Lu Yuan still had words he had not spoken aloud. He would not only become a Titled Douluo, but also a god of legend!
Once the work-study students in Dorm Seven learned of Lu Yuan's innate soul power, their admiration for his victory over Wang Sheng vanished, and they returned to their beds in disappointment.
After all, even Wang Sheng, with his aptitude of rank-two innate soul power, would struggle to break through rank ten before graduation and become a Soul Master who could stand up for them.
When Lu Yuan faced those regular students with soul rings and soul skills, he would surely lose as well.
Lu Yuan took a yellowed, well-worn meditation manual from his bag. Old Tom had given it to him. After awakening his martial soul, before he had even enrolled, Lu Yuan had begun practicing this meditation method and found it quite comfortable to use.
In his other hand, he held the standard meditation manual that the Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy issued to its students.
Comparing the two, Lu Yuan discovered that the meditation method Old Tom had given him was better by far.
"Grandpa, just who are you really, and how strong are you?"
Over the past six years, Old Tom had not been the only one noticing unusual things about Lu Yuan. The reverse was also true.
Lu Yuan had long since realized that Old Tom was not as simple as he appeared-not merely the chief of a small village.
Lu Yuan shook his head and began cultivating through meditation.
He was still far too weak. His most urgent task was to raise his soul power level and work hard to grow stronger. Only then could he do more.
Spirit City, the Pope Palace.
Bibi Dong wore a fitted pinkish-purple papal robe and an ornate crown studded with gemstones. Her golden scepter rested beside her as she carefully reviewed various important files.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Bibi Dong's eyes lit up. She picked up a list of children who had awakened unusual martial souls through the Spirit Hall that year and fixed her gaze on one particular line.
"Lu Yuan, awakened martial soul: 'Meowmeow.' Innate soul power: rank 0.5. External martial soul. Suspected to be the first appearance of this martial soul on the Douluo Continent."
Bibi Dong set down the list, her distant eyes filled with the weariness of years, as though she were remembering something.
"Xiao Gang..."
Bibi Dong shook her head.
"Unfortunately, this Lu Yuan has the same innate soul power as you, and his talents most likely fall short of yours as well. He won't be of much use."
Bibi Dong put down the list and was about to turn to the other files when she suddenly paused. She picked up the list bearing Lu Yuan's name again and marked it beside his name, just as she did for the other common-born talents receiving the Spirit Hall's attention, so that her subordinates would keep watching him.
"It is an external martial soul, after all, and has some research value. If he manages to become a Soul Master, bringing him to Spirit City wouldn't be out of the question."
Nuoding City, Fasino Province.
Lu Yuan was returning from the Soul Hunting Forest closest to Nuoding City. He looked at his hand and clenched his fist.
"To think I broke through rank three so quickly after only a little over two months of cultivation. With the Soul Beast Compendium's help, even with my rank-0.5 innate soul power, I'm actually confident I can break through rank ten in about a year."
If word of this reached the outside world, who knew how great a storm it would stir up?
But Lu Yuan was not worried. Why would he refuse to use his cheat? Wouldn't that make him an idiot?
Of course, on this trip to the Soul Hunting Forest, Lu Yuan was only a six-year-old child. Though he was somewhat tall and sturdy for his age, his soul power had not reached rank ten, so he had no need to hunt for a soul ring. Without an adult Soul Master accompanying him, the Spirit Hall members guarding the forest naturally would not let him inside.
Still, merely keeping watch outside the Soul Hunting Forest and wandering around to see the soul beasts that appeared along its fringes, as well as those other Soul Masters captured or killed deep inside and brought out, had already allowed him to unlock over a hundred kinds of soul beasts in the Soul Beast Compendium.
After all, living soul beasts could be tamed and kept as pets or used as livestock. Soul beast meat was rich in soul power, making it a nourishing and exceptionally valuable food for Soul Masters.
Dead soul beasts also counted as unlocked when they appeared in the compendium. Through this trick, Lu Yuan had already unlocked several hundred Coco Fruits for Meowmeow to eat. That was why his soul power had increased so quickly, far outstripping ordinary people.
As Lu Yuan happily walked into the Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy, a work-study student hurried over. The moment he spotted Lu Yuan, his eyes lit up as though he had found hope.
"Boss Lu!"
"What happened? Why are you in such a panic?"
Lu Yuan steadied the work-study student, who could barely catch his breath. After taking a brief moment to recover, the student immediately spoke to Lu Yuan in a strained voice.
"Xiao Chenyu! Xiao Chenyu brought a bunch of people to beat us up on the field. They... they even insulted you, Boss Lu. Wang Sheng couldn't swallow it and started fighting them. Now..."
"What!"
Hearing that Wang Sheng had stood up for him and was now being beaten by Xiao Chenyu's group, Lu Yuan's expression darkened. He left the work-study student behind and hurried toward the field.
"Hey, Boss Lu, wait for me!"
The field at the Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy was wide and open, making the group gathered in its center easy to spot.
A crowd was watching as the regular students, led by Xiao Chenyu, ganged up on the work-study students from Dorm Seven.
Apart from Wang Sheng, who was relatively strong, the other work-study students had already been beaten to the ground by Xiao Chenyu and his companions, unable to get up.
Only Wang Sheng, covered in injuries with his face bruised and swollen, remained sprawled on the ground. His features twisted as he stubbornly struggled to fight back.
A student even burlier than Wang Sheng planted a foot on his back, pinning him down firmly.
Xiao Chenyu stood off to the side, laughing loudly and mocking Wang Sheng.
"Wang Sheng, when is this Boss Lu of yours coming to save you work-study students? Or has he gotten scared of us and pulled his head into his shell like a turtle, running straight out of Nuoding City and not daring to return?"
"Boss Xiao is right. That's exactly what happened, I reckon."
"That Lu Yuan must be terrified of Boss Xiao's mighty reputation."
Xiao Chenyu's lackeys did their utmost to fawn over him. After all, he was the son of Nuoding City's city lord, the most prominent noble wastrel in the city, at least on the surface.
"You..."
Wang Sheng's face flushed red with rage, veins bulging.
"Hmph! When Boss Lu comes back, he'll beat you so badly you'll be pissing and shitting yourselves!"
Xiao Chenyu kicked Wang Sheng in the face.
"Hmph, still talking tough? If that Lu Yuan really comes back to save you, I'll..."
Bang!
Halfway through Xiao Chenyu's words, a ring of cracks suddenly appeared in the earth around Wang Sheng. Numerous large green leaves resembling Meowmeow's tail sprouted from them.
Xiao Chenyu had been keeping a close eye on Wang Sheng as he resisted on the ground, so he managed to react in time.
The student stepping on Wang Sheng was not so fortunate. The ring of glossy, slick leaves that suddenly appeared flung him away, and he slammed heavily into the ground nearby. With a cry of "Aah!" he passed out.
The enormous green leaves lifted the weakened Wang Sheng from the ground and carried him to a familiar figure standing a short distance away.
"Wang Sheng, are you all right?"
"Boss... Boss Lu!"
Wang Sheng opened his heavy eyelids and immediately saw Lu Yuan. His eyes brimmed with tears.
"Boss Lu, you came to save us..."
"Yes!" Lu Yuan nodded, then rose to face Xiao Chenyu. His gaze was so dark it seemed ready to drip, as though he could devour him alive.
"Xiao Chenyu, you just said that if I, Lu Yuan, really came to save the work-study students, you'd do what?"