The air inside Dorm Seven seemed to have frozen.
All the work-study students instinctively straightened, looking with awe and a trace of nervousness at the middle-aged man in a plain gray robe standing at the door.
Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang.
Although his Soul Power Level was not high, he was the teacher with the most extensive theoretical knowledge at Nuoding Academy, and even had some renown throughout the Soul Master World.
His expression was always stiff, but his eyes were unusually deep, as though they could see through people's hearts.
At that moment, those eyes calmly swept across Dorm Seven, lingering briefly on Ling Feng and Xiao Wu before finally settling on several shattered blue bricks on the floor-the marks Ling Feng had left when establishing his authority earlier.
"G-Grandmaster." As the former dorm leader, Wang Sheng braced himself and stepped forward, explaining with a slight stammer, "We... we weren't fighting. It's just... a new student arrived, so we sparred according to the rules..."
Grandmaster turned his gaze toward Wang Sheng. His voice was flat, yet carried an unquestionable authority. "I know Dorm Seven's rules. But is leaving the dormitory in a complete mess part of the rules too?"
Wang Sheng was instantly lost for words. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he dared not answer.
The other work-study students also lowered their heads, not daring to meet Grandmaster's eyes.
Xiao Wu, however, was somewhat unconvinced. Pouting, she muttered, "We didn't break anything. We were just stretching our limbs..."
Grandmaster immediately turned his gaze toward her.
His stare made Xiao Wu a little uneasy, but she still stubbornly lifted her small face, refusing to back down.
Ling Feng took a small step forward, unobtrusively shielding Xiao Wu behind him. Meeting Grandmaster's gaze, he said calmly, "Grandmaster, I was sparring with the new student and failed to control my strength for a moment. I'll take responsibility for repairing the bricks."
His manner was neither servile nor overbearing. He acknowledged his "mistake" and took responsibility, without the slightest evasion or fear.
A barely perceptible trace of surprise flashed through Grandmaster's eyes.
He noticed that this black-haired boy showed none of the other work-study students' unease or nervousness when facing him. His eyes were clear and composed, a disposition exceedingly rare among his peers.
What drew his attention even more was that the boy seemed to give off no obvious Soul Power fluctuations, yet when he had entered just now, he had distinctly sensed an extremely brief but exceptionally sharp presence flash past.
Was it an illusion?
Or...
Grandmaster did not pursue the earlier "sparring." Instead, he changed the subject and looked at Ling Feng. "Your name is Ling Feng? A new work-study student?"
"Yes." Ling Feng nodded.
"I heard you awakened a rather good Martial Soul in front of a Spirit Hall deacon?" Grandmaster's tone suggested he was merely asking in passing.
The surrounding work-study students immediately pricked up their ears. Even Xiao Wu looked curiously at Ling Feng.
They only knew that Ling Feng was very good at fighting. He had never voluntarily shown them what his Martial Soul was or what level his Soul Power had reached.
Ling Feng's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he understood.
Su Yuntao had indeed reported his circumstances to the academy, and this master of theory had clearly taken an interest.
"Just luck," Ling Feng answered ambiguously.
Grandmaster gave him a searching look, then suddenly asked, "What do you think of Martial Souls?"
The question was broad and abrupt.
It sounded like a test, yet also like a probe.
Wang Sheng and the others were utterly at sea.
Ling Feng, however, understood that this was Grandmaster's usual method: using seemingly simple questions to probe the other person's theoretical foundation and way of thinking.
An ordinary child would probably have answered with something like "Martial Souls are powerful" or "Martial Souls can be cultivated."
But Ling Feng was not an ordinary child.
He possessed a transmigrator's soul, along with theoretical knowledge instilled by the system that far surpassed this era.
He pondered briefly, as though organizing his words, then slowly began, "A Martial Soul is a manifestation of bloodline and soul strength, a bridge connecting one to the primordial Qi of heaven and earth, and the foundation of a Soul Master's cultivation."
His very first sentence made Grandmaster's gaze shift slightly.
That summary was precise, even somewhat philosophical-not something a child would seem capable of saying.
Ling Feng continued, "Common Martial Souls are divided into Tool Martial Souls and Beast Martial Souls. But beyond that, there may be a more fundamental method of classification, such as energy types, mental types, rule types... They simply haven't been widely recognized or defined yet."
Grandmaster's pupils abruptly contracted!
Energy types? Mental types? Rule types?
This method of classification was extraordinarily bold, even somewhat ahead of its time! In his own theoretical research, he had vaguely touched upon the edges of something similar, but had never summarized it so clearly!
This boy...
As though he had not noticed Grandmaster's reaction, Ling Feng continued on his own, his tone as level as if he were stating common knowledge. "At its core, a Soul Master's cultivation is the evolution of their Martial Soul and an ascent in the level of their own life. Soul Rings are resources and signposts for that evolution, but they aren't the only path. In theory, there are ways to advance without relying on Soul Rings, though the conditions are extremely stringent."
