Chapter 61: The Alluring Freshmen Tournament
Standing high above on the stage, Ye Wen looked over the formation of students with satisfaction. In general, any soul master without an exceedingly peculiar martial soul wouldn't appear unattractive. Most of the new students before him, who were mostly above rank 20 and around fifteen or sixteen, were just coming into their own. Dressed in the black uniforms with gold threaded trim he had designed, they exuded a capable, spirited aura.
Many distinguished forces had come to honor the academy's opening: the Upper Three Sects, the two empires, and even Spirit Hall had sent high ranking representatives. To his surprise, the Sect HaoTian had sent Tang Yuehua as their envoy. Although her refined elegance hinted at her noble roots, Ye Wen knew little about her, not even her innate soul power. The original work only described her as having a soul power that stopped at rank nine, and a noble domain that could purify hearts.
Ye Wen quickly pieced together the reason for her presence. Her martial soul mutation was likely similar to Yu Xiaogang's, though more complicated. And as the foremost authority in such matters, she was likely here to seek his help in resolving her martial soul issue. Ye Wen didn't mind she seemed like a steadfast woman, and perhaps her involvement would someday let him play a quiet move against Tang San's path to godhood.
"Hello to our new students, guests, and families!" Ye Wen began the traditional opening speech, fighting his own aversion to such formality. It was tedious, but appearances mattered in this era; to forego the pomp would have seemed unusual. Formalities the detritus of human custom, he thought to himself wryly.
By the end of his speech, even Ye Wen, at his Soul Emperor level, was feeling parched. Glancing at the rows of students below, most of whom were looking bored or nearly asleep, he held back a sigh. If nothing else, they were mutually suffering through the occasion. However, it was crucial to introduce something memorable for a new academy's opening, so he raised his voice and said with a commanding tone, "Students!"
Startled by the sudden volume, the drowsy students jerked to attention and turned their gazes to Ye Wen.
"Do you want to surpass everyone around you? Do you want to know where your future leads? Do you want to become a genius known throughout the continent? Answer me!"
The answer was a unanimous, fervent shout from the students: "Yes!"
"Excellent! Then I'll give you an opportunity. Starting now, the first Heavenly Path Advanced Soul Academy Freshmen Tournament officially begins! This tournament will consist of three stages: The Trial of Will, which tests endurance; The Trial of Insight, which tests perception; and finally, The Trial of Strength, which tests combat ability. The top three will receive a personalized soul cultivation plan from me, as well as a full year's training in the heart of the Blue Silver Forest."
Ye Wen's voice rose as he gave the final signal. "Now, for the first event the Trial of Will! You'll need to withstand half an hour under Director Lu's sixth soul skill. Anyone still standing after thirty minutes will advance to the next round. Ready? Three, two, one begin!"
With that, Director Lu Feng, usually silent and reserved, stepped forward, his martial soul materializing. Two yellow, two purple, and three black spirit rings the ideal configuration glowed around him, the sixth ring's light intensifying as an invisible pressure settled upon the students.
At first, the pressure wasn't too heavy; even students from the medical division managed to hold their ground. But five minutes in, the force suddenly doubled, and the more delicate medical students struggled, many quickly signaling their withdrawal.
Watching this, Ye Wen gave a quiet sigh. As he'd expected, the humble origins of most of these students showed they couldn't withstand the pressure past this point. Ideally, he'd hoped they'd last until the fourth level, or four times the base gravity, before dropping out. Yet their weak constitutions, poor nutrition, and lack of control over soul power left them wanting. After all, even ordinary people from his previous life could bear two to three times gravity for a short time.
At the twenty minute mark, with gravity at four times normal, the field had been thinned out to the more powerful students, while most others had withdrawn to watch from the sidelines. What they'd initially thought would be a brief exercise had proven far more taxing. Even Director Lu Feng, close to reaching Soul Douluo level, felt the strain of maintaining his skill. Fortunately, as fewer students remained, he had less ground to cover, enabling him to persist.
When the trial ended, only about a hundred students were left standing. The guests observed Ye Wen's unique selection process with interest. They recognized his intention to identify the best students for intensive training. While most had overlooked gravity type techniques in the past, Ye Wen's innovative application inspired new ideas. Perhaps they'd share this approach within their own sects.
More enticing, however, were the prizes. His training advice was coveted enough, but the promise of access to the Blue Silver Forest's heart was a true treasure. The remarkable effects of the Blue Silver Forest were well known by now; the thousand year Blue Silver Trees in other spirit beast forests had been nearly picked clean, and only the core regions, heavily guarded by powerful spirit beasts, remained untouched. The academy's forest was strictly off limits to outsiders, which deterred even the most shameless sects.
As the guests pondered, Tang Yuehua of the Sect HaoTian's gaze lingered thoughtfully on Ye Wen. Gravity training wasn't uncommon in the Sect HaoTian wielding the Clear Sky Hammer demanded formidable physical strength. But for a civilian soul master, albeit a so called "master," to grasp this insight so well was impressive. Perhaps he could indeed find a solution to her martial soul issue.
