They came out of the Spirit Hunting Forest, riding a carriage back to Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy. At this moment in the morning, students were beginning their classes, and within Nuoding Academy everything appeared very peaceful.
The Grandmaster took a thick book from his bookshelf. The Grandmaster said:
"In this book are recorded some of my research on cultivating spirit power. Although spirit power is cultivated through meditation that circulates the power itself, among this there are many techniques."
"What kind of movement routes are generally easier for increasing power, what types of spirits under what conditions are most suitable for cultivation, all the details are recorded here. At present I cannot personally guide you, but you absolutely must not relax."
"Alright."
They answered respectfully, though they had not yet opened the book to read.
"Furthermore, you are to go now to the Spirit Hall of Nuoding City. On the way, ask anyone about its location it is near the city center. You are going there to undergo spirit master authentication."
"it tests the condition of your spirit power, and at the same time it is regarded as official registration with the Spirit Hall. After that, you will be able to receive monthly stipends. You will no longer need to remain as working students."
Tang San carefully placed the book the Grandmaster had given him into the Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges. No one knew what the Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges were made of, but it possessed remarkable elasticity and flexibility.
At this time, Tang San and Kyle were wearing the uniforms of Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy. Around Tang San's waist was the belt given to him by the Grandmaster, while Kyle wore the striking pair of handguards bestowed by the Grandmaster.
Although neither Tang San nor Kyle could be called handsome, they looked neat. Tang San still carried a fresh and cool air, while Kyle appeared cute and innocent.
Leaving the Grandmaster's room, Tang San and Kyle heard the bell ringing to mark the end of class. The class periods at Nuoding Spirit Master Academy were not long, and before the afternoon session there was still a two-hour break for lunch.
Since it was the end of class, they decided to return to the dormitory first to greet their roommates, letting them know he had come back and would be going out again. Just as they returned to the dormitory, they found it completely empty, without a trace of anyone. They turned and left the dormitory, stepping out onto the training grounds.
Right in front of the school building, students walked in pairs or groups of three toward the dormitories. Just as Tang San and Kyle were preparing to go to the Spirit Hall for spirit master authentication as instructed by the Grandmaster, they faintly overheard some upper-class students speaking, as if uttering two words "working students."
"The working students are really challenging Boss Xiao."
"Still unbelievable. The working students dare to challenge the young master of our academy, relying a little on, they say, a first-year working student, a little girl who is extremely fierce. They've made all the working students call her Xiao Wu Jie."
"This time the matter seems exactly like she took the initiative to provoke. The stakes are also very clear: if Boss Xiao wins, then afterward he will have all the working students as his dogs. But if the working students win here, then from that moment Big Sis Xiao Wu will be the Big Sis Xiao Wu of our entire academy."
"These working students clearly have a death wish. How could a first-year little girl possibly be fierce? Boss Xiao is one of the few among our academy's six-year-old students who has already reached the realm of spirit master. It looks like Boss Xiao will soon have a whole pack of servants."
Tang San and Kyle were also among the working students, so naturally they could not stand by and watch their roommate be bullied.
"Two seniors, may I ask where Boss Xiao and the working students are?"
Kyle greeted the two students. The two students were clearly stunned for a moment, and then the senior on the left said:
"What? You little juniors also want to interfere? Boss Xiao already has enough manpower. Judging by your appearance, you must be second- or third-years. I advise you to stay out of it if you get hurt by accident, it could be bad."
From Tang San's neat clothing and the high-quality belt at his waist, the two students clearly could not guess his status as a working student.
"Senior, we only want to go and take a look from afar."
Tang San naturally could not explain that he was part of the working students.
"They should be dueling in the forest on the mountain behind the academy."
Having obtained accurate information, Tang San set off, running toward the back of the academy. The so‑called mountain behind the academy was, of course, not within Nuoding Academy itself.
Just outside the rear gate stood a small hill, separated from the academy grounds. Seeing no one around, Tang San immediately used the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to dash toward the hill, while Kyle stretched his legs and prepared to run.
"Six Realm Technique: First Style: True Instantaneous Move."
