Chapter 3

After eating, my mother and I prepared for the trip to Nuoding City. Our village is so isolated that there are no carriages or means of transportation. We would have to go on foot, which would be a long walk of several hours, though we weren't too far away.

"Lin, pack the essentials. We'll take as little as possible so we don't burden ourselves too much," said Mom while preparing a backpack.

I nodded and headed to my room to gather my belongings. Although there wasn't much to bring, I made sure to take some spare clothes and some food. My mother had already prepared a bag with some food in case we got hungry, and we left several plates full of cat food as a farewell for the cat that has accompanied me for the last year.

We left the house and started walking along the path that led out of the village. As we moved away, I could see how the dense vegetation and tall trees surrounded us, creating a beautiful environment with the great diversity of colorful plants that grow in this place.

"Mom, how long until I start studying at Nuoding Academy?" I asked Mom because although I knew a lot about some important events, I couldn't remember anything about dates or if there were dates for certain events in the first place.

"It's a little over three months until the new semester at Nuoding Academy begins," said Mom as we walked.

"But what will we do during that time? I doubt they'll let us live at Nuoding Academy just because Dad is a teacher."

"We'll stay at our house in Nuoding City during that time. Due to school rules, you will have to live in one of the dormitories when you start attending."

Time passed, and when it was getting late, we finally arrived at Nuoding City, which was guarded by high walls.

The gates of Nuoding City were guarded by a pair of uniformed guards. As we approached, one of them raised his hand, indicating for us to stop.

"Purpose of your visit to Nuoding City?" asked the guard with a curious look.

"We're going to our house. My husband is a teacher at Nuoding Academy," Mom replied firmly.

The guard nodded and, after a quick inspection, allowed us to pass. As we entered, I was impressed by the bustling life and the number of people walking the streets. The city was much larger and livelier than our quiet village. Although it doesn't compare to my previous world, it is a pleasant sight; in fact, it is much better than my previous world apart from the horrible fact of living without electricity.

"Come on, Lin. Our house is on the other side of the city," said Mom, guiding me through streets full of shops, markets, and all kinds of people.

Finally, we arrived at a modest two-story house. Mom opened the door and invited me inside.

"Welcome to your new home, Lin," she said, smiling warmly.

I entered and observed the interior. It was cozy, with simple but well-kept furniture, except for the fact that there was quite a bit of dust everywhere. Mom showed me my room, which was on the second floor. It was small but had a comfortable bed and a desk.

"You can rest a bit if you want. Tomorrow we'll go to Nuoding Academy so you can get to know the place and familiarize yourself with the surroundings," said Mom before leaving me alone to settle in.

I lay down on the bed, feeling a mix of tiredness and excitement. There were many things to think about and plan, but at that moment, I just wanted to rest.

The next day, we got up early, and Mom took me to Nuoding Academy. We had no problem with the guard, unlike a certain person, and we were able to pass without any inconvenience.

Besides, the campus was impressive, with large, well-constructed buildings, surrounded by gardens with a fountain and training areas. When we arrived, a tall, muscular man approached us. He wore a teacher's robe and had a kind expression.

"Lin, how much you've grown!" said the man, and I immediately knew he was my father.

"Dad!" I ran towards him and hugged him tightly. It had been a long time since I last saw him.

"Come on, I'll show you the Academy," he said, guiding us through the different buildings and explaining the facilities. He showed me the dormitories where I would live once the semester began, the classrooms, the training areas, and the dining halls. While Dad guided us, he tried to avoid being alone with Mom so she wouldn't tell him about Spirit Hall.

"This is the Cultivation Hall. Here is where you'll spend a lot of time improving your soul power," Dad said while showing me a large hall full of students meditating.

Finally, we arrived at a large library. "Here you can find books on all kinds of topics, such as the types of soul beasts, spirit rings, and the history of the continent," Dad explained.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the academy and familiarizing ourselves with the surroundings. Mom stayed home to organize our things, so it was just Dad and me.

"Dad, I have a question about my martial soul," I said while we walked through a quiet garden.

"Sure, son. What do you want to know?"

"Dad, my Martial Soul is a bit special."

"What do you mean by that? If you don't have soul power, I'll make sure you can have a trouble-free life. And if you have little soul power, I'll make sure you at least become a Soul Master, even if you have a trash martial soul." Dad seemed quite worried upon hearing this, and that made me feel a bit warm, but I tried to reassure him.

"I have no problems with my soul power or a trash martial soul; the issue is that my martial soul is some kind of mutation." Dad seemed confused by what I said.

"My martial soul can capture soul beasts, but I don't know exactly how it works, and I don't think I can figure it out unless I get my first spirit ring, so I'd like to know if you have any information about it."

I extended my hand, and my martial soul began to manifest.

"What a curious color and shape it has. You said you can capture soul beasts, but I've never heard of a martial soul that did something like that. Normally, you would select a growth direction and get the soul rings of the soul beasts depending on the growth system you have chosen, like Attack System, Food System, Defense System, etc. But I'm not too well-versed in the theory for such a strange case as yours."

"If I can't choose a specific system, then the best thing would be for my first spirit ring to be from a very powerful and versatile soul beast." I hope he takes me to capture a soul beast of more than 300 years.

Dad scratched his head, thoughtful. "It's hard to say. Your martial soul is very unusual. The only way to know is by trying."

"But I think we can ask someone who focuses on theory. He is not a teacher at Nuoding Academy, but he stays here, so we can ask for his opinion on the matter." Only one person came to mind, and I had a bad taste in my mouth thinking about who he was referring to.