Inside the third house, several children—both boys and girls—were fighting each other. Fists flew, legs lashed out, and the room looked like a chaotic brawl.
Seeing this, both Lu Tianming and Xiao Ling froze in shock.
"What is going on?" the same thought surfaced in their minds at once.
Although confused, one thing was clear—it was not the right moment to enter. If they stepped inside now, they would surely be dragged into the mess.
Exchanging a silent glance, the two slowly retreated and gently closed the door, careful not to make a sound.
However, their luck was far from good.
As they turned around, a broad chest suddenly filled their vision, blocking their path.
"Who are you two? Move aside."
A thick, commanding voice rang out.
Startled, they looked up and saw a boy with an exaggerated height for a student. A faint beard had already appeared on his chin, making him look more like an adult—or at least a senior student on the verge of graduation.
Hearing his words, Lu Tianming and Xiao Ling subconsciously stepped aside, allowing him to pass.
After walking past them, the tall boy lifted his leg and kicked the door open without hesitation.
Bang!
The sound echoed through the corridor.
Both of them widened their eyes, bracing themselves for the chaotic fight they had seen moments ago.
But instead, they were stunned speechless.
Inside the room, every single child sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, quietly cultivating soul power. The air was calm and orderly, filled with faint fluctuations of spirit energy.
There was no fighting.
No shouting.
No chaos.
The violent scene they had witnessed earlier seemed as if it had never existed at all—like nothing more than an illusion.
"Oh? So everyone is cultivating. Good, good."
The boy's voice rang clearly throughout the room. "As your senior brother, I am very pleased to see this."
As soon as his voice fell, everyone in the room opened their eyes and halted their cultivation.
"Senior Brother!"
They immediately stood up and bowed toward him with deep respect.
"Alright, alright." Seeing this, the boy shook his head lightly and waved his hand. "Why did you all stop cultivating just because I arrived? Continue. Only through hard work can we achieve our dreams."
A faint smile appeared on his face as he spoke.
Hearing his words, no one dared to disobey. They quickly sat back down and resumed cultivating, soul power once again circulating through their bodies.
Seeing this, the boy nodded in satisfaction. Only then did his gaze finally shift toward Lu Tianming and Xiao Ling.
"Who are you two? What are you doing here?" he asked gently, his tone deliberately mild, as if afraid of frightening them.
Hearing his question, the two exchanged a glance. The way he had commanded the room earlier—and the respect everyone showed him—made it clear that this senior brother was no ordinary student.
"Senior Brother," Lu Tianming stepped forward and answered respectfully, "we are newly admitted work-study students."
"Oh, so that's how it is."
The boy nodded thoughtfully. Then he looked at them again, a bright smile spreading across his face. "Welcome to the Third House. You two are the first to arrive this year. As for whether any other students will come…" He sighed lightly. "That, I can't say."
Hearing this, Lu Tianming did not reply. He quietly waited for further instructions. After all, this was a senior student—someone with clear authority here. Acting recklessly could only invite unnecessary trouble.
"Alright, come inside." The boy gestured toward the room. "I'll show you your beds and explain everything you need to know."
"Thank you, Senior Brother," Lu Tianming said respectfully before stepping inside with Xiao Ling.
Although they had already glimpsed the interior from outside, once they entered, both of them were stunned by the sheer size of the room.
Dozens of beds were neatly arranged in two long rows. The beds on the right side were for girls, while those on the left were for boys. Despite being in the same hall, the two sides were clearly divided, which made the arrangement surprisingly reasonable.
Under the senior brother's lead, they soon reached the middle of the room.
He sat down on one of the empty beds and motioned for them to sit on the vacant beds beside him.
After they sat down, he spoke calmly, "Since you are my juniors, I'll introduce myself first. My name is Tie Xiong, a sixth-year student. Next month, I will graduate from this academy." His tone suddenly turned serious. "So, you'll only be safe until next month. After that, you'll have to rely on yourselves."
Lu Tianming and Xiao Ling did not fully understand the meaning behind his last sentence, but since he had already introduced himself, delaying their own introductions would be impolite.
"My name is Lu Tianming. My martial soul is Lava Hound."
"My name is Xiao Ling. My martial soul is Iron Spirit Vine."
"We're from Iron Mountain Village."
The two spoke almost at the same time.
"Oh?"
Hearing the names of their martial souls, Tie Xiong's expression became serious. "Top-quality martial souls… Then tell me—what were your innate soul power levels, and what level have you reached now?"
Xiao Ling was the first to reply. "Mine was level three." She lowered her head slightly, a shy expression on her face. "After a month of cultivation, I'm close to reaching level four."
"Level three innate soul power…" Tie Xiong nodded thoughtfully. "It's not high, but with the right soul rings, reaching the Soul King realm isn't impossible." After giving her a brief compliment, his gaze shifted to Lu Tianming. "And you?"
"Uh… mine was level six." Lu Tianming scratched his head lightly. "Right now, I'm at level eight."
"What?"
Tie Xiong reacted instantly. "Level eight? That's impossible!"
"It's true, Senior Brother," Lu Tianming replied seriously.
Seeing his expression, Tie Xiong slowly calmed down. After all, the Douluo Continent had never lacked geniuses.
"…Alright." He exhaled softly, a faint smile appearing on his face. "It seems I don't need to worry about you two."
"Senior Brother," Lu Tianming asked, unable to suppress his curiosity, "what do you mean by that?"
Tie Xiong let out a short laugh. "You're new to both this city and the academy, so it's normal that you don't know." His expression gradually turned heavy. "Simply put—work-study students are treated worse than beggars by many of the noble students here."
"They use every means to obstruct us. Some are even more vicious, relying on their family backgrounds to openly bully work-study students." He sighed deeply. "Most work-study students have low talent and no backing, so they don't dare to resist."
His eyes suddenly sharpened. "I oppose this."
"Because I have some talent, I stood up for students like me—those from poor backgrounds who want to become Soul Masters and change their fate."
For a moment, burning determination shone in his eyes… but it quickly dimmed.
"However, I'm graduating next month." His voice lowered. "And that's what worries me—these students who helped me fight against this injustice."
He looked directly at Lu Tianming and Xiao Ling.
"That's why I said earlier that you would have to rely on yourselves." After a brief pause, he added, "But after learning about your talents, I know no one will dare to provoke you easily."
Hearing everything, Lu Tianming and Xiao Ling wore expressions of unwillingness. How could they have known about such matters in advance? They had just arrived in the city, knowing nothing about nobles, status, or the hidden rules of the academy.
Seeing the look on their faces, Tie Xiong shook his head lightly.
"Alright, alright." He waved his hand. "There's no need for you to worry about these things for now. Just focus on cultivating."
He paused briefly, then continued in a calmer tone, "Classes will officially start next week. Until then, cultivate quietly and steadily. Strength is the only thing that truly matters here."
His gaze lingered on them for a moment before he added, "As long as you grow strong enough, no one will dare look down on you."
Both Lu Tianming and Xiao Ling nodded after hearing Tie Xiong's words.
After that, they each settled onto their respective beds on their assigned sides of the room.
Not long after, a teacher arrived carrying bedding and daily necessities that had been sent by Tyson. With the teacher's help, the two quickly arranged their sleeping areas.
Once everything was in place, Lu Tianming and Xiao Ling finally settled down, quietly preparing themselves for the days to come—and for the challenges that awaited them in the academy.
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Thank for Everyone's support!!!!!!