"So, are you satisfied with the environment here?"
Yue Hongsheng stroked his beard, his eyes full of warmth.
"Satisfied—very satisfied!"
"That's good. However, Xiao Xia, although you've enrolled, you didn't enter through the standard admissions process."
"The academy hasn't prepared foundational courses for six-year-old awakened Spirit Masters. Until your spirit power improves, you'll need to study on your own."
Lin Xia was momentarily stunned, but quickly understood.
This was completely reasonable. It was like a university in his previous life—no one was going to teach one plus one equals two.
"I understand, Senior."
Before Lin Xia could continue, Yue Hongsheng waved his hand and directly handed him a card.
"This is my identity card. I know what you're about to say. With this, you'll have unrestricted access throughout the academy. The logistics instructors will arrange your accommodation, and if you want to study anything, you can go straight to the library."
Lin Xia fell silent for a long moment before taking the card. Doubt flickered in his eyes.
"Senior… why are you treating me so well? Based on my Spirit alone, this seems unnecessary."
Yue Hongsheng didn't explain. He only smiled faintly.
"Once your level improves, I'll take you somewhere. It won't do you any harm."
With that, Yue Hongsheng turned and left.
Lin Xia was left standing there, dazed.
What exactly was going on?
Holding the weighty identity card in his hand, complicated emotions surged within him—gratitude, doubt, and a warmth that came from being valued.
This Spirit Saint's attitude had far exceeded his expectations.
Of course, Lin Xia didn't lower his guard. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
"It seems the waters of Plant Academy are deeper than I thought."
He murmured softly, patting Bulbasaur's shoulder as it curiously looked around.
"Dana~"
With the identity card, Lin Xia quickly completed the enrollment procedures and was assigned a small house on the edge of the academy, right next to the Emerald Forest.
The surroundings were quiet and elegant. Pushing open the window revealed endless greenery, with sunlight pouring in unobstructed.
"Not bad—much better than Nuoding Academy."
"Dana! Dana!"
"Bulbasaur, you think so too?"
"Dana!"
"As long as you like it."
After setting Bulbasaur down, Lin Xia immediately began modifying the windows to maximize sunlight exposure for cultivation.
Perhaps because the academy catered to Plant-type Spirit Masters, most of the room's fixtures were detachable.
Once the adjustments were finished, Lin Xia and Bulbasaur began their study session.
"Bulbasaur, do you have any skills?"
Lin Xia asked with a hint of anticipation.
Even though Bulbasaur was manifested from his Spirit, if it possessed innate moves or inherited techniques…
He might actually laugh himself awake at night.
"Dana?"
Lin Xia tapped his own head and explained patiently.
"I mean—do you feel any special energy in your body? Or do you have memories of using certain moves?"
Bulbasaur nodded its round head.
Under Lin Xia's gaze, several Vine Whips suddenly burst from the seed on its back, piercing straight into the floor.
Next, streams of green life energy poured continuously into Bulbasaur's body, and a faint green glow appeared on its skin.
"Ingrain."
That was expected—Lin Xia already knew about this one.
"Anything else?"
At Lin Xia's prompt, Bulbasaur immediately demonstrated more.
Its limbs bent slightly as it closed its bright red eyes, spirit power surging within its body. The next instant, as its eyes snapped open, a purple mist spread around it.
Even the originally emerald-green Vine Whips turned purple, with viscous droplets dripping from them and sizzling as they hit the ground.
"Toxic."
That made perfect sense. Bulbasaur was a dual Grass–Poison type.
But what came next left Lin Xia stunned.
Bulbasaur continued demonstrating skill after skill:
"Tackle. Growl. Poison Powder. Vine Whip. Sleep Powder. Sludge Bomb. Venom Shock. Swords Dance."
Eleven skills.
And were these even normal?
Four poison-based techniques, yet only three Grass-type ones…
Did Bulbasaur have greater talent in poison?
But judging by its performance, its Grass-type aptitude wasn't weak either. Both Ingrain and Synthesis were used with remarkable proficiency.
"Dana, dana!"
"You did great, Bulbasaur. You're really amazing."
"Dana~"
Bulbasaur leaned against Lin Xia's foot, unbearably adorable.
Perhaps it was the exhaustion from the long journey—or perhaps overexcitement—but once he relaxed, a wave of fatigue washed over Lin Xia.
After tidying up briefly, he soon fell asleep.
Not long after Lin Xia drifted off, a figure quietly entered the room.
The person glanced at the sleeping Lin Xia, then at Bulbasaur, which had nestled itself into the bonsai by the windowsill.
Taking out pen and paper, the figure wrote and sketched for a while, carefully recording Bulbasaur's features—then silently disappeared.
…
Early the next morning, since there were no classes suited to his age, Lin Xia borrowed several books on Spirit Masters and Spirit Beasts from the library and headed to the Sunlight Hall.
The hall wasn't open all day. Junior students had limited access time and even needed to spend contribution points.
But with Yue Hongsheng's identity card, Lin Xia not only entered freely but also occupied one of the best spots for an extended period.
Unlike others, Lin Xia didn't immediately begin cultivating.
Instead, he sat down and started reading.
Bulbasaur was left to use Ingrain in the soil while basking in the sunlight.
When nearby senior students noticed a six-year-old calmly reading in the core area—while a never-before-seen "plant Spirit Beast" beside him glowed faintly green—they couldn't help whispering among themselves.
"That's such a prime spot, and he's reading instead of cultivating. Is he letting his Spirit cultivate?"
"Don't joke—his Spirit really does look like it's cultivating on its own!"
"What nonsense. Spirits don't have independent life. You're imagining things. Probably just an illusion."
Despite the murmurs, most of the attention carried indifference.
In their eyes, Lin Xia was just another kid who had entered through connections.