Chapter Eleven: The First Character From the Original Novel

With that over-the-shoulder throw, Xiao Yu channeled his soul power, applying thirty percent more force than usual. Zhu Wang was tossed so hard he was left completely dazed and disoriented. Before he could even react, Xiao Yu sent him flying off the Dueling Platform with a swift kick.

Having dealt with Zhu Wang, Xiao Yu descended the platform at a measured pace. Yao Yi and the others, who had been so arrogant just moments before, now scattered like plague-avoiding rats, desperately keeping their distance from him.

Xiao Yu’s expression remained indifferent and impassive as he swept his gaze over them. He left behind only a terse warning: “Don’t mess with me,” before striding off.

In the Elite Class Two, students whose soul power had surpassed level twenty could move up to Class One or even apply for graduation directly. Thus, Zhu Wang, at level nineteen, and Chang Hao, at level eighteen, were already among the top of their class. After news spread that both had been defeated by Xiao Yu, no one in Class Two dared provoke him again.

This suited Xiao Yu perfectly. With no one to disturb him, he found peace—spending his free time during the day either in class or deep in meditation and cultivation. At first, he would watch others battle on the Dueling Platform, but soon realized the children of these primary soul master academies were unremarkable, and he stopped going altogether.

Days slipped by in this quiet routine, and Xiao Yu gradually grew accustomed to the academy life.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. On this day, as usual, Xiao Yu entered the classroom, took his habitual seat by the window, closed his eyes, and waited for the teacher to arrive.

“Did you hear? We’re getting another new student today.”

“Oh? Did one of the younger kids break through level ten?”

“No,” someone replied, sneaking a glance at Xiao Yu before continuing, “It’s a brand new student, just admitted, and like Xiao Yu, the headmaster gave a special exemption for him to join our class directly.”

“I heard this new classmate is only six—just awakened his martial soul.”

“Six? Could he be innately full of soul power?”

“Not quite, but his innate soul power should be high. He’s certain to break through to level ten before the term ends. Plus, it seems his family has some connections, so the headmaster allowed him to join our class early.”

So, it was a case of connections!

Xiao Yu’s initial curiosity about the new classmate waned instantly. He tuned out the chattering around him and began pondering his own future path.

Unconsciously, two years had already passed since he came to this world. Judging by the timeline, Qian Renxue should have already replaced Xue Qinghe, and the Spirit Hall’s usurpation plan had officially begun. As for Bibi Dong’s Rakshasa God trials, who could say how far she’d progressed? That woman, twisted by the Rakshasa God’s will and the secret chamber incident, had developed a severe antisocial personality, bent on dragging the entire Douluo Star towards destruction. If only he could find some way to hinder her, perhaps Xiao Yu could buy himself the critical time he so desperately needed.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

As Xiao Yu was lost in thought, a timid voice sounded beside him.

He opened his eyes and looked up, only to see a delicate, pretty little girl standing before him. She was dressed in black, with long silver-blue hair flowing down her back. Her deep blue eyes glanced at Xiao Yu, then shyly darted away.

“There are plenty of open seats up front,” Xiao Yu remarked, glancing at the many empty double rows ahead, before turning back to her.

“I… I just prefer sitting by the window,” the girl replied, lowering her head and speaking in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s.

Xiao Yu understood instantly. She was a textbook example of social anxiety—just like him, she’d chosen this quiet, inconspicuous spot by the window in the back to avoid being disturbed.

“If… if it’s inconvenient, I… I’ll find another seat,” she stammered, starting to turn away.

“No need,” Xiao Yu said, rising and moving aside with a gentlemanly air. “It’s quieter inside; I’ll take the outer seat.”

After all, this girl was clearly the shy type; he didn’t have to worry about her being a nuisance. He could afford to be gracious.

“Th-thank you,” she murmured gratefully, quickly slipping past Xiao Yu and settling into the inner seat.

Thus, the two sat quietly side by side, each minding their own business, until the teacher arrived.

“Class, we have a new student joining us today,” the teacher announced, turning to the anxious girl beside Xiao Yu with a gentle smile. “Leng Leng, why don’t you introduce yourself?”

The girl, upon hearing her name, took a deep breath as if to muster courage, then stood and spoke softly, “H-hello, everyone. I… I’m Ye Lingling. I’m six years old, and my martial soul is Nine-Hearted Begonia.”

Nine-Hearted Begonia? Ye Lingling!

At her words, Xiao Yu couldn’t help but turn to look at the girl beside him. In all his time in this world—over two years now—this was the first time he had encountered a character from the original story.

Though the novel gave Ye Lingling little attention, Xiao Yu considered her martial soul, the Nine-Hearted Begonia, a miracle among healing spirits—capable of curing any injury. Unfortunately, this martial soul had a congenital flaw: only one inheritor per generation. At most, two Nine-Hearted Begonia soul masters could exist at the same time. Only when one died could a new one emerge, making it the rarest martial soul of all.

He recalled that in the original work, Ye Lingling appeared as a member of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy’s first team. But right now, she had only just awakened her martial soul and clearly hadn’t met the admission criteria for the Royal Academy.

She must have joined the Royal Academy after graduating from the Soul Master Academy, Xiao Yu surmised.

Ye Lingling was naturally shy. She gave a brief introduction and quickly sat down again. The teacher, seemingly aware of her personality—no doubt her family had notified the academy—didn’t draw further attention to her, and soon shifted the class’s focus back to the lesson.

……

With a long sigh, Xiao Yu stretched out his aching right hand, sore from taking notes, as the morning’s lessons came to an end. He rose, planning to squeeze in some cultivation in the simulated environment before lunch, hoping to make a breakthrough.

Just then, a small hand tugged gently at his sleeve.

“What is it?” Xiao Yu looked down at the owner of the hand—Ye Lingling—and asked softly.

She glanced up at him, then quickly lowered her head, speaking in a voice barely above a whisper, “I… I just arrived and haven’t learned the earlier lessons. May I… borrow your notebook to look over?”