Seeing that Dean Zhang did not recognize him, Yin Zhang smiled and said calmly,
"Dean Zhang, seven years ago, I was a student here. My name is Yin Zhang. Do you still remember me?"
Dean Zhang froze for a moment, then suddenly recalled it.
"So it's you, Yin Zhang! Seven years already, and you've actually come back!"
He looked Yin Zhang up and down. Over 1.9 meters tall, handsome, and standing beside him was a young woman with an equally outstanding temperament. The two of them together were the very picture of success.
Yin Zhang smiled faintly.
"Dean Zhang, won't you invite us in for a bit? I haven't been back in years, and I really miss the academy."
Dean Zhang burst out laughing, already beginning to speculate about Yin Zhang's current spirit power.
Seven years ago, Yin Zhang's spirit power had already exceeded Rank 10. After absorbing his first spirit ring, it had jumped straight to Rank 35. At that pace, after seven years, shouldn't he already be a Spirit Elder?
Going from a Spirit Master to a Spirit Elder in seven years—just thinking about it made Dean Zhang feel envious.
"Of course, of course! Xiao Zhang, come in quickly. Standing around at the academy gate like this doesn't look right."
Dean Zhang led Yin Zhang and Hu Liena into the academy grounds. It was class time, and unlike the lively scenes Yin Zhang vaguely remembered, there were no students playing around.
Dean Zhang chuckled, as if reading Yin Zhang's thoughts.
"It's study time right now. Everyone's in class, so it's naturally quieter."
Yin Zhang laughed and asked casually,
"Dean Zhang, after seven years, has Nuoding Academy changed much?"
Dean Zhang nodded slightly.
"Not really. The only major change is that last year we welcomed two new genius students. Like you, they both have Innate Full Soul Power, and coincidentally, they're both working students."
Yin Zhang listened quietly.
"One of them is called Tang San," Dean Zhang continued. "He's also from Saint Spirit Village, just like you. I'm starting to wonder—does Saint Spirit Village have something special about it? Two Spirit Masters in a row, both with Innate Full Soul Power."
He smiled and added,
"Do you want to go meet him? You left when you were seven, so you probably don't know each other yet."
Yin Zhang smiled faintly. He truly hadn't met Tang San.
During his first vacation, when he had returned to Saint Spirit Village for two months, he had actually passed by his own house three times without entering—entirely because of a system choice.
Now that he thought about it, it had been unnecessary.
Tang San was only seven years old. He had awakened his Spirit at six, and after absorbing a spirit ring, his spirit power had reached Rank 13. A year later, it was probably around Rank 16.
Yin Zhang couldn't help but smile bitterly. A year had passed, and Tang San had already been studying at Nuoding Academy that whole time. That meant Tang Hao must have left Saint Spirit Village long ago.
He had overlooked that detail back then.
Looking at Dean Zhang, Yin Zhang said,
"Then please take me to see him. The old teaching buildings are already blurry in my memory."
As they walked, Hu Liena stayed on Yin Zhang's left, quietly listening, hoping to learn more about his childhood through their conversation.
Dean Zhang smiled.
"I still remember when you first came to the academy with Hall Master Ma. You even met Xiaogang back then. Xiao Zhang, after seven years, how do you feel about Xiaogang now?"
Yin Zhang laughed lightly. He knew Dean Zhang was testing his attitude toward Yu Xiaogang.
He did not hide his disdain.
"Yu Xiaogang? Heh. He's no different from seven years ago. If anything, I look down on him even more."
Dean Zhang laughed awkwardly and quickly changed the subject.
"Then tell me, Xiao Zhang. Seven years ago, you were only around Rank 10. How has your cultivation in Spirit Hall been these past years?"
Yin Zhang stopped walking, turned to look at him, and laughed heartily.
I've been waiting for you to ask.
Coming back in glory and showing off to acquaintances—wasn't that what most people wanted?
He said plainly,
"In these seven years, I've had some small gains. I'm now a Rank 66 attack-system Spirit Emperor."
"A Rank 66 Spirit Emperor?!"
Dean Zhang was completely stunned.
From a Spirit Master to a Spirit Emperor in seven years? That was a leap across four major realms!
Even swallowing pills nonstop wouldn't give results like that.
Seeing his disbelief, both Yin Zhang and Hu Liena smiled. Yin Zhang stepped forward and summoned his martial soul.
"Spirit Charizard—possess!"
A terrifying dragon might surged out from his body. Dean Zhang, caught unprepared, staggered slightly under the pressure.
Beneath Yin Zhang, six spirit rings slowly rose—each one pitch-black.
Six ten-thousand-year spirit rings!
Dean Zhang was utterly dumbfounded.
You're serious?!
The last two being ten-thousand-year rings was one thing, but why were the first four also pitch-black?
He clearly remembered Yin Zhang's first spirit ring being only a yellow hundred-year ring!
Was this some kind of illusion? A trick?
Yet the overwhelming pressure radiating from those six black rings left no room for doubt.
Fine. Fine. You win.
With your first six spirit rings already at ten-thousand-year level, what were you planning for your seventh—just casually grab a hundred-thousand-year one?
At that moment, a translucent system panel appeared before Yin Zhang.
[Over the past seven years, Yu Xiaogang has harbored deep hostility toward the host. In his communications with Bibi Dong, he has repeatedly and covertly suggested that she target the host.]
[If not for the host taking Golden Crocodile as his teacher, the situation would have escalated further. Even so, it caused a prolonged bottleneck in the relationship between the host and Hu Liena.]
[System detected a triggered choice.]
[Option One: Personally meet Yu Xiaogang and use the Martial Soul Plunder Card, letting him know that it was the host who stripped him of his martial soul, condemning him to a lifetime of regret and despair.]
[Reward: Level-One Spirit Power Enhancement Card ×1]
[Option Two: Do not meet Yu Xiaogang. Directly use the Martial Soul Plunder Card to plunder his martial soul, letting him experience what it truly means to be trash.]
[Reward: Level-One Spirit Power Enhancement Card ×1]
[Option Three: …]
Yin Zhang didn't hesitate for even a second.
He chose the second option.