The forest was very quiet, yet not peaceful at all. Instead, the atmosphere was filled with the tension of drawn and bent swords. Aside from Tang San and Kyle, all the working students stood behind Xiao Wu, and before them were more than twenty upper‑class students arranged in formation.
Led by a figure wearing the uniform of Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy, tall and broad‑shouldered, his posture straight. Though his face still carried childishness, he already bore a somewhat mature appearance.
His body seemed at least half again larger compared to Xiao Wu's, his features considered handsome and spirited. Only the scornful expression on his face spoiled the harmony.
"Little girl, there is still time for you to repent."
Xiao Wu's expression did not lose even a bit to the opposite side, equally scornful. Yet her disdain, harmonized with her soft and fair face, somehow gave her a cute appearance. Pointing toward the opposite side, she said:
"Boss Xiao, are you afraid? You can become my subordinate."
"Ha ha."
Boss Xiao pretended to laugh loudly.
"Afraid? Who do you think I am? Wang Sheng, have the working students gone mad, sending a little girl to challenge me?"
Xiao Wu was clearly already somewhat impatient.
"Enough nonsense, let's begin."
Boss Xiao's eyes narrowed, revealing a rather sinister expression.
"I heard your martial soul is a rabbit. I don't mind having a pet rabbit. Don't worry, I won't bully you. Since you are only ten people, we will also send ten."
"A one‑on‑one battle, the winner stays and continues fighting until defeated. Until everyone on one side is completely beaten."
Able to become the boss among the students, Boss Xiao could not be a reckless person. On the contrary, he was very clever. Although on the surface Xiao Wu seemed to pose no threat, Boss Xiao had not fought with Wang Sheng for only one or two days.
From Wang Sheng's temperament he had a clear understanding, if the little girl before him had no ability, how could Wang Sheng so easily acknowledge her as the representative of the working students?
But just how strong was this little girl? On his side were all upper‑class students, each with real strength that was not weak. On the side of the working students, only Wang Sheng could still be considered to have some ability. Aside from this little girl, at most they had only two others.
Allowing his younger brothers under his command to grind them down completely, he would not even need to step in himself, and the battle would already be won. It seemed like a fair method of duel, but was it truly fair?
Wang Sheng naturally also realized Boss Xiao's plan, but before he could open his mouth, Xiao Wu was already prepared to speak:
"Alright, we'll settle it this way. Come on, whoever is first among you, step out."
By now, it was too late for Wang Sheng to stop Xiao Wu's agreement. Boss Xiao's followers curled their lips, and a larger upper‑class student immediately stepped forward. Wang Sheng clenched his teeth.
"Big Sis Xiao Wu, let me go first."
He was naturally familiar with this upper‑class student on the other side. This person was in the same class as him, and Wang Sheng had fought him many times, each time ending in miserable defeat. The martial soul of this student was a staff. But it was not just a simple staff.
Xiao Wu appeared very much like an elder sister leader, nodding as she approved Wang Sheng's request. Wang Sheng took a deep breath and stepped out between the two sides.
"Liu Long, come on."
In Liu Long's hand, a bright yellow light appeared, and a long staff nearly two meters in length flashed into his grip.
"I've already defeated you before. Wang Sheng, if I don't beat you unconscious, my name isn't Liu."
Wang Sheng still did not reply, but Xiao Wu, standing behind him, was already smiling as she said:
"Then if you lose, from today onward you'll be called 'Withered Willow.'"
Wang Sheng's body shone brightly with the martial soul of a tiger. He charged forward, striking with his left claw, but Liu Long blocked with his staff. With a muffled peng, Wang Sheng immediately retreated two steps.
He leapt forward again, spinning in the air, and attacked with his claws, but Liu Long's staff held firm. As Wang Sheng tried to strike once more, Liu Long's staff slammed into his stomach, yet Wang Sheng managed to grab hold of it.
Suddenly, the staff in his grip vanished into light, only to reappear, piercing Wang Sheng with its tip and forcing him backward. Wang Sheng leapt forward again, but Liu Long slipped behind him and smashed the staff against Wang Sheng's back.
