First Arrival in Nuoding

The September wind carried the dryness of the post-harvest season as it swept along with two crude wooden carts leaving Holy Spirit Village. Village Chief Jack drove them himself. The boys' belongings were piled on the cart beds: a few changes of clothes, a stack of wheat cakes, and several shiny gold spirit coins that Tang San had secretly stashed away.

"Listen to your teachers at the academy, and don't get into fights." Jack's voice was partly carried away by the wind. He looked back at Lin Ye and Tang San, who sat side by side, his cloudy eyes full of reluctance to part. "Little San, take good care of yourself. Xiao Ye... your spirit power is high, so keep an eye on Little San."

Lin Ye smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, Grandpa Village Chief. We'll look after each other."

Tang San chimed in, "We'll come back and visit you often."

The wooden carts creaked as they rolled over the gravel road. Tang San pulled a cloth bundle from inside his clothes. It contained several fine needles he had spent the night polishing, their tips gleaming a faint blue. "These Dragon Beard Needles have been coated with an anesthetic. You can use them if you're in danger." He gave half to Lin Ye. "Your spirit power is stronger than mine, but you have less combat experience. You need to be careful."

Lin Ye took the Dragon Beard Needles, their cold touch against his fingertips. He knew they were a token of Tang San's goodwill. The Tang Sect's hidden-weapon techniques, combined with his spirit power, were enough to deal with plenty of trouble. "Has your Blue Silver Grass changed at all these past few days?" he suddenly asked.

Tang San looked down at his palm, where a pale green glow faintly rippled. "It seems more vigorous. Yesterday I tried wrapping it around a stone, and it was much sturdier than before." His eyes lit up as he continued, "I did as you said and nourished it with spirit power every day. I can feel it absorbing the life force around it."

"That's it," Lin Ye said with satisfaction. "Life is the foundation of Blue Silver Grass. If you can make this path work, it won't necessarily be inferior to those power-attack spirit types." What he didn't say was that the Three-Legged Golden Crow's flame power already contained the essence of life. Perhaps that was what allowed him to sense the potential of Blue Silver Grass more clearly.

At dusk two days later, the outline of Nuoding Academy finally appeared on the horizon. The enormous stone gate bore the words "Nuoding Junior Spirit Master Academy" in large gilded characters. Two guards in uniform stood at the entrance, the longswords at their waists glinting coldly.

"Stop. What are you here for?" A guard stopped the carts.

Jack hurriedly took two certificates from the Martial Soul Hall out of his clothes. "Gentlemen, these two children are from our village. They've come to enroll, and they both have innate full spirit power!"

The guard took the certificates and looked them over, his manner immediately turning respectful. Geniuses with innate full spirit power were exceedingly rare, even at a junior academy. "Go on in and find Deacon Su Yuntao, who's in charge of registering new students... Oh, wait. Deacon Su was transferred last week. Master Matthew Nuo is in charge now."

Once inside the academy, Jack helped unload the luggage at the dormitory entrance and gave them a long string of reminders before reluctantly driving the empty carts home. Lin Ye and Tang San were assigned to Dormitory Seven, a large room packed with bunk beds, its air thick with the smell of sweat and dust.

"New here?" A tall boy leaned out from an upper bunk. He was a head taller than Lin Ye and Tang San, and an arrogant smile hung on his face. "Do you know the rules?"

Tang San frowned and was about to speak when Lin Ye gave him a gentle tug. He knew this was Wang Sheng, the boss of Dormitory Seven, the first person Tang San fought when he entered the academy in the original story.

"What rules?" Lin Ye asked, feigning confusion.

Wang Sheng jumped down from the bed and flexed his wrists, his knuckles cracking. "The rule in Dormitory Seven is that newcomers have to beat me before they can sleep in a good spot. Otherwise, you get the broken beds by the door." His martial soul was the Yellow Iron Beast, and his spirit power was already at rank ten, making him one of the best among the new students.

Several students watching nearby began to chant, "Fight! Fight!"

