figures leave, one tall and one small, the students in the classroom erupted into an uproar.

"That Tang Wulin is amazing! He knows the answer to everything the teacher asks!"

"Yeah, he's only six, isn't he? How does he know more than we do?"

"Looks like our class is going to have a star student."

Meanwhile, in her office, Lin Ximeng was taking out a more advanced textbook, preparing to test just how far Tang Wulin's knowledge extended. She had a vague feeling that this child named Tang Wulin would completely overturn her understanding of soul master education.