"Wang Sheng is still too impulsive. With frontal confrontation, he cannot approach his opponent. Only by closing in can he defeat them."
As Xiao Wu's brows furrowed, a low voice suddenly rose beside her ear. Tilting her head to look, her beautiful large eyes could not help but reveal a flash of surprise.
"You're back."
Turning toward the mountain behind the academy, Tang San and Kyle saw the scene unfolding in the forest nearby, and silently, without a sound, they slipped in beside Xiao Wu.
Because of his short stature, no one on Boss Xiao's side even noticed his presence. Tang San looked at Xiao Wu, thinking to say something, but held himself back. Xiao Wu caught the expression of words rising but restrained, and said:
"What? Do you want to say I'm impulsive too?"
Tang San shook his head and replied:
"We working students must not always be bullied by others. It's just that you should wait until we return before challenging them. That way, the certainty would also be a little greater."
Xiao Wu glared at Tang San, remembering the last time she had been mercilessly struck with a stone, her heart filled with anger.
"Wait for what? Who knows when you'll come back. Everyone bullies us. And what Boss Xiao said about making me his pet rabbit. If I could still endure that, then my name wouldn't be Xiao Wu."
By now, Wang Sheng had grown weaker, and his opponent was striking him relentlessly. Just as Liu Long tried to finish Wang Sheng off with a forward leap, unexpectedly, Liu Long felt as though his hands gripping the staff had been bitten by mosquitoes, and the attack he launched suddenly dulled.
Wang Sheng's tiger claws slapped Liu Long's head, knocking his staff far away. Immediately, Liu Long's body flipped, his right leg seized at once and swung like a tiger's tail against his back, slamming him cruelly into the ground.
Liu Long did not have Wang Sheng's endurance. All of his spirit power was invested in the staff. His defensive strength was not remarkable at all, and after two strikes from Wang Sheng, he collapsed.
Just as Liu Long crashed heavily to the ground, he fainted. Wang Sheng roared passionately toward the sky, as if releasing years of pent‑up resentment.
At first, Boss Xiao had calmly and leisurely watched Liu Long mock Wang Sheng, but the sudden reversal of the situation left him greatly shocked. One must know, among his subordinates Liu Long ranked third in strength.
If Boss Xiao himself did not yet possess his first spirit ring, he could not even guarantee victory against Liu Long. Xiao Wu teased with a smile:
"As expected of 'Withered Willow.' Boss Xiao, what do you think?"
Boss Xiao waved his hand, signaling his followers to quickly drag Liu Long away for treatment. They were, after all, only students of the Primary Spirit Master Academy, relying on a bit of spirit power would not take a life.
"The first round counts as our loss. Ling Feng, step forward."
The second student sent out by Boss Xiao was a thin, small upper‑class student, with a tiny nose and small eyes, his figure so slender that no one would think he was twelve years old. Instead, he looked more like he belonged to the same age group as Xiao Wu, Kyle, and Tang San.
"Call Wang Sheng back. Next, it's me," Tang San whispered into Xiao Wu's ear.
"Wait! How about I go instead?" Kyle said softly.
"Are you sure? Very well then. But remember, don't go overboard!" Tang San replied in a low voice.
"Don't worry, I'll be very careful," Kyle answered.
In Xiao Wu's eyes, this battle was not bad. Naturally, she saw that the second opponent entering the arena was an agility‑type spirit master, just right to counter Wang Sheng. Wang Sheng's spirit power had already been greatly depleted earlier, he was certain to lose.
"Wang Sheng, step back. Leave this to Xiao Kyle. You can rest."
At this moment, Wang Sheng had not yet fully recovered from the excitement of defeating Liu Long. Hearing Xiao Wu's voice and realizing Tang San and Kyle had returned without him noticing, he understood his own condition.
Although he had beaten Liu Long, he truly no longer had the strength to fight again. He also knew that if not for Tang San secretly firing three small pebbles to disrupt Liu Long's attack, how could he have won that first victory?
"You're a working student?"
