Chapter 30 The only male student, the "ascetic" male god of Tianshui Academ
Tian Dou City, the imperial center of the Tian Dou Empire, is a place of unparalleled prosperity.
This enormous city is like a colossal beast coiled on the plains, swallowing up people and wealth from all corners of the continent. For the five-person team who had just escaped from the bitter cold of the far north, the hustle and bustle and warmth here were like two completely different worlds.
The "borrowed" luxury carriage slowly drove into the city gate. Although the carriage was covered in mud from the long journey, the royal insignia of the Barak Kingdom still prevented the city guards from stopping it, and it passed through with a green light all the way.
"Wow! Is this Tiandou City? It's so much bigger than Beijing City!" Leng Qianqian exclaimed, clinging to the car window like a little girl who had never seen the world before.
Hu Yanli huddled in the driver's seat, looking at the bustling crowd around him, a hint of nervousness on his honest face: "Boss, are we really going to that... Tianshui Academy? I heard they only recruit women. With my size, I'll probably get beaten to death if I sneak in, right?"
Inside the carriage, Ye Feng was resting with his eyes closed, toying with a part of the Thousand Chance Umbrella in his hand. Hearing this, he smiled faintly: "What are you afraid of? We're going to 'borrow a place to study,' not to participate in a beauty pageant. Besides, with Teacher Mingyue here, who would dare to touch you?"
Mingyue sat upright in the main seat. After resting for a long time, her injuries had healed, and her soul power even showed signs of breaking through to level sixty-four. She glanced at Ye Feng, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes: "You sure know how to cause me trouble. Tianshui Academy does have an ironclad rule of 'not accepting male students,' even royal children are no exception."
"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible." Ye Feng opened his eyes, his gaze deep. "In this world, there is only one thing that can break all the rules—that is absolute strength."
...
The main gate of Tianshui Academy's Tiandou City branch.
As one of the five major elemental academies, Tianshui Academy primarily trains ice and water attribute soul masters and has always been known for its abundance of beautiful women. It was currently the enrollment season, and the school gate was bustling with activity; the uniform blue and white school uniforms created a striking scene on the street.
However, this beautiful scene was soon shattered.
Five people with peculiar appearances stood at the school gate. A giant like an iron tower (Hu Yanli), a cool-looking boy holding a broken sword (Ye Shaotian), a handsome but lazy-looking boy in black (Ye Feng), and two stunningly beautiful girls.
"Halt! This is Tianshui College. Men are not permitted to enter!"
The female trainees guarding the gate immediately stepped forward. Although they were somewhat intimidated by Hu Yanli's size, they still dutifully blocked his path.
"We're here to apply for jobs and enroll in school." Mingyue stepped forward without saying much, but the spirit rings beneath her feet suddenly lit up.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black. Six perfectly matched spirit rings erupted with dazzling light at the entrance of Tianshui Academy. The icy pressure of a Spirit Emperor level instantly lowered the surrounding temperature to freezing point.
"A six...six-ring Soul Emperor?!" The female student guarding the gate turned pale.
In the academy, a Soul Emperor-level expert would be more than qualified to be a vice dean!
A moment later, a dean of students from Tianshui Academy rushed over. He was a Soul King in his fifties, and upon seeing Mingyue, his attitude immediately became extremely respectful.
"May I ask your esteemed name? What brings you to my Tianshui Academy?"
"Mingyue. Level 63 Power Attack Type Battle Soul Emperor." Mingyue put away her soul rings and pointed to the four people behind her. "I want to be a teacher at your academy. There is only one condition—these four children must be my personal disciples and enroll in Tianshui Academy."
"This..." The dean of students glanced at Ye Feng and the other two, looking troubled. "That little girl (Leng Qianqian) is naturally fine, but these three... are male. Tianshui Academy has never had a precedent of admitting male students since its establishment."
"That was before," Mingyue said coldly. "Now, I am that precedent. If you don't accept them, then I will have no choice but to take them to the Thunder Academy or the Divine Wind Academy next door. I think, with my Soul Emperor strength, plus these few gifted children, they should be very happy to accept."
This is a blatant, calculated scheme. A wild, high-level Soul Emperor offering himself up as a teacher is an irresistible temptation for any academy. Moreover, Mingyue looks so young, and may even have the potential to reach the Soul Douluo level in the future!
The head of the teaching department gritted his teeth and finally made a decision: "Please wait a moment, I will consult with the dean. However... even if they are admitted exceptionally, they cannot live in the girls' dormitory area, but can only live in the back hill's servants' quarters... oh no, in this separate courtyard."
"Deal." Ye Feng snapped his fingers from behind.
...
A few years later.
Time flies, like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall.
The back hill of Tianshui College, which was originally a desolate and isolated courtyard, has now been transformed into a secret base full of "mechanical punk" style.
"when--!"
A crisp clang of metal striking metal rang out.
