Ring Condensation Art

After finishing some explanations of martial soul theory, Wang Yan brought out the Iron Garments, ready to begin their intensive physical training. Unlike Zhou Yi's almost brutally strict methods, however, his training focused more on tailoring his instruction to each student and letting them work within their limits.

"Students, physical training is the foundation of martial soul cultivation, but everyone has a different constitution and different martial soul traits. Don't push yourselves beyond your limits."

He laid the Iron Garments out on the training ground one by one. "These Iron Garments have different weights. Choose whichever weight suits your condition. Remember, the purpose of training is to improve yourselves, not to compete with others."

The students gathered around and began picking out suitable Iron Garments.

Wang Yan's gaze swept over the crowd and settled on a boy who looked somewhat frail. The boy hesitated before finally picking up the lightest Iron Garment, a trace of nervousness on his face.

"Don't worry. Take it slowly." Wang Yan walked over and patted his shoulder. "Everyone has their own pace. There's no need to rush."

Hearing this, the student nodded excitedly.

Training began. They put on their Iron Garments one by one and started various physical exercises.

"Teacher, I'm struggling a little." One boy stopped what he was doing and spoke between gasps.

"That's all right. Rest for a while before continuing." Wang Yan nodded. "Physical fitness isn't something you achieve in a single leap. You have to progress step by step."

Once physical training ended, Wang Yan stood in the center of the training ground, smiling at everyone.

"Students, you all did very well today." His voice was gentle but firm. "Physical training is hard, but every one of you persevered. That in itself is progress."

The students nodded. Although their bodies were exhausted, their hearts were filled with a sense of accomplishment.

"All right, students, that's it for today's training. Go back and get some proper rest, take a bath or something, and prepare for tomorrow's lessons." Wang Yan's voice echoed across the training ground. The students nodded and left the square feeling they had gained a great deal, while Tian Chen and the other two headed to the Academic Affairs Office together.

At that moment, inside the Academic Affairs Office.

"What? You want to transfer classes?" Du Weilun looked at the three students before him in surprise.

"Yes!" all three replied in unison.

Du Weilun pinched his nose and said, "Hasn't Zhou Yi already been reassigned? Why do you still want to transfer?"

Du Weilun had been present during the earlier incident, so of course he knew what had happened. If Zhou Yi were still there, their desire to transfer would have been understandable. But now that she had been reassigned, their request seemed rather baffling.

"Although Teacher Wang is indeed a good teacher, we have our own plans. Director Du, please approve our transfer request," Tian Chen said, cupping his hands.

Du Weilun fell silent for a moment, then said, "So that's how it is! All right, then. Which class would you like to transfer to?"

"Freshman Class Nine!" Tian Chen replied.

At those words, all the surrounding teachers turned toward Tian Chen. Du Weilun's pen stopped moving as well. "You brat, you're not doing this on purpose, are you?"

Every teacher knew that Mu Jin of Class Nine and Zhou Yi had been rivals in love when they were young. Both had pursued Fan Yu, but in the end, Fan Yu had chosen Zhou Yi. On top of that, Zhou Yi had expelled Mu Jin's younger brother not long ago, leaving the two perpetually at odds.

Now that Tian Chen had fallen out with Zhou Yi, he wanted to transfer to Mu Jin's class. How could that not set everyone's imagination running wild?

"Forget it. We'll do as you say! The three of you can report to Class Nine tomorrow." Du Weilun did not refuse.

"Thank you, Director Du (o^^o)."

On the way back to the dormitories after leaving the Academic Affairs Office, Xiao Xiao could not help saying, "Come to think of it, Teacher Wang Yan, who covered our class today, really was gentle and considerate. If only he were our homeroom teacher."

Wang Dong nodded. "Unlike Zhou Yi, he doesn't just punish students physically. He's patient, too, and lets us train at our own pace."

"Unfortunately, he's only filling in for Class One. Otherwise, I'd really like him to be our homeroom teacher, too," Tian Chen agreed.

