In the auditorium, a stern-looking middle-aged instructor sat before the testing crystal.
He was Teacher Li, the academy’s instructor responsible for assessing the spirits of new students, a twenty-sixth-level Great Soul Master.
Behind him, several senior students were in charge of recording.
“Name, age, spirit, soul power level, release your spirit ring.” Teacher Li’s voice was flat and unemotional.
He repeated this process countless times every year and had long grown numb to it.
Most of the children ahead of Yan Zu in line had awakened farming tool spirits like hoes or sickles, with soul power hovering around the second or third level.
Occasionally, one with fifth-level soul power appeared, such as a “Gale Hound” spirit, which earned an extra glance from Teacher Li.
The line moved slowly, and finally, it was their turn.
“Name, age, spirit, soul power level.”
“Yan Zu, six years old, spirit Qilin, seventh level.”
“Xiao Wu, seven years old, spirit Phantom Jade Rabbit, twelfth level.”
This was the result of the Nine Yin Manual Concealment Technique.
The Nine Yin Manual, modified by the System, allowed the Concealment Technique, when mastered, to alter the color and aura of spirit rings.
Before the start of the school term, Yan Zu had already informed Xiao Wu to conceal her strength as much as possible in school to avoid any unexpected incidents.
Teacher Li paused his pen, looking up to scrutinize the two of them.
She had seen too many work-study students, most with only one or two levels of soul power, and considered three or four levels quite good.
These two children, one at seventh level and the other at twelfth level, were already stronger than many children from noble families.
“Release your spirits for me to see.” Her tone softened slightly.
With a thought from Yan Zu, Xiao Yu leaped down from his shoulder, and an auspicious aura spread around them.
The air in the surroundings seemed to grow fresher.
The green plants near the testing area sprouted new buds at a visible rate, eliciting gasps of amazement.
Teacher Li’s pupils contracted slightly.
“This… this is a Beast Martial Soul? Why can it leave the body? And this vitality…”
Before she could finish, Xiao Wu also released her spirit.
The phantom image of a pink Phantom Jade Rabbit appeared, but unlike before, the tips of its ears and the end of its tail were adorned with faint golden patterns.
The originally gentle soul power fluctuations now carried a sharp, fierce edge.
Xiao Wu’s figure flashed, leaving several afterimages in the field, her speed astonishingly fast.
“Such incredible speed!” the female teacher exclaimed.
“How does your rabbit spirit possess such explosive power?”
The surrounding new students were also stunned.
After the testing, the enrollment process went exceptionally smoothly.
Teacher Li personally escorted them to collect their uniforms, textbooks, and dormitory keys, specifically instructing, “You are work-study students, so according to the rules, you will be staying in Dormitory Seven. Work-study students are required to take on some campus labor in exchange for tuition reduction. The dormitory leader will arrange the specific tasks.”
“Dormitory Seven…” Yan Zu understood.
The work-study student dormitories of Nuoding Academy were located in the northwest corner of the campus, a row of low, simple bungalows with modest conditions.
Dormitory Seven was the largest among them.
Pushing open the door, a mixed smell of sweat and dust rushed out to greet them.
A dozen boys of varying ages were inside the room, either sitting or lying down.
As Yan Zu and Xiao Wu entered, all eyes turned toward them.
At the forefront was a plainly dressed, ordinary-looking black-haired boy, sitting cross-legged on a bed by the window.
His gaze was calm, yet carried a hint of scrutiny.
It was Tang San.
“Newcomers?” A sturdy, dark-skinned boy stood up.
He was originally the second-in-command of Dormitory Seven, Wang Sheng.
He sized up Yan Zu and Xiao Wu, his eyes lighting up briefly at the sight of Xiao Wu’s delicate and adorable appearance, but he quickly put on a stern face.
“Dormitory Seven has its rules. Newcomers have to fight the boss first. Whoever wins becomes the new boss!”
He pointed toward Tang San by the window.
Tang San slowly rose to his feet and walked to the center of the room.
His gaze swept past Yan Zu and lingered on Xiao Wu’s face for a moment.
