"Whoa, the second form actually has its own Soul Skill?! It's just a shame it seems to consume a bit too much. My Soul Power can't sustain it at all right now."
"Deliberately compressing my Soul Power will probably slow down my cultivation, but it's worth the price. With Qi-State Origin-Flow, my Soul Power will slowly increase even while I'm asleep. Cultivating a little slower will make me stronger than others at the same level."
Han Qiu stretched and gave the Silver Moon Spirit Deer a gentle wave.
Awoo~
The Silver Moon Spirit Deer let out two low cries, sounding as if it were saying goodbye.
This was still the era of Douluo I, and humans and Soul Beasts were on opposing sides to begin with. He couldn't possibly bring the Silver Moon Spirit Deer into a human town.
"Don't worry, I'll come play with you again," Han Qiu called out with a laugh. "Make sure you stay alive. Don't let me come back next time and find you've become someone else's Soul Ring."
Even though he had chosen to compress his Soul Power and strengthen his foundation, he was still fully confident he could push through to level twenty or thirty within a year.
By the time he graduated from the junior academy six years from now, he felt certain his strength would have climbed to an unimaginable level.
By then, he would have what it took to roam around the Douluo Continent.
He could also stop by Shrek Academy to check in, witness some of Douluo's famous scenes, and see for himself whether the legendary academy was really as shabby as the rumors said.
"First, back to the academy. Then I'll go to Spirit Hall to get my Soul Power certified. After that, I'll be an official Soul Master! I can collect the allowance, too. Sweet."
After leaving the Soul Hunting Forest, Han Qiu set off at once, racing toward Nuoding City at full speed.
He was far faster this time than when he had entered the forest. The journey that had taken him the entire morning on the way there now brought him to Nuoding City in less than an hour.
Before he had even stepped through the gates of Nuoding Academy, the gatekeeper came up to him with a smile and respectfully called out, "Little Brother Han, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?" Han Qiu asked, looking up.
"Well, that companion who enrolled with you just ran off to the woods on the hill behind the academy. I asked around, and it seems a senior student got into a conflict with a work-study student. The two sides agreed to fight on the hill. Your friend heard about it and hurried over. I'm afraid he might be in danger." The gatekeeper lowered his voice. "That senior student is named Xiao Chenyu. He's the son of Nuoding City's lord and has deep roots at Notting Junior Academy. He's also a genuine Soul Master! Your friend went over alone, so he could easily come out worse for it."
After hearing the gatekeeper out, Han Qiu understood. He remembered this part of the story clearly: Xiao Wu got into a dispute with a senior student, and Tang San stepped in to get her out of it in the end.
"Wait, what did you say that senior student's name was?" Han Qiu asked, feigning surprise.
"Xiao Chenyu."
Han Qiu's expression turned a little strange.
He had only taught Xiao Chenyu a lesson yesterday, and now the guy was going to get thrashed by Tang San today.
It was normal enough for a minor character to get slapped in the face one after another. It seemed that after teaching the kid a lesson yesterday, he had become the kid's nominal boss. The kid might very well turn around and come looking for him, asking him to step in and take revenge. When that happened, would he agree or refuse?
Besides, Little San had entered the Soul Hunting Forest with Grandmaster yesterday. Presumably, he had returned by now and must have successfully obtained his First Soul Ring!
"I see. I'll go take a look." Han Qiu waved his hand.
"Take care on your way, little brother." The gatekeeper respectfully watched him leave.
Han Qiu smiled faintly and thought to himself that the two gatekeepers knew how to read the situation.
From now on, whenever anything happened at the academy or in Nuoding City, presumably the two of them would take the initiative to tip him off. Good, good.
Han Qiu strode along the path up the hill and into the woods. Before he reached the clearing, a noisy argument came rushing toward him.
"Little girl, your Martial Soul is a rabbit. If you lose, why don't you become our boss's pet? Boss Xiao is kindhearted; he might just take you in!"
"Don't talk nonsense! Even if someone were to take her in, how would I, Xiao Chenyu, dare call myself boss? If we're talking about the real boss, that's Boss Han!"
"That's right, that's right! It's Boss Han, the newcomer to our Dorm Six!"
Han Qiu, who had yet to reach the clearing, couldn't help but scowl when he heard that.
Good grief. I'm sitting at home, and a pot falls from the sky.
The way they're talking, why do I sound so much like a villain?
Have you ever seen a villain as handsome and dashing as me?
What's all this about taking a pet? Did you ask me about it?
In the forest clearing, the two sides were already standing face-to-face.
On one side were the more heavily built senior students, led by Xiao Chenyu himself. On the other were a group of work-study students led by Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu's cheeks were flushed red with anger. She glared at Xiao Chenyu and shouted, "Do you really think I'm afraid of you? If you lose, then from now on, whether it's you, Boss Xiao, or whatever shitty Boss Han, you'll all have to acknowledge me as boss!"
As soon as she finished, the senior students led by Xiao Chenyu burst into laughter, full of scorn.
"Fine!" Xiao Chenyu laughed loudly. "You little girl who doesn't know how high the heavens are or how thick the earth is, I really don't know where you get the confidence to challenge us senior students. Go ask around Nuoding Academy and find out who I, Xiao Chenyu, am! To tell you the truth, apart from Boss Han, I'm the very heavens of this academy!"
Good grief, you're really determined to make me out to be a complete villain, huh.
"Cut the crap!" Xiao Wu put her hands on her hips and snorted. "All you senior students know how to do is run your mouths. If you want to fight, then let's fight!"
With that, Xiao Wu stepped forward angrily.
Wang Sheng, standing beside her, hurriedly reached out to stop her and advised her in a low voice, "Sister Xiao Wu, you're the boss of our dorm. If there's going to be a fight, I should go first!"
Xiao Wu gave Wang Sheng a hesitant look, but she raised a hand and patted him on the shoulder. "All right, Wang Sheng, do your best. Knock them flat for me!"
Wang Sheng nodded heavily and strode straight out of the group.
"Wang Sheng, is it?" Xiao Chenyu casually picked at his ear. "Zhang Jian, get up there and beat him up. Let him know there's a price to pay for putting on an act!"
Zhang Jian stepped out from behind him with a smile and answered.
Wang Sheng had long since been defeated by him. He had knocked him down who knew how many times, and he wasn't worth mentioning.
"Wang Sheng, now that you've seen Brother Jian, why don't you obediently admit defeat?" Zhang Jian shouted. "I advise you not to waste your strength struggling. We've got Boss Han on our side, too! To tell you the truth, even if every one of us teamed up with Brother Xiao, we'd still be no match for Boss Han! And you still want to go against us?"
Xiao Wu was utterly puzzled by this. Boss Han? She had never heard that name before.
The other work-study students looked just as bewildered.
Xiao Chenyu grumbled inwardly. After taking a beating, Zhang Jian had immediately demoted him from boss to brother.
But he didn't dare say much. He truly admired Boss Han.
Back in Dorm Six, Han Qiu hadn't even used his Soul Power, yet he had knocked Xiao Chenyu down in just a few moves. His strength was nothing like that of someone his own age.
Still, for the confrontation at hand, Boss Han probably wouldn't need to step in personally. Xiao Chenyu couldn't believe that, besides Han Qiu, the junior academy could have another freak.