Delicious.
That was what Mu Ji Wu felt as he ate.
Happiness, too.
True, his own barbecue was good, but it only relied on the flavor of the meat and fruits he could find, without any special spices or sauces like the one in front of him.
‘Delicious food brings happiness.
Whoever said that knew what they were talking about,’ Mu Ji Wu thought as he ate calmly but quickly.
With his control over his body and the strength of a Soul Master, his movements were fast yet clean.
He swept through the food rapidly, but not a single crumb or drop of sauce fell, nor did he dirty his mouth with oil.
Wu Zhangkong watched Mu Ji Wu eat with genuine joy.
Even Wu Zhangkong himself could feel happiness just watching him.
It shocked him.
Although the academy cafeteria food was tasty, it was only a little better than some high-end restaurants that had chefs who reached the Master and Grandmaster level in cooking.
So he didn’t understand why someone who looked like a corpse could come alive just from eating an ordinary meal.
‘Where did he live, and what has he been through?’ Wu Zhangkong wondered, but he didn’t ask.
Dining etiquette meant eating in silence until the meal was finished, then talking.
Then a voice suddenly broke the silence and Mu Ji Wu’s happy atmosphere.
“Wu Zhangkong, little devil, you’re already here!” It was a shout from the entrance, and Mu Ji Wu recognized the owner of the voice from the yelling.
It was Yi Yingluo.
“Haa.” A frustrated sigh escaped Mu Ji Wu’s mouth.
He didn’t even turn around and kept eating as her footsteps approached.
“Tch, you annoying brat, you’re already here.
Let me see where you’ll hide this time.” With that, Yi Yingluo slapped the table lightly, but the sound still drew some attention.
The school had dormitories for staff and teachers, but during the holidays most of them left.
Only a few stayed behind to train or for similar reasons.
Even though the dining hall was spacious, it only held fifteen or twenty people, and all of them turned their attention to Mu Ji Wu and Teacher Wu’s table.
Mu Ji Wu raised his gaze to Yi Yingluo.
He looked at her for a second, then returned to his half-finished plate and said, “It’s rude to interrupt people’s meals, you loud little girl.
Find a place to eat your food, then talk if you want to talk.” The corner of Wu Zhangkong’s stern mouth rose slightly—just slightly, to the point that only someone paying close attention beside him would notice.
That showed how much Mu Ji Wu’s reply amused him.
“And you dare call me a little girl again?!
Who do you think you are?!” Yi Yingluo, arrogant as ever, shouted again.
This time a faint flow of air stirred around her, showing she was activating her soul power.
Mu Ji Wu stood up calmly, walked to another table, sat down, and continued eating, ignoring her completely.
“You—” “Yi Yingluo, you’ve come looking for me twice in one day.
Do you need something?” Wu Zhangkong cut her off this time after seeing Mu Ji Wu leave, annoyed.
“Oh right, you’re still here.” Even though she said it as if she’d just noticed him, her focus had been on Mu Ji Wu almost the entire time during the exchange with him—something Wu Zhangkong easily noticed.
“Tch, who is this brat?
And how is he allowed to stay at the school without permission?
And during the holidays, too.
He’s not a student, right?” Yi Yingluo looked at him, clearly trying to pick a fight.
All of this was because she had confessed to him some time ago and he’d rejected her without mercy.
For someone arrogant like her, who everyone had praised since she was a child, rejection was rare and it infuriated her.
Now she was trying to get revenge at every opportunity.
“First, his identity is none of your business.
Whether he stays here concerns only me.
True, he’s not a student yet, but he will become one when the next semester starts in a week.
Also, I don’t think it concerns you that I bring guests to my residence, correct?” Wu Zhangkong replied calmly to each point, his words carrying a clear distance from others in his tone.
With that reply alone, Yi Yingluo was left speechless.
Indeed, he had a guest who would soon be a student, and there was nothing against the academy’s rules.
So she could only find another angle.
“What about the brat’s rudeness to me?
I’m a teacher.
What kind of talk is calling me a loud little girl?” This time the reply came from Mu Ji Wu as he approached with an empty plate.
“I wasn’t rude.
I was just describing you.
Screaming and only screaming like that isn’t the behavior of a capable teacher.
A teacher should be calm and perhaps strict in their guidance so students fear them and focus.
Like Teacher Wu.
As for you, the first thing you should do is change your clothes.
We’re not at a clothing store.