"Hiss-"
Grandmaster could not help drawing in a sharp breath. For the first time, unmistakable shock appeared on his stiff face!
A way to advance without relying on Soul Rings?!
This was practically challenging the foundation of the entire Soul Master system!
This was the boldest conjecture hidden in the deepest recesses of his heart, the one he least dared to share lightly with others! It was even just a vague direction!
Yet this boy had actually spoken of it so casually?
And with such certainty?
Was he talking nonsense, or...
Grandmaster's heart pounded wildly, and the way he looked at Ling Feng changed completely. His eyes burned with the fervor of someone who had discovered a rare treasure!
He abruptly stepped forward, almost grabbing Ling Feng's shoulders. His voice trembled slightly with excitement. "You... where did you learn this? Who told you? Or did you think of it yourself?"
The surrounding work-study students were completely dumbfounded.
They could not understand what Ling Feng was saying at all; it merely sounded very impressive.
But they could understand Grandmaster's reaction!
For those few words from Boss Ling Feng to make Grandmaster, who was always composed and serious and renowned for the depth of his theories, lose his composure like this, they were probably something extraordinary!
Xiao Wu's large eyes also went perfectly round. She looked from the intensely excited Grandmaster to the calm-faced Ling Feng, her little head full of question marks.
Ling Feng had anticipated Grandmaster's intense reaction.
He gave Grandmaster a deliberately puzzled look, his tone carrying just the right amount of bewilderment. "Isn't this... something you can understand with a little thought? Is it wrong?"
Understand with a little thought?
Grandmaster nearly failed to catch his breath!
If this could be understood with a little thought, wouldn't all his decades of research have gone to the dogs?
But looking at Ling Feng's expression, he did not seem to be pretending. It was an almost instinctive understanding.
A genius?
No! This was a monstrous prodigy! A monster of the theoretical world!
Grandmaster forcibly suppressed the surging waves in his heart and took several deep breaths, striving to steady his voice. But the fervor in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest. "Child, you... you're exceptional! Your ideas are very... very unique!"
He stared fixedly at Ling Feng, as though trying to see right through him. "Tell me, what exactly is your Martial Soul? And how much Innate Soul Power do you have?"
He had finally asked the most crucial questions.
A child with such astonishing theoretical "intuition" must have a Martial Soul and talent that were anything but ordinary!
Su Yuntao's report had been vague, mentioning only a "Mutated Martial Soul" and "considerable Innate Soul Power," which had only further aroused Grandmaster's curiosity.
Every work-study student's gaze once again focused on Ling Feng.
Wang Sheng held his breath.
Xiao Wu also forgot her earlier defiance and blinked curiously.
Ling Feng fell silent for a moment.
Showing it was inevitable. After all, he would be cultivating at the academy; he couldn't keep it hidden.
But how to show it, and how much to reveal, required careful judgment.
The Clear Sky Hammer couldn't be exposed for now, and level 20 innate full Soul Power was even more earth-shattering.
As thoughts raced through his mind, he made his decision.
He slowly raised his right hand.
With a slight stirring of his intent.
In an instant, a faint blue light appeared in his palm and rapidly condensed.
A slender, utterly ordinary stalk of blue silver grass, bearing beads of dew, appeared in his hand and swayed gently.
"Here. My Martial Soul, blue silver grass," Ling Feng said flatly.
"Huh? Blue silver grass?"
"A trash Martial Soul?"
The work-study students froze and exchanged looks, their faces filled with disappointment and disbelief.
Boss Ling Feng was such a good fighter, yet his Martial Soul was actually blue silver grass, universally acknowledged as a trash Martial Soul?
Wang Sheng was dumbstruck too. This was completely different from the imposing Martial Soul he had imagined.
Xiao Wu tilted her head, her small face full of puzzlement. She kept feeling that something was wrong.
Only Grandmaster stared fixedly at that stalk of blue silver grass, his brows tightly furrowed.
Blue silver grass?
No!
No matter how vague Su Yuntao's report was, he couldn't possibly have described "blue silver grass" with considerable Innate Soul Power as a "Mutated Martial Soul"!
Besides, this stalk of blue silver grass...
Grandmaster keenly noticed that although this stalk of blue silver grass looked ordinary, its color seemed more lustrous than that of normal blue silver grass, and the patterns on its blades also seemed faintly unusual.
More importantly, how could a child with such astonishing theoretical insights have nothing more than simple blue silver grass for his Martial Soul?
It didn't make sense!
There was definitely something wrong!
Grandmaster abruptly raised his head, his gaze like lightning, as though he intended to see through Ling Feng completely, inside and out. His voice carried unprecedented gravity and scrutiny:
"Child, is your Martial Soul really just blue silver grass?"