Wang Teng was bent over, one hand braced against the rough tree trunk beside him, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath.
Sweat had long since soaked through his thin clothes, and his damp black hair clung to his forehead and temples.
Large beads of sweat continuously dripped from his chin, darkening small patches of the muddy ground beneath his feet.
“Little brother, training like this…
isn’t the volume too much?
Your body won’t be able to handle it.”
Wang Sheng walked over, his voice filled with concern.
“Do-don’t worry…
Big Brother,”
Wang Teng panted, replying in fragments.
“We’re…
soul masters after all…
this little bit of training…
how could it…
how could it break me?”
He forced out a smile, but inwardly he steeled himself: “If I don’t want to be left behind by those ‘monsters’ in the future, this hardship is just the starting point.”
“The way you train—it might show rapid progress in the short term, but in reality, you’re overdrawing your future potential.”
A low voice came from the edge of the grove.
Everyone turned to look and saw Tang San accompanying Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang as they walked over.
Wang Teng didn’t respond immediately.
He adjusted his posture, leaning against the tree trunk to continue steadying his breathing.
The high-intensity training had left his muscles weak and sore, his limbs feeling like they were filled with lead.
Tang San and Yu Xiaogang soon reached them.
Tang San spoke up, “I told Teacher about your request to borrow books.”
“He agreed.
Not only is he willing to lend you books, but he also allows you to consult his research materials on the ‘Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls.'”
Wang Teng struggled to stand up straight, though his legs still trembled slightly.
Still, he bowed respectfully to Yu Xiaogang and said, “Thank you, Grandmaster.”
“I read your published work, The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls, at the library and was deeply inspired.
That’s why I took the liberty of seeking further guidance from you.”
“I earnestly request your instruction.”
Yu Xiaogang looked at the boy before him—drenched in sweat, yet with an exceptionally determined gaze.
He stroked his beard and nodded slightly.
“A love of learning and a willingness to ask questions—that’s a good thing.”
“But you still haven’t answered my earlier question.”
“Such exhausting training might yield quick results in the short term, but in the long run, it could very well limit the heights you can ultimately reach.”
Wang Teng raised his hand, using his still-trembling arm to wipe the sweat threatening to drip into his eyes.
Meeting Yu Xiaogang’s gaze directly, he spoke clearly and steadily: “Grandmaster, for ordinary people like us, the vague ‘future’ and ‘potential’ sometimes aren’t as practical as the ‘present’ we can hold in our hands.”
“If the intensity of my current training allows me to gain a foothold faster, then I believe it’s worth it.”
“As for potential…
I believe that where there’s a will, there’s a way.
There will always be ways to make up for it in the future.”
“But if I miss the present moment, I might not even have the qualification to talk about a ‘future’ at all.”
Yu Xiaogang listened quietly, his face revealing little expression.
Yet behind those perpetually serious eyes, a faint ripple of emotion seemed to pass.
He neither approved nor disapproved of Wang Teng’s viewpoint, merely nodding slowly.
“I grant your request to borrow books.”
“Learn as much as you can.”
With that, Yu Xiaogang turned and walked away slowly.
He had likely come because Tang San had mentioned that a new student admired his theories, stirring something within him.
Having met Wang Teng and fulfilled that impulse, he had no reason to linger.
(Grandmaster is a blend of novel and manhua versions.
People are complex—they’re never just one-dimensional.)
“Wang Teng, here.”
Tang San handed over a thick, substantial book.
Wang Teng took it, his gaze falling on the cover: Encyclopedia of Soul Beasts, Volume One.
A wave of joy, mingled with exhaustion and satisfaction, washed over him.
After days of planning and waiting, he finally had something concrete to show for it.
“After you finish this one, let me know, and I’ll help you borrow the next volume from Teacher,” Tang San said.
“Tang San, I truly…
thank you.”
This time, Wang Teng’s gratitude came from the depths of his heart.
Tang San smiled and turned to leave.
Xiao Wu bounced along after him.
“Let’s go, Big Brother.
Eat, and then rest!”
Wang Teng said to Wang Sheng, trying to take a step, but his legs gave way and he nearly stumbled forward.
“Careful!”
Wang Sheng quickly stepped forward and steadied him by the arm.
“I’ll help you back.”
The two brothers supported each other as they slowly walked out of the dusk-shrouded grove.
Late at night, inside Room Seven.
Wang Teng lay in bed, every muscle in his body screaming with soreness and fatigue.
As the night deepened, around eleven o’clock, Wang Teng ended his meditation and lay down slowly.
