Teacher

"Hehe." Fang Ling stopped in front of them with a smile.

"Teacher, madam, I'm Fang Ling. I just showed you the proof from the Martial Soul Hall."

Noticing that both of them looked confused, he quickly explained.

"Director Ou said he would introduce me to Teacher Tianyang as your disciple."

"Oh…"

Lin Tianyang patted Fang Ling on the head, then looked toward Director Ou. "Director Ou, you…?"

Director Ou smiled slightly. "Weren't you always saying you wanted a combat genius as your disciple?"

"Fang Ling is a true genius. Though his skills are still rough and his attacks a bit too ruthless, his innate combat instincts are exceptional, and his reflexes are lightning-fast."

"His prosthetic doesn't affect his movement either. It's very agile. He's a top-tier prospect."

"Great!" Lin Tianyang's joy was obvious. "I trust your judgment."

"Then I'll take him as my disciple."

"You go on with your business. It's getting late. I'll take him to eat and find a place for him to stay."

After a brief exchange, the couple led Fang Ling toward the cafeteria.

While eating, the two began introducing themselves.

Teacher Lin Tianyang spoke first. "Lin Tianyang. Martial Soul: Wind Blade. I'm 28 years old and currently a level 46 Assault System Soul Sect."

The gentle and beautiful madam followed up, gently rubbing Fang Ling's cheek with a soft smile.

"My name is Shu Manyun, 26 years old. My Martial Soul is Emerald Flower. I'm a level 32 Healing System Soul Exalted."

"Little Fang Ling, why don't you introduce yourself?"

Fang Ling wasn't shy. He spoke up clearly:

"My name is Fang Ling. I come from the Fasno Province, Notting Academy. I used to be a beggar. I'm nine years old this year."

"My Martial Soul is a scythe. I have a century-old soul ring. My soul skill boosts neural reflexes by 20%."

"Beggar?" Lin Tianyang was a bit surprised.

Shu Manyun gently pinched Fang Ling's cheek, her face showing a trace of pity. "When did you lose your leg?"

Fang Ling had prepared answers for questions like this: "Probably before I awakened my Martial Soul. I don't remember clearly."

"You defeated that fallen soul master alone?"

Lin Tianyang was especially interested in how Fang Ling had managed to defeat a one-ring fallen soul master beyond his level.

"Of course!"

Fang Ling beamed with pride.

"I used the complex terrain of the forest and the obstruction of vines and branches. It was easy to kill him."

Lin Tianyang stopped eating, fell into brief thought, then asked,

"Did you have a teacher before? Did you learn any combat techniques or methods?"

"No. I trained myself."

Fang Ling shook his head. "From the day I enrolled, I trained alone in a muddy forest for over a year before I saw results."

"Killing that fallen soul master happened not long after I started seeing results."

A year?

Lin Tianyang was even more shocked. This boy, whom Director Ou called a true combat genius, had only trained by himself for one year?

What kind of talent is that?

Fang Ling didn't know what they were thinking. Seeing their shocked faces, he was secretly pleased.

"I continued training for over a year after that, but didn't see much progress. So I decided to come to a combat-specialized intermediate soul master academy for more systematic training."

Madam kindly picked food for Fang Ling. "What kept you going through all that training?"

Fang Ling thought for a moment. "Hmm... that feeling, I guess?"

"I used to be a beggar. I know what it feels like to have no control over your life. I want to control my fate. I want to become the strongest in the world."

"I want to stand at the very top of this world!"

"My innate soul power is only level one, but I don't accept fate. I believe in myself!"

"As long as I train, train, and keep fighting without giving up, I know I can do it!"

This is the kind of persona that inspires rapid growth.

His powerful words made Lin Tianyang feel ashamed.

If only I had had such lofty goals and trained seriously from a young age, things might've been very different now.

Madam gave her husband a sidelong glance. "Aren't you afraid of hardship? Aren't you scared of getting hurt?"

Her voice was gentle, like a flowing spring, soothing to the soul.

"Not at all!"

"As for injuries…"

Fang Ling glanced cautiously at Shu Manyun. "I've been injured so many times, I'm almost blacklisted by the healing soul masters at Notting Academy."

"They keep warning me."

"I always promise to be careful and not get hurt again, but my body just doesn't listen. What can I do?"

He spread his hands, showing his helplessness.

That's a common problem in the early stages of training body movement skills. Later, once he wrapped himself in layers of old cotton clothes, it got better.

"Hehe!"

Both of them laughed, though with a hint of heartache.

In just a few sentences, he revealed a life of daily, unrelenting training, dozens, maybe hundreds of repetitions.

After a moment of silence, Shu Manyun spoke up.

"You really are a gifted and determined child, not like this one here."

"Manyun, what's that supposed to mean?" Lin Tianyang had been feeling sentimental, but he couldn't let that comment slide.

"Hehe." Shu Manyun let out a crisp laugh.

Lin Tianyang pulled her into his arms and quickly defended himself.

"Fang Ling, don't listen to your madam's nonsense. Your teacher is very talented too!"

Shu Manyun, her mouth covered, mumbled, "I didn't say you weren't strong, just that you're not hardworking."

"Not hardworking?"

The two stared at each other. Shu Manyun refused to back down.

Lin Tianyang sighed, admitting defeat first.

"Alright, I admit I wasn't as hardworking as little Fang Ling. I didn't even make it past the preliminaries in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."

"But that wasn't my fault!"

"It was the team captain who didn't try hard enough!"

"He was a Soul Sect and still underperformed, how could you expect anything from me, who wasn't even a Soul Exalted at the time?"

Fang Ling quietly watched the conversation go off-topic.

They started talking about the soul master tournament, then about embarrassing childhood stories.

It was clear from their banter that they were childhood sweethearts.

Their playful teasing was genuinely entertaining.

Fang Ling was enjoying the conversation, but he hadn't slept well since his journey began. Drowsiness crept up on him, and he lightly knocked on the table to remind them.

"Teacher, madam, I still haven't found a place to stay."

"Oh right, I forgot." Lin Tianyang laughed awkwardly, still caught up in his chat with his wife.

Trying to make up for it, he quickly said:

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere nice to stay."

They weaved through the academy, taking left and right turns, until they arrived at a cluster of courtyards surrounded by trees.

It wasn't a large dormitory like the one at Notting Academy. These were individual courtyard-style accommodations.

This school is rich! The students get to live in places like this?

Fang Ling couldn't believe it. His eyes were full of doubt.

Lin Tianyang seemed to notice his surprise and explained with a smile:

"This is the faculty dormitory. There are still some vacancies."

"The academy doesn't lack money. You're my student and an exceptionally rare combat genius. Let me get you a room."

Holding his wife's hand, Lin Tianyang brought Fang Ling to a quiet courtyard.

He knocked on the door loudly and shouted, "Manager Wang, come out! Tianyang needs something!"

Before long, an old man with a hunched back came out.

His voice was raspy, and he grumbled, "I'm not dead yet! What are you yelling for?"

Lin Tianyang flashed a bright smile. "Manager Wang, school just started, right?"

"What do you want?"

"I've got a genius student. There's space in the faculty dorms, help me get him a room."

"This is the faculty dormitory. You know the rules."

Manager Wang didn't outright refuse.

Lin Tianyang pulled a bottle of wine from his soul tool and handed it over:

"Uncle Wang, please help out. I'll tell my father when he returns. Fang Ling is a real genius, a soul master who can kill above his level. He's not like those talentless nobodies."

Huh?

The teacher has connections?

From their conversation, Fang Ling picked up on something different.

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