Chapter 5: Knowledge
His father was gone by the time Lin Tian woke up.
Hunting for soul rings was dangerous, yet it was a necessary step every soul master must take. Lin Tian had accepted this truth, but seeing the tension in his mother's eyes made him feel helpless. She tried to maintain a calm facade, but her worried glances at the empty seat where his father usually sat gave away her anxiety.
Lin Tian approached her with a lighthearted tone, masking his own concern. "Mum, Dad will be okay. He'll come back soon and show off his new abilities, you'll see!"
His mother smiled, her expression softening as she stroked his hair. "Xiao Tian is growing up. Now you're the one cheering me up!" she said warmly. "Let's go. How about I take you to the school library today so you can pick out some books?"
His eyes lit up with genuine excitement. "Really? Thanks, Mum!"
As they walked hand in hand through the bustling school grounds, Lin Tian marveled at the energy around him. Students of all grades were scattered about, chatting and laughing as they made their way to class. The lively environment reminded him of his past life's university experience, though it held a new kind of magic here in this world.
"Good morning, Teacher Yue!" two older girls greeted his mother with bright smiles. "Is that your son? He's adorable!"
"Yes, this is my son, Lin Tian. Say hello, Xiao Tian."
Lin Tian offered a shy but polite, "Good morning, senior sisters."
The girls giggled at his innocence. "He looks just like you, Teacher! But his eyes remind me of Director Lin," said one of the girls.
"Luckily, he got his looks from me," Lin Yue joked, winking conspiratorially at the two girls who giggled at her little joke.
"Bye, Xiao Tian! See you later, Teacher!" The girls waved and hurried off.
As they walked further, his mother said, "Today, you'll stay by my side while I teach. When I have to supervise sparring classes, you can stay in the library. Sound good?"
Lin Tian nodded eagerly. "Mm, I can read for hours!"
They soon approached the imposing structure of Lanshan Intermediate Academy's library. It towered over them with its ancient, sturdy architecture. His mother's voice was full of pride as she said, "This is one of the largest collections outside of Tiandou Imperial Academy. Impressive, right?"
Lin Tian stood in awe. "The most books? That's amazing!"
His mother chuckled and gently pulled him along inside.
Just as they stepped in, a warm, aged voice greeted them. "Ah, Xiao Yue. Is this the son I've been hearing about?"
An old man with silvered hair and kind eyes sat near the entrance. Lin Tian immediately sensed that this elder was no ordinary person.
"Good morning, Elder Xin," his mother bowed slightly. "Yes, this is Lin Tian. Xiao Tian, greet Elder Xin. He's in charge of the library, and he's very powerful."
Lin Tian bowed respectfully. "Good morning, Elder."
Elder Xin studied him with a smile. "Good, good. Neither arrogant nor overly timid. You've raised him well, Yue." He reached into his robe and pulled out a small box. "Here, a gift. This is fifty-year-old ginseng, very useful for building a strong foundation."
Lin Tian's eyes widened. Ginseng was highly valued in cultivation, and while not rare, its ability to strengthen vitality and mild nature made it precious. "Thank you, Elder Xin!"
"Study hard and grow strong, young one. You may come to me with any questions you have."
His mother bowed again. "Thank you, Elder. We'll visit you later."
They walked deeper into the library, Lin Tian's excitement growing with each step. The shelves towered above him, filled with old, worn books—treasures of knowledge waiting to be uncovered.
His mother led him to the section on martial souls. "I'll have to go to class soon, but you can pick a book and I'll check it out for you."
Lin Tian's eyes sparkled. "Are there books about martial souls?"
"There are, but most of them are quite advanced. I'm not sure you'll understand them yet."
"I'll try! And if I don't get something, I can always ask you," he said, determined.
She smiled. "Alright, but handle them with care. These are precious."
Lin Tian wandered through the aisles, scanning titles like History of Soul Rings and Theories of Soul Power. He quickly realized these were beyond his current understanding. Then, something caught his eye—a book that seemed newer than the others: A Beginner's Guide to Martial Souls and Cultivation. This felt like exactly what he needed.
Just as he picked it up, his mother called out, "Xiao Tian, have you found a book yet?"
"Coming!" He ran over, book in hand.
His mother glanced at the cover and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? This book? I didn't expect to see it here so soon," she mused, a mysterious smile on her face.
"What do you mean, Mum?"
"Nothing, it's just a pleasant surprise. Let's check it out."
After checking out the book, they hurried to his mother's classroom. Lin Tian could feel the excitement buzzing in his chest—not just for the book but for what it represented. He had always loved learning, but here, in this world, it was more than just acquiring knowledge. It was a step toward understanding his path, his soul, and his future.
Intermediate Soul Master Academies offer classes revolving around practical applications. These classes include intermediate history and theory, identifying soul beasts, guided meditation, sparring, and group battles. Lin Yue's first class of the day was guided meditation. As her students settled in, Lin Tian sat at the back with his new book, but his mind was already drifting toward meditation techniques. He was fascinated by the idea of creating his own method, something no one else had done. In this world, it was believed you couldn't cultivate before your martial soul awakened. But Lin Tian, with the memories of his past life, was determined to challenge that belief.
As his mother led the class through a series of breathing techniques, Lin Tian closed his eyes and focused on his own breath. How can I refine this method? What principles from my past life's meditation could I incorporate here? His mind wandered, analyzing the techniques he had read about, combining them with fragments of what he knew from his previous world.
He knew that his path was different. He wasn't just waiting for his martial soul to awaken—he wanted to be ready before it did.
Mobilizing his mental energy, he tried to gaze at his own energy pathways.
Nothing.
There was no movement as always. However, Lin Tian was not disappointed. Apart from eating Soul Beast meat, he had never been able to mobilize his latent soul power. According to the conventional wisdom of Soul Land, there is no issue with this. But, for someone like Lin Tian whose soul is not native to these lands, he is not satisfied with being 'normal'.
Lin Tian took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He glanced at the book in front of him with renewed determination. Now is the time to gather knowledge. He needed to start from the beginning in order to build a solid foundation. With that thought in mind, he opened the book to the first page.
'Chapter 1: What is soul power'...
When the class ended, Lin Yue approached him. "Did you enjoy the book?"
He nodded. "Yes, Mum. I think this will help me understand more about the world and… maybe even how I can start meditating before my soul awakens."
His mother looked at him, surprised but impressed. "You really do take after your father. Always thinking ahead. Just remember, don't rush things. Cultivation requires patience, just as much as strength."
"I understand," Lin Tian replied, though his mind was already racing with possibilities. Knowledge, after all, was his weapon, and he was ready to wield it.
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