This girl, as delicate as carved jade, stirred an inexplicable sense of familiarity and a flutter in his heart.
But seeing her standing so close to Yan Zu, an unwarranted irritation welled up within him.
“Tang San, head of Dormitory Seven,” he said in a flat tone.
“According to the rules, new working students must demonstrate their strength. Which of you will go first?”
Xiao Wu curled her lip and was about to step forward when Yan Zu gently held her back.
“I’ll go,” Yan Zu said, taking a step forward to face Tang San.
He was slightly shorter and smaller than Tang San, but his composed demeanor caused the other children in Dormitory Seven to fall silent involuntarily.
A flicker of seriousness passed through Tang San’s eyes.
He could sense that this boy before him was no ordinary person—he had noticed it earlier when the teacher personally escorted them in.
However, having cultivated the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record since childhood and possessing the Tang Sect’s secret techniques, he held a pride of his own.
“Please,” Tang San raised his hands, assuming a starting stance.
His palms instantly turned as white and lustrous as jade—Jade Hands.
He did not summon his spirit, choosing instead to test Yan Zu with the Tang Sect’s secret techniques.
With a shift in his footwork, his figure became elusive, drifting like a ghost toward Yan Zu’s flank—Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
The children in Dormitory Seven held their breath.
They had seen Tang San use this move to effortlessly take down several older working students.
Yet Yan Zu simply stood still.
Only when Tang San’s palm was about to touch his shoulder did he lightly shift his feet.
The basic footwork of the Wind God Leg Technique—Wind Passes Without Trace!
There were no dazzling afterimages, no explosive bursts of speed—just a light, natural sidestep.
Tang San’s seemingly certain strike brushed past the edge of Yan Zu’s clothes.
At the same time, Yan Zu’s body, as if boneless, followed the residual momentum of Tang San’s palm with a slight twist.
The movement technique from the Nine Yin Manual, “Snake Creeps, Raccoon Flips,” was already in motion.
Tang San’s heart tightened.
He swiftly altered his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, transforming his palms into fingers to strike at the acupoints beneath Yan Zu’s ribs.
Although he had never formally studied acupoint techniques, the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record contained records of the human body’s meridians.
If this strike landed, it would be enough to numb half the body of an ordinary person.
Yan Zu remained unperturbed.
His footwork shifted again, light as willow catkins in the wind, effortlessly evading the finger strike.
He still made no move to attack, calmly dodging Tang San’s increasingly rapid assaults.
Jade Hands, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Control Crane, Capture Dragon…
Tang San executed all the Tang Sect secret techniques he had mastered so far, yet he didn’t even manage to touch the hem of Yan Zu’s robe.
The other’s seemingly simple yet profoundly mysterious footwork and body movements seemed to have predicted the trajectory of his every move.
The children of Dormitory Seven were already stunned.
Wang Sheng’s mouth hung open—he had never seen anyone last this long against Tang San, let alone evade all his attacks with such ease.
Fine beads of sweat formed on Tang San’s forehead, and his inner pride wavered for the first time.
Gritting his teeth, he secretly stirred his soul power, and the first spirit ring at his feet faintly shimmered—he intended to use his spirit.
At that very moment, Yan Zu moved.
For the first time, he who had been evading took an active step forward.
The timing of this step was exquisite, precisely at the fleeting gap when Tang San’s old force was spent, new force had yet to arise, and his soul power was on the verge of release but not yet unleashed.
There was no fluctuation of soul power, no imposing aura.
Yan Zu simply extended his right hand, his index finger gently pointing toward the Danzhong acupoint on Tang San’s chest.
At the tip of his finger, a wisp of pure Nine Yin Soul Power gathered.
Though not fast, it sealed off all possible retreats for Tang San.
Tang San’s pupils contracted sharply.
He wanted to dodge, but found his body seemingly locked by an intangible energy, momentarily unable to move!
The fingertip stopped steadily just before touching his clothing.
“I concede,” Yan Zu withdrew his hand, took a step back, and spoke calmly.