Enrollment

As the morning sun broke through the clouds and mist, an exhausted Li Mingzhu briskly washed up.

Having tidied himself up, he stepped out of his room and saw Li Mu sitting at the table, formally dressed and waiting.

"Good morning, Grandpa Mu!"

"It's hardly early anymore. Breakfast is almost cold," Li Mu replied grumpily, though his clothes and expression made it clear how seriously he took Li Mingzhu's enrollment.

Before Li Mu had even finished speaking, Li Mingzhu's mouth was already busy.

Watching the impatient child before him, Li Mu could only shake his head helplessly.

After they finished breakfast and gathered everything they needed, the old man locked the door to his home.

Outside, the morning mist had yet to fully disperse when the two set off.

Greenleaf Village was quite far from Nuoding City. Even with the ox cart Li Mu had borrowed the night before, they would not arrive until noon. Sitting on the cart, Li Mingzhu looked at the dry provisions, the cart, and the bundles, marveling at how much more care Li Mu had put into preparing for his schooling than he himself had.

As Nuoding City drew closer, the sun climbed higher. Beneath its scorching rays, the leaves shone translucent, their light and shadows swaying whenever the wind blew.

In the quiet woods, wild grasses warmed by the sun brushed past the passing ox cart.

They traveled until noon before the outline of Nuoding City's walls slowly rose on the distant horizon.

Leaving the ox cart outside the city, the two made their way unhurriedly toward Nuoding Academy.

A quarter of an hour later, they finally arrived at Nuoding Academy.

From afar.

Li Mingzhu spotted a gate twenty to thirty meters wide, built entirely of granite.

The two approached the entrance and handed over his Martial Soul certificate as required.

Perhaps because they were not dressed like the original story's protagonist, the gatekeeper did not make things difficult for them.

Once they entered the academy, a gentle breeze swept leaves from the ancient trees lining the road.

Beneath those trees, Li Mu was about to say goodbye.

"Mingzhu, now that I've brought you here, I should head back. Go pay your fees and register on your own."

Under the fierce midday sun, fine beads of sweat had formed on the old man's forehead, and perspiration had soaked through his coarse cloth collar.

The old man's words of encouragement did not last long before he departed beneath the blazing sun.

Watching Li Mu leave, Li Mingzhu steadied his emotions and headed straight for the admissions office.

He had not arrived particularly early, but few people awakened Soul Power each year. Li Mingzhu filled out his information at the admissions office without having to queue.

The admissions teacher adjusted his glasses as he read Li Mingzhu's information, his face filled with shock.

"Student Li, may I ask whether the information you've provided is accurate?"

The admissions teacher struggled to contain his excitement. Innate full Soul Power-he could almost see his career taking another step forward.

"Absolutely." After answering, Li Mingzhu even took out the certificate issued by Spirit Hall.

With that proof in hand, the teacher now saw Li Mingzhu as a walking teaching credential.

"Student Li, your Martial Soul talent qualifies you for better benefits at Nuoding Academy!"

With that, he led Li Mingzhu straight to Director Su's office.

They knocked on the office door and entered.

Before Director Su could ask anything, the admissions teacher hurriedly spoke.

"Director Su, I've discovered a genius!" With that, he stepped aside to make room for Li Mingzhu.

The announcement of innate full Soul Power still startled Director Su. He stopped his work and looked up to study the delicate-featured boy before him.

"Oh? Please introduce your Martial Soul."

At that, Li Mingzhu activated his body Martial Soul possession, instantly growing a full head taller.

Sensing the fluctuations of Soul Power, Director Su confirmed that it had reached rank ten, but this body Martial Soul...?

After considering it for a long while, Director Su decided that although Li Mingzhu's Martial Soul was strange, his innate full Soul Power was genuine and warranted preferential treatment.

"Student Li Mingzhu, the talent you've demonstrated merits special benefits from the academy. For your six years here, your tuition and meals on the cafeteria's second floor will be free. We'll also provide you with a private dorm room."