Tang San stepped forward, a flicker of fighting spirit in his dark eyes. He wasn't one to pick fights, but he was never afraid of trouble either.

"Wait." Lin Ye pressed a hand on his shoulder and walked up to Wang Sheng himself. "I'll play with you." He didn't want Tang San to reveal his strength too early, and he was enough to deal with an opponent of this level.

Wang Sheng froze for a moment, then sneered. "You? You're still wet behind the ears. Believe me, I can make you cry with one punch."

"Why don't you try and find out?" Lin Ye flexed his wrists. Golden Crow Power began to circulate slowly inside him, spreading warmth through his limbs and body.

"Martial soul possession!" Wang Sheng growled. Yellow-brown fur sprouted from his body, his hands became sharp beast claws, and his eyes took on a feral glint. This was his Yellow Iron Beast martial soul, a power-attack type.

"Come on!" Wang Sheng lunged forward, bringing a gust of foul wind with him as his claws shot straight for Lin Ye's chest.

Lin Ye neither dodged nor retreated. When the claws were almost upon him, he suddenly turned sideways and struck beneath Wang Sheng's ribs with his right palm, a faint golden glow surrounding it. He hadn't used his full strength, only a trace of Golden Crow Power.

Thump! Wang Sheng staggered back several steps as if struck by a sledgehammer. He clutched his ribs, grimacing in pain. He stared at Lin Ye in disbelief. "You... you have spirit power too?"

Lin Ye smiled without answering. He knew Wang Sheng only had rank-ten spirit power, while his own rank-twenty spirit power was enough to crush him, but he didn't want to go too far.

"I lost." Wang Sheng took it in stride. He rubbed his ribs and cupped his hands toward Lin Ye. "You're the boss of Dormitory Seven from now on."

The students around them stared in astonishment. None of them had expected this quiet-looking boy to be such a good fighter.

Tang San walked over to Lin Ye and said quietly, "Weren't you a little heavy-handed?"

"He's fine. He's tough." Lin Ye patted him on the shoulder. "Let's find beds by the window. The light's better there."

The two chose neighboring upper bunks. Just as they finished putting away their belongings, a middle-aged man in a gray robe and round glasses walked in. His hair was a mess, and his lenses were covered in dust. He looked like a scholar down on his luck.

"Which one of you is Tang San?" the man asked in a hoarse voice, pushing up his glasses.

Tang San stood up. "I am."

The man looked him up and down several times, then his eyes suddenly lit up as if he had discovered a priceless treasure. "Blue Silver Grass martial soul? Innate full spirit power? Come with me. I have some questions for you."

Something stirred in Lin Ye's mind. He knew this man was Yu Xiaogang, the Grandmaster. He looked at Tang San and signaled with his eyes for him not to agree too readily.

Tang San understood and said calmly, "Teacher, can't you ask me here?"

Yu Xiaogang froze, apparently not expecting a child to refuse him. He frowned. "I teach theory at the academy. I want to ask about your martial soul. This is very important to both of us."

"My martial soul is Blue Silver Grass," Tang San said evenly. "I think it's quite good. I don't need anyone else's guidance."

Yu Xiaogang's expression darkened. He had spent his life studying martial soul theory and had never seen Blue Silver Grass with innate full spirit power. Its existence completely overturned his understanding. He wanted to say more, but Lin Ye suddenly spoke up.

"Teacher, Little San's Blue Silver Grass really is quite special," Lin Ye said with a smile. "He thinks its life force is its most valuable quality and wants to explore that path himself. Do you think it's feasible?"

Yu Xiaogang looked at Lin Ye, then suddenly froze as his gaze passed over him. He sensed a very unusual fluctuation of spirit power from Lin Ye: warm and vast, yet carrying a trace of indescribable majesty. "What's your name? What's your martial soul?"

"My name is Lin Ye. My martial soul is a bird," Lin Ye said vaguely.

