Chapter 25: Outside Sotto City

The next day, while eating in the Shi Tang, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun saw the weakened Oscar.

They were all a bit surprised.

They had even thought that Xiao Xian had beaten him up.

Oscar, his face pale, gave an explanation, and Dai Mubai's furrowed brows finally relaxed.

Ma Hongjun, holding a tray, looked enlightened and said, "I told you! It turned out he used a soul skill!"

"I even thought I was really that weak!"

"Even a Soul Master who doesn't use soul skills can't beat him!"

He went back yesterday, lay on his bed, and felt deeply defeated.

At the Shilaike Academy, none of them are not proud and arrogant.

After finishing his morning training, Xiao Xian came in jogging slowly, carrying Xiao Jue.

"What a fierce dog!"

Dai Mubai stared at Xiao Jue, quite surprised.

Xiao Jue was about 1.6 meters long and a meter wide, with a pair of fierce pale‑blue eyes, not to mention two floating Yellow Soul Rings around its body, exuding a strong soul power pressure.

When it heard Dai Mubai's words, it immediately stared back, its gaze emitting a dangerous and indifferent aura, and its teeth silently bared.

Xiao Jue, unlike Luo Sanpao, hasn't had a good temper these past few years.

Moreover, it hates being called… dog.

Even though Xiao Xian has always introduced it that way.

Dai Mubai raised an eyebrow; he actually felt a hint of threat from this dog.

"Hehe, being disobedient again…"

Xiao Xian wore a gentle smile, patting Xiao Jue on the big head.

He greeted Dai Mubai and the others.

Xiao Xian also started taking a few portions of breakfast.

The Shilaike Academy's Shi Tang is actually just the academy commissioning villagers to cook; the dishes are very ordinary, merely sufficient.

The academy's Shao Xin, a Food Soul Saint, oversees the Shi Tang.

He sat in a corner of the Shi Tang, cheerfully watching Xiao Jue, and pulled out a bamboo basket from one side, filled with many neatly cut pieces of meat.

Then he waved Xiao Jue over.

It was still his first time seeing Boss Fulangde, showing such a pained expression.

It was also his first time receiving so much "meal money"; with a slight deduction, the Shi Tang's dishes could be turned upside down.

Thinking of that, Shao Xin's gaze toward Xiao Jue became even more cheerful.

…

Today is still the academy's registration time.

Soon, a group of teachers moved tables and chairs outside to prepare.

Ma Hongjun had nothing to do, wandering around Cunzi, trying to use his Soul Master status to pick up a new girlfriend.

His evil fire was too strong; Gou Lan thought he was dabbling in pills at a young age, and greatly despised him.

In yesterday's sparring, Xiao Xian held back; the moment the fireball struck, its speed had slowed considerably, and he didn't sustain much injury.

Ma Hongjun naturally noticed, and after the meal he chatted with Xiao Xian, expressing gratitude.

Oscar hadn't recovered and didn't plan to cultivate; he pushed a barbecue cart and went out to sell sausages again.

No one knows why he's so short of money; it might be related to his father.

Dai Mubai, as always, was called by Teacher Li Yusong to help, acting as a thug for the black registrants' registration fee.

He looked a bit helpless, seeming embarrassed, but had no choice.

As for Xiao Xian…

He wasn't idle either.

Zhao Wuji, just finished eating and picking his teeth, let Xiao Xian carry a chair and walk with him.

His shoulders were as broad as a city wall, and his coat seemed several sizes too small.

Although he wasn't tall, he was even shorter than Xiao Xian.

His facial expression was also very gentle.

Yet his inadvertent gaze, together with that exaggerated physique, gave a strong sense of oppression.

Xiao Xian obediently carried the stool.

This is the Immovable Bright King Zhao Wuji.

A Soul Saint strongman.

A Soul Saint strongman daring to face the Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast Titan Giant Ape…

…

Soon, many youths who had just graduated from the elementary Soul Master academy came to line up.

They learned that the paths to the Shilaike Academy were all kinds of strange.