In Xiao Wu's view, this fight was not bad. Naturally, she saw that the second opponent entering the arena was an agility‑type spirit master, just right to restrain Wang Sheng. Wang Sheng's spirit power had already been greatly depleted earlier—he was certain to lose.
"Wang Sheng, step back. Leave this to Xiao Kyle. You can rest."
At this moment, Wang Sheng had not yet fully recovered from the excitement of defeating Liu Long. Hearing Xiao Wu's voice and realizing Tang San and Kyle had returned without him noticing, he understood his own condition. Although he had beaten Liu Long, he truly no longer had the strength to fight again. He also knew that if not for Tang San secretly firing three small pebbles to disrupt Liu Long's attack, how could he have won that first victory?
"You're a working student?"
Ling Feng stared at Kyle, his eyes revealing hesitation. Kyle only nodded in response.
"Hehe. Then please, begin."
Although Ling Feng's body was thin and small, he was slightly taller than first‑year Kyle. This was a quick battle to decide which side would become the boss of the students, so he no longer thought much about it.
After glancing at Kyle's arm guard, he leapt upward, agilely springing above Kyle's head. His arms stretched out, and suddenly he glided two meters, pouncing toward the top of Kyle's head.
Kyle caught a glimpse of his opponent's martial soul. In recent days, the Grandmaster's instructions could not be wasted. Ling Feng was clearly an agility‑type battle spirit master. His beast spirit had to be a flying creature. Judging from its exterior pattern and the nature of its attack, not fierce enough to be a raptor, it should be a swallow‑type or a crow‑type beast.
Seeing the opponent pounce at him, Kyle remained motionless, as if treating the other as though he did not exist at all. Ling Feng's speed was extremely fast; among the sixth‑year students, he was quickly acknowledged as the fastest.
As one of Boss Xiao's followers, his movements were also very agile. Watching Kyle before him, suddenly his body flipped, both hands flapping downward, his force changing direction as he appeared behind Kyle. With both arms raised, he slashed toward the sides of Kyle's neck.
Kyle swiftly turned back, seized Ling Feng's head, and slammed him to the ground. Ling Feng fainted instantly. The upper‑class students on Boss Xiao's side practically stared wide‑eyed, unable to believe that what had just happened before their eyes was real.
Boss Xiao had been watching with smug confidence, but the sudden collapse of Ling Feng, his second‑strongest subordinate, shattered that calm. To see someone ranked just beneath himself felled in a single move by what looked like a mere first‑year was almost unthinkable.
"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath.
From the moment Ling Feng hit the ground, Kyle slowly lowered his raised right leg, his expression cold as he said,
"It was just a coincidence, hehe."
Boss Xiao was stunned. On the side of the working students, Xiao Wu's heart was equally shaken. She had fought Kyle once before, and now, watching him again, she clearly realized he had grown stronger. Normally Kyle seemed like a gentle child, but in battle his movements became sharp, swift, and fierce.
Wang Sheng, ignoring the pain coursing through his body, burst into loud laughter as he watched Ling Feng toppled by Kyle's grip. The sight of one of Boss Xiao's strongest being thrown down so easily filled him with exhilaration, as though years of pent‑up frustration had finally found release.
Boss Xiao's confidence cracked after Ling Feng's sudden defeat. To lose his second‑strongest subordinate in a single move was humiliating, and the jeers from Xiao Wu only deepened the sting.
"Damn it…" he muttered, his face dark.
Kyle lowered his leg with calm indifference, his voice cold:
"It was just a coincidence, hehe."
The mocking tone unsettled Boss Xiao. The disdain that had once colored his expression was gone, replaced by solemnity.
He knew that if morale continued to collapse, the duel would be lost before it truly began. Only he could restore his side's pride. Stepping forward, his presence heavy, he declared:
"Xiao Chen‑Yu, sixth‑year student. Martial soul: Wolf. Eleventh rank, Battle Spirit Master."
