Chapter 2: Enrollment at the Wuhun City Advanced Soul Master Academy

After a sharp loss and gain of soul power in such a short time, he had failed to control it properly and, before long, had already left the Kingdom of Barak without enough soul power to sustain his Wind Wings.

"Forget it. I'll take a carriage."

Walking alone along the main road, Nian Yun's youthful face made it painfully obvious that he was easy prey.

Soon enough—

"Little one, where are you off to all by yourself? Let uncle give you a ride."

Looking at the bearded coachman with his broad, ingratiating smile, Nian Yun could not help feeling pleased. No matter how many years passed, there would always be people like this.

"Uncle, I’m going to Spirit City."

"Hiss... that’s a bit far."

"Uncle, I have money."

As he spoke, he lifted the pouch at his waist, opened it a crack, and revealed a flash of glittering gold soul coins.

At the sight, the man’s smile widened even further. "Spirit City? Not that far. Get in—I'm headed that way."

With an innocent look on his face, Nian Yun climbed into the carriage with the man’s help.

"Drive!"

"Rumble..."

"..."

Along the way, the two moved toward Spirit City while asking and answering each other’s questions.

Before long, they arrived in the forest not far from Spirit City.

"Uncle, why aren't you taking the main road?"

The corners of the man’s mouth slowly lifted, and his eyes grew sharp.

"Little one, traveling alone so far from home with that much money is very dangerous."

"Yes, especially if you run into some uncle with bad intentions. That would indeed be dangerous."

Their gazes met almost unconsciously.

In an instant, a silver blade appeared in the coachman’s hand, and two soul rings rose around him: one white, one yellow.

"Kid, you’re not stupid. Hand over your money pouch, and I’ll let you go."

The kindly face from earlier was now smothered by greed.

Nian Yun still smiled, while taking the pouch from his waist and weighing it in his hand.

"Uncle, do you think your fate is hard enough to survive this?"

"Boy, I know you’re a soul master too, but there are ranks even among soul masters."

"Good to know. But, uncle, you still haven’t answered me. Is your fate hard enough?"

"Looking for death, are you? First Soul Skill, Heavy Cleave!"

BOOM!

CLANG!

The roof of the carriage was split open. Nian Yun did not move an inch. With a slight lift of his right hand, a dark violet blade shrouded in crackling purple lightning blocked the descending silver strike.

Feeling the eternal curse radiating from the dark blade, sweat the size of beans began to bead on the man’s forehead. His hands, still trying to draw back his white blade martial spirit, were paralyzed stiff by the numbing force.

"Uncle, I’ll only cut once. Whether you can take it depends on whether your fate is hard enough."

"No, no, no—"

"First Soul Skill, No Thought..."

After resting and accumulating soul power along the journey, he used Wind Wings to reach Spirit City quickly and passed through security after a simple inspection.

The setting sun bathed the boyish face in its glow.

As the sun was about to sink below the horizon—

Outside the Spirit City Advanced Soul Master Academy:

"Hello, I’m here to enroll."

The armored guard at the gate glanced at Nian Yun, then opened the gate behind him.

"Go inside and turn right."

He stepped into the cultivation garden that symbolized the supreme glory of the Spirit Hall, where thorned blood-red roses bloomed everywhere.

Along the way, the people coming to register were sparse, most of them looking dusty and haggard.

On the other side of the building, neatly formed soldiers patrolled the grounds, and every student in the courtyard carried an air of pride and natural ease.

"The Spirit Hall’s ideals really do attract plenty of geniuses."

Following the signs, he soon found the admissions office.

"You’re only arriving this late? Then show your martial spirit first."

"Yes."

Nian Yun slowly raised his right hand, and at the same time, two yellow soul rings rose beneath his feet and settled around his waist.

A surge of eternal lightning power burst forth with the appearance of "Dreams as One."

The teacher merely nodded slightly after seeing it.

"Not bad. An assault-type, and a mutated weapon spirit at that. Go to the first room inside for the second test."

"Yes."

Arriving at the indicated room, he pushed the door open and found a burly young man in a yellow robe waiting inside.

Seeing Nian Yun stand ready to salute, the yellow-robed man quickly raised a hand to stop him.

"No need to introduce yourself. Go all out. I won’t use any soul skills. If you can touch me within five minutes, you pass."

Hearing these rules, Nian Yun could not help sneering inwardly. A Soul Elder? Not simple at all.

He raised his left hand, and this time the wind spirit that had been wavering and gathering became fully solid.

"First Soul Skill, Divine Era Archery."

Whoosh!

Several wind-condensed arrows shot from his right hand at once.

The yellow-robed man’s brow darkened slightly, but he quickly relaxed again.

"Showy and useless."

Thud.

With a single stomp, the soul force he released shattered the arrows apart.

So he really wasn't simple. Not using a soul skill at all—relying only on his martial spirit. As expected, he should be a defensive-type soul master. My soul power is being consumed too quickly. I have to win fast.

Tap, tap, tap.

Using the boost from his Wind Spirit, Nian Yun sped up. His left hand flashed, and the yellow soul rings beneath his feet rose in unison.

Halfway in, he fired off several more arrows.

The yellow-robed man shook his head slightly and stomped again, dispersing the wind arrows once more.

Looking ahead, Nian Yun’s figure had already vanished. The yellow-robed man, who had initially paid it little mind, suddenly felt a terrifying aura bloom behind him in an instant.

He turned back quietly.

A dark blade of black-violet lightning came slashing toward him.

"First Soul Skill, No Thought One Slash!"

Bang!!

After stumbling back several steps, the yellow-robed man was stunned to discover that Nian Yun, who had just been wielding a wind-element martial spirit, now had a dark violet blade in his right hand.

He had been careless, assuming he could easily neutralize Nian Yun’s wind spirit. In his haste, he had summoned his martial spirit too late and still took the strike squarely.

Traces of purple lightning still lingered around the wound on his left arm.

"Dual martial spirits. What is your name?"

"Nian Yun."

"You pass. Hasde, take him to register."

Through the gusting wind, Nian Yun’s gaze settled on the doorway, where a white-robed man appeared.

"Yes."

He followed the young man named Hasde through the layered halls and pavilions.

They stopped.

Knock, knock—knock.

Creak.

The dormitory door slowly opened, and a fresh, natural-looking face peeked out from within.

"Teacher Halid, is something the matter?"

"Yes. Morris, this is Nian Yun. He is your roommate."

With that, Halid stepped aside, fully revealing Nian Yun’s figure.

"Hello, Morris."

Seeing the hand extended toward him, Nian Yun hesitated for a moment before reacting and reaching out with his right hand to give it a light shake.

"Hello, Nian Yun."

After a few brief instructions, Halid left the floor.

Entering the room, Nian Yun looked at the empty bed left among the two bed frames inside and nodded.

"Toiletries can be collected from the building next door. Do you need any help?"

"Thank you, I can manage."

"All right."

Compared with toiletries, what Nian Yun cared about more was the whereabouts of Hu Liena and Qian Renxue.

"System, where are Hu Liena and Qian Renxue right now?"

System: ...

System: "Report: This system does not have the power of clairvoyance, but it can predict the next five minutes."

"That works too. Tell me, what major event happens five minutes from now?"

System: "Loading..."

System: "In five minutes, the host will encounter one of the Douluo goddesses, Hu Liena."

At this news, Nian Yun could no longer remain composed.

"If I’m not making friends when school starts, then when am I supposed to?"

With that thought, his pace quickened noticeably.