After the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony, Liu Qing took Liu Feng back home.
As soon as he entered the house, he saw that his grandfather, Liu Bai, had already prepared a sumptuous meal.
The steaming dishes exuded an enticing aroma, as if celebrating Liu Feng’s start of a new stage in life.
“Xiao Feng, starting tomorrow, you will officially embark on the path of cultivation.
I will teach you the cultivation method of Blue Silver Grass without reservation, so you must study it diligently.” Liu Qing patted Liu Feng’s shoulder, his eyes full of encouragement and expectation.
Liu Feng stood ramrod straight, nodded firmly, and said in a resounding voice, “Dad, don’t worry, I will do my best and I will definitely not let you down.”
Liu Qing smiled with satisfaction.
In his heart, his child was exceptionally talented and hardworking, and would surely become the pride of Liu Family Village in the future, carving out his own niche in the Douluo Continent.
As night fell, Liu Feng lay in bed, feeling a sense of peace and security.
Having innate soul power means that he has already stood at a new starting point.
No matter what he achieves in the future, he will at least not live a mediocre life.
As he pondered, Liu Feng’s lips curled into a slight smile, filled with anticipation for the future, and he gradually drifted into a sweet dream.
The next morning, the gentle sunlight fell on the jujube trees in the Liu family’s courtyard, and the dappled light and shadows swayed softly on the bluestone slabs.
Liu Feng came out of his room.
Because he was too excited last night, he tossed and turned and couldn’t fall asleep.
Today, he slept in for the first time ever, getting up half an hour later than usual.
As soon as he reached the door, he saw his grandfather sitting in the bamboo chair he had made himself, his rough hands unconsciously stroking the armrests, looking thoughtful.
Liu Feng keenly sensed that today’s atmosphere was completely different from usual, and there seemed to be a different feeling in the air.
At this moment, Father Liu Qing came out of the house carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea.
The rich aroma of the tea, mixed with the sweet fragrance of locust blossoms outside the courtyard, instantly filled the yard, making everyone feel happy.
Grandpa Liu Bai stood up, walked to the stone bench next to him and sat down.
He casually played with a copper coin in his hand, but his gaze remained fixed on Liu Feng, full of love and satisfaction.
“Not bad, not bad at all.” Liu Bai stroked his white beard, his face beaming with a smile.
“Although it’s just a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, the fact that you can awaken a level two innate soul power is rare in our Liu family for generations.
It’s enough to show that our Liu family’s fortune is about to change in your generation.”
Liu Qing stepped forward, placed the teapot on the table, patted his son’s shoulder, and said gently,
“Xiao Feng, come and sit down.
We have something important to discuss with you.”
The three sat around a stone table in front of the main room.
On the table sat a pot of tea, the rising steam carrying the aroma of the tea, adding a touch of warmth to their serious conversation.
“Xiao Feng,” his father said, placing the teacup steadily on the stone table.
His voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable seriousness.
“Today we’re going to discuss something that’s crucial to your future.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Feng immediately sat up straight and stared intently at his father, vaguely guessing that what he was about to hear was closely related to his future plans.
“Your grandfather and I have discussed this carefully,” the father said slowly as he poured himself a cup of tea, the steam rising in front of him and blurring his features.
“We have decided not to send you to the Junior Martial Soul Academy.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Feng was stunned; this decision was completely unexpected.
In his understanding, any child in the village who awakened their soul power would go to the Martial Soul Academy in the city to study and receive systematic education.
“Why?” Liu Feng couldn’t help but ask, his voice full of doubt and confusion.
The father put down his teacup, his gaze becoming deep and firm, and explained earnestly, “The content taught at the Junior Martial Soul Academy is nothing more than basic reading and writing, as well as some basic knowledge of soul beasts and cultivation.
We can teach you these things carefully at home as well, and we will tailor our teaching to your individual needs.”
“Furthermore, you come from an ordinary family.
Once you enter the academy, you will inevitably encounter some difficulties and exclusion from noble children.
In such a complicated environment, it will be extremely difficult to concentrate on cultivation without any distractions.”
“Most importantly, you possess innate level two soul power, a talent far surpassing that of your grandfather and me back then.”
“These years of youth are the golden period for cultivation.
Every minute and every second is extremely precious and must not be wasted.”
“Only by seizing this opportunity and cultivating with all your might can you break through the level 30 barrier, otherwise…” The father said, shaking his head slightly, a hint of worry and helplessness in his eyes.
Grandpa Liu Bai then spoke up.
His voice was slightly hoarse, but it carried a convincing authority: “Xiao Feng, you may not know, but your father and I both studied at the Junior Martial Soul Academy in Longxing City.”
“For the entire five years we spent there, we mostly learned basic and outdated knowledge.”
“Many of the teachers in the college are just reciting from the textbook and lack real passion and depth in teaching.”
“Furthermore, one of the important tasks of the junior academy is to assist students in acquiring their first spirit ring.”
“But in reality, most teachers don’t go all out.
They often have to rely on luck and get whatever spirit ring they encounter from whatever spirit beast they get.”
“If I hadn’t gone to great lengths and spent all my family’s wealth to form a Soul Hunting Team back then, your father’s choice of Soul Rings would probably have been quite arbitrary.”
Liu Feng noticed that when his grandfather said these words, his father’s eyes flickered slightly, as if he was recalling that unpleasant past, and his expression carried a trace of undisguised loneliness.
“When you study at home, we can flexibly adjust the teaching content and methods according to your learning progress and talent characteristics,” the father continued.
