He had barely walked any distance from the cafeteria when hurried footsteps sounded behind him.
"Ling Feng! Student Ling Feng! Wait!"
A slightly breathless voice called out.
Ling Feng stopped and turned around.
It was the chubby cafeteria manager, wiping sweat from his forehead as he jogged up, his face plastered with an awkward, nervous smile.
"What is it?" Ling Feng asked flatly.
The manager took a couple of breaths and rubbed his hands. "Well... Director Su from the disciplinary office... wants you to come over right now."
His gaze flickered, and he hardly dared look Ling Feng in the eye.
Clearly, he was the one who had slipped away earlier to tattle.
Ling Feng understood, but his expression betrayed nothing. "Director Su? What does he want with me?"
"Well... I'm not too sure either. Maybe he just... wants to find out what happened in the cafeteria?" The manager spoke evasively, a hint of urgency in his voice. "Hurry along. Don't keep the director waiting."
Ling Feng glanced at him and asked no more questions. He nodded. "Lead the way."
The disciplinary office was on the first floor of the main teaching building, its decor more austere than elsewhere.
The manager led Ling Feng to a dark wooden door, pointed at it, then hastily turned and slipped away, as though afraid of getting caught up in trouble.
Ling Feng straightened the hem of his clothes, slightly rumpled from the earlier fight, restored his calm expression, and raised his hand to knock.
"Come in."
A somewhat stern middle-aged man's voice came from inside.
Ling Feng pushed the door open and entered.
The office was small and simply furnished. Behind a broad desk sat a stern-faced man of about forty, wearing glasses.
He was Director Su, Nuoding Academy's disciplinary director.
At that moment, he was looking down at a document, his brows slightly knitted.
Hearing the door open, he raised his head. His sharp gaze swept toward Ling Feng from behind his lenses, carrying a scrutinizing air.
Even the air in the office seemed to grow a little stiller.
"Director Su, you wanted to see me?" Ling Feng spoke without servility or arrogance, standing before the desk.
Director Su put down the document and leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped on the desk as he studied Ling Feng for several seconds.
"Ling Feng. Work-study student. Innate full Soul Power. Martial Soul... supposedly Blue Silver Grass?" he began slowly, his tone revealing neither pleasure nor anger. "You had a conflict with Liu Mang, an upper-year student, in the cafeteria earlier, and you even came to blows. Is that correct?"
He deliberately stressed "supposedly" and "Blue Silver Grass," his questioning carrying an air of condescension.
"Yes." Ling Feng answered crisply.
"Why did you resort to violence?" Director Su pressed, his gaze sharpening. "Don't you know the academy strictly forbids private fights? Especially when the other party is an upper-year student."
A textbook opening for calling someone to account.
Ling Feng let just a trace of "hurt" and "confusion" show on his face.
"Director Su, I believe you may not have the full picture." He began recounting events calmly. "This wasn't a private fight. Senior Liu Mang deliberately knocked over my friend's food first, then tried to destroy his belongings as an act of humiliation. I only intervened to stop him when he raised his foot to crush my friend's tableware. Many students witnessed the entire incident."
He spoke at a steady pace, his account clear and orderly, placing particular emphasis on "deliberately," "humiliation," and "stop."
He positioned himself as someone acting defensively and upholding fairness.
Director Su's brows knitted tighter. "Stop him? According to Liu Mang, you were very heavy-handed. He still can't stand steadily."
"It was urgent. I only wanted to stop him, so I may not have controlled my strength properly." Ling Feng readily admitted his "mistake," but immediately changed tack. "Besides, I believe a Soul Master-even a prospective Soul Master-should possess basic physical fitness. As an upper-year student, if Senior Liu Mang can't withstand even that degree of 'intervention,' perhaps he should devote more effort to his daily cultivation instead of bullying his fellow students in the cafeteria."
His words hid needles in silk, pointing out both the other party's initial provocation and lack of strength while also taking a veiled jab at the academy's management-if an upper-year student was so inadequate, did the academy not bear some responsibility too?
Director Su was momentarily silenced, his expression turning unpleasant.
Of course he knew Liu Mang had most likely started it, but the boy's family had some connections, and he had often paid Director Su "tribute." He had intended to put this troublesome work-study student in his place, make him yield, and let the matter end there.
He had not expected Ling Feng to be so sharp-tongued. Not a single word of concession, and every sentence was reasonable, pushing him right back.
"Even if you had a reason, resorting to violence is still wrong!" Director Su's tone grew heavier as he tried to regain control. "You're a work-study student, and you're already causing trouble just after enrolling. Do you have any regard for the academy's rules?"
He began exerting pressure through their difference in status.
Ling Feng sneered inwardly, knowing he would have to bring out something substantial.
The traces of hurt and confusion instantly vanished from his face, his gaze turning calm, even somewhat indifferent.
