Only a few days after Chen Ming accepted the headmaster's proposal, an unexpected figure appeared before him.
Yu Xiaogang—who had previously looked down on Chen Ming's sub-dragon Martial Soul—now approached him with a stiff, almost forced smile. He claimed that, so long as Chen Ming was willing to assist his disciple Tang San, he would "graciously" offer some guidance on Chen Ming's Martial Soul and cultivation.
Chen Ming didn't even need to think hard to see through his true intentions.
First, Chen Ming was a defense-type Spirit Master. Yu Xiaogang clearly wanted him to serve as a front-line shield for his prized disciple, Tang San—a convenient tool to absorb damage.
This wasn't surprising. In the original story, Yu Xiaogang had already guided Xiao Wu toward a front-line role early on, effectively having her charge ahead in Tang San's place. And after entering Shrek Academy, he had consistently, both openly and subtly, built all strategies around Tang San as the core.
Second, there was Yu Xiaogang himself.
He had been stuck at level twenty-nine for decades, with no hope of breaking through in this lifetime. Chen Ming's cultivation speed, however, was abnormally fast—far beyond what should be possible for someone with only innate level-seven Spirit Power. Naturally, Yu Xiaogang wanted to study him, hoping to find a way to break his own limit.
It was true that Yu Xiaogang possessed a considerable amount of theoretical knowledge. Building a relationship with him could yield useful information. But no matter how Chen Ming looked at it—logically or emotionally—he saw no real benefit in this arrangement.
After all, Yu Xiaogang wasn't seeking a disciple. He was looking for a tool. And tools didn't need to be nurtured—only used.
Using the headmaster as his excuse, Chen Ming declined, citing that he was already under the headmaster's guidance. Yu Xiaogang's face darkened instantly, turning an ugly shade of green, but he had no grounds to argue. In the end, he could only leave behind a cold warning—"You'll regret this"—before storming off with a flick of his sleeve.
Because of this incident, although Chen Ming and Tang San were from the same village and even shared a dormitory, they treated each other as if the other didn't exist. There wasn't the slightest bit of interaction between them.
When Old Jack came to deliver supplies and learned of the situation, he was furious, muttering under his breath that Tang San was ungrateful and heartless. At the same time, he brought Chen Ming some freshly harvested wood ear mushrooms and vegetables.
Through the students he had previously subdued, Chen Ming found a reliable channel to purchase meat, eggs, and milk. Every morning, someone would leave a package at the academy gate—fresh eggs, milk, and a small portion of meat—which Chen Ming would collect and prepare himself.
Meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, staple food…
Coupled with access to more knowledge, a suitable mimic training ground, and a steadily improving cultivation method, Chen Ming's daily routine became simple and focused.
Most of his time was spent inside the mine pit specially excavated for him within the academy grounds. There, he cultivated steadily and methodically, occasionally summoning his Martial Soul and using his back and shoulders to collide with and grind against raw ore, tempering both body and soul.
He lived quietly, rarely venturing out, dedicating himself entirely to training in an environment perfectly suited to his needs.
By the end of the first year, Chen Ming's cultivation had reached level twelve. Excluding the one level gained from absorbing his Spirit Ring, he had advanced a full four levels in a single year.
During the academy break, Chen Ming invited Xiao Wu to visit Holy Soul Village. As a result, the moment that would have cemented her and Tang San as sworn siblings was quietly disrupted.
By the eighth month of the second year, Chen Ming finally reached level fifteen.
At that point, Tang San and Xiao Wu—both with innate full Spirit Power—were at level sixteen, meaning Chen Ming had nearly caught up to them entirely.
Seeing this, the headmaster felt both delighted and helpless.
Delighted, because Chen Ming's cultivation speed was astonishing—even compared to those with innate full Spirit Power, he showed no inferiority. In the future, he was bound to become a powerful figure, perhaps even reaching the legendary rank of Spirit Douluo.
Helpless, because Chen Ming was progressing too quickly. The academy wasn't ready—the necessary procedures for its promotion hadn't yet been approved. And there was no way he could delay Chen Ming's future over something like the academy's advancement.
However, since the enrollment period had already passed and the Heaven Dou Emperial Academy was no longer accepting new students at the moment, Chen Ming would still have to remain at the academy for a few more months before moving on.
When Xiao Wu learned that Chen Ming would soon be leaving Nuoding City, she couldn't hide a trace of reluctance. After several years of living and fighting alongside him, she had come to genuinely acknowledge him.
At first, she had even excitedly talked about going to the Heaven Dou Emperial Academy as well. But the moment she heard that the academy housed Spirit Douluo-level experts—and might even have Titled Douluo present—she immediately fell silent, never bringing it up again.
Tang San, on the other hand, showed a hint of excitement. To him, it meant he would finally no longer have to share space with someone he found so disagreeable.
Still, he harbored some dissatisfaction about Chen Ming's acceptance into the Heaven Dou Emperial Academy, believing that he himself was more qualified. In the end, however, Yu Xiaogang's reassurances smoothed things over, convincing him that there must be a better path planned for his future.
In the third year after awakening his Martial Soul, Chen Ming—now at level seventeen—was personally escorted by the academy's headmaster all the way to Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire.
As both the headmaster of a junior academy and a baron of the empire, the man personally wrote a recommendation letter, then spent money pulling strings to ensure it reached the admissions office of the Heaven Dou Emperial Academy as soon as it opened.
After reviewing the contents of the letter and noting the identity of the recommender, the academy's three Board of Education members frowned slightly. Following a brief discussion, they decided to send one of their recently trained young teachers—Qin Ming—to verify the situation in person.
Following the address listed in the letter, Qin Ming arrived at a modest inn outside Heaven Dou City, where he found Chen Ming and the headmaster.
"You must be Mr. Lu and Chen Ming," Qin Ming said politely. "I'm a teacher from the Heaven Dou Emperial Academy. The three board members have sent me to verify the details. Please come with me."
"Of course, of course," Headmaster Lu replied quickly. Despite being older, he spoke with noticeable deference. After all, the status of a teacher from the Emperial Academy far exceeded that of a mere junior academy headmaster.
On a flat, open field, Qin Ming took out a table and various tools from his storage soul device.
"First step—testing Spirit Power."
He gestured toward the crystal ball on the table. Chen Ming stepped forward, already familiar with the process, and infused it with his Spirit Power. The crystal immediately shone brightly.
Watching the intensity of the light, Qin Ming narrowed his eyes slightly before recording "Level 17" on the registration sheet.
Next, he instructed Chen Ming to summon his Martial Soul. Observing Chen Ming in his possessed state, Qin Ming stepped closer, examining him carefully. He even reached out to test parts of the manifestation—his tail, the armor around his shoulders—before finally writing "Confirmed" in the Martial Soul section.
After that, Chen Ming was asked to demonstrate his first soul skill. As Qin Ming observed the enhancement effects, a gentle smile appeared on his face. His pen moved swiftly across the page, marking each evaluation and registration item with approval.
In this era, the vast majority of Spirit Masters had their ranks recorded by the Spirit Hall—from Spirit Masters and Spirit Grand Masters all the way up to Titled Douluo. Nearly all official certifications came from them.
And in ninety-nine percent of cases, the Spirit Hall's records were accurate, rarely subject to later falsification.
Although Chen Ming had already submitted his Spirit Hall certification, the Heaven Dou Emperial Academy, as the empire's highest institution, maintained its own strict standards.
Especially for someone like Chen Ming—who was not of noble birth but had been recommended by one—every aspect of his background and ability was subject to even more rigorous scrutiny.
Yet his performance and talent had long since surpassed even their most exacting requirements.