“I wonder…
how much longer until I can truly replace sleep with meditation entirely…”
The last vague thought drifted through his mind before his heavy eyelids could no longer hold.
Almost the moment he lay down, Wang Teng fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The night passed without incident.
Notting Academy, the next morning.
The sky had barely brightened when Wang Sheng woke Wang Teng up.
Today was essentially the first official day of classes.
According to the academy’s schedule, the entire morning was to be spent in the teaching building learning theoretical knowledge.
“Hiss—”
Wang Teng pushed himself up from the edge of the bed.
The moment his feet touched the floor, he couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath.
His limbs felt heavy and sore, especially his legs—weak, soft, and aching with a pronounced sense of fatigue.
“I overdid it yesterday afternoon.”
Wang Teng calculated silently in his mind.
“Probably because I was too excited about just arriving at the academy.
I did at least thirty percent more than my usual training volume at home.
No wonder my body’s having trouble keeping up.”
“I’ll have Big Brother brew some of that herbal medicine after lunch to help replenish me.”
Wang Teng pounded his thighs, trying to loosen the tight muscles.
“I told you yesterday that you were overtraining.
See?
Now you’re feeling the consequences.”
Wang Sheng said as he reached over to support his brother’s arm.
After a quick wash-up, they left the dormitory and headed to the cafeteria.
On the way, Wang Teng mentioned that he needed the herbs brewed at noon.
Wang Sheng nodded upon hearing this.
“Alright, I’ve got it.
Leave it to me.”
After breakfast, they walked toward the main teaching building.
Since they were different ages, Wang Teng and Wang Sheng weren’t in the same class.
They parted at the stairwell—Wang Sheng heading up to the fifth floor, while Wang Teng walked straight into the first-grade classroom on the ground floor.
Textbooks had already been neatly placed on every desk.
Wang Teng looked around and chose a seat near the back, by the window.
“This spot is great,” he thought to himself.
“If this were Naruto, this would probably be the protagonist’s seat.”
Before long, Xiao Wu walked in as well.
Wang Teng didn’t see Tang San—presumably, he had gone out soul hunting with Yu Xiaogang.
The other first-year students trickled in one by one.
Wang Teng casually scanned the room and counted about forty students, filling the classroom.
Then, a middle-aged male teacher wearing glasses walked in.
He lightly tapped the podium and said, “Good morning, everyone.
I’m your first-year homeroom teacher.
Over the coming year…”
Following the routine, everyone took turns giving brief self-introductions.
The homeroom teacher gave a few more announcements about the start of the semester and then officially began the morning’s lessons.
Contrary to Wang Teng’s expectations, the first lesson wasn’t about soul beasts, martial soul theory, or even the history of the Douluo Continent.
The homeroom teacher held up literacy cards and patiently began teaching everyone how to recognize characters.
“That makes sense,” Wang Teng quickly realized.
“Everyone’s only six years old—kids this age don’t have much attention span anyway.”
“Even if some families have taught their children ahead of time, there’s no telling how much they’ve really absorbed.”
“The academy probably arranges it this way to accommodate all the students.”
“It looks like the entire first year will focus on literacy and basic general knowledge.”
Wang Teng opened the textbook on his desk.
Sure enough, it was filled with stroke practice, simple arithmetic, and short stories.
Watching the homeroom teacher carefully demonstrate each stroke on the blackboard, Wang Teng couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly.
He looked around and noticed that, besides himself, several other students dressed in finer clothes—clearly from better-off families—also weren’t following along with the reading.
Instead, they were quietly reading their own books.
“Good thing I brought the Encyclopedia of Soul Beasts that Grandmaster lent me.”
Wang Teng pulled the thick volume from his desk drawer and spread it open on the table, following the example of those students and immersing himself in his own reading.
Notting Academy’s morning schedule consisted of four classes, each lasting an hour.
By the time the last class ended and the bell rang, it was already noon.
“Whew—finally done.”
Wang Teng closed his copy of the Encyclopedia of Soul Beasts, let out a long breath, and stood up to stretch his stiff shoulders.
“Never thought I’d still be sitting through classes after reincarnating.”
He packed up his things, left the classroom, and met up with Wang Sheng, who had also just finished his classes.
The two walked together to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was bustling, packed at peak lunch hour.
Wang Teng and Wang Sheng had just gotten their food and sat down in the usual corner where work-study students gathered when a drawling, mocking voice came from behind them.
“Well, well, look who it is—if it isn’t our former Room Seven boss, Wang Sheng.”
