"Xiao Yu?" Inside the Soul Tool research lab, the corner of Xue Qinghe's mouth twitched slightly. Ever since his true identity had been revealed, their interactions had actually become a little more relaxed.
"What is it, Brother Xue?" Ling Yu looked up from the textbook he was reading, a little surprised.
"What have you been busy with lately?"
"Huh? Do you mean the Soul Tools? Sorry, Brother Xue. I want to finish the written portion of the end-of-year assessment first, so I'm putting Soul Tool research aside for now." Ling Yu's brows furrowed slightly, his eyes growing more bewildered. He looked somewhat confused.
"No, I mean what have you been doing lately?" Xue Qinghe sighed helplessly.
Ling Yu glanced at Su Yao by the door, wondering whether she had neglected to report lately, then spoke as he recalled his routine.
"After morning classes, I eat, then go to electives in the afternoon. Once those end, I study textbooks in the library. At night, I meditate and cultivate until morning, rest a little, then go to class."
"On weekends too?" The corner of Xue Qinghe's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
"On weekends, I'm usually in the library, or studying here."
"Are you... even human?"
"What do you mean?" Ling Yu froze.
"You're a child! Where's your childlike heart? Haven't you wanted to go out and play with your classmates?"
Only at this moment did Ling Yu notice what was abnormal about him after his reincarnation: he had lost his childhood in this world, unable to experience it with a child's joy.
Why am I cultivating so desperately?
Because this world offers the possibility of eternal life.
And after eternal life? Wait to decay? Ling Yu sank into thought.
"Come on. I'll take you around Heaven Dou City. Childhood isn't just about cultivating and studying." Xue Qinghe took the dazed boy by the hand and headed outside.
Watching his retreating figure, a thought suddenly stirred in the boy's mind. I can't view this world with a childlike heart, but what about you? Didn't you put on a disguise in childhood? Stain yourself with blood?
"With your identity as Brother Xue, won't someone recognize you before long?" Sitting in the carriage, Ling Yu teased Xue Qinghe across from him.
"This way, no one will recognize me." Before his eyes, Xue Qinghe instantly took on the appearance of another girl-her features exquisitely refined, her lips pale, her skin luminous and white as jade. She was exceptionally beautiful.
"Other people change clothes, but you change appearances, Sister Xue. I suppose this is a special Soul Bone ability."
"Very clever. Unfortunately, there's no reward." Qian Renxue blinked, a sly curve lifting her lips.
"Looks like I'll have to be careful from now on, lest I get caught bad-mouthing you someday."
"You know too much. I'll have to silence you." The moment she shed Xue Qinghe's appearance, Qian Renxue's previously suppressed temperament became more carefree.
"Help, Senior Su Yao!" Ling Yu cried out playfully. Su Yao turned to look outside the carriage as though she had heard nothing, and peals of laughter rang out inside.
After entering the city, they headed straight for the shopping street. The midday sun warmed the entire street, which boiled with voices.
The blue flagstones had been trodden shiny. Shops crowded together on either side, their signs bearing their names swaying gently in the wind.
It was lunchtime. All sorts of aromas drifted out of the restaurants, smoke curled around the snack stalls, and the fragrance of oil mingled with the sweetness of sugar-roasted chestnuts wafting from the alleys.
The three bought some snacks and ate as they walked, occasionally stopping at stalls to browse and choose things.
Seeing Ling Yu buy silk fabrics, sleep-aiding sachets, and nourishing products such as Soul Beast honey, Qian Renxue asked curiously, "Aren't you planning to visit your Grandpa Jack during this year's holiday? Holy Soul Village has changed a lot, you know."
"Things aren't very stable this year. I'll wait until the situation settles down. Besides, that batch of discarded Soul Tools will arrive soon, and I'll need to sort them out." Ling Yu smiled, making up a seemingly reasonable excuse.
In truth, he worried that if he went back, Qian Renxue would send someone to follow him in secret. If they discovered traces of Xiao Wu or Tang Hao, things would become even harder to control.
When they passed a gold and silver jewelry shop, Qian Renxue and Su Yao went inside to browse, and Ling Yu accompanied them and waited a while.
By evening, the three boarded the carriage to return to school.
"Sister Xue, Senior Su Yao, these are gifts for you. Thank you for taking me out to have fun." Ling Yu took the two necklaces he had chosen at the jewelry shop out of his Storage Soul Tool and handed them to the women.
"You little imp. Already know how to win girls over at your age, do you? Do you know what giving a girl a necklace means?" After they accepted them, Qian Renxue teased him.
"Huh!"
"Why make it so complicated? You're good to me, so naturally I should give you something in return. After all, a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring."
