Chapter 32: Liejia City

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After Elder Ling left, Wang Li sat down on one of the beds. The bed was bare, with no blankets or sheets yet, but his mood was fantastic.

"Leaving Nuoding Academy early was definitely the right call," he thought. "Forget the classes for now—just having a comfortable dorm like this is so much better. It has a bathroom, a balcony, and it's spacious, with only two people sharing…"

When given the choice, who wouldn't want a more comfortable living space?

Soon after, the door opened again. Wang Sheng walked in, his face full of curiosity. Seeing Wang Li, he exclaimed, "Wang Li! You're staying in this dorm too!"

Wang Li was equally surprised. "Wang Sheng, you chose the premium package too!"

"Heh heh!" Wang Sheng scratched his head and grinned. "The academy waived some of my miscellaneous fees, and I can pay the tuition in installments. Because of you, I managed to get a hundred-year spirit ring, so I've received extra benefits in several areas."

Wang Li was pleased to hear this. Having a familiar person as a roommate was a relief—he'd be dreading it if he ended up with someone difficult to get along with.

(Note: The author would be dreading it too, as it's tedious to create new characters. Liejia Academy is mainly here for transitional purposes.)

Wang Li waved him in with a smile. "Come in! This dorm is so much better than what we had before: it has a bathroom, a balcony, and all the furniture we need—just no bedding."

"We can go out later, bring back our old blankets for now, and that should be enough. We can always buy new ones later."

Wang Sheng nodded, looking around with curiosity, checking every corner of the room. It was clear he was delighted with their new living arrangements, his face beaming with excitement.

Wang Li waited patiently. Once Wang Sheng calmed down, he asked, "Wang Sheng, do you plan to go home for the break?"

Wang Sheng paused in thought. This was the first time he'd been so far from home, but then he shook his head firmly. "No, without a teacher to take me, renting a carriage back and forth would cost a lot. It's already great that some fees were waived. I still owe tuition, so I'd better save where I can."

Wang Li wasn't surprised and, while unfolding his new uniform, said, "That's true. Let's put on our uniforms and head out. We'll locate the Spirit Hall, collect this month's stipend, and finally bring in our luggage. Then we can consider ourselves settled here."

Wang Sheng agreed, "Sounds good!"

The two quickly changed into their academy uniforms. Wearing the uniform helped them avoid many issues, especially in a large city like this one, where both soul masters and nobles were far more common than in Nuoding City.

As students of a mid-level soul master academy, they were likely to earn considerable respect, and if they needed to buy something, they might even receive a discount.

Their uniforms were impressive, highlighting their energy and spirit. The red-and-white color scheme, combined with flame-like patterns, gave them a vibrant, upward-looking appearance.

After all, the uniform represents the academy's image. It's hard to imagine any principal or teacher designing a uniform in a hideous color and still being proud of it.

They exited the dorm, heading down the stairs and out of the academy. Liejia Academy was extensive, and since the dormitory building was located deeper inside, they passed several academy facilities on their way out. These included the outdoor training grounds, where at least dozens of young men, shirtless and showing off their muscular upper bodies, were heaving stone weights or lifting dumbbells with hearty shouts.

Wang Sheng looked around with curiosity, and, knowing a bit more, Wang Li explained, "They're probably strength or power-based students training here. For soul masters who rely on physical strength, it's especially important to build up that power. Your martial soul is the Battle Tiger, and though your first soul ring is a hundred-year ring, it didn't come from a strength-type soul beast. You'll need to join them for strength training eventually."

Hearing this, Wang Sheng flexed his arm, testing his strength, then looked enviously at the boys on the training field, but he couldn't resist adding confidently, "I have the Battle Tiger martial soul and a hundred-year soul ring. With a bit of training, I'll definitely be as strong as they are, if not stronger."

Wang Li just smiled, continuing forward to another training ground. Here, a narrow bridge, iron chains, wooden stakes, and stone platforms were arranged for agility training, where students practiced footwork and balance—skills crucial for the agility attack type.

This time, both male and female students were present, with more girls than boys. Unlike the boys, the girls were more reserved, fully clothed, though their fitted attire did show off their developing figures.

Farther along were other specialized training grounds, each with students fully immersed in their practice.

Wang Li was impressed. Now, this felt like an academy, filled with the energy and upward spirit a real academy should have. The students here may not have extraordinary talent, but they were training even during the break, proving their determination. Talent wasn't the only measure of a soul master's value.

Before long, Wang Li and Wang Sheng arrived at the main field, where club recruitment was still underway. Glancing at Wang Sheng, Wang Li asked, "So, what are your plans? Any club you're interested in joining?"

Wang Sheng snapped back to attention, his face lighting up. "With my Battle Tiger martial soul, I think I'll go for the Beast Corps. What about you?"

Wang Li looked over the field briefly and replied, "Beast Corps is a good choice. I'm going to… join the Student Council."

Rumor had it that club leaders could also compete for council positions, but joining the council directly seemed like the quickest path.

Wang Sheng grinned with excitement. "Great! You'll be in the Student Council, and I'll be in the Beast Corps. We can watch out for each other!"

Wang Li didn't respond; with his talent, he didn't expect to remain at Liejia Academy all the way through to graduation.

After passing the main field, they reached the campus gate. Exiting the academy, they saw their Nuoding Academy carriage still waiting, but they didn't retrieve their belongings yet. Instead, they turned and headed toward the city.

Compared to their small hometown of Nuoding City, Liejia City was a true metropolis. Nuoding was just a small town, albeit bustling thanks to its location on the border between two nations, which attracted merchants.

But on Douluo Continent, the prosperity brought by merchants was transient; true wealth came from soul masters. Without a sufficient number and quality of soul masters, no city could truly thrive.

Liejia City was among the major cities in the whole Fasno Province, only outclassed by the provincial capital, Fasno City. Other cities were comparable in scale and prosperity at best.

In this city, Liejia Academy held a high reputation. Wang Li and Wang Sheng, wearing the academy uniform, attracted admiring glances wherever they went.

(End of Chapter)