I advise you to wear something looser that lets you move freely.
Teacher Wu, I’ll go back first.
I’m done.” “I’m going too,” Wu Zhangkong also stood up and went with Mu Ji Wu.
They placed their plates where the workers could take them, then headed out.
As for Yi Yingluo, she was stunned and speechless.
When had anyone criticized her like this?
Everyone had praised her for everything—from training to beauty to figure—without criticism, and everyone wanted to be on her good side.
Today, after Wu Zhangkong, she found the second person: a quiet child who acted like an old man, with a cold face like Wu Zhangkong’s.
After the two left, she snapped out of her daze, saw everyone looking at her, and left with a huff, not even eating dinner.
‘Just wait, I’ll get back at you.’ …
Wu Zhangkong and Mu Ji Wu returned home after dinner.
After entering, Wu Zhangkong asked, “What are you planning to do now?” “I’ll smoke a bit by the window, then I’ll sleep.
Tomorrow I’ll go buy some clothes, or I’ll keep drawing attention with what I’m wearing now.” Wu Zhangkong nodded.
Indeed, Mu Ji Wu’s clothes attracted a lot of attention.
“Then I’ll go meditate.
Don’t disturb me or touch me then, or I’ll suffer an injury.” Saying that, Wu Zhangkong looked toward Mu Ji Wu, expecting the usual nod, but found him looking at him with some curiosity.
He then asked, “What is meditation?
How would you get injured from being disturbed while meditating?” “You don’t even know what meditation is?
How did you absorb your spirit ring then?” Wu Zhangkong was shocked this time, to the point his expression changed.
Any child who awakened their martial soul would be taught meditation right away by their elementary school teacher to start training.
“No.
Why?
Is it something I’m supposed to know?” Mu Ji Wu asked, already guessing the answer from the young man’s expression.
“Meditation is the training method Soul Masters across the whole world use to raise their power and soul levels to a higher rank.
There are excellent meditation techniques, there are bad ones, and there are ordinary basic ones.
Didn’t your teacher teach you all this before?” “Oh, you mean the basic cultivation cycle, then.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enter it, so I don’t know anything about you Soul Masters.” Mu Ji Wu answered, as he’d already expected.
“What about your soul rank?
Do you know what rank you’re at now?” Wu Zhangkong asked with some hope.
“First ring?” Mu Ji Wu replied after thinking a bit.
“Haa.” This time it was Wu Zhangkong’s turn to sigh at what he’d heard.
“Just go sleep and I’ll teach you everything tomorrow.
The important thing is don’t touch me now.” Saying that, he headed toward his bedroom to meditate on the bed.
“Wait.” Mu Ji Wu stopped him, and he turned back, waiting for him to speak.
“Good night.
Don’t forget.” Mu Ji Wu said it curtly, as if talking to a child.
“Ah, good night.” Wu Zhangkong replied a little softly.
He hadn’t expected that from him.
True, the child was strange, but his manners could be said to be very good, except for being brutally honest in a way that could hurt people if he wasn’t careful.
And so Wu Zhangkong went to meditate while Mu Ji Wu lit his pipe and smoked quietly by the window, thinking about the information he’d just heard.
He was curious about what he’d learn tomorrow, and it seemed his plans to buy clothes and go shopping would be postponed…
After finishing the pipe, Mu Ji Wu covered himself with the bear hide and slept once he felt drowsy.
The night passed quietly without disturbance.
Mu Ji Wu didn’t release his spiritual power out of respect for Teacher Wu first, and second because he was in a safe place now.
At sunrise, Mu Ji Wu woke up immediately since he’d slept early as usual and wasn’t tired thanks to his spiritual power as a Soul Master.
The moment he woke, he noticed Wu Zhangkong had gone out and walked to the window facing east, where the sun was slowly rising.
He stood there, his eyes glowing faintly purple as he watched the sun, as if practicing some kind of training.
Mu Ji Wu watched him for a few seconds before getting up and heading to the bathroom to avoid disturbing him and intruding while he trained.
He quickly washed his face, relieved himself, and took a fast shower before coming out ten minutes later to find Wu Zhangkong waiting for his turn on the sofa.
“Good morning, Teacher Wu,” Mu Ji Wu greeted him after seeing he’d finished his training.
“Good morning, Mu Ji Wu.” Wu Zhangkong returned the greeting before going into the bathroom himself, though with slight suspicion.
