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After chatting with Su Yuntao for a while, Old Jerry finally brought Su Wen back home.
"Xiaowen, I didn't expect your talent to be this good—hahaha! You're definitely going to become a Soul Master!" Old Jerry was genuinely happy for him.
Grinning broadly, he continued, "You and Xiaopang both have soul power. I'll try to get you two spots so you can attend a primary Soul Master academy."
He had already asked Su Yuntao earlier, and the nearby villages that shared work-study quotas with Crescent Village hadn't produced a single child with soul power this year. Even Holy Soul Village hadn't awakened anyone with soul power.
With two work-study slots available, it was doable.
"Alright, you stay home. I'm going to check on Xiaopang. That kid may only have half a level of soul power, but at least he has some. There's still hope—if he breaks through and becomes a Soul Master…" Old Jerry's eyes revealed longing.
Even a tenth-rank Soul Master—just one soul ring—would receive a monthly stipend from the Martial Soul Hall!
Between a Soul Master and an ordinary person, the gap was like heaven and earth.
After Old Jerry left, Su Wen sat alone at home, studying his martial soul.
"A book martial soul…"
Looking at the dusty gray book in his hand, he felt no resentment.
A poor background just meant his parents hadn't had the strength—not that they hadn't tried their best.
But what path would a book martial soul follow in the future?
Staring at his martial soul, Su Wen found himself troubled once again by the question he'd pondered many times before.
Previously, he'd held onto a sliver of hope for a mutation, but now he could only face the issue head-on.
"I need strength!"
Ideas surfaced one after another as he began experimenting with his book martial soul.
He named it: Heavenly Tome.
He hoped his martial soul would gradually transform and one day become a true Heavenly Tome.
He opened the gray Heavenly Tome. Blank pages flipped as he circulated his soul power and activated his martial soul.
Separate!
One sheet tore itself free from the book.
"It works!" Su Wen's eyes lit up.
Focusing his attention on the page, he began to manipulate it.
Even though he had only just awakened his martial soul, his natural talent already gave him control surpassing most Soul Masters.
The sheet shifted in size, its length, width, and even thickness changing under the infusion of soul power.
But it still couldn't go beyond the boundaries of a sheet of paper.
However, when he tried folding it—
"Xiaowen!"
Old Jerry's voice called out.
Su Wen stopped what he was doing, opened the door, and saw Old Jerry and Xiaopang outside.
Xiaopang's full name was Sun Xiaopang. True to his name, he was plump and fair-skinned, with an honest, goofy smile.
"Brother Wen," Xiaopang greeted.
"Mm." Su Wen acknowledged him and looked to Old Jerry.
"You both have innate soul power. You mustn't waste that talent," Old Jerry said, lifting his right hand. A wave of soul power aura pulsed outward.
Su Wen froze, eyes wide.
Old Jerry… was a Soul Master?
"Hahaha, this old man had innate soul power too. But like Xiaopang, I only had half a level," he said, forming a sweet potato out of soul power in his hand. "I only cultivated to rank nine and could never break through to rank ten, so I'm not truly a Soul Master."
He handed the sweet potato to Su Wen with a laugh. "Haha, kid, I practically raised you on these!"
Su Wen suddenly understood.
No wonder I never felt weak.
He had been nourishing his body, slowly refining his martial soul and innate soul power. There was no way that came without draining energy.
So it was Old Jerry's sweet potatoes providing him with the fuel.
"Xiaopang, having soul power is good, but with only half a level, if you don't work hard, you'll end up stuck at rank nine like me," Old Jerry warned sternly.
It was the regret of his life.
"My martial soul is food-type, so cultivating is naturally harder. I got stuck at rank nine. You may also have half a level of soul power, but your chances of breaking through to Soul Master are far better than mine."
"There are three months left before you can enter the primary Soul Master academy. During these three months, I'll personally teach you meditation. You must make use of every moment!"
"First, try to sense..."
Watching Su Wen slip into a meditative state, Old Jerry went quiet.
He could already feel Su Wen's soul power circulating actively.
He succeeded in meditation on the first try?
Then he glanced over at Xiaopang, who was sitting cross-legged, legs twitching restlessly, clearly unable to calm himself.
"Xiaopang, find a position that feels comfortable for you."
"The pages can fold, but they're still not strong enough." Su Wen looked at the paper sword he'd folded from a page and tried to reinforce its strength with soul power.
"My book martial soul is still too fragile."
Even if he split the Heavenly Tome into pages and folded them into paper swords, their attack power was worrying.
"I'll have to rely on soul rings to make up for that."
"Xiaowen, still thinking about using your book martial soul to fight?" Old Jerry said helplessly as he watched Su Wen fiddle with the page. "If you ask me, your martial soul is a book—you'd make a great scholar. You're smart and learn quickly. You could make a good living with knowledge."
"Okay, Grandpa, I'll think about it."
Scholar?
Knowledge is power—but a scholar without strength is no true scholar, just like a support who can't fight isn't a proper warrior.
But to study, he'd need something to study.
Until school started, he could only keep developing his martial soul and lay the groundwork.
After awakening his martial soul, Su Wen's physical fitness improved, and his training intensity gradually increased as well.
Now that he knew Old Jerry's martial soul was a sweet potato and his soul power was at rank nine, Su Wen would eat a few sweet potatoes after every workout before continuing.
Without soul skills, the sweet potatoes only provided abundant energy that could be better absorbed.
For Su Wen, that was already excellent.
In the blink of an eye, three months passed.
"Xiaowen, Xiaopang, once you're at the Soul Master academy, you must cultivate diligently," Old Jerry reminded them repeatedly on the road.
"Up ahead is Notting City's primary Soul Master academy." He led the two children to the front gate. "Hello, I'm here to enroll two kids."
Su Wen saw Old Jerry slip three copper soul coins into the gatekeeper's hand before handing over their certificates.
"Mm, the documents are in order. You can go in, but parents can't enter."
"Xiaowen, Xiaopang, cultivate well in the academy. I'll come pick you up after school," Old Jerry said with lingering worry.
"Grandpa, don't worry. I'll look after Xiaopang and make sure he cultivates properly."
Old Jerry trusted Su Wen, nodded, and reluctantly left.
"Brother guard, where do we report in?"
Since the guard had accepted the copper coins and Su Wen clearly had level five innate soul power printed on his certificate, he didn't show any impatience.
"See that building? The academic office is on the second floor. Take your Martial Soul Hall certificates and your work-study paperwork to the director."
"Thank you."
Su Wen looked ahead with anticipation.
He wondered if he could accomplish his goals at this primary Soul Master academy.
(End of Chapter)