“One month apart, and look how you’ve fallen.”
“Tsk, tsk, Wang Sheng…
you’ve really become quite the embarrassment!”
Wang Teng and Wang Sheng turned around simultaneously.
Behind them stood a boy of about eleven or twelve, dressed in brocade robes, his arms crossed, a sneer plastered on his face.
He was quite tall—about the same height as Wang Sheng, though not as muscular.
Behind him trailed two sycophantic henchmen.
“Xiao Chenyu?”
Wang Sheng’s expression darkened.
He immediately stood up, shielding Wang Teng behind him, and said, “Are you looking for trouble?”
From behind his brother, Wang Teng secretly circulated his soul power, staying alert and ready to release his martial soul at any moment.
“So this is the original story’s Boss Xiao,” Wang Teng thought to himself.
“Looking for trouble?”
Xiao Chenyu let out a derisive laugh, lifting his chin even higher.
“Wang Sheng, let me tell you upfront—I broke through level ten during the break and successfully obtained my first soul ring.”
“Now, I’m a proper one-ring Soul Master.”
“You’re no longer worthy of being my opponent.”
With that, Xiao Chenyu’s gaze swept past Wang Sheng, scanning the work-study tables.
“Oh, by the way, where’s your new Room Seven boss?
I heard they’re someone formidable.
They’re my opponent now.”
“Our big sister isn’t here right now,” Wang Sheng said flatly.
Xiao Wu was indeed not in the cafeteria at the moment.
“Big sister?”
Xiao Chenyu laughed as if he’d heard a joke, his voice rising sharply.
“Your new Room Seven boss is a little girl?
Ha!
Wang Sheng, you’ve really regressed!”
One of his henchmen leaned in obsequiously and said, “Boss Xiao, why waste words on these paupers?
Let’s head upstairs for lunch.”
The other henchman chimed in, “Exactly.
They’re only fit for gnawing on buns down here.
The second floor?
They probably won’t set foot on it in their entire lives!”
Xiao Chenyu glanced contemptuously at Wang Sheng and Wang Teng, as if looking at something beneath notice.
“Fine.
You’re lucky today.”
“Pass a message to your so-called ‘big sister’ for me: tell her I, Xiao Chenyu, want to have a match with her.
She can pick the time and place.”
With that, Xiao Chenyu strutted off like a proud rooster, his two henchmen trailing behind him, heading toward the second floor of the cafeteria.
Only when their figures disappeared at the stairwell did Wang Teng, Wang Sheng, and the other tense work-study students around them let out simultaneous sighs of relief.
“Hurry up and eat.
Let’s get out of here quickly.”
Wang Sheng said in a low voice.
The news that Xiao Chenyu had become a one-ring Soul Master cast a shadow over all the work-study students’ hearts.
The two finished their meal quickly and left the cafeteria.
As they walked, Wang Sheng said to Wang Teng, “Little brother, this afternoon you should go clean the garden south of the playground—that’s your assigned area.
I’ll go brew the herbs.”
“Alright, Big Brother.” Wang Teng nodded.
Work-study duties were unavoidable, and he had been mentally prepared for them.
So they parted at the fork in the road.
Wang Teng first went to the academic affairs office to collect a broom and dustpan, then carried his tools toward the garden.
The garden was quiet in the afternoon, sunlight filtering through the sparse branches and leaves to cast patches of light and shadow.
As soon as Wang Teng entered the grove, he spotted a small pink figure wielding a large broom, clumsily sweeping fallen leaves.
“Xiao Wu?”
Wang Teng called out and quickened his pace toward her.
“You’re supposed to call me Big Sister Xiao Wu!”
Xiao Wu stopped and puffed out her cheeks in correction.
“Alright, Big Sister Xiao Wu.”
Wang Teng readily complied, walking over to her side and picking up a broom to help.
“Why didn’t I see Tang San today?”
“Xiao San, huh!”
Xiao Wu leaned on her broom like a walking stick and casually said, “He went out with Grandmaster early this morning to hunt for a soul ring.”
“So that’s it—he went soul hunting.”
Wang Teng thought, confirming his earlier guess.
As he swept the fallen leaves, he told Xiao Wu about the encounter with Xiao Chenyu in the cafeteria.
“Haha!
Interesting!”
Xiao Wu’s eyes lit up instantly, her earlier laziness vanishing in a flash.
“Finally, a worthy opponent!”
“Don’t worry.
Since I’m the big sister of Room Seven, I won’t let anyone bully you!”