Spirit Pagoda

Anping's newfound magical abilities turned him into a wide-eyed child with a shiny new toy. He eagerly delved into the "Encyclopedia of Spells," experimenting with simple tricks one after another.

These spells were like playful tricks, allowing him to weave together magical elements to mimic real-world elements and rules. Through this, he could tap into external elements and rules to achieve his goals.

Although these magic spells were enchanting, they were akin to simple tricks, with uncomplicated structures and limited influence on the material world. They mostly served to make life a bit easier, like cleaning spells or spells that conjured clear springs.

The simplicity of these tricks made them perfect for wizard apprentices like Anping. They provided a hands-on understanding of how to arrange magical elements, build models based on these arrangements, combine different elements, and observe the expressions they produced. It was a magical journey filled with discovery and wonder.

After days of persistent effort, Anping found that some spells weren't that hard. Simple ones like Cleaning worked like a charm on the first try. Level-1 spells took two or three attempts, while second-level spells needed a halfway outlined magic model, risking exhaustion if not careful, and a chance of backfiring if the connection wasn't cut in time.

Before he knew it, the break was over, and Red Mountain Academy buzzed with activity as the new semester kicked off. The first day didn't bring classes but an opening ceremony.

A stark difference unfolded between ordinary and spirit master class students. The queue for ordinary classes stretched with over a thousand students, while the spirit master class, spanning three grades, had only a handful of students.

The dean took the podium, delivering a lengthy speech. He shared the college's history, spoke of its societal importance, and rallied the students with words of encouragement.

The official talk seemed way too grown-up for these kids, especially considering they weren't even ten yet. How could they understand all that serious stuff?

"Alright, class teachers will guide you back to your classrooms," the announcement brought a sigh of relief for Anping; it was finally over.

Anping followed his class teacher, Lin Ximeng, back to the classroom. Lin Ximeng smiled and pulled out a small device for testing spirit power. "Let's see how much progress you've made over the holidays. I'll test each of you."

Even though they'd done this test before, the students had various reactions – some worried, some confident, and others whispering to each other.

"Wan Yunchao."

The first to be called was the chubby boy, Wan Yunchao. He waddled up to the front, placed his hand on the tester.

"Level seven."

"You've made a little progress and are on your way to becoming a spirit master. Looks like Wan Yunchao didn't take it easy during the holidays. Keep it up."

"Yes, I will." The chubby boy beamed with pride.

"Tang Wulin."

Tang Wulin stepped forward, placing his hand on the device.

"Level five."

"Keep working hard, Tang Wulin."

"Yes." Tang Wulin nodded enthusiastically before leaving the stage.

As more students took the test, most hovered around level five.

"Anping."

Anping approached, placing his hand on the instrument. He felt the energy draw from his Dantian, circulating through his hand and returning.

"Level ten."

"What?"

"How's that even possible!"

"Level ten?"

The students below erupted into disbelief upon hearing Anping's grade, their eyes fixed on him on the podium.

Lin Ximeng, too, was taken aback. "Anping, I didn't expect you to hit level 10 so quickly. You're the fastest learner I've ever seen. You should apply for a free soul at the Spirit Pagoda. I'll accompany you after class."

"Thank you, teacher." Anping expressed gratitude to Lin Ximeng and returned to his seat deep in thought.

"Anping, how did you do it? Level ten so fast. Can you teach me?" Tang Wulin asked urgently in a hushed tone when Lin Ximeng stepped out.

Wan Yunchao, the chubby boy, turned around, his gaze fixed on Anping. Unable to reveal his secret, Anping replied, "There's really no special trick. Honestly, don't you have your own method? Among those who discovered the same innate spirit power, your progress is already impressive."

Disappointed with Anping's response, Tang Wulin turned away in frustration.

The chubby boy gave Tang Wulin's shoulder a reassuring pat with his pudgy hand and whispered, "Anping's right. Your progress is already impressive. Look at the other three in our class with the same innate soul as you. You're at level 5, but they've been stuck at level 4 and 5 for months."

Encouraged by the chubby boy's words, Tang Wulin began to lift his spirits. "Thank you. You're right. I'll put in more effort from now on."

When Lin Ximeng mentioned the soul, Anping pondered the matter for the first time. The wizard system seemed accommodating, not eliciting any adverse reactions with the martial spirit cultivation system; in fact, it even promoted spirit power cultivation.

On the flip side, lacking a spirit ring while possessing various abilities might make someone a target someday.

Understanding this, Anping's worries eased, and he decided to visit the Spirit Pagoda after school, checking if he could apply for a soul. If not, he'd have to consider purchasing one.

Later, when Lin Ximeng returned from her duties, she resumed the unfinished spirit power tests. After the final student completed the test, Lin Ximeng recorded the information, stored the forms, and clapped her hands, signaling the students to quiet down.

With the classroom hushed, Lin Ximeng warmly addressed, "Great effort, everyone. Keep it up. That's it for today. Make sure to be on time for classes starting officially tomorrow."

The Spirit Pagoda's Glorybound City branch stood in the city center, a short distance from Red Mountain Academy. In just ten minutes, Lin Ximeng and Anping reached the entrance of the Spirit Pagoda branch.

As Lin Ximeng and Anping entered, the wide main entrance of the Spirit Pagoda greeted them. They observed the three-story building ahead, stepped inside, and took in the internal surroundings. Other than a man in gray robes seated behind the counter facing the entrance, there was no one else around except for the spiritual master.

After all, Glorybound City was merely a small coastal town. The limited number of spirit masters in the city was evident from the enrollment in Red Mountain Academy's spirit master class. Such a place lacked dedicated establishments like the Spirit Pagoda catering specifically to spirit masters.

When the spiritual master noticed Lin Ximeng and Anping entering, he rose from his seat and addressed them, "Hello, what brings you both here?"