Yu Xiaogang was about to press him when a clear young female voice came from the dormitory entrance. "Master Matthew Nuo says the two new students with innate full spirit power should go register and collect their uniforms!"

A young girl with a ponytail stood in the doorway. She wore a neat school uniform, and her eyes were as bright as stars. She was Xiao Wu, one of the future Shrek Seven Monsters.

"Got it." Lin Ye pulled Tang San out of the dormitory, smiling at Yu Xiaogang before he left. "Teacher, we'll go collect our uniforms first. We'll listen to your lectures when we have time."

Yu Xiaogang watched the two walk away, his frown deepening. He couldn't shake the feeling that these two children were out of the ordinary, especially the one called Lin Ye, who was hiding a secret.

"Who's that old man? He's weird," Xiao Wu asked curiously, moving closer to Tang San.

"He seems to be the theory teacher," Tang San said.

"He's so annoying. All he ever does is talk about theories nobody understands." Xiao Wu pursed her lips, then looked at Lin Ye. "You're the other one with innate full spirit power? What's your martial soul?"

"Just a bird," Lin Ye said with a smile.

The three went to the academic affairs office together to collect their uniforms and complete their enrollment. Xiao Wu was also in Dormitory Seven. She was as lively as a little rabbit and quickly became familiar with Lin Ye and Tang San.

By the time they returned to the dormitory, Yu Xiaogang had left. Wang Sheng came over and looked at Lin Ye with admiration. "Boss, you were so cool just now. You even dared to talk back to that weird old theory teacher."

Lin Ye ignored him and said to Tang San, "Classes officially start tomorrow. We need to make the most of our time to cultivate. Your Blue Silver Grass needs more life force to nourish it. I know there's a small grove behind the academy where the plants grow thickly. It's suitable for your cultivation."

"Mm." Tang San nodded. "Your martial soul needs a spirit ring too, right? Your spirit power is at rank twenty. It's time to find your first spirit ring."

Lin Ye sighed. "There's no rush. My martial soul is rather special, so an ordinary spirit ring might not suit it. Besides, I want to wait until you reach rank twenty too, and then we can go to the Soul Hunting Forest together."

Tang San looked at Lin Ye, a trace of warmth flashing through his dark eyes. He knew Lin Ye was waiting for him, and that friendship filled his heart with warmth.

"Oh, right." Lin Ye suddenly remembered something. "In tomorrow's spirit master fundamentals class, the teacher will show us how to use spirit power in combat. We need to pay close attention. Your hidden weapons may be powerful, but in this world, spirit skills are what matter most."

"I understand." Tang San took a small crossbow from inside his clothes. "I altered the Zhuge Divine Crossbow's designs a little. I plan to power it with spirit power and make it once I have the right materials."

Lin Ye's eyes lit up. "Good idea! I'll help you find the materials when the time comes."

Night fell, and all the students in Dormitory Seven were asleep except Lin Ye and Tang San. The two sat by the window, looking at the moon in the sky. Moonlight streamed through the window, laying a silvery frost across the floor.

"Xiao Ye, do you think we can learn anything at the academy?" Tang San suddenly asked.

"Definitely," Lin Ye said firmly. "But the most important thing is to rely on ourselves. Your Blue Silver Grass and my Golden Crow aren't ordinary martial souls. We have to forge our own paths." He paused and turned to Tang San. "Whatever happens in the future, we'll face it together, all right?"

Tang San nodded firmly, his dark eyes shining. "All right. We'll face it together."

They smiled at each other and reached out to clap their palms together gently. Outside the window, even the moonlight seemed to soften as it witnessed the two boys' promise. Grass and fire were forces that naturally opposed each other, yet at this moment, they had become closely bound together.

Early the next morning, the spirit master fundamentals class began on the academy's training ground. The teacher was a battle spirit elder above rank thirty, whose martial soul was the Iron Armor Rhinoceros. He was as imposing as a small mountain.

