"Grandmaster Gong, will any of our village kids become Spirit Masters this year?"
The Village Chief of Yu Village stepped forward anxiously as the Spirit Hall guide led the children out, asking about the results of the Awakening.
"Old Man Yu, congratulations—your village has produced a true Genius this year," Gong Fenghua said with a smile.
He pointed to Yu Yan and explained, "The child's Spirit has undergone a beneficial mutation, possessing both ice and fire attributes. With Innate spirit power at seven-and-a-half, he'll definitely grow into a formidable Spirit Master."
Most villagers' Spirits were ordinary fish, so Gong Fenghua attributed Yu Yan's Ice and Fire Twin Fish to a beneficial Spirit mutation.
As for why two fish counted as one Spirit, he put it down to the endless oddities of Spirits.
He'd seen a brassiere Spirit, a pig-intestine Spirit, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's good-for-nothing detached pig Spirit.
Compared with those, Yu Yan's twin fish in one body was nothing strange.
Hoping only for a Spirit Master and never a Genius, Old Man Yu asked in disbelief, "Is… is this true?"
"Of course it's true. I've no reason to lie. I must hurry to the next village; speak with the boy if you have questions."
Gong Fenghua checked the sky, waved goodbye to Yu Yan, and left; he still had Awakenings to perform.
Old Man Yu comforted the disappointed children, letting their parents take them home.
When finished, he approached Yu Yan, inspected the martial soul awakening certificate, and viewed the Spirit himself.
"Little Yan, your talent surpasses even my boy's. Study hard at the Spirit school, Cultivate diligently, and become a Spirit Master soon."
Yu Yan was the only child in Yu Village with spirit power this year, so the Work-Study Student slot was naturally his.
The 'boy' Old Man Yu mentioned was his son, the village's only Spirit Master in twenty years and his greatest pride.
Because the man was seldom home, Yu Yan only knew he was a Two-Ring Great Spirit Master; the exact Rank was unknown.
"Grandpa Yu, don't worry, I'll Cultivate with everything I've got," Yu Yan replied obediently.
His future happiness depended on it, so he would be deadly serious.
"Good. Of all the kids your age, you're the most sensible. I trust you'll work hard."
"When you reach Rank 10, come back; I'll have my son take you to get your spirit ring."
"My son says the first spirit ring should ideally be a hundred-year yellow one. With your talent, don't settle for less."
"My boy still sighs over his first spirit ring not being a century old. Now we can give you better; I won't let you share that regret."
Walking Yu Yan home, Old Man Yu rattled off advice about life as a Spirit Master.
He didn't know much, but he shared every bit of it.
After seeing Yu Yan inside and urging him repeatedly, the old man strolled off.
He would tell his son the good news and arrange help for Yu Yan's first spirit ring.
Watching him leave, Yu Yan sat down and opened the Meditation Technique Gong Fenghua had given him.
A graduate of nine years of compulsory education and a top university, Yu Yan had forgotten facts but retained his reasoning skills.
The Meditation Technique was the most common one on Douluo Continent, used by eighty percent of Spirit Masters.
With Gong Fenghua's brief notes, Yu Yan grasped the method in little more than an hour.
In short, the technique used one's own Spirit and spirit power to draw in the ambient spirit power.
That was why better Spirits and higher Innate spirit power meant faster cultivation.
Understanding this, Yu Yan sat cross-legged on his bed and entered cultivation.
Thanks to strong mental force, a good Spirit, and seven-and-a-half levels of Innate spirit power, he quickly sensed the free spirit power and drew it in.
After one cycle the foreign spirit power became his own; sensing the slight growth, he pulled in more.
Gong Fenghua's notes listed many failures and reflections; he himself had needed three months to draw in a single wisp.
The Meditation Technique didn't seem that hard after all.
Succeeding on his first try, Yu Yan kept absorbing spirit power while his mind even wandered.
When he opened his eyes, his stomach growled and the sun was setting.
One blink and an entire afternoon had passed.
He stretched at his door, took out dried fish, a live crab from a vat, and herbs from his garden.
Today was worth celebrating with a good meal.
After a humble but tasty seafood porridge, Yu Yan decided to study his Spirit.
Ice and Fire Twin Fish—Gong Fenghua had adopted his suggestion for the name of this unique Companion Spirit.
Opening his palm, the twin fish leapt out and circled him just as they had in the Awakening hall.
The Ice and Fire Twin Fish were Beast Spirits made of energy.
At his will they attached to his arms.
Martial Soul Possession channels the beast's power into the user for greater strength.
The instant it completed, his strength surged.
To test it, he punched his homemade sandbag.
With a bang his fist punched clean through, sand pouring onto the ground.
Pulling back, he grinned at the damage.
Superhuman strength felt great.
Even if Douluo Continent ranked lowest in the Xuanhuan world, it was still fantasy; last place at Tsinghua is still Tsinghua.
Suppressing his joy, he inspected the hole and saw scorch marks along its edge.
Glancing at the fire fish on his right arm, he poured more spirit power in and flames erupted.
When the flame touched the torn bag it ignited, releasing the stench of old unwashed cloth burning.
Caught off guard, Yu Yan gagged and quickly backed away.
From a safe distance he fetched a basin of water to douse the fire.
He splashed once—nothing.
Three buckets later, only the chill released by the Ice Fish finally extinguished it.
Staring at the extinguished flames, Yu Yan was elated.
If the fire fish's flames were potent, the Ice Fish's frost was equally strong—excellent news for him.