Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.
Class Seven.
"Ji Hongchen, you only have half a level of Innate Soul Power. What qualifications do you have to sneer at the guidance I offered you? You truly overestimate yourself!"
Yu Xiaogang stood before Ji Hongchen.
His tone was furious, breathing like an ox, and his gaze was filled with disdain.
Ji Hongchen sneered, showing not a hint of weakness.
"The guidance you gave me was telling me to wait until rank ten to absorb a Solitary Bamboo as a soul ring? Are you out of your mind, Yu Xiaogang?"
"What do you know?!"
Yu Xiaogang let out a furious roar.
"The trait of a Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo is resilience. While your Iron Block Martial Soul is hard, it lacks resilience, which can perfectly make up for your flaws."
"Make up for your head!"
Ji Hongchen's eyes were calm, his tone detached.
"Aren't you just trying to test your theory through me? You want me to try the changes brought about by a tool martial soul absorbing a bamboo martial soul, using me as a test subject!"
As a transmigrator.
He had recognized Yu Xiaogang as the original novel's version the moment he entered Notting Junior Academy, instantly losing any interest in taking him as a master, yet he still caught attention due to the peculiarity of his martial soul.
The Yu Xiaogang in the books was a genuine, bonafide loser.
He would have to be out of his mind to listen to him.
As if his thoughts had been hit on the head.
Yu Xiaogang's expression froze, then his eyes turned red and his tone deepened by several notches: "Impudent! Is that how you speak to your teacher?!"
"If you don't listen to me and drop that so-called 'Recasting Project' of yours, I will immediately contact the headmaster and have you expelled!"
He refused to believe that once he brought up the headmaster, Ji Hongchen would still dare show such disrespect.
As for Ji Hongchen's theory.
It was sheer nonsense. Recasting a martial soul was utterly absurd; martial souls were born naturally and could never be altered postnatally.
"I have no interest in listening to your bullshit theories."
Ji Hongchen couldn't be bothered to waste words with him.
The original novel's version of Yu Xiaogang was an outright good-for-nothing not worth spending time on. If it were the manhua's version of Yu Xiaogang, that would be a different story entirely.
After all, the manhua Yu Xiaogang genuinely tailored a complete set of self-created soul skill concepts for the Shrek Seven Devils-a true master.
"Don't you leave! Today, if you don't learn my theory, don't even think about walking out."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes were bloodshot and he breathed like an ox, staring fixedly at Ji Hongchen as if he had him completely in the palm of his hand. Luo Sanpao at his feet was also poised for action.
Ji Hongchen frowned slightly and let out a cold snort.
Wasting time with a loser like Yu Xiaogang was literally wasting his life.
Thinking of this, Ji Hongchen did not hesitate.
He directly summoned his martial soul.
A massive block of iron floated in midair, then crashed straight down onto the ground with a deafening bang.
Yu Xiaogang was blown backward by the tremendous shockwave.
He barely managed to steady himself, his face pale. Years of lacking exercise had left his physical fitness in abyssal shape; even as a Soul Grandmaster, his physical condition was inferior to that of an ordinary soul master.
When he looked up.
Ji Hongchen had already vanished, leaving only him standing in place with an iron-blue complexion.
"Scoundrel, a student actually attacking a teacher!"
"And questioning my theory, simply lawless and unruly."
"I must report this to the dean and have this arrogant, ignorant student expelled from the academy."
Ji Hongchen paid no heed to the roar echoing behind him.
Was this Gangzi even a teacher at the academy? Expelling him was the only thing on his lips.
He returned to his dormitory.
As a transmigrator.
Parents passing away early was naturally a man's basic configuration.
Ji Hongchen was no exception.
Fortunately, however, his family had left him an inheritance of several hundred Gold Soul Coins, keeping him free from financial worries and sufficient to complete his early studies.
Moreover, good news: the era he had transmigrated into was two years before Tang San entered Notting Academy, meaning he might graduate smoothly before Tang San even arrived.
Bad news: his martial soul was a special one-a massive block of iron that was exceptionally heavy and completely uncontrollable, and his Innate Soul Power was only half a level.
