“The work-study students, they want to challenge us and Xiao Bing. I’m going over to support them.”
At the Soul Master Academy, there are three groups: nobles, commoners, and work-study students.
Noble children looked down on commoners and work-study students. Their own noble education instilled in them a strong sense of superiority, believing that lowly commoners were unworthy of attending the same school as them.
The relationship between commoners and work-study students was more subtle. Work-study students had their tuition waived and could earn Rewards by laboring within the academy. In contrast, commoner children from similar backgrounds naturally felt unbalanced, and the contempt born of jealousy made them feel that work-study students were inferior to themselves.
At least I pay to study, you study for free, so I am one Rank above you.
Due to the relationships between the three parties, there were frequent conflicts.
Although most commoner students and work-study students maintained restraint, wanting to learn more at the academy.
But sometimes trouble comes knocking, and it’s hard to avoid it.
Tie Li had been mocked by noble students multiple times. Although he avoided them, intentionally seeking trouble could not be solved by avoidance.
This forced Tie Li to participate in a conflict between commoner students and noble students. He used the forging techniques for farm tools to unleash his Forging Hammer Spirit, severely teaching a noble student a lesson, and after that, the troubles significantly decreased.
After this experience, Tie Li realized that the forging techniques his father taught him could be used in combat.
“Do you want to come along?” Jin Bao asked.
“I still have things to deal with, so I won’t go.” Tie Li refused.
Tomorrow, he would be going to the Hunting Soul Forest. His family’s financial situation did not support buying items in the town near the Hunting Soul Forest, so it was better to honestly go home and prepare.
“Alright!” Jin Bao didn’t say much and hurried towards the back mountain.
Tie Li returned home to prepare four days’ worth of dry rations, a set of clothes for changing, and ordinary medicines.
Although it was a ten-year spirit ring, choosing a Spirit Beast suitable for his Spirit would take more time.
Bringing four days’ worth of dry rations was the safest option. In the Soul Beast Forest, one could not light fires, as the light would attract the gaze of powerful Spirit Beasts at night.
This was basic common sense!
During dinner that evening, Tie Li told his family the news that he would be going to the Hunting Soul Forest tomorrow to obtain a spirit ring.
“Brother, are you going to become a Spirit Master?”
“Brother is a Spirit Master now, does that mean we can all eat meat from now on?”
Upon hearing this news, his younger brothers, Tie Wen and Tie Wu, were very happy. In their eyes, Spirit Masters were noble and wealthy.
Tie Wu would turn six in a few months and would be able to go to the Spirit Hall for the Spirit Awakening ceremony.
His father, Tie Niu, immediately got up and took out an iron inner armor.
“Although the academy teachers will protect you, the Soul Beast Forest is dangerous everywhere, so it’s safer to wear this.”
“This was specially forged by your father for you; it won’t cut your skin,” his mother said from the side.
Having hammered iron in the blacksmith shop for so many years, Tie Li knew the quality of this inner armor was excellent just by touching it. His father had forged it at least a hundred times, and he could even feel a hint of softness in the ironware.
“Okay.”
Tie Li certainly wouldn’t refuse his father’s kindness, and he indeed needed to prepare some extra safety measures.
To adapt to the inner armor, Tie Li wore it that very night, on the outside of his inner lining.
When he departed, Tie Li put on his outer coat, showing no trace of the inner armor.
“Remember, you must be careful,” his parents repeatedly reminded him.
“Yes, I will be careful.”
With his pack on his back, Tie Li set off.
They were to gather at the academy gate. When Tie Li arrived, he saw the other two students who also needed spirit rings.
One was a commoner student, the other a work-study student. Both were seniors in their sixth year. Only by undergoing a Breakthrough to become a Spirit Master would they be qualified to attend the Intermediate Soul Master Academy.
“Da Li, has your spirit power Rank reached Rank Ten?” The commoner student, Lu Baichuan, asked. Their relationship was quite good, as they were considered to be in the same faction at the academy.
The other work-study student was He Dadan, and his gaze towards Tie Li and Lu Baichuan was unfriendly.
“I happened to have a Breakthrough yesterday. I went to the academic affairs office to report it, and they just happened to put me with you two,” Tie Li said.
“That’s best. With two more One-Ring Spirit Masters among us, we’ll definitely teach them a lesson.”
The “them” in Lu Baichuan’s words referred to the noble students and work-study students.
“Tch.” He Dadan let out a subtle snort of disdain.
Not long after, the teacher in charge of leading the team arrived.
Tie Li recognized him at a glance. He was the teacher with the highest spirit power Rank in the academy, a Rank Thirty-seven Three-Ring Spirit Elder.
“My name is Bai Qing, and I am responsible for this Hunting Soul teacher,” Bai Qing introduced first.
Tie Li and the two others reported their names and Spirits.
“Alright, let’s go!”
A luxurious-looking carriage stopped in front of the four. Bai Qing had the three students get in first, and he was the last to board.
The interior of the carriage was well-decorated, and the cushions beneath them were soft. In such a comfortable environment, coupled with the swaying of the carriage, the three quickly fell asleep.
When they woke up, they had already arrived at the town where the Hunting Soul Forest was located.
Bai Qing led the three students to the outside of the Hunting Soul Forest, where guards were stationed, making it very strict.
Bai Qing was familiar with the process and quickly led the students into the Hunting Soul Forest.
“Once inside the Hunting Soul Forest, stay vigilant and be extremely careful. I cannot guarantee that I can look after each and every one of you,” Bai Qing warned.
The three nodded. The aura emanating from the Hunting Soul Forest made all three very nervous.
Tie Li subconsciously hugged his pack tightly, and only when he felt the iron inner armor beneath his outer coat did he feel a sense of security.
Whether it was good luck or bad luck, they didn’t encounter a single Spirit Beast for half a day.
“Let’s rest for a while. If we still don’t encounter a Spirit Beast later, we’ll just have to go deeper,” Bai Qing said.
Tie Li and the two others were all carrying packs. They took out their dry rations and began to eat. Bai Qing, on the other hand, touched a ring on his hand, and a plate of exquisite pastries appeared in his hand.
Is this a spirit tool?
Just as the three were relaxing, a pitch-black long snake suddenly darted out from the shadows, its sharp fangs about to bite He Dadan’s neck.
Bai Qing made his move. Without releasing his Spirit or spirit ring, he simply slapped it hard with his right hand, and the Black-patterned Snake was knocked unconscious.
“It has three white stripes on its tail; it’s a thirty-year Black-patterned Snake, suitable for your Spirit,” Bai Qing said, looking at Lu Baichuan.
Lu Baichuan understood, took out the prepared dagger from his pack, and trembled as he approached the Black-patterned Snake. It was clear he was very nervous.
“Hiss.”
Bai Qing pointed to the Black-patterned Snake’s vital spot. Although Lu Baichuan was scared, he still used the dagger to finish off the Black-patterned Snake.
A white spirit ring emerged from the Black-patterned Snake’s corpse.
Lu Baichuan sat cross-legged on the ground, following the method taught at the academy, and attempted to absorb the spirit ring.
He Dadan, startled, had a pale face and subconsciously moved closer to Tie Li.
Tie Li had also been startled by the suddenly darting Black-patterned Snake. That speed, so fast he couldn’t even see it, meant he currently had no chance to react.
But he was quickly drawn to the changes happening to Lu Baichuan.