After they reached the foot of the dormitory building,

Tian Chen took a porcelain bottle from inside his clothes and handed it to Xiao Xiao. "Xiao Xiao, when you get back, add a few drops of this to your bathwater and soak in it. It can improve your cultivation speed. But whatever you do, don't drink it directly."

Xiao Xiao was astonished. A medicinal solution that could raise one's soul power level was simply unheard of.

After accepting the medicinal solution, she asked slowly, "Is this really for me?"

Tian Chen nodded.

Xiao Xiao was thrilled. He had given her such precious spirit medicine just like that. Could my relationship with Tian Chen have taken another step forward?

Blushing, she took out a handkerchief and handed it to Tian Chen. "Tian Chen, thank you. You sweated quite a bit during physical training just now. This is my handkerchief. Use it to wipe yourself off!"

Hearing this, Tian Chen patted Xiao Xiao's head. "Thanks!"

Although Xiao Xiao was the same age as Wang Dong and Tian Chen, she only came up to their necks!

When Tian Chen patted her head, Xiao Xiao blushed and skipped away.

"Xiao Xiao really treats you well. Hey, you haven't fallen for her, have you?" Wang Dong asked unhappily.

Tian Chen smiled. "Why not? Xiao Xiao is so cute, and she's pretty innocent, too."

Hearing that, Wang Dong felt a sour pang of jealousy. Fortunately, Xiao Xiao and Tian Chen had not made their relationship official yet. Otherwise, she feared she might not be able to resist revealing that she was a girl. Judging by the current situation, though, that moment might not be far off.

"All right, what are you thinking about? Let's go! Time for a bath to wash away all this exhaustion, so we can welcome our new class tomorrow!" Tian Chen was looking forward to it.

At the mention of a bath, Wang Dong shuddered. "You go first. I don't really like looking at other people's bodies. I'm afraid I'll get a stye."

Tian Chen made a show of covering his forehead. "Why do you have so many issues every single day? What a pain."

After filling a bucket with water, Tian Chen immediately returned to the dorm room and locked the door securely.

Once he had made sure no one else was there, he immediately took a scroll from inside his clothes. The words "Ring Condensation Art" were especially clear on its surface.

"Let me see how this Ring Condensation Art condenses soul rings!" With that, he pressed the scroll against his forehead and began reading.

In the next instant, Tian Chen's consciousness entered another space. Lines of text appeared in the sky above it and rapidly flew into his mind.

He began deciphering the words. Each one seemed to contain an ancient and mighty power, leaving him deeply awestruck.

After a while, he opened his eyes and said excitedly, "So that's it. This is the secret of the Ring Condensation Art."

Tian Chen pressed his thumbs together to form a circle. Then he closed his eyes and began regulating his breathing, making it slow and deep, as though becoming one with the rhythm of heaven and earth.

Immediately afterward, a transparent ring appeared before Tian Chen. It was the embryonic form of a soul ring.

"So that's it. This ring is the key to holding a soul ring's power," Tian Chen marveled.

In truth, a soul ring was merely the crystallized essence of a soul beast's cultivation, and this circular ring was an essential component for holding that cultivation. Only with it could a soul ring contain a soul beast's soul power. As for the patterns on the soul ring, they were the meridians through which the soul beast cultivated and the pathways along which its soul power flowed.

There were so many soul rings in the world, and the reason they produced different attributes and soul skills lay precisely in these pathways. It was these pathways that allowed soul beasts and soul masters to possess unique attributes and traits. After a soul master absorbed a soul ring, these pathways combined with the origin of their own martial soul, giving rise to a soul skill suited to them.

The principle behind the Ring Condensation Art was to construct the embryonic form of a soul ring, then infuse it with one's own martial soul origin and circulate soul power through it to form pathways suited to oneself. By combining it with the martial soul, one could create a so-called Artificial Soul Ring.

Moreover, unlike an ordinary soul ring, this soul ring was condensed entirely by its owner and was intimately tied to the growth of their martial soul. As the martial soul grew, the soul ring would grow along with it.