Surveying the hundred remaining students, Ye Wen nodded with approval. "Those of you who've passed are quite talented. But don't grow complacent Douluo Continent is filled with many gifted individuals. Now, collect your certificates. This afternoon, meditate in the Blue Silver Forest to recover your strength. The second trial, the Trial of Insight, will begin tomorrow morning at eight here. Good luck, everyone. Dismissed."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 62: The Shocking Textbooks
With ten teachers in total, including Medical Instructor Fangfei and Director Lu, Ye Wen organized the remaining nine teachers into three main classes: Star Luo Class, Heaven Dou Class, and Medical Class. This division helped avoid conflicts that might arise among students from different regions, ensuring a more harmonious learning environment. Each class was assigned three teachers for instruction.
The Heavenly Path Advanced Soul Academy truly lived up to its reputation as a national project. The construction was solid, and the decor opulent. Each classroom was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate three hundred students.
Ye Wen observed his students closely from the back of the classroom. "Nobility versus commoners, wealthy families versus average ones the social stratifications are already showing. Even in this setting, similar people gravitate toward one another," he mused. Human societies have always been divided by class; it's as true now as it was in my previous life. Fortunately, each student here has an individual dorm room, which should help limit conflicts and avoid issues like bullying. Still, I'll need to establish some strict school regulations.
While none of the nine teachers were professional educators, they had no problem following the lesson plans Ye Wen had created, smoothly stepping into their teaching roles.
First, the textbooks were distributed. Unlike traditional advanced soul academies, which focused primarily on combat training and a supportive cultivation environment, Ye Wen's academy emphasized academics, and the study materials immediately reflected his broader vision. Ye Wen's published works The Path of the Soul Sect, The Fundamentals of Martial Souls, and The Origins of Martial Souls were, of course, required reading.
These three texts had been adopted by many elementary academies, but most of the students here hadn't fully read them. Many had only skimmed through them after their parents urged them to enroll. The noble students were dismissive, considering the books redundant, while most commoner students took the texts seriously, treating them as valuable sources of knowledge.
However, when two more books were handed out, the students were visibly shocked. Parents and guests, watching from outside, became equally curious, wondering what could possibly cause such a reaction.
"Self created skills!" a noble student burst out, unable to contain his surprise.
Outside the classroom, the guests and family members murmured, realizing the implications of this new material. A representative from Heaven Dou Empire, his interest piqued, turned to Ye Wen.
"Dean Ye Wen, are these self created techniques open for distribution?" His intentions were obvious, hoping to secure the techniques for the Heaven Dou Empire's advantage.
Ye Wen smiled, aware of the strategy but unbothered by it, and nodded. "Of course. These basic self created techniques are simply the foundational skills I developed to train my disciples."
The Heaven Dou representative's eyes lit up, but Ye Wen continued, setting expectations. "Still, don't expect too much. These are just fundamental skills. For example, one technique, Shunpo, enhances speed and agility in short bursts. Then there's Finger Gun for close combat and Iron Body for strengthening parts of the body. These are all useful for soul masters in the early stages."
The Heaven Dou representative nodded eagerly, but a thought struck him. "Dean Ye Wen, you mentioned six techniques. Why are there only three here?"
Ye Wen gave a slight, coy smile. "Naturally, I had to reserve something special for the academy's heritage. The remaining three are significantly more advanced and difficult to learn. They're skills that I only teach to my personal disciples. I hope you understand."
A tactful diplomat, the Heaven Dou representative caught on quickly. Although Ye Wen had promised to freely share his theories, these self created skills weren't part of that deal. Knowing his request had already been graciously met, he quickly changed the subject. Even three self created techniques were a rare treasure valuable enough to serve as heirloom skills. Once word gets out, Ye Wen's reputation will skyrocket, and this academy will surely attract even more students next year. Five self created techniques upon entry what soul master wouldn't be tempted by that?
Attempting to mask his surprise, the Heaven Dou representative asked, "And the other textbook, Soul Master Combat Basics for Environmental Adaptation?"
Inside the classroom, the teachers had already begun introducing the academy's rules and future lesson plans, leaving students free to browse their new textbooks.
"That book? It includes more practical skills, also part of the self created techniques series. The focus is on adapting to various environments, like navigating cliffs or moving across water," Ye Wen explained, feigning nonchalance.
The Heaven Dou representative was dumbfounded. This academy is unprecedented, he thought, stunned by the magnitude of Ye Wen's generosity. Even the Heaven Dou royal family wouldn't dare provide so many self created techniques on day one.
All around him, those listening were equally stunned. A self created skill was typically regarded as a personal or even clan treasure, and Ye Wen was offering them wholesale. Five techniques upon enrollment it was nothing short of unbelievable.
(End of Chapter)
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