Looking at Director Su, he suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question. "Director Su, do you think a work-study student with innate full Soul Power deserves a little more patience from the academy?"
Director Su froze, not understanding what he meant.
But in the next second, his eyes flew wide!
Ling Feng slowly raised his right hand.
With a slight stir of his will.
He did not summon the conspicuous Clear Sky Hammer.
But a distinct fluctuation of Soul Power radiated from his palm!
Though faint, it was incomparably solid!
More importantly, the strength of that Soul Power...
It was definitely not the rank ten of a newly awakened student!
It was... rank eleven?!!
"Th-this is impossible!" Director Su abruptly rose from his chair, disbelief written all over his face. "You... when did you obtain your first Soul Ring?! No! You haven't left the academy! How could you..."
After attaining innate full Soul Power, every further rank required cultivation or obtaining a Soul Ring.
Without a Soul Ring, one's rank could not increase.
That was an ironclad rule!
Yet this boy clearly hadn't left the academy to obtain a Soul Ring, so how had his Soul Power reached rank eleven?!
Ling Feng slowly withdrew his Soul Power and lowered his hand, his tone as flat as ever, as though he had done something insignificant. "Perhaps my Martial Soul is rather unusual. I cultivated on my own in the academy and naturally broke through by one rank. I've made a fool of myself before you, Director."
Broke through on his own?
Made a fool of himself?
Director Su opened his mouth, but for a long while, no words came out.
As he looked at Ling Feng's utterly placid face, rivers and seas churned within his heart!
Innate full Soul Power!
Breaking through ranks on his own!
How was this merely a genius?
He was an outright monster!
Nuoding Academy had probably never seen such a monster since its founding!
And just now, for the sake of a spoiled brat like Liu Mang, he had tried to put a genius who was highly likely to become a powerful Soul Master in his place?
At that thought, a sheen of cold sweat instantly broke out across Director Su's back.
His attitude took a complete about-face.
The sternness on his face instantly melted like ice and snow. He even squeezed out a smile that could be called kindly and hurried around his desk.
"Oh, Student Ling Feng, look at this whole mess!" His tone became exceptionally warm. "So that's what happened! That scoundrel Liu Mang provoked you first and even humiliated a fellow work-study student. You intervened out of courage and righteousness to protect your fellow student! You did the right thing! That's exactly the spirit the academy should encourage!"
He spoke with righteous conviction, as though he had not been the one trying to assign blame moments before.
"I'll give Liu Mang a severe reprimand afterward! A major demerit! He must receive a major demerit!" Director Su thumped his chest in assurance. "Rest easy. The academy is absolutely fair. We would never let an honest student suffer injustice!"
Ling Feng mocked him inwardly but bowed slightly. "Thank you for seeing the truth, Director."
"Only what I should do, only what I should do." Director Su waved a hand with a smile, finding Ling Feng more pleasing the longer he looked at him. This was Nuoding Academy's treasure!
As though remembering something, he walked over to Ling Feng and lowered his voice slightly, his tone concerned. "Student Ling Feng, you are exceptionally gifted, a promising talent the academy is keeping a close eye on. But on a Soul Master's path, Soul Rings are crucial."
"The year-end assessment is coming soon. Teachers will lead all students who have reached rank ten into the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain their first Soul Ring." He gave Ling Feng a meaningful look. "The Soul Hunting Forest... isn't a place for sightseeing. The Soul Beasts inside are dangerous, and sometimes there are unforeseen... 'accidents.'"
He deliberately paused slightly on the word "accidents."
"Although you've... ahem, broken through by one rank on your own, your first Soul Ring is still vital. When the time comes, be sure to stay close to the teacher leading your group, follow instructions, stay safe, and do well."
Ling Feng's gaze shifted slightly as he caught the meaning beneath those words.
It was a reminder, and also a warning.
In the Soul Hunting Forest, there might be "accidents" aimed at him.
"Thank you for the reminder, Director. I'll be careful." Ling Feng nodded.
"Good, good. Off you go. Cultivate diligently." Director Su patted Ling Feng's shoulder with satisfaction, his manner almost absurdly kindly.
Ling Feng bowed again, turned, and left the disciplinary office.
After the door closed, the smile on Director Su's face slowly faded. He returned to his desk and sat down, tapping his fingers lightly against the desktop, his gaze flickering.
"Broke through on his own... rank eleven... Clear Sky Sect... Soul Hunting Forest..."
He murmured to himself, the corners of his mouth curling into a complicated smile.
"As for Boss Xiao... it looks like he's kicked an iron plate this time. Interesting..."
In the corridor, Ling Feng's steps remained steady, but his gaze turned cold.
The Soul Hunting Forest...
An accident?
He would see just who would create an accident.
And who would become that accident.