Nuoding Academy, the Peerless Duo (2)

Xiao Wu did as she was told and held out her right hand. A pale pink halo enveloped her palm, and the next moment, the illusory image of a tiny, delicate white rabbit slowly emerged. It had long ears, reddish eyes, and a gentle presence around it.

"Soft Bone Rabbit, a Beast Martial Soul." Teacher Su glanced at it, his tone flat. "Passable, I suppose. A little better than a Trash Martial Soul. Come test your Soul Power. Anything below level ten is normal."

Xiao Wu placed her small hand on the blue crystal ball.

At first, the crystal ball showed no response. Teacher Su was about to say, "Soul Power, level three. Go back and wait to be assigned to a class," but before he had finished speaking, a dazzling white light erupted from the crystal ball!

The blinding light instantly illuminated the entire academic affairs office. A web of fine cracks even appeared across the crystal ball's surface, but white light continued to pour out of it, almost bursting the sphere apart.

Teacher Su shot to his feet, knocking his chair over with a loud crash. His eyes were red as he stared fixedly at the crystal ball, his lips trembling. "In... Innate Full Soul Power?! Another one with Innate Full Soul Power?!"

In all the years since Nuoding Academy had been founded, even students with Innate Soul Power above level five had been rare. Yet in the past two days, two had appeared in succession! No, three with Innate Full Soul Power!

Lin Chen stood to one side, his expression calm.

He had known the result all along-a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast taking human form to cultivate anew started out with Innate Full Soul Power. If Xiao Wu had not deliberately held back, the crystal ball would never have been able to withstand the depth of her Soul Power.

The Chaos Pearl's presence had long since quietly covered Xiao Wu, thoroughly suppressing the original presence of her Soul Beast nature and revealing only the fluctuations a human Soul Master should have.

"Teacher Su, can her enrollment be processed now?" Lin Chen reminded him softly.

"Yes! Of course!" Teacher Su nodded hurriedly, his face wreathed in smiles. "Oh my, a genius among geniuses! I'll report this to the dean right away! Your name is Xiao Wu, right? Quick, come meet the dean with me. The academy will definitely give you the best treatment!"

But Xiao Wu shrank back and caught hold of Lin Chen's sleeve. "I'm not going. I just want to stay with Brother Lin Chen."

Only then did Teacher Su remember that Lin Chen himself was a genius with Innate Full Soul Power. Both brother and sister had Innate Full Soul Power? What kind of godly aptitude was this!

The news seemed to sprout wings, spreading throughout Nuoding Academy in half a day.

Three first-year students had Innate Full Soul Power, and two were even brother and sister. They instantly became the talk of the entire academy. In the cafeteria, on the training ground, in the classrooms-everywhere, people were discussing the mysterious genius siblings.

The news naturally reached Yu Xiaogang's ears as well.

He was explaining basic Martial Soul theory to Tang San in the dormitory. When he heard the students talking outside the door, his expression darkened instantly.

"What? A Soft Bone Rabbit with Innate Full Soul Power? That little girl who was with Lin Chen? How is that possible?" Yu Xiaogang gripped the book in his hand so tightly that his hand trembled.

Lin Chen alone had been enough to embarrass him, and now Xiao Wu had appeared with Innate Full Soul Power too. The two were also very close, making it plain that neither of them took him seriously.

"Teacher, should we go take a look?" Tang San asked quietly.

He was unsettled as well.

Two people with Innate Full Soul Power from Holy Soul Village were rare enough, and now another had appeared, and she was with Lin Chen.

Just who was this Lin Chen?

He had always been an ordinary, quiet child in the village. How could he have Innate Full Soul Power?

And then there was Xiao Wu. Although she was exceptionally pretty, her origins were even more suspicious. He had never heard in the village that Lin Chen had a younger sister.

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, suppressed the irritation in his heart, and stood up. "Let's go take a look. Even with Innate Full Soul Power, a Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul is a waste of talent without the right cultivation method."

He had made up his mind to take Xiao Wu as his disciple. If she became his student, he would gain a genius disciple and indirectly slap Lin Chen in the face-you look down on my theories, yet your sister wants me as her teacher.

When the two found their way to the training ground, Lin Chen was accompanying Xiao Wu as she practiced basic Soul Power circulation beneath the shade of a tree. Xiao Wu hopped about, throwing herself at Lin Chen's side to act spoiled from time to time, her laughter clear and bright.

"Hello, Xiao Wu." Yu Xiaogang walked over, putting on a gentle expression. "I'm Yu Xiaogang, a theory teacher at the academy. Everyone calls me 'Grandmaster.' I hear you have Innate Full Soul Power. You're very talented."

Xiao Wu tilted her head and looked at him. She remembered that he was the uncle whom Brother Lin Chen had questioned into silence yesterday, so she had little interest in him. She nodded perfunctorily. "Oh."

Yu Xiaogang paid her attitude no mind and continued, "The Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul belongs to the close-combat Power Attack System. There are many forks along the path of cultivation. If you take me as your teacher, I can tailor a cultivation plan for you and guarantee that you'll reach at least Soul Elder in the future, perhaps even Soul Ancestor."

He was brimming with confidence. At Nuoding Academy, countless students longed for his guidance.

But Xiao Wu shook her head and rejected him without hesitation. "I don't want to. Learning from Brother Lin Chen is enough for me."

The smile on Yu Xiaogang's face froze.

Only then did Lin Chen look up. "We appreciate your kind offer, Grandmaster, but I'll take responsibility for my sister's cultivation. There's no need to trouble yourself."

Again! Another refusal as calm as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze!

Yu Xiaogang felt a surge of anger rush straight to the top of his head. He stared hard at Lin Chen and said coldly, "What does a six-year-old child know about cultivation? Don't hold Xiao Wu's talent back!"

"Whether I hold her back or not will be clear in time." Lin Chen's tone was flat, but carried a certainty that admitted no doubt. "Grandmaster, you'd better spend more effort on Tang San."

With that, he took Xiao Wu's hand and turned to leave, leaving Yu Xiaogang standing there, his face alternately flushing and paling as the malice in his eyes deepened.

Tang San stood to one side, silently watching the two walk away.

He could sense a composure in Lin Chen far beyond his years, and a kind of... confidence that he had everything under control.

There was definitely more to this Lin Chen than met the eye.

Toward evening, Lin Chen led Xiao Wu back to Dorm Seven.

Dorm Seven was a large dormitory at Nuoding Academy, with the standard shared sleeping platform for ten and a floor of rough bluestone slabs. The conditions could hardly be called good.

At the moment, five or six older children were sitting in the room, gathered around a sturdily built boy as they talked.

The boy was Wang Sheng, twelve years old, with level-twelve Soul Power. He was the undisputed boss of Dorm Seven.

Tang San was also sitting on a bed by the window, his eyes closed in concentration as he circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Hearing the door open, everyone looked over at once.

Wang Sheng raised an eyebrow. Seeing that the two children were several years younger than him, he immediately put on the airs of a boss. He stood and walked up to them. "New little brats? Do you know the rules of Dorm Seven?"

"What rules?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

"The rules of Dorm Seven say newcomers have to trade a few blows with the boss. Win, and you're the boss. Lose, and you do as the boss says from then on." Wang Sheng folded his arms and eyed Lin Chen sidelong. "I hear you're that Lin Chen with Innate Full Soul Power? So what if you have Innate Full Soul Power? Here, the bigger fist makes the rules."

He had heard of Lin Chen long ago and had never been convinced. How strong could a six-year-old child be, even with Innate Full Soul Power? This was the perfect chance to establish his authority.