After half a year away from school, Yang Xiong felt that the entire class had changed significantly, everyone seemed to have grown up a lot.
Now that they were twelve years old, most had become Great Soul Masters, and it was time to start thinking about their futures.
According to the rules of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, some students would remain at the school to continue their studies, but the classes would be reorganized based on soul power and martial spirit attributes.
After sixth grade, the school would essentially be equivalent to intermediate and advanced soul master academies. More combat training would be added, and students would be divided into support-type and battle-type soul masters, and even further into power attack, agility attack, control, defense, and so on, since the training and real-world application for each kind of soul master differed.
Others would transfer to certain advanced soul master academies. For example, Yang Xiong's older brother, Yang Wei, had gone to the Purple Star Academy. There were also some intermediate and advanced academies supported by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
The school conducted soul power assessments for everyone, and surprisingly, the entire Class One had reached the level of Great Soul Masters. Ning Rongrong still had the highest soul power, now at an astonishing level 28.
Yang Xiong had reached level 26, second only to Ning Rongrong. The next highest was a student who had started with innate level 7 soul power and had now reached level 25.
Yang Xiong made a rough comparison and concluded that very few students in Class One met the admission standards of Shrek Academy, especially considering the need to pass combat assessments. It really showed just how talented the students accepted by Shrek were.
When Ning Rongrong saw Yang Xiong, she perked up. "Xiao Xiong, where have you been all this time? I heard you went to Tian Dou City. There's nothing fun there."
Yang Xiong replied helplessly, "Rongrong, I've already come back from Tian Dou City. I've just been cultivating at home recently."
Rongrong smiled proudly. "You've been cultivating pretty quickly, already at level 26. But too bad for you, I'm already level 28. Impressive, right?"
Yang Xiong quickly responded, "Rongrong, your talent is truly outstanding. No wonder you're considered the most gifted genius in recent years in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
Although Rongrong was playful and liked to tease others, her talent in cultivation was genuinely exceptional. She lived up to her reputation as a rare genius of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Rongrong continued, "I see you're always busy cultivating. You should hang out with us more often, or you'll become way too boring."
Yang Xiong was at a loss. "My talent isn't that great, not like yours. So I think it's more important for me to focus on cultivation."
Rongrong pouted. "I knew you'd say that. If it weren't for my dad telling me to learn more from you, I wouldn't bother inviting you to go out with us."
Yang Xiong replied, "The clan leader really overestimates me. I'm just an ordinary disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
Rongrong muttered something about him being boring and didn't say much after that. But judging from her wandering eyes, she was probably up to something mischievous.
Yang Xiong didn't bother worrying about her. He already didn't have enough time for his own cultivation, no way he had time to entertain this little troublemaker. Judging by the timing, she was probably about to run away from home soon. When that happened, the entire clan would likely be thrown into chaos.
That evening, during dinner, the whole family of four managed to sit down together, a rare occasion, especially since Yang Wei had returned from school.
After dinner, Yang Xiong was planning to return to his room to continue cultivating, but his father, Yang Lin, called him over.
"Xiao Xiong, don't rush off to cultivate today. Let's sit and talk as a family."
Seeing how serious his father and the others looked, Yang Xiong sat down.
Yang Lin seemed more solemn than usual. "Xiao Xiong, you've basically graduated now. Do you have any plans for your future cultivation? Or are you planning to continue training within the clan?"
Yang Xiong didn't hesitate. "Father, I'd prefer to stay and train at home. The clan's resources and environment are excellent, even the simulated environments are plentiful. That should be more than enough for my current stage of cultivation."
Yang Lin shook his head. "Xiao Xiong, I know how hardworking you are, but you should start thinking about your long-term path. With your current soul power, you could already attend an advanced soul master academy."
Yang Xiong quickly said, "Father, I really don't want to leave the clan. I don't think I'd learn much from an advanced academy, probably less than I'd gain from studying in the clan's library."
Yang Lin smiled. "Books can indeed teach a lot, but what you read and what you experience in reality are two very different things. Going to an academy would help you connect with peers your age. That way, the road to becoming a soul master won't be so lonely. It would also expose you to a wider range of geniuses, which might benefit you in the future."
"Besides, if you end up participating in the Soul Master Tournament, you'll be taken more seriously within the clan."
Yang Xiong was speechless. With the treasures on him, the clan would practically worship him if they even knew a fraction of it, especially since he possessed the item the clan had been seeking for the evolution of their martial soul.
But regardless of the Yin-Yang Meditation Method or the immortal herb, he wasn't planning to reveal any of it for now. Those things were far too sensitive.
The Yin-Yang Meditation Method was something he had created himself. It wasn't yet perfected. In the future, he might consider teaching it to his family, but only to them. Yang Xiong had no intention of sharing it widely.
As for the immortal herb he had hidden, he hadn't even told his family, especially with Yang Wei still at the Purple Star Academy. Even a small leak could cause a lot of trouble.
Besides, the clan wasn't his personal property. He was just a regular disciple. His contributions to the clan already surpassed 99% of its members.
At that moment, his older brother Yang Wei chimed in. "Xiao Xiong, I think you should come with me to Purple Star Academy. We can look out for each other, and with your soul power, you might even join me in the Soul Master Tournament."
But his father Yang Lin had a different opinion. "Xiao Xiong, with your current level, you could easily enroll in Tian Dou Royal Academy. You might even represent them in battle, which would bring honor to our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and perhaps earn you special support from the clan."
His mother, Sun Yu, on the other hand, was more relaxed. Her son had always had his own path and cultivation methods, so she rarely worried.
"Xiao Xiong, do whatever you want. Staying in the clan is fine too, at least it's safe."
Yang Xiong: ...
In the soul master world, going to an advanced academy was the norm. Take Yu Tianheng, for example. Was the Blue Lightning Clan's environment worse than a school's? Of course not. But the soul master world values community and alliances, or in other words, allies.
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