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Divine Wind Academy.
Su Wen presented the token given to him by Huo Tianyang to Yun Fei, the Dean of Divine Wind Academy.
"So, your intention is to cultivate within Divine Wind Academy for a period of time?" Yun Fei asked, looking over the item.
"That is correct," Su Wen replied politely. "Of course, if you do not mind, I also hope to exchange pointers and interact with the elite students of your esteemed academy."
Su Wen had only arrived in Divine Wind City the previous night. Although he had engaged in two battles since his arrival, he had not yet managed to replicate a Martial Soul that suited his desires.
While copying more Martial Souls would undoubtedly increase the burden on his body, Su Wen could not simply stop replicating them just to avoid that weight. When encountering a problem, one must solve it, not merely avoid it.
"Oh?" Yun Fei was surprised by Su Wen's confidence. He actually wanted to fight the elite students of Divine Wind Academy?
"How old are you this year?"
"Fourteen."
"And your Soul Power rank?"
"Rank thirty-nine."
Upon learning Su Wen's age and rank, Yun Fei fell silent. He suddenly understood why Huo Tianyang held this young man in such high regard.
Fourteen years old, Rank thirty-nine.
Traveling the continent for training at this stage meant he might break through during his journey. Even if he didn't break through while traveling, once he settled down for secluded cultivation afterward, it wouldn't take more than half a year to cross that threshold.
By then, he would be a fourteen-year-old Soul Ancestor.
He was creating history on this continent.
"Very well. I will arrange an exchange match for you," Yun Fei nodded after a moment of contemplation, not refusing Su Wen's request for interaction.
"Dean Yun, since the primary goal is exchange, surely it won't be limited to just combat? I also hope for a mutual discussion regarding experiences in developing wind attributes," Su Wen added.
Yun Fei glanced at Su Wen. He didn't refuse, but he didn't explicitly agree either.
"If the students themselves do not mind sharing with you, then there is no objection to your mutual discussions."
Unlike Huo Tianyang, Yun Fei's treatment of Su Wen was purely transactional—he was satisfying a reasonable request out of respect for Huo Tianyang, without offering any excessive care or favor.
Su Wen didn't mind this in the slightest.
He had no deep roots or connections with Divine Wind Academy, so Yun Fei's attitude was completely understandable.
"Director Mo, I will be troubling you then."
The person responsible for arranging the exchange competition was a balding teacher who served as the Director of the Academic Affairs Office.
Having received Dean Yun Fei's instructions, Director Mo was very decisive in setting up the matches.
For Divine Wind Academy, being challenged by an external Soul Master was a good thing, especially given Su Wen's unique situation. regardless of the result, the sheer fact that Su Wen was a Rank thirty-nine Soul Master at only fourteen years of age would bring significant pressure to their elite students.
"Have you thought about what format you want the competition to take?" Director Mo asked in advance.
Su Wen's Soul Power rank was actually perfectly situated.
Currently, the students Divine Wind Academy was preparing for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament in two years had all reached the level of high-ranking Soul Elders—meaning they were all above Rank thirty-six.
Among them, the captain, Feng Xiaotian, had long since reached Rank thirty-nine. There was every hope that he would break through to Rank forty within the next few months.
Director Mo hoped that this exchange with Su Wen would bring a certain amount of pressure to Feng Xiaotian, aiding him in his breakthrough.
"Let's do 1v1. I will only use my wind attribute elemental control abilities," Su Wen proposed.
Hearing Su Wen's words, Director Mo frowned and remained silent.
He felt as though the second half of Su Wen's sentence was implying: I can defeat your academy's elites without even using my full strength.
"Since it is an exchange match, it is only natural to exchange pointers in the field where both sides excel," Su Wen added to clarify.
Only then did Director Mo nod. He then asked, "Su Wen, which Advanced Soul Master Academy are you currently studying at?"
"Heaven Dou Imperial Academy."
"Heaven Dou Imperial Academy?" Director Mo glanced at Su Wen with surprise, unable to understand why someone of Su Wen's caliber would choose to study there.
Su Wen offered no explanation, and the two of them proceeded one after the other toward the Divine Wind Academy training grounds.
After Director Mo took Su Wen away to arrange the match, Yun Fei sat alone in the Dean's office, his gaze drifting into a daze.
Fourteen years old, a Soul Ancestor.
Even a fifteen-year-old Soul Ancestor was unheard of on the continent.
Currently, Divine Wind Academy's strongest genius, Feng Xiaotian, was twenty-two years old and only Rank thirty-nine. Yet Su Wen was Rank thirty-nine at merely fourteen.
From awakening the Martial Soul at age six until now, eight years had passed. Even with Innate Full Soul Power starting at Rank ten, one would need to climb twenty-nine ranks. That averaged out to an increase of at least three and a half ranks per year.
Feng Xiaotian also possessed Innate Full Soul Power. However, he had only maintained that kind of speed during the Soul Master stage, before reaching Rank nineteen.
After becoming a Grand Soul Master, his progress slowed to at most three ranks a year, and in most cases, only two ranks per year.
Of course, part of this was due to a lack of external pressure.
"Xiaotian has been too distracted by his self-created soul skills. Perhaps Su Wen's arrival will serve as a wake-up call for him," Yun Fei thought to himself.
With Feng Xiaotian's aptitude, at twenty-two years old, even if he wasn't a high-ranking Soul Ancestor, he should at least have hopefully reached Rank forty-five.
However, his obsession with self-created soul skills had caused his Soul Power cultivation to waste away significantly.
The Training Grounds.
Director Mo gathered the seven students whom Divine Wind Academy was preparing for the upcoming Soul Master Tournament.
"Xiaotian, this is Su Wen from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. He has come to our academy for an exchange competition."
"Exchange competition?" Feng Xiaotian looked puzzled, pointing at Su Wen. "Just him alone?"
"That's right. This time, Su Wen will challenge all seven of you in turn, by himself," Director Mo nodded.
To rouse the interest of Feng Xiaotian and the others, Director Mo revealed Su Wen's details: "Do not underestimate Su Wen. He is only fourteen years old this year, but his Soul Power has already reached Rank thirty-nine."
Sure enough, upon hearing this sentence, Feng Xiaotian's careless expression vanished, replaced by a look of solemnity.
Behind Feng Xiaotian, the other team members also became serious.
Shrek Academy.
Watching six students disappear into the distance carrying baskets filled with stones on their backs, Flender turned to speak to the Grandmaster. "Xiao Gang, has there been any reply from your family?"
The Grandmaster's already stiff face seemed to stiffen even further.
He had received a reply from his father. The other party had refused to send Yu Tianheng to Shrek Academy, though they had not refused his request to help fill the remaining spots on the battle team.
"Flender, do you know Blue Tyrant Academy?" Grandmaster asked abruptly.
Flender paused, looking blank for a moment. Then, seemingly noticing the peculiarity in the name, he spoke in a joking tone, "Blue Tyrant Academy? It isn't an academy opened by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, is it?"
"En," Grandmaster grunted. His stiff features betrayed no change in expression as he continued, "If it were an academy opened by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, how would you rate it?"
"Then it should be quite good," Flender replied, speaking purely as a commentator.
The Grandmaster nodded and did not continue the topic.
He planned to reveal his cards to Flender step by step, making it easier for Flender to accept his plan. Otherwise, if he directly suggested merging the academy—into which Flender had poured a lifetime of blood and sweat—into another academy, Flender would certainly be unable to accept it.
Putting this matter aside for the moment, the Grandmaster turned his thoughts to another piece of intelligence contained within his father's letter.
(End of Chapter)