"Today I'll teach you how to use spirit power to drive your martial souls in combat!" the teacher bellowed like thunder. "Pay attention, all of you! Wang Sheng, step forward!"

Wang Sheng hurried out and took on the form of the Yellow Iron Beast after activating his martial soul possession.

"Use your spirit power and attack me with everything you've got!" the teacher said in a deep voice.

Wang Sheng gritted his teeth and lunged forward, his claws cutting through the air as they slashed at the teacher's arm.

The teacher neither dodged nor retreated, letting the claws strike his arm. With a clang, Wang Sheng's claws bounced off. A gray glow spread over the teacher's arm: the Iron Armor Rhinoceros's spirit skill, Iron Armor.

"See that? That's the power of a spirit skill!" the teacher roared. "Without spirit rings, your martial souls are just empty shells! If you want to become stronger, you have to work hard at cultivation and obtain spirit rings!"

The students stared in amazement, but Lin Ye noticed Tang San's expression change. He looked at the gray glow on the teacher's arm, then down at his own palm, deep in thought.

"Lin Ye, step forward!" the teacher suddenly called. "I hear you also have innate full spirit power, and your martial soul is a bird? Show us!"

Lin Ye hesitated, then stepped out. He didn't want to reveal the Three-Legged Golden Crow's true form, so he could only release a faint wisp of Golden Crow Power. The phantom of a small golden bird the size of a palm appeared above his head, emitting a faint golden light.

"What kind of bird martial soul is that? It looks completely ordinary."

"That's it for innate full spirit power?"

Murmurs rose from the students around him. The teacher frowned too. "Try attacking me with your spirit power."

Lin Ye nodded and sent the golden bird flying toward the teacher. It struck the teacher's Iron Armor with a soft sound, then dissipated.

"Mm, your spirit power is indeed very pure, but your martial soul's attack power is lacking," the teacher remarked. "Cultivate your spirit power more from now on, and look for a defensive or support-type spirit ring."

Lin Ye laughed inwardly, though he put on a dejected expression. "Understood, teacher."

Tang San looked at Lin Ye, the corners of his mouth lifting in a barely perceptible smile. He knew Lin Ye was deliberately hiding his abilities, and that caution put him at ease.

After the fundamentals class, Lin Ye and Tang San didn't return to the dormitory. Instead, they went to the small grove behind the academy as planned. The plants grew thickly there, sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, and the air was filled with their fresh fragrance.

"The life force here is very abundant." Tang San closed his eyes and sensed the presence around him. Blue Silver Grass quietly emerged from his palm, its leaves swaying gently in the breeze as they greedily absorbed the surrounding energy.

Lin Ye also sat down cross-legged, the power of the Three-Legged Golden Crow circulating slowly within him. He could feel that although the life force in the grove couldn't compare to the Golden Crow's essence inside him, it was very gentle and could slowly nourish his spirit power.

"Xiao Ye, what attribute do you think I should look for in my first spirit ring?" Tang San suddenly asked.

"One with strong life force." Lin Ye thought for a moment. "For example, although the Datura Snake is poisonous, its life force is tenacious. Or a spirit ring from Blue Silver Grass itself should also be suitable."

Tang San nodded. "That's what I thought too. Once I reach rank twenty, we'll go to the Soul Hunting Forest."

"All right." Lin Ye smiled. "When the time comes, I'll show you the true power of my Golden Crow martial soul."

Sunlight passed through the leaves, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow over them. Blue Silver Grass unfurled in Tang San's palm, radiating vibrant life force; a golden glow flowed around Lin Ye, warm and tranquil. Grass and fire, two martial souls that had nothing to do with each other, seemed at this moment to have found a most harmonious resonance.

On the roof of a distant classroom building, Yu Xiaogang pushed up his glasses and fell into thought as he watched the two figures in the grove. He couldn't shake the feeling that the appearance of these two children might change many things. But what he didn't know was that Lin Ye and Tang San's destinies had already been fated to intertwine on that morning in Holy Spirit Village, and together they would write a legend of their own.