The air shifted. Unlike Ling Feng's speed or Liu Long's staff, this was a direct confrontation with a true spirit master. Even Xiao Wu, who had fought Kyle before, felt her heart tighten. Kyle's casual ferocity had already surprised her, but now the duel was about to escalate into something far more dangerous.
Announcing one's identity and rank was a kind of respect toward the opponent. As he spoke, Xiao Chen‑Yu's entire body radiated a dark green light. Within that glow, his muscles began to swell, his eyes slowly turned a pale green, and his hands lifted forward, claws sharpening.
A white spirit ring rose from beneath his feet, the clear manifestation of spirit body enhancement. As the student boss, Xiao Chen‑Yu now revealed his cunning side. At Nuoding Academy, everyone already knew what his martial soul was.
But Kyle, standing opposite him, was different, his martial soul remained a mystery. By first declaring his own spirit, Xiao Chen‑Yu aimed to force Kyle to reveal his as well. In this way, he could plan accordingly.
The Grandmaster had spoken of this custom among spirit masters: announcing one's martial soul was a gesture of respect. It was done only when one did not fear the opponent becoming a lifelong enemy. Facing another, both sides would declare their spirits, expressing mutual recognition and exchanging identities as a way of learning.
"Kyle, first‑year student. Martial soul: Spear of Yang. Eleventh rank, Tool Spirit Master."
Kyle's body shimmered with a faint white glow. Raising his right hand, the Spear of Yang emerged faintly from the center of his palm. Around him, a bright yellow spirit ring rose from beneath his feet, floating rhythmically up and down around his body.
"A hundred‑year spirit ring."
Xiao Chen‑Yu froze.
This, how could this be possible? The spirit ring appearing on Kyle's body overturned the very understanding the students had of their opponent. A first‑year, barely six years old, already standing at the realm of Spirit Master cultivation, this had never happened in the entire history of Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy.
The arena fell silent, the revelation striking like thunder. Even Boss Xiao, who had stepped forward with grim determination, felt his confidence waver. The duel was no longer a simple contest of pride, it had become a clash against something unprecedented, a prodigy whose existence defied the academy's traditions.
Xiao Chen‑Yu's mind raced. His father, the castellan of Nuoding City, had warned him countless times about the great clans, families so powerful that even the imperial household hesitated before crossing them. If Kyle truly carried such a background, then provoking him could spell disaster. The arrogance that had always shielded Xiao Chen‑Yu within the academy faltered for the first time.
"You… you're really a working student?" he asked, unable to restrain himself.
Kyle nodded calmly. The hundred‑year spirit ring pulsed around him, filling his body with surging energy. His blood boiled with the thrill of newfound strength, and in that moment he longed for a worthy opponent, someone who could help him measure the true extent of his transformation.
Xiao Chen‑Yu's wolf aura surged forward like a storm, his claws gleaming with spirit power, the pressure of his first ring expanding in a three‑meter radius. It was raw force, a frontal assault meant to crush Kyle outright.
But Kyle did not flinch. His stance rooted him like a spear planted in the earth—left leg forward, right leg braced behind, left arm raised as a shield, right arm drawn back with the weapon that pulsed with golden light. His voice rang out, calm yet sharp, cutting through the tension:
"Six Realm Technique: First Style: Truth, Instantaneous Pierce."
The Spear of Yang flashed, a streak of brilliance that seemed to split the air itself. Where Xiao Chen‑Yu relied on brute strength, Kyle answered with precision, speed, and the resonance of a hundred‑year spirit ring.
Kyle's spear strike sent a shockwave rippling through the arena, the sheer force hurling Xiao Chen‑Yu's large frame backward until he could no longer continue the fight.
The followers of Boss Xiao, who only moments before had been ready to cheer, now stared in stunned silence. Their eyes fixed on Kyle, disbelief etched across their faces. Was this boy even human?
Kyle's voice cut through the tension, cold and steady:
"Then, the next one."
But Xiao Chen‑Yu, still reeling, forced the words out:
"I admit defeat."
Kyle's gaze sharpened. "Since you've admitted defeat, then follow what you and Sister Xiao Wu agreed upon earlier."