On one hand, he’d used his Eye technique as a test to see if Mu Ji Wu recognized it.
Second, to draw his curiosity.
But contrary to expectations for a child, he left with full respect for his privacy.
Mu Ji Wu sat down and lit his quarter-full pipe for a morning smoke to freshen his mouth and body with its pleasant scent, at the same time to finish it quickly before Wu Zhangkong came out.
Mu Ji Wu sat smoking by the window and began thinking about what his school life with children would be like in a week.
Honestly, he hoped they’d be sensible and mature so they wouldn’t cause him problems and scream like a certain grown child.
A minute after finishing the pipe, Wu Zhangkong came out, steam rising from his long silver hair as he dried it with his vast soul power.
Both sat in silence.
Mu Ji Wu thought calmly about his future life while Wu Zhangkong read a book quietly for an hour.
“Breakfast?” he asked.
“Alright.” Mu Ji Wu stood up, and so the two went out to the cafeteria and got a delicious breakfast before returning.
Since it was the holidays, Wu Zhangkong did nothing except stay home, train, prepare for teaching, or do a mission for Tang Sect.
As long as Mu Ji Wu wasn’t stuck in a cave, everything would be fine even if he watched the sunrise and sunset all day.
After returning, Mu Ji Wu sat on the sofa waiting for Wu Zhangkong to teach him what he’d said yesterday.
Wu Zhangkong noticed his curiosity and didn’t disappoint him.
After taking out a small device the size of a fist, he went and sat opposite him.
He handed him the device and said, “Pour your soul power into it so we can determine your rank.” Mu Ji Wu took the device curiously and slowly poured his misty soul power into it.
The device glowed with a faint white light before revealing the number 11.
Mu Ji Wu turned calmly to Wu Zhangkong, the meaning on his face clear: What does this mean?
“You’re at the eleventh rank of the Soul Master level, meaning you’re at the lowest rank of the Soul Master level and just moved up from Soul Disciple rank ten.” Wu Zhangkong explained calmly.
“Oh, and what does that mean?” “You don’t even know the difference between rank divisions and levels?” “No, I don’t.” “But that’s common knowledge even ordinary people know.
How don’t you know?” Wu Zhangkong asked with some pressure this time.
Where did someone come from who didn’t even know the basics of the world?
Mu Ji Wu was silent for a while before saying, “I forgot.
I used to remember a lot about this, but I forgot many things after such a long time.” “Hmm, alright then I’ll explain it to you.” His answer was strange to Wu Zhangkong, but he didn’t press further.
He knew when to advance and when to retreat, and he’d wait for trust to grow between them.
“There are ten power levels in the world: Soul Disciple, Soul Master, Great Soul Master, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor, Soul Saint, soul douluo and Titled Douluo.
Let’s not mention the Soul Apprentice stage; it’s a foundational level not much different from ordinary humans.
They’ve just awakened soul power with their martial soul.
What matters there is the awakening rank.
Some awaken soul power at rank one and their talent is so poor they won’t pass the second ring in their life.
And so on: the higher the innate level, the higher the training talent.
And there are those who awaken directly at rank ten—those with the highest possible talent, called Innate Full Rank.
They can directly advance to Soul Master after learning meditation and obtaining a spirit ring.
Only after obtaining a spirit ring do Soul Masters undergo a real transformation and transcend humans.
Even a child’s body becomes as strong as a fully grown adult due to the ring’s enhancement, without even using soul power or the first ring skill.
Each level’s internal ranks are divided into 10 levels, from rank 11 to 20.
After that, there’s no progress without a new spirit ring.
Every 10 ranks is a bottleneck and also a major advancement, and a Soul Master’s power doubles after obtaining a spirit ring, whether in soul power quantity, physical strength, or soul power quality.
The difference between rank 20 and 21 isn’t just a level, but a fundamental gap.
True, there are Soul Masters who can fight above their level, but that’s very rare and they’re considered geniuses with extraordinary martial souls, like your physical-type soul, beast-type dragon lineage souls, absolute elemental souls, and extraordinary tool souls.
Of course, they might have talents in other aspects too.
The world is vast in the end, and human development has no limits.” With that, Wu Zhangkong explained the world’s power system.
But he didn’t elaborate so he wouldn’t overwhelm Mu Ji Wu with more information than he could handle.
If he went into details about levels and the specifics of ring abilities, he’d just leave him lost because of his current weakness.