"Yang Yunhai's soul power reached level 10?"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes showed a trace of surprise as he subconsciously turned his head.
This cultivation speed was even faster than his own back in the day.
Although he had awakened an extremely mutated martial soul back then, his father hadn't given up on him. He had provided all the resources he could for training and even helped him hunt optimal sub-dragon-type soul beasts. This allowed him to reach level 29 before the age of 20.
He had reached level 10 before he was even 10 years old.
Yet Yang Yunhai, an ordinary civilian with nothing to his name, had done it even a few months faster.
Was it due to diligence? Thinking of the difficulty of reaching the first 10 levels and Yang Yunhai's hard work, he began to understand.
"Gu Zhu," he said calmly, without changing expression.
"Gu Zhu is naturally resilient. While its attack power is weak, its defense is quite good. Like Blue Silver Grass, it's also a plant-type soul beast, so compatibility won't be an issue."
"After absorbing its soul ring, your resilience will greatly improve, covering up the innate weakness of Blue Silver Grass being too fragile."
"Moreover, Gu Zhu soul beasts under 100 years old aren't hard to find or hunt."
Being born a civilian, with an innate soul power of only 0.5, and possessing a martial soul like Blue Silver Grass, Yu Xiaogang naturally assumed Yang Yunhai would report to the academy and have an instructor help him hunt an ordinary sub-100-year-old soul beast. That was the standard for all working students at the academy.
As far as he knew, instructors at Notting City Academy would never risk themselves hunting century-old soul beasts for working students. Finding a suitable 100-year soul beast required entering regions where such beasts live, which made ambushes by aggressive beasts a serious danger.
No one would risk their life for someone who had nothing to do with them.
"Cough, Master, this child Yang Yunhai is here to request a leave of absence," said the dean, with a trace of awkwardness in his eyes. He understood what the Master meant. Not helping working students hunt century-old beasts was indeed an unspoken rule among the instructors.
Overreaching, the term instinctively came to Yu Xiaogang's mind, and a flash of disdain passed through his eyes.
Requesting leave meant, without a doubt, that Yang Yunhai planned to find a way to hunt a stronger century-old soul ring on his own. Most likely, he would return to his village and ask the retired martial soul hall elder, the village chief, for help. But an orphan with no talent, no status, and a trash martial soul, why would anyone go to such trouble to help him? If they really cared, he wouldn't have been sent to Notting Academy as a working student in the first place.
He could almost guarantee that Yang Yunhai would return empty-handed.
If he still refused to give up and foolishly entered the Soul Hunting Forest with a team or hired someone to hunt for him, he might lose his life.
Pursuing something that doesn't belong to you always ends in vain.
How many civilian soul masters had died in beginner-level hunting forests over the years? He had heard of and seen plenty.
At that thought, a memory of his old companion Flender and… her… flashed through his mind. Back then, they were a perfect team who could entrust their backs to one another. It was because of that team that he had the chance to test various soul master theories. After their separation, due to his limited personal strength, he could no longer enter soul hunting forests. That was when he came to Notting Academy to collect martial soul data and develop his theories.
Unfortunately, the students at Notting Academy were all average at best, unworthy of receiving his guidance.
As a result, he'd faced much criticism over the years.
Fortunately, things eventually turned around.
He met Tang San, a student who could prove his theories and his ability to teach.
Thinking this, an image flashed through his mind, and a gentle, affectionate look appeared in his eyes.
But in the next second, remembering Tang San's twin martial souls, another figure came to mind, and his face darkened slightly.
His brow furrowed, and his gaze toward Yang Yunhai sharpened. His tone turned indifferent.
"Do you plan to join the Martial Soul Hall in the future?"
Unless Yang Yunhai convinced the village chief with the promise of joining the Martial Soul Hall, Yu Xiaogang didn't believe he'd get any help.
What does it have to do with you?! Yang Yunhai thought inwardly with irritation. His foster mother went to the Martial Soul Hall for subsidies, and at least they consistently gave them for decades. Even if you don't have anything nice to say, why show such a face? Does it bother you if someone joins or not?
Outwardly, his expression remained unchanged. He shook his head slightly and said, "Probably not. Director Su just mentioned it to me earlier. I think he made a good point. My martial soul and talent aren't good. Even if I joined a soul master faction, I wouldn't be nurtured, and I'd lose my freedom."
"So, after graduating from the academy, I want to go to an intermediate soul master academy to continue studying. If possible, it'd be even better if a senior soul master academy accepted me. If not…"
He looked up at Yu Xiaogang, speaking sincerely.
"Master, I've heard some things about your story during my time at the academy."
"Tang San is the strongest in our dorm, and that definitely has to do with your teaching. Your soul master theories must be excellent."
"They say reading dead books is no better than walking more roads. Since your theories are so powerful, I figure they must come from your years of traveling the continent, seeing many things, and constantly testing and refining your ideas."
With that, he flattered him with some indirect praise.
"So, if no senior academy accepts me in the future, I'd like to learn from you, Master, travel the continent, gain more knowledge. If during that time my soul power increases, that'd be great. If not, my plan is to return to Notting City and work as an instructor, sharing what I've seen and heard with students as a way to repay the academy."
"When I'm old, I'll return to my village and the orphanage to teach the kids and repay the kindness of being raised."
"Good child, such a good child…" Director Su's eyes reddened with emotion.
They say hardship matures children early, but he hadn't expected Yang Yunhai to think so far ahead at such a young age.
As if thinking of something, he subconsciously glanced at Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang had lived at the academy for free all these years but had never taught a single class.
Yu Xiaogang's face turned slightly red, unclear what he was thinking.
After a moment of silence, his expression returned to calm. "If you can find someone to help, perhaps you could hunt a hundred-year poisonous snake-type soul beast. That way, your Blue Silver Grass will gain a poison attribute and some offensive power, which could help you deal with potential dangers while traveling the continent."
After speaking, he turned to Director Su. "Director Su, I still have work. Please hand me the materials."
"Alright, wait a moment." Director Su nodded immediately, then turned to Yang Yunhai with a smile. "Xiaohai, go ahead. I wish you a smooth journey and the soul ring you hope for."
Blue Silver Grass fused with an animal-type soul ring, he could accept it now, after all, Tang San had already done it.
Thinking this, he began rummaging through the bookshelves for the soul master data Yu Xiaogang had asked for.
"Goodbye, Director Su. Goodbye, Master!" Yang Yunhai bowed to each of them and strode out the door.
Back in the dormitory, Tang San and Xiao Wu weren't there, likely off to class.
Without thinking much more, he quickly packed his things.
After finishing, he slung his pack over his shoulders, left the dorm, and headed straight out of the academy.
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