Director Su spoke warmly. Li Mingzhu thought it over. He had to attend school either way, so better benefits were certainly welcome.

"Director Su, those benefits sound excellent. I just wonder what I'll need to give in return."

Li Mingzhu's question raised Director Su's opinion of the boy another few notches. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Understanding that already meant he was sure to achieve something in the future.

"Student Li, there's no need to be nervous. You can regard these benefits as an investment by the academy. If you become famous someday, we can use your reputation to promote the academy."

Li Mingzhu could find nothing objectionable in Director Su's words. What ever came without a price?

Once their discussion was finished, Li Mingzhu headed to the dorm room the academy had assigned him.

Back in the office, Director Su dismissed the admissions teacher before taking Li Mingzhu's information to the dean.

Reading the information Director Su had brought, the dean could not help sighing, lamenting that the boy's Martial Soul was neither a beast Martial Soul nor a tool Martial Soul.

He turned to Director Su. "Su, arrange the benefits as you proposed. His Martial Soul is unusual. If he becomes famous, we profit; if he doesn't, we won't lose much."

Entering his dorm room, Li Mingzhu looked around at its complete furnishings and could not help appreciating the academy's benefits. It was far better than hundreds of people fighting over a single toilet in the Douluo II era.

After putting away his belongings, he went to the cafeteria. Seeing the plain first floor and the refined second floor, he silently thanked Director Su again. Ever since awakening the ancient void dragon, he had clearly felt his appetite grow enormously.

Without Nuoding Academy's benefits, the money Li Mu had given him would not last many years after paying the annual tuition.

He could not bear to have the sixty-six-year-old Li Mu still earning money to feed him.

There were few students or teachers on the second floor, which had six serving windows.

Li Mingzhu approached a window and examined the dishes.

There was a wide variety, mostly premium meats. According to the cafeteria's notice, meat from ten-year soul beasts was also served three times a week.

Presenting the free-meal certificate Director Su had issued, Li Mingzhu collected a large bowlful and left the window.

He sat at a cafeteria table, and under the shocked gazes of the teachers and students, two stacks of plates piled up beside him.

Only when the food was almost gone did he get up to leave.

The cafeteria manager could hardly stand the sight. The boy had a free-meal certificate and had not wasted any food, so there was little he could say.

But he could not let him keep eating like this, either. In a panic, he went to the dean's office to complain.

As he approached, he heard voices talking inside. Recognizing Director Su's voice, the cafeteria manager became so furious that even his eyebrows twisted.

He pushed the door open and wailed, "Dean, you have to give me justice!"

Initially annoyed at having his conversation interrupted, the dean grew curious when he saw the state the man was in. What had happened?

"Old Wei, you're too old to be carrying on like this!"

"Get up already!"

At the dean's words, Old Wei shouted even louder.

"Dean, that bastard Su Mo gave a student a free-meal certificate, and he nearly ate the cafeteria into bankruptcy!"

"You have no idea! The plates that brat ate off were stacked almost as high as he was!"

Rather than growing angry at his words, the dean actually smiled.

Old Wei might not understand, but how could he fail to? Li Mingzhu's Martial Soul was unusual, yet judging by his current appetite, it was certainly no weak Martial Soul!

Just think about it: how could a Martial Soul that affected its owner's physical condition be ordinary?

Seeing no response from the dean after so long, Old Wei raised his voice even further.

His thoughts interrupted by Old Wei's wailing, the dean felt helpless too. What could he do?

Old Wei would simply have to suffer a little.

So he told Old Wei, "He's a genius with innate full Soul Power. We have no choice but to offer him these benefits."

"How about I approve a ten-percent increase in the cafeteria's next budget?"

Hearing that the boy had innate full Soul Power, Old Wei stopped shouting. He still knew what mattered more. Besides, he had received some compensation.

At that moment, a man with a crew cut passing the office stopped in his tracks at the words "innate full Soul Power."