“I can teach you more detailed knowledge about soul beasts, as well as the unique properties and uses of various herbs.
These are invaluable experiences that are hard to learn in the academy.”
“Moreover, the Martial Soul Meditation Method you are about to cultivate is an intermediate meditation method.
Compared to the beginner meditation method, it is more complex and subtle, and it has extremely high requirements for the cultivator’s inner peace and external environment.”
These conditions are clearly beyond the capacity of junior colleges.
Grandpa put down the copper coins in his hand and slowly stood up from the stone bench.
The morning sunlight shone on his slightly hunched yet still upright back, outlining a resolute and warm image: “When I was young, I served in the army and accumulated rich practical experience.
I can teach you practical boxing techniques, precise archery skills, and sharp marksmanship.”
“These practical skills are much more useful than those flashy but impractical skills taught in academies.”
Liu Feng felt his heart suddenly race, his heart filled with an unprecedented excitement.
He looked at his father and saw a light shining in his father’s eyes that he had never seen before—a light of earnest expectation and unwavering confidence in his future.
“Most importantly,” the father’s voice suddenly lowered, his expression becoming serious,
“Your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, which is considered a naturally useless martial soul in the eyes of the world.
Even if you enter a school, it will be difficult for you to receive attention and training.”
“The traditional academy education model not only fails to unlock your potential, but may also limit your development.”
Liu Feng subconsciously looked down at his palm, circulated his soul power, and a small blue grass instantly appeared.
It looks ordinary, without any signs of mutation, and is no different from the blue silver grass that can be seen everywhere by the roadside.
Liu Feng knew that if he wanted to become powerful with such a martial spirit, he had to be extremely careful with every step he took, and there was no room for error.
“Starting tomorrow,” Grandpa’s voice pulled Liu Feng back to reality, “get up promptly at 5 a.m.
every morning, first run around the village to exercise, then come back for breakfast, and then practice boxing with me.”
“At 9:00 AM, follow your father to learn about soul beasts.
After lunch, continue learning spear techniques.”
“Practice archery at Shen Shi (3-5 PM) and study herbal medicine and pharmaceutical techniques at You Shi (5-7 PM).”
The father added from the side, “I will personally guide you on the methods of meditation and soul power circulation tonight.”
On weekends, we can venture together into the depths of the forest behind the mountain to identify various common spirit beasts and rare herbs, combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
Liu Feng felt his heart pounding like thunder.
He clearly realized that his future would be different because of this choice.
The leaves in the courtyard fluttered down in the breeze, as if dancing to celebrate this important decision and heralding a new beginning.
Just then, a clear bark suddenly came from the yard.
Liu Feng turned his head curiously and saw a small greyhound obediently squatting behind a tree.
Its fur is glossy and shiny, shimmering with a healthy sheen in the sunlight; its eyes are sharp and agile, as if they can see through everything; its tail wags gently, making it appear exceptionally clever and alert.
Its ears stood up high, listening intently to the sounds around it, its nostrils twitching slightly as it carefully sniffed the air.
Despite its small size, its every move exudes an innate agility and power.
“These are the puppies that Old Li’s hunting dog just had,” Grandpa explained with a smile.
“I specially asked for them.
You might feel a little lonely studying at home, and they can keep you company.”
“And it will be a great help when you go hunting and gathering herbs in the forest.
It’s a very useful little assistant.”
Liu Feng couldn’t help but smile slightly, thinking, “Raising a hunting dog is indeed a good idea.
This little guy looks very energetic and will definitely become my good partner in the future.”
He crouched down, stretched out his hand, and called softly, “Come here, little one.”
The greyhound tilted its head, seemingly scrutinizing the unfamiliar yet familiar young man before it.
A moment later, it slowly stood up and walked briskly toward Liu Feng, wagging its tail even more enthusiastically, as if expressing its friendliness and joy.
Liu Feng gently stroked its head; the greyhound’s fur was soft and smooth, with an excellent feel.
It seemed to thoroughly enjoy the caress, its eyes squinting comfortably, emitting soft purrs, appearing exceptionally docile and adorable.
“Listen, your little tummy is rumbling.
From today onwards, you’ll be called Gulu,” Liu Feng said with a smile, gently picking up Gulu with one hand and tenderly stroking its round belly with the other.
The father took out a yellowed notebook from his pocket and handed it to Liu Feng: “This is my experience of collecting herbs over the years.
It records in detail the characteristics of various herbs, their growing environment, and the nourishing soup recipes that I have figured out.”
“These are valuable experiences I’ve accumulated over the years, and I hope they can be helpful to you.”
“Also, these are books about soul beasts.” As he spoke, his father took out a thick book from under the table and carefully placed it in front of Liu Feng.
Liu Feng sat at the table, watching intently as his father slowly flipped through the Soul Beast Knowledge Encyclopedia.
The encyclopedia is densely filled with records of the physical characteristics, habits, and special skills of various soul beasts.
Each page seems to open a door to the mysterious world of soul beasts.
“Today we’ll start with the basics.” The father gently traced the blueprint with his finger, explaining earnestly, “This is the ten-year-old soul beast, the Blue-Eyed Rabbit.
Its characteristics are blue eyes, agile movements, and it mainly inhabits…”
Liu Feng listened intently, and he could clearly feel the undisguised enthusiasm and focus in his father’s tone as he explained.
This love of knowledge and the high expectations placed upon him were things he had never seen in any other adults in the village.