Ten-year-old Ye Feng, shirtless, revealed well-defined, yet not exaggerated, muscles. He held a heavy hammer in his hand, hammering a piece of red-hot metal. Sweat streamed down his angular face, glistening in the sunlight.
A few years is enough time for a naive child to grow into a dashing young man.
Ye Feng's height had grown to 1.6 meters, and his features had lost their baby fat, becoming deep and three-dimensional. Especially his eyes, which seemed to hold the stars and the sea, captivating anyone who looked into them.
"Brother Feng! Brother Feng! Something terrible has happened!"
Ye Shaotian rushed into the courtyard, carrying a stack of pink envelopes. By now, his Ice Rain Sword had been reforged, its blade gleaming with a chilling blue light, making him appear even sharper.
"What's wrong now?" Ye Feng threw the forged parts into a bucket of cold water, making a "sizzle" sound.
"Love letters! This is the third batch I've received today!" Ye Shaotian exclaimed in despair. "Several substitutes from Shui Bing'er's team, as well as younger female students, and even female students from the neighboring Shenfeng Academy who came for an exchange program, have all written to you. They're too afraid to go into the back mountain, so they all blocked the entrance and stuffed them into my hands!"
Hu Yanli, who was sitting on the ground gnawing on a roast chicken, chuckled and said, "Hehe, who can blame him when the old man is so handsome and strong? What's he called again? Oh right, 'Tianshui God'!"
Over the past three years, Ye Feng and his two "specially admitted" students have completely shattered the tranquility of Tianshui College.
Initially, all the female students were hostile towards the three boys, believing them to be hooligans who had gotten in through connections. However, Hu Yanli quickly became the female students' favorite sparring partner and transporter, thanks to his seemingly impenetrable defense, earning him the title of "Tianshui's Strongest Best Friend (Male)." Ye Shaotian, on the other hand, won over a group of female fans with his sharp swordsmanship and cool personality.
As for Ye Feng... he is a prodigy.
Not only did he achieve astonishing speed in cultivating soul power, but he also surpassed all the teachers in theoretical knowledge. His proposed "soul power control micro-management" and "martial soul mimicry theory" greatly benefited countless female students who were stuck at a bottleneck. Coupled with his ever-changing Thousand Chance Umbrella and his handsome face that made people's legs tremble, he became the recognized "school heartthrob" and "male god" of Tianshui Academy in just one year.
"Burn them all." Ye Feng wiped his sweat and put on his shirt. "Women will only slow me down when I pull out the umbrella."
"You dare try burning it!"
A delicate shout rang out. Leng Qianqian leaped down from the wall like a nimble black cat.
Now, Leng Qianqian has grown into a graceful young woman. Her black, tight-fitting leather outfit accentuates her emerging curves, and her cat ears tremble slightly, making her appear both wild and adorable.
She snatched the letter from Ye Shaotian's hand, glaring angrily at Ye Feng: "This is all evidence! I'm going to give it to Teacher Mingyue and accuse you of 'attracting other women'!"
"Miss, can't you be reasonable? The bees and butterflies flew over on their own." Ye Feng helplessly spread his hands.
"Hmph! Anyway, you're not allowed to look!" Leng Qianqian directly released her soul power, shattering the letters into pieces, and then arrogantly raised her chin. "Teacher Mingyue wants to call you over, saying she wants to check your soul power."
When serious matters were mentioned, Ye Feng put away his playful smile.
"knew."
...
Dean's Office (now Mingyue's private office).
Mingyue, dressed in a well-tailored blue teacher's robe, stood by the window gazing at the lake view. Three years of stable life had not dulled her spirit; instead, it had imbued her with the composure and authority of someone in a position of power.
She is now a level 67 Soul Emperor, and is undoubtedly a powerful figure in Tianshui Academy.
"Teacher, you wanted to see me?" Ye Feng pushed open the door and entered.
Mingyue turned around, her gaze falling on Ye Feng, her eyes softening instantly.
"Hands out."
Ye Feng obediently extended his right hand.
Mingyue placed her hand on his pulse, carefully sensing the fluctuations of his soul power. After a moment, she withdrew her hand, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Peak level 30...and your soul power has been compressed to the extreme, and it's even starting to show signs of liquefaction." Mingyue sighed. "Ye Feng, your cultivation speed is simply frightening. An ordinary person reaching level 20 at the age of ten is considered a genius, but you're already level 30."
Yes, a ten-year-old Soul Master at level 30 (without any Soul Rings attached). This is an extremely rare occurrence in the entire history of Douluo Continent.
"It's all thanks to the teacher's excellent guidance," Ye Feng flattered.
"Stop being so glib." Mingyue rolled her eyes at him. "But I called you here today not to praise you, but to give you a reality check."
She looked at Ye Feng seriously: "You've broken through to level 30 for a month now, but I haven't taken you to hunt for spirit rings. Do you know why?"