Xiao Chen‑Yu looked at him, conflicted. "Then… should I acknowledge you as the boss, or her?"
What he still could not believe was that Xiao Wu's strength could surpass Kyle's. A six‑year‑old Spirit Master, this already exceeded his imagination.
Kyle's lips curved into a faint smile. "Of course Xiao Wu is your boss. I'm only the third strongest. Otherwise, the senior dormitory of Room Seven would belong to me, not her."
The duel had ended not only in victory, but in a shift of hierarchy. Xiao Wu's authority was affirmed, Kyle's hidden power revealed, and Boss Xiao's pride shattered. The working students had claimed their place, and the balance of the academy would never be the same again.
Xiao Wu's smile carried the calm authority of someone who had already claimed victory. She clapped her hands lightly, stepping beside Tang San with the air of an elder sister taking charge.
"Not bad at all, Xiao Kyle. You've worked hard."
Kyle gave a small nod, his tone steady. "We have other matters to attend to, so the rest is yours to handle, Sister Xiao Wu."
She laughed softly, striking Kyle's shoulder in camaraderie. "Wait a moment. I'll introduce you properly. You can go—I'll take care of the rest. From now on, you are the big brother of Nuoding Academy."
Her gaze then shifted, sharp and commanding, toward Xiao Chen‑Yu. The atmosphere changed instantly. The defeated boss, still reeling from Kyle's overwhelming display, now faced Xiao Wu directly.
Xiao Wu's voice rang out, calm yet commanding, her presence radiating the authority of a leader:
"Very well. What? You're still not convinced? Then let me introduce myself properly. I am Xiao Wu, first‑year working student, martial soul: Rabbit, Battle Spirit Master, rank twelve. Before anything else, let me introduce my left and right hands. Kyle, the one you just fought, is the third strongest and my left hand. And this one Tang San, martial soul Blue Silver Grass, rank eleven is the second strongest and my right hand."
She pointed toward Tang San as she spoke.
Not only Xiao Chen‑Yu, but even Tang San and Kyle were stunned. They had only now realized that Xiao Wu herself was also a Spirit Master and at a rank higher than theirs. At nearly the same age as them, she already possessed full spirit power.
A faint red glow rose from Xiao Wu's body. Beneath the dim crimson light, her eyes began to redden, her ears slowly lengthened, standing upright from the sides of her head, covered in soft white fur. Her figure seemed to grow slightly taller, and gentle waves of spirit power rippled outward from her body. From beneath her feet, a spirit ring appeared astonishingly, like Tang San's, it was a hundred‑year yellow ring.
The revelation was monumental. Xiao Wu was not only their companion, but a prodigy whose strength eclipsed expectations. The hierarchy was sealed: Kyle's ferocity, Tang San's calm precision, and Xiao Wu's hidden supremacy—together forming a triad that would redefine the balance of Nuoding Academy.
Xiao Chen‑Yu's pride finally crumbled. He slapped his forehead in frustration and bowed deeply.
"Xiao Wu Jie, I yield. From now on, you are the chief senior of our Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy. Everyone, pay your respects to Xiao Wu Jie!"
The declaration rang out, and the upper‑class students could no longer deny the truth. Two tool‑type Spirit Masters—Tang San with his Blue Silver Grass and Kyle with his Spear of Yang—both at rank eleven, and Xiao Wu herself, a rank twelve Battle Spirit Master with a hundred‑year ring. Against such strength, Xiao Chen‑Yu knew he was no match.
Xiao Wu, a touch of pride in her eyes, looked over the senior students who bowed before her. Then she glanced at Tang San, who still seemed bewildered.
"Do you have some problem? Why don't you leave? Do you think only you were born with full spirit power?"
Tang San blinked, his mind racing. He studied Xiao Wu carefully, raising his hand to brush against her long, soft rabbit ears. He nodded slowly.
"Xiao Wu… so you really are a rabbit."
"You…!"
Her ears, sensitive in their transformed state, flushed crimson. The little girl's beautiful face turned red as she lifted her hand to strike him. But Tang San and Kyle had already darted away like the wind, laughing as they fled.