This was also why Yu Xiaogang had set his sights on him.
So what if people considered it a trash martial soul?
There are only trash soul masters, never trash martial souls. In the entire Douluo Continent, only one person could truly utter those words.
Ji Juechen!
With only level-three Innate Soul Power, his family considered his martial soul trash the moment it was awakened. No one looked favorably upon him, and he endured endless mockery and sarcasm.
Yet in the end, relying on his own sword intent, he forcefully refined that meteorite iron into a true-form sword that fused into his martial soul, achieving the existence of a Titled Douluo.
When it came to persistence.
No one could compare to him, and he alone was worthy of speaking the line, "There are no trash martial souls, only trash soul masters."
Unlike a certain name-branding fraud.
Insulting himself twice in a single sentence.
Though his martial soul was even trashier and his talent was a pitiful half a level of Soul Power, he was determined to try this method of sword intent recasting the martial soul.
[Ding! Host's determination detected.]
[The Ji Juechen template has been issued for you. Do you wish to claim it?]
System!
Ji Hongchen's body trembled instantly, and after a brief moment of daze, a surge of wild joy erupted in his heart-he had actually awakened a system!
"Claim!"
[Claim successful. The package has been delivered; please remember to leave a five-star review~]
Ji Hongchen was stunned at first.
Then he discovered that some extra information had appeared in his mind.
As for the panel, it had vanished directly.
Nani? It wasn't actually a system, but rather a delivery courier sending him a golden finger.
After a brief spell of astonishment, Ji Hongchen snapped back to reality.
So be it, a golden finger would do.
After all, having one was better than nothing.
Ji Hongchen reviewed the contents of his mind and was immediately overwhelmed by a massive stream of information.
"Basic Swordsmanship"
"Sword Sect Insights"
"Sword Immortal Inheritance"
All kinds of sword technique inheritances flooded into his mind. Ji Hongchen was overwhelmed, and it took quite a while before he managed to barely digest the contents in his head.
He had actually truly acquired the Ji Juechen template.
And he had even gained an extra cheat!
Ji Hongchen was undoubtedly excited, picking up a fine iron sword from his bedside table.
This sword was specially forged by him for his sword-casting plan.
The moment he grasped the sword.
He felt a warm current course through his entire body. Trying out the moves from Basic Swordsmanship, Ji Hongchen quickly mastered the basics.
The foundation of sword techniques lay in chopping and thrusting.
Ji Hongchen practiced it over and over again, growing increasingly proficient in wielding the sword and mastering himself, entering a state of total self-forgetfulness as he smoothly hit his stride.
Unbeknownst to him, how much time had passed.
The sky grew late.
Ji Hongchen withdrew his sword and let out a long breath, his whole body already drenched in sweat.
"My soul power has improved a fraction as well."
He felt the trace of soul power growing within his body; although it couldn't compare to top-tier meditation methods, its effect was still much better than ordinary ones.
At this pace, in a year or two, he should be able to attempt his first sword-forging, crafting the very first sword belonging to himself.
The next day.
A knock sounded on Ji Hongchen's door.
Ji Hongchen opened the door to find a youth dressed in brocade clothes facing him. His appearance could hardly be called handsome-merely standard-and his eyes carried a hint of arrogance, at a glance clearly a young noble.
"Oi! I heard yesterday that you just enrolled and already beat up an academy teacher?"
"What is your name?"
"My name is Xiao Chenyu, and my dad is the city lord."
Hearing Xiao Chenyu's name, Ji Hongchen could not help glancing over at this rather lackluster noble scion from the original work, whose First Soul Ring was merely a ten-year white ring.
Ji Hongchen said in a calm tone, "My name is Ji Hongchen."
Seeing that Ji Hongchen's attitude was cold, Xiao Chenyu felt no dissatisfaction; after all, Ji Hongchen was extremely good-looking and naturally possessed an aloof expression.
"My Martial Soul is a wolf, and I am currently at rank ten Soul Power, preparing to go soul hunting for a soul ring in a few days."
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