Chapter 149: Emergence of Separation Thoughts

[Heaven Dou Empire, Fasno Province, Northern Azuria City.]

[Ruine Primary Spirit Master Academy], known as one of the gateways to the exceptional powers of Douluo Continent, is home to students ranging from six to twelve years old. Influenced by the extraordinary power of martial spirits, these students exhibit a maturity beyond their years, unlike children in regular realms.

Normally, boys and girls of this age should be carefree and naive. However, here on the Douluo Continent, many have already begun to experience vague feelings towards the opposite sex.

This could be attributed to the catalyzing effect extraordinary powers have on human development.

It's similar to the renowned 'Shadow World', where children at such tender ages talk readily of love and affection.

As the sun sets and a melodious bell rings out, a stream of young scholars in various groupings emerge from the academy's main building.

In that moment, moving against the flow of students, is a figure holding a bouquet, making their way towards a girl with striking azure hair.

"Junior A Yan, would you team up with me for next month's collective spirit hunt? My father will bring his team to help me capture a century-old spirit beast from the forest!"

The speaker appears to be a youth of fifteen or sixteen. Thanks to his martial spirit, he looks more mature, but he is in fact just thirteen.

At a height of 1.78 meters, with a tall and handsome stature, his enchanting eyes exude a nearly irresistible charm.

Given his recent words about having a team capable of hunting century-old spirit beasts, his family must possess considerable resources and standing in a small city like Ruine.

In summary, just three words: tall, rich, handsome!

As he passed by, the young boys and girls around shot him peculiar looks. Many of the boys wore expressions of annoyance or anticipation, while the girls were uniformly envious.

After all, this newcomer used to be the star of their Luoyin Junior Spirit Master Academy.

Xie Wendong, Martial Spirit: Black-Banded Bamboo, Level 20, a one-ring spirit master.

Four years ago, he had already become a one-ring spirit master and graduated early from Luoyin Junior Spirit Master Academy. Now, he is attending an intermediate spirit master academy in a city a hundred miles away.

Five or six years ago, when A Yin first enrolled at Luoyin Junior Spirit Master Academy and saw this beautiful girl with delicate features and fair skin, the entire academy's boys were captivated.

Over the years, many boys at the academy expressed their affections, but without exception, they were all vehemently rejected by A Yin.

But this time, facing such an outstanding Xie Wendong, would A Yin still refuse?

After all, the allure of a century ring is hard to resist!

The result was evident.

"Thank you, but no thank you—"

A Yin's dewy red lips parted slightly, her white teeth just visible as she politely yet distantly spoke her refusal, without the slightest hint of hesitation.

Listening to A Yin's crisp rejection, newer students showed surprise, while those who had been at the academy as long as she had wore expressions of knowing expectancy.

Xie Wendong was not surprised either; he had heard that when A Yin entered the academy five or six years ago, she was already a Spirit Master with a century spirit ring—the first in a hundred years!

Imagine, at six years old, a Spirit Master with a century spirit ring!

These facts combined suggested that not only was A Yin's innate spirit power exceptionally high, but also that she had strong backing.

But!

Xie Wendong thought of how, all these years, no one had ever visited A Yin at the academy, and how her martial soul was the infamous "Blue Silver Grass," known to be a waste spirit. His confidence surged anew.

After all, with a century spirit ring, it wasn't impossible that A Yin had merely taken advantage of some flaw in a plant-type century spirit beast—perhaps it couldn't move and one good fire was all it took to deal with it.

Over the years, Spirit Masters on the Douluo Continent had indeed employed such tactics. However, the empire and Spirit Hall strictly prohibited such methods, partly to avoid infuriating numerous spirit beasts in the forests and risking a beast tide.

"If you follow the teachers from the academy, your second spirit ring might not have the luck of your first; most likely, you'd end up with a ten-year white spirit ring..."

Based on Xie Wendong's information, ever since A Yin arrived at the Luoyin Junior Spirit Master Academy, she had never participated in a group hunt for spirit rings.

Clearly, the "Blue Silver Grass" martial soul, despite its seemingly useless nature, allowed her to become a one-ring Soul Master at the age of six due to her high innate soul power. However, over the next five to six years, she probably hasn't broken through to level twenty.

From what Xie Wendong learned, during a recent sparring session with her classmates, A Yin still only possessed the same yellow hundred-year soul ring from when she first enrolled.

But according to the academy's teachers, A Yin's soul power should have reached level twenty.

After observing A Yin's few performances, the teachers at the Great Soul Master and Soul Elder level made this judgment.

This led to Xie Wendong approaching her, ostensibly to propose forming a team, but in reality, to try to gain an advantage and showcase his own excellence.

"Thanks for the offer, senior," A Yin responded with a calm expression as she declined once again.

Hearing her words, Xie Wendong grew anxious, exclaiming, "But...!"

However, before he could finish, A Yin extended her right hand forward, palm facing the sky.

In the next moment, a striking blue grass with golden veins appeared in her palm.

Yet, everyone's eyes were fixed not on the beautiful, strangely-shaped plant, but on the ground under A Yin's feet.

There, two bright yellow rings silently orbited, shimmering softly.

In the quiet scene beneath the teaching building, A Yin ignored Xie Wendong, retracting her martial soul and soul rings. Holding several books, she moved gracefully out of the crowd.

After a long silence, someone in the crowd finally broke the silence, stammering, "G-g-g-g-g...grandmaster soul master??!"

Meanwhile, on the other side, A Yin hurried back to the dormitory where her roommates had yet to return.

Sweeping her gaze over the closed door and windows, she once again summoned her martial soul, with two yellow soul rings still circling her feet.

Suddenly!

A blue hue flashed by, and A Yin's second soul ring flickered, its color deepening instantly.

At the same time, another soul ring gradually appeared outside her two existing rings, transforming from transparent to white, then yellow, finally becoming a dazzling purple.

Her eyes, as bright as a starry sky, reflected the three rings—two yellow and one purple. A slight frown creased A Yin's brow as she thought to herself:

'Back then, not understanding the situation in the human world, I appeared directly with a century-old soul ring. Had I known, I would have used the power of domains to disguise the first soul ring's color, presenting it as a ten-year white soul ring. It would have been far less attention-grabbing.'

'Even though the third soul ring hasn't been revealed, exposing the second ring today still poses some risks.'

'Besides, I've reached the graduation age at the Junior Soul Master Academy now, so I can't stay here any longer.'

(End of Chapter)