But without exception, upon arriving at the Shilaike Academy's gate, they regretted it.

It is just too dilapidated here.

Xiao Xian's task, Zhao Wuji said lazily, was to have the trainees who reached the fourth stage hold a incense stick in his hand.

Just a pity.

Xiao Xian almost spent the whole day sitting on a chair.

Because there wasn't a single one who had reached the fourth stage…

Unlike his leisure, meanwhile, in Nuoding City, not far from the Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy, inside Shi San's blacksmith shop.

Tang San was carrying a Big Hammer, wildly pounding a piece of Iron Material.

He had been hammering iron here for almost an entire day.

He didn't even take a break.

His complexion looked bad, and his aura was rather heavy.

His senior brother left.

He didn't know why, but it gave him the feeling that his father had disappeared back then.

Perhaps over the years, his senior brother had taken care of him far too much…

Tang San couldn't help but think.

"It's a pity, I still have a year before I can go find my senior brother."

"Father, father… where did you go, will you ever appear?"

He had originally planned to graduate early and go to Slake with Xiao Xian.

Xiao Xian told him he was about to graduate, and perhaps his father would return to see him at his graduation.

So Tang San hesitated.

But now, he regrets it so much.

At least… Xiao Wu is still here.

Now she truly got her wish, becoming the big sister of Nording Academy…

Tang San let his thoughts wander aimlessly to lift his mood.

The furnace fire dimmed a bit, and he instinctively slapped out a palm…

Hoo—!

A faint wind surged from his palm, and the furnace fire grew dimmer.

Seeing that…

"I forgot again, senior brother left, the Sunlight Spore broke, Blowing Fire Palm is useless…"

Tang San stood there holding the hammer, his mood even more sorrowful.

Just like Tang San.

His mood wasn't great, and Master as well.

He stood in his own dormitory, looking at the empty mat on the floor, a hint of regret on his stiff face.

He almost for the first time realized how cowardly he was.

Xiao Xian's soul power, the closer it gets to Level 29.

He tosses and turns more, even suffers severe insomnia.

According to the data he has consulted, across the Douluo Continent, no innate half-level Soul Master can break through the Level 29 bottleneck.

Even though Xiao Xian is so outstanding, his soul power rises swiftly.

But as he approaches Level 29, the speed inevitably slows.

Even at just Level 28, it already stalls for several times the usual duration.

He had on several occasions returned early by chance, standing by the dormitory window, inadvertently witnessing Xiao Xian's cultivation.

The bulging veins, the blood spots constantly surfacing on his skin, that ferocious expression…

The body's limits, to break through, how difficult…

He even tried to persuade Xiao Xian not to be anxious.

But Xiao Xian only smiled gently…

Whenever Master sees Xiao Xian's gentle expression… he thinks of Xiao Jue's eyes.

They are a pair of light‑blue, how beautiful eyes… yet so fierce and indifferent.

From the first time he saw Xiao Jue, Master noticed those eyes.

His research on martial soul is fairly deep.

martial soul and Soul Master are closely linked.

A martial soul with such eyes.

How could its Soul Master be as gentle as it usually appears?

The more gentle he is to others, the more indifferent he is to himself.

"Teacher, if I fail, just consider that I was never your disciple…"

That familiar gentle voice repeatedly rang in his mind.

Master couldn't help but feel some regret.

Only, in the end, when night fell.

After standing for an unknown length of time, Master's complexion—still returned to its usual stiff look.

A path outside Suotuo City.

"Senior Master, where are we going?"

A gust of Gale periodically erupted beneath Xiao Xian's feet, propelling his body forward rapidly, his face still bearing the familiar gentle smile.

Fulangde floated lightly ahead, turning back with a slight surprise to glance at Xiao Xian.

He actually managed to keep up.

Fulangde subconsciously accelerated again, but at the same time looked toward a farther distance……

But he found that the three who should have been following—Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar—had long vanished without a trace……

He actually got dropped by them!?

……