Chapter 4: line with translation of chapter title

The brawl on the back mountain finally ended with the arrival of the teacher.

As senior students from noble families, they had nothing to do.

As the instigator of this incident, Xiao Wu, being female, was not pursued either.

Tang San, meanwhile, was the one who got beaten, and being Master's disciple, he also bore no responsibility.

Finally, the work-study student trainees who watched the whole thing from the sidelines were given a major demerit.

The announcement from the academy read: The work-study student group of a certain dormitory, lacking ambition, got into a brawl with senior students; trainees such as so-and-so were given major demerits, and their monthly study grants were deducted to compensate Tang San's losses.

When this announcement came out, in the dormitory, Tang San, lying in bed nursing his injuries, felt the unfriendly gazes around him and inexplicably felt ashamed.

Of course, this wasn't the worst part.

Worse still, after Xiao Wu returned, she lay beside him and said, "Xiao San, see how awesome Xiao Wu Sis is? The academy originally wasn't going to compensate you, but Xiao Wu Sis persuaded them, and only then did the academy leadership agree to give you compensation."

That night, the injured Tang San didn't even dare close his eyes to sleep.

Afraid that a work-study student in the dorm who had lost his monthly stipend, while trying to stab Xiao Wu, might accidentally injure him instead. (Work-study student: just a casual thing)

Tang San: I somewhat regret sharing a bed with Xiao Wu.

……

As a newly enrolled freshman,

Staying in this low grade, Bai Ran felt very bored.

Each day he only needed to study some cultural courses and basic knowledge about spirit beasts.

As for combat training? Low-grade students aren't allowed to take this course.

It is said that children under nine are in their growth period, and conducting combat training would affect development.

Well, the actual situation is that the elementary spirit master academy lacks teaching staff.

Some elementary spirit master academies don't even offer the combat training course.

After all, combat training is no joke; it requires a battle-system or control-system spirit master teacher whose level is at least twenty ranks higher than the trainees, so as to promptly intercept spirit skills that could cause major casualties.

At the same time, a healing-system spirit master teacher at least ten ranks above the trainees is needed, so that if an accident occurs, timely treatment can be administered.

Perhaps life at the academy was just too dull, so as soon as the weekend arrived, Bai Ran ran home to find his father, who was also on vacation.

"Old geezer, old geezer, take me out to play."

Entering the bedroom, he saw Comrade Bai Liang asleep for a noon nap.

Bai Ran quickly stepped forward and pinched Old Bai's nose.

"Er, er~"

Feeling uncomfortable sleeping, Bai Liang also woke up.

But upon seeing it was Bai Ran, his face immediately darkened.

"Little Bi Deng, why aren't you studying properly at the academy, but running home to do what?"

Moreover, since Bai Ran started attending elementary spirit master school, Comrade Bai Liang has felt that his sleep has become much more peaceful.

"Old Bi Deng, what do you say?"

"I guess you're skipping class."

Bai Liang said while beginning to undo his belt.

"Today is a day off."

"Oh."

Bai Liang withdrew a belt.

Of course, most of the time it's just for show; from childhood to adulthood, Old Bai has hardly ever hit this child.

As for why his speech is so uncivilized,

well, Bai Liang used to roll out from under swords and blades on the battlefield, so speaking a bit rudely is quite normal.

"Vacation is nice, but you could also stay at the academy during break and get to know your classmates better."

"My classmates are also on vacation."

Aside from the work-study students whose hometowns are in the village, the remaining trainees have almost all gone home.

"Fine, then go out and play yourself; if you run out of spirit coins, take them from the clothes I left on the table."

Bai Liang said, then lay back down on the bed,

having finally gotten a break, he would surely sleep soundly.

"Dad, did you forget something?"

"What?"

Bai Liang's heart gave a thump.

Usually when this little brat calls him dad, there's never anything good.

"Take me to hunt for a spirit ring." "Your spirit power is level ten!"

"Um, is it possible that I, your son, was born with full spirit power?"

"Right, oh, you were born with full spirit power, so why didn't I take you to hunt for a spirit ring back then?"

"I don't know."

Bai Ran couldn't know what his father was thinking.

Bai Liang: "Oh, I remember now—I originally planned to take this unlucky child to obtain a spirit ring, but he came out with wanting a stepmother, which scared me so much that I overnight processed his admission to the elementary spirit master academy and sent him there."

"Hey, I'll take you out tonight to get you a spirit ring." (Bai Ran: "I don't want a hundred-year one.") "Can't we go now?"

"Your old man I worked the night shift last night; let me sleep a bit, and call me at four in the afternoon."

……

At five in the afternoon, one big and one small got on the carriage and set off.

Old timer, are we going to the Star Dou Great Forest?

The Star Dou Great Forest—heck, that's a terrifying place even an imperial knight corps wouldn't dare enter. You may not want to live, but I still do.

Then where are we going?

The Hunting Soul Forest—inside are all soul beasts raised by the empire, the highest being only thousand-year soul beasts.

……

The carriage had only driven for four hours when it stopped upon reaching the next small town.

Old Bai, have we arrived?

That's for sure—there's no way we've arrived yet; the nearest Hunting Soul Forest to Nodin City is still nearly 300 kilometers away.

In terms of carriage travel time, that's a day and a night.

So what are we getting off for?

We already ate before getting on the carriage, and to be safe, we also brought some biscuits as rations.

Of course we're here to find a place to sleep; otherwise, if we really sat in a carriage for a day and a night, my old man's body would be fine, but yours might not be.

Bai Liang said: 'Making you ride in a bumpy carriage for over ten hours? By then you'll probably be covering your little butt, scolding the driver for not knowing how to drive.'

Then I want to stay at the best hotel.

Fine, fine, I'll have the shop give you a big bed room.

……

Huh, old timer, do you feel this street is a bit deserted?

It's only 9 p. m. now; even if the town's residents don't have a nightlife habit, they shouldn't be shutting their doors this early, right?

Indeed, it's rather deserted.

Upon entering the small town, Bai Liang immediately sensed something was off.

You see, this small town is a necessary stop on the way to the Hunting Soul Forest.

No matter what, they wouldn't close doors and windows as soon as night falls, would they?

So what's going on? The answer didn't come until the two walked into an operating hotel, when Bai Liang learned from the front desk attendant.

As it turned out, last month a fallen one appeared in the city.

This person's methods are extremely brutal, and so far quite a few people have been killed.

Hasn't the empire sent anyone to suppress it?

Oh, the empire doesn't handle this sort of thing; whenever a fallen one appears, it's the Spirit Hall that sends people to exterminate it.

What about the Spirit Hall's people?

The Spirit Hall Branch can't handle this, and the soul masters sent by the Spirit Hall Sub-Hall have also been killed.

Even the Purple-robed Steward of the Spirit Hall Sub-Hall can't deal with it—this must mean the fallen one is at least a Soul Ancestor with soul power above rank forty.

With such a fallen one around, aren't you lot afraid in your daily lives?

Afraid? What's there to be afraid of? That fallen one only targets women, so you big guy don't need to worry.

Only preying on women? Could this fallen one be a lustful hungry ghost?

As a fallen one who persecutes women, Bai Liang, a former imperial knight, can't stand by and watch.

Well, that's not the case; this fallen one is rather strange.

For example, last week Old Wang's wife, Lady Zhao, ran off with all the family's money, taking the baby in swaddling clothes, intending to run to her lover.

Then the next day she was found drowned in the river, the child returned home, and the money—well, they were missing a silver soul coin.

Bai Liang: 'Ah, the Spirit Hall defines such people as fallen ones? What a damn Spirit Hall.'

(End of chapter)