"Then you owe me quite a lot."
"I'll repay you slowly, then."
"Forget it. I was only joking." Qian Renxue waved a languid hand, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.
After dropping Ling Yu and Su Yao off at the school gates, Xue Qinghe returned straight to his residence.
At the end of the school year, Ling Yu turned ten and also broke through to rank twenty-four. Once his presence had stabilized, he sorted through his thoughts-
There really are too few spiritual-type Soul Masters, and the records they've left behind are scarce too.
Only the great clans with fixed Martial Soul inheritances can develop matching Soul Skills through trial and error. Commoners' combinations are much more haphazard.
My current position as a research-oriented support-type Soul Master is rather awkward too. I don't have much fighting power in the arena, and I can't support teammates either.
When I reach rank thirty, I'll see whether I can find a Silver Ying Beast. It has an imprinting talent, after all. If I obtain that ability, I'll at least have a jack-of-all-trades option for arena fights.
The week of the end-of-year assessments soon arrived. Soul Beast studies, general knowledge, and Soul Master history all had written exams, held over three days. Fortunately, Ling Yu had more or less finished cramming, so he did not find them difficult.
The basic physical combat class assessment used the average of their regular grades. Since Ling Yu had consistently chosen gravity training, his score was quite high.
Since he was now a school celebrity, many people could even be said to be looking forward to his practical combat assessment. This had left the education committee in a quandary for a time, until Ling Yu proposed a solution.
"Due to the unique nature of student Ling Yu's Soul Skills, the standard assessment method for support types is unsuitable. Strength is the foundation of a Soul Master. After discussion among the school's education committee, his end-of-year assessment will follow the combat-type assessment format." The teacher overseeing the practical combat class swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke calmly.
As soon as he finished speaking, many of the students present broke into a commotion.
"Seriously?"
"Support-type Soul Masters can fight?"
"Hard to say. His second ring is a thousand-year one, after all. Why would the imperial family choose him if he had no ability?"
Ling Yu stepped onto the combat platform. This was his first official fight at school. In previous practical combat classes, he had always stayed below the platform, using his First Soul Skill-Spiritual Detection-to observe and learn how Soul Masters fought.
Yet when it came to combat experience, probably few Heavenly Subtle Level students could compare with him. After all, he had spent so many days roaming the Soul Hunting Forest and had fought Soul Beasts no small number of times.
Good thing this class doesn't include regular performance grades, Ling Yu silently thought.
Before long, his opponent came up as well. He was rank twenty-one and not particularly tall, but his entire body was exceptionally well-proportioned and solid, with broad shoulders and back and a firm waist and abdomen.
The two exchanged bows. "One minute to summon your Martial Souls," the teacher called.
A mysterious presence rippled from Ling Yu. His interwoven yellow and purple Soul Rings still inspired envy among the students. Meanwhile, the boy opposite him swelled, transforming into a giant bear.
Bear Martial Souls were among the best Beast Martial Souls. The education committee had originally intended for Ling Yu to face combat-type Soul Masters with ordinary Martial Souls, but he had refused. Confidence was the cornerstone of every cultivator's progress.
With a powerful body strengthened by consuming Whale Rubber, and having fought Soul Beasts many times in the Soul Hunting Forest, how could he shrink back when making his choice?
"Five, four, three, two, one, begin!"
In an instant, Ling Yu charged. With a thought, he activated both Soul Rings at once, his First Soul Ring-Spiritual Detection-shining especially brightly.
Yes, he had activated his Ring Fusion talent.
With the enhancement of his Second Soul Ring, Ling Yu's Spiritual Detection became even keener. In his eyes, the boy opposite him was composed of countless Soul Power circuits.
A map of the human meridians! His spirit stirred. This was something he had planned to ask Qian Renxue for later, yet now it had unexpectedly appeared before him.
Ring Fusion had a time limit. The Soul Power in his body was draining rapidly; he had to finish this quickly.
"First Soul Skill-Vajra Transformation!" In an instant, the boy's body grew even more solid.
Ling Yu gathered Soul Power into his fist and struck the boy's shoulder joint, one of the weakest spots revealed by his detection. The recoil caused Ling Yu considerable pain, but he endured it. The boy opposite him also paid the price for underestimating a support-type Soul Master. With a crack, his shoulder was dislocated.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow!"
"Help me!"
"Help me! Help me!"
The boy clutched his shoulder and rolled around on the platform. Watching him, Ling Yu felt a wave of helplessness. Right. I'd forgotten this is an academy for nobles.
"Ling Yu passes. Excellent!" the teacher called, then motioned for Ling Yu's homeroom teacher, Lin Qing, to treat them.