"Because of my foundation." Ye Feng's smile faded, and he answered seriously, "My soul power has increased too quickly. Although my body has been tempered by the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella, the resilience of my meridians cannot keep up with the surge in soul power. If I rush to absorb the third soul ring now, especially if I want to absorb the transcendent soul ring, I may explode and die."
"It's good that you understand." Mingyue nodded with relief. "Moreover, your temperament needs to mature. You've been praised too much in the academy these past three years. Too much rigidity leads to breakage; you need to learn to 'hide your edge'."
"Therefore, my decision is—to suppress."
Mingyue held up one finger: "One year. During this year, I will not allow you to hunt for spirit rings, nor will I allow you to deliberately cultivate your spirit power. You must put all your energy into honing your physique, practicing the control skills of the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella, and learning theoretical knowledge."
"I want you to solidify your foundation to be as solid as the earth at the level 30 mark. Only in this way will you have a chance of survival when you absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring at this age."
A ten-thousand-year spirit ring. Absorbing a ten-thousand-year spirit ring as the fourth is already astonishing, but Ye Feng's goal is to challenge a ten-thousand-year spirit beast with his third spirit ring! Or perhaps a top-tier thousand-year spirit beast that is extremely close to ten thousand years old!
"A year..." Ye Feng clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him. "Okay, I'll listen to you, teacher."
"That's right." Mingyue stepped forward, instinctively wanting to pat Ye Feng's head, only to find that Ye Feng was already almost as tall as her. Her hand froze in mid-air, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Ye Feng lowered his head and let her hand rub against his head.
"In front of the teacher, I will always be the student who needs protection," Ye Feng said softly, his tone carrying a hint of intimacy that only the two of them understood.
Mingyue's cheeks flushed slightly as she glared at him. "You have no manners. Go back now. This year, I'll give you grueling training. Don't come crying and begging for mercy."
"I couldn't have gotten it."
...
One year later.
That year, a strange thing happened at Tianshui College.
Ye Feng, the once-unrivaled "male god," suddenly became low-key. He no longer appeared frequently at the martial arts arena, no longer displayed those amazing soul skills, and even his soul power level seemed to have stagnated.
Some say he has run out of creative ideas, while others say he has hit a bottleneck.
But only true experts could see that Ye Feng had changed.
He used to be like a drawn sword, its sharpness fully revealed. Now, he's like a hidden blade concealed under an umbrella, unfathomable.
He would sit in the library for a whole day, reading a vast amount of ancient books about martial spirits and spirit beasts; he would stand for two hours under the waterfall in the back mountain, letting the rapids wash over his body, practicing the "blocking" and "force deflection" techniques of the Thousand Chance Umbrella.
His muscles were no longer conspicuous, but they contained an even more terrifying explosive power. His eyes were no longer sharp, but gentle and unfathomable.
It was a clear autumn morning.
The path behind the mountain was covered with fallen leaves.
Ye Feng stood in the courtyard, the Thousand Chance Umbrella in his hand maintaining its most ordinary umbrella form.
"call..."
He exhaled a long breath, which condensed into a white line in the air and lingered for a long time.
"I've been stuck at level 30 for a year. Right now, I feel like there's a volcano inside me, ready to erupt at any moment."
Ye Feng gripped the umbrella handle tightly.
"Click".
With a soft sound, the Thousand-Machine Umbrella seemed to sense its master's intention and emitted a pleasant humming sound.
The courtyard gate was pushed open.
Mingyue, dressed in a smart outfit, walked in. Looking at the composed young man standing among the fallen leaves, her eyes were full of admiration.
Are you ready?
"Always be prepared." Ye Feng turned around, a gentle breeze lifting the hem of his clothes, revealing three strange metal magazines hanging at his waist.
"You've had a tough year." Mingyue walked up to him. "Now, both your physical strength and mental power have reached the perfect state for absorbing the third spirit ring."
"And…" Mingyue paused, "I've also found the perfect target for you."
"Oh? What kind of soul beast is it?" Ye Feng asked curiously.
"Sunset Forest, a cub of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear with seven thousand years of cultivation, or a Phantom Mantis with spatial attributes." Mingyue's eyes gleamed with ambition. "Since we've suppressed it for a year, let's go big. Ye Feng, I'm going to take you to challenge... to absorb energy beyond your level!"
"Seven thousand years..." Ye Feng's lips curled into a fanatical smile.
The normal limit for a third spirit ring is around 1,700 years. 7,000 years—that's the limit for a fourth spirit ring!
"That suits me perfectly."
Ye Feng slung the Thousand Chance Umbrella over his back and looked at Hu Yanli, Ye Shaotian, and Leng Qianqian, who were already fully prepared.
"All-star team, assemble!"
"Yes, Captain!"
After a year's hiatus, this team, which had been silent for so long, has finally shown its fangs again.
Target: Sunset Forest! To obtain the third spirit ring!