Option Two: Immediately apply to skip grades after returning to the academy. After returning, follow the standard procedures to advance directly to the Elite Class, challenge the Elite Class monitor (the recognized strongest student), become the strongest student in Spirit Hall Academy, and obtain the qualification to participate in next year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.
Reward: Charizard X Mega Stone (A Key Stone is still required to complete Mega Evolution).
Option Three: Stay home and continue cultivating under the guidance of Golden Crocodile Douluo.
Reward: One rank of soul power.
Yin Zhang skimmed through the options. When his eyes landed on the reward for the second option, they widened instantly.
"Is that… a Mega Stone?"
Even though there was a note in parentheses stating that a Key Stone was still missing, the Charizard X Mega Stone was still something he had dreamed of!
Everyone knew that Mega Evolution in the Pokémon world was practically a leap in life. After Mega Evolving, not only would overall strength increase dramatically, but even traits and attributes would undergo major changes.
Yin Zhang did a quick calculation. If he could Mega Evolve, the sudden surge in power might allow his soul power to leap directly to the Soul Ancestor level.
Especially Mega Charizard X. Unlike Mega Charizard Y, it was a form specialized for close-quarters combat. In this state, claw-type soul skills were greatly enhanced, and the visceral feeling of fists and claws colliding was exactly what Yin Zhang loved most.
Of course, the most important point was the massive enhancement Mega Evolution would bring to both his martial soul and himself.
After giving the third option only a cursory glance, Yin Zhang no longer hesitated.
"I choose Option Two!"
[Congratulations to the host for making a successful selection. The reward, Charizard X Mega Stone, has been stored in the warehouse. You may click to view personal attributes.]
Yin Zhang immediately clicked to view his attributes.
[Host]: Yin Zhang
[Age]: 10
[Martial Soul]: Charizard
[Soul Power]: Rank 33
[Soul Rings]: Purple, Purple, Purple
[Soul Skills]: Dragon Claw, Double Team, Azure Flame Shield (soul ring), Flamethrower, Fire Dragon Evasion Kill (soul ring), Dragon Tail, Crimson Flame Roar (soul ring)
[Soul Bone]: None
[Items]: Charcoal (Amplification), Holy Grail (Equipped)
[Warehouse]: Soul Bone Age Promotion Card (500 years), Charizard X Mega Stone
Click to view Charizard X Mega Stone.
[Charizard X Mega Stone]: One of the Mega Evolution items from the Pokémon world. An indispensable item for Charizard to complete Mega Evolution. Once a Key Stone is obtained, you will gain a brand-new Charizard.
Yin Zhang clicked to retrieve the Charizard X Mega Stone. In the next instant, a small round stone with strange spiral patterns inside appeared in his palm.
"So this is the Charizard X Mega Stone? It looks pretty ordinary—but that doesn't matter. Haha."
Yin Zhang summoned his Charizard martial soul. The moment it appeared, he felt an intense longing radiating from it toward the stone in his hand.
Holding the Mega Stone, Yin Zhang slowly brought it closer to Charizard.
The instant they made contact, the Charizard X Mega Stone merged directly into its body.
[Items]: Charcoal (Amplification), Holy Grail (Equipped), Charizard X Mega Stone (Equipped)
Early the next morning, Yin Zhang left the courtyard, bought a few steamed buns from a street stall, and ate as he walked. He arrived at Spirit Hall Academy just before seven.
After entering the academy, he headed straight for Qiangu Yuan's office.
Knock, knock—
"Uncle Qiangu, it's me, Yin Zhang! Open up."
Inside the office, Qiangu Yuan took a small sip of tea before speaking.
"Come in. Why did you come looking for me the moment you returned to the academy, kid? Aren't you going to go check on your little girlfriend?"
Clatter—
Yin Zhang froze as he pushed the door open. "Little girlfriend? Where would I get a girlfriend?"
Qiangu Yuan glanced at him with a strange expression.
"I didn't expect you to be this kind of person. She's only an eight-year-old girl, and you already made a move on her."
Only then did Yin Zhang realize he was talking about Nana.
He smiled helplessly. "Uncle Qiangu, you're misunderstanding things. Nana is just a friend. I treat her like a little sister."
As he spoke, he walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"You're already calling her Nana, and you still say you haven't made a move?" Qiangu Yuan said, amusement flashing in his eyes.
Yin Zhang waved his hand, clearly giving up on explaining.
Qiangu Yuan coughed lightly. "So, what brings you here? Want to be promoted to Advanced Class One?"
Yin Zhang shook his head. "No, Uncle Qiangu. I came to discuss entering the Elite Class directly."
"Enter the Elite Class directly? Are you joking?!"
Qiangu Yuan nearly spat out his tea as he choked.
"I'm serious," Yin Zhang said calmly. "Although my soul power is only Rank 33, my actual combat strength has already reached the standard of the Elite Class. The requirement to enter the Elite Class is nothing more than having soul power at the Soul Ancestor level."
"Why not pick a powerful Soul Ancestor? If I defeat them, I enter the Elite Class. How about it?"
Yin Zhang casually glanced at the tea pet on Qiangu Yuan's desk, finding it rather interesting.
"A powerful Soul Ancestor… It's not impossible," Qiangu Yuan said slowly. "But there's never been precedent for this. Even though I'm the vice dean of Spirit Hall Academy, I'm still not the final authority. This matter needs to be discussed with the dean."
He swallowed another mouthful of tea and replaced the lid.
"However, you can rest assured. The dean is also from our Hall of Worship faction. His strength is at Rank 89, a Soul Douluo, only one step away from becoming a Titled Douluo."
"So when you meet him later, mind your attitude. Don't act arrogant just because you're a disciple of the Second Consecrator, and don't show disrespect to an 89th-rank Soul Douluo."
Yin Zhang waved his hand indifferently. "Don't worry, Uncle Qiangu. I'm not that foolish. I'll still be relying on you in Spirit Hall in the future. I'm not the type to shout for my teacher every time I run into trouble."
Of course, if it's something I really can't handle, I'll still call for my teacher.
"By the way, Uncle Qiangu," Yin Zhang continued, straightening up, "can you tell me about the situation in the Elite Class? As vice dean, you should know it well."
Qiangu Yuan nodded.
"Spirit Hall Academy has three Elite Class groups in total."
"Three?" Yin Zhang was slightly surprised. "That many?"
At the very least, everyone in those classes would be Soul Ancestors. Compared to ordinary academies, this was on a completely different level. Was this the true strength of Spirit Hall?
"Hah. You can't compare the Elite Class to the Elementary, Intermediate, or Advanced Classes," Qiangu Yuan said. "Three classes, but only a little over forty students in total."
"Among them, Elite Class One is the pride of Spirit Hall Academy…"