Douluo: I am the True Master

At this moment, Ye Wen noticed Xiao Lie's arrival. He harbored neither particular fondness nor disdain for this noble-born youth and thus asked indifferently:

"Is there something you need?"

Xiao Lie swallowed nervously. The simple cloak of Notting Academy's uniform concealed the students' physiques, but now, seeing Ye Wen's bare upper body—muscles as solid as rock exuding a sense of raw power—and the 800-jin barbell resting on the ground, Xiao Lie felt an overwhelming sense of intimidation.

However, having already made up his mind, Xiao Lie bowed deeply and declared loudly:

"Boss, I've turned over a new leaf! I want to ask you to teach me how to cultivate. I want to become strong like you!"

Ye Wen furrowed his brows and replied calmly:

"If you want advice on cultivation, you should ask the teachers at the academy, not me. After all, I'm just a mere Level 11 soul master."

"No, Boss. I don't want the mediocre teachings of those teachers. I want to train like you—rapidly improving my strength. Like you, I'm also a genius with innate Level 4 soul power. Those teachers can't teach me anything. I want to learn from your experience and grow stronger faster."

The other work-study students from Dormitory Three, who had been training, paused their exercises upon Xiao Lie's arrival. They had come here to train largely inspired by Ye Wen, learning that soul master cultivation wasn't just about soul power but also physical conditioning. Only through this dual focus could one truly become strong; relying solely on soul skills would make one nothing more than a third-rate soul master.

Initially, they had simply mimicked Ye Wen's training regimen. Seeing that he didn't object to their imitation, they grew bolder. However, as they observed the increasingly challenging physical exercises Ye Wen undertook, they fell silent. Perhaps this was the difference between a genius and ordinary people.

Even so, they didn't consider Xiao Lie worthy of being compared to their boss. On one hand, Ye Wen commanded long-standing respect; on the other, though he didn't directly instruct them, he occasionally offered pointers. These seemingly trivial tips were like guiding lights on their path of soul master cultivation—a gesture of goodwill.

But given Xiao Lie's noble status, they dared not speak out, instead watching him coldly. Their boss's position was not to be challenged.

After hearing Xiao Lie's words, Ye Wen fell silent for a moment, inwardly sighing:

"A genius like me? But my Level 4 innate soul power is just a facade.

Never mind, that's not the main issue. The real question is whether I should teach him. Judging by his demeanor, he's determined to stick to me like glue.

Still, even though he's the illegitimate son of the city lord, he must carry some weight. Hmm…"

After weighing the pros and cons, Ye Wen finally spoke:

"The secrets of soul master cultivation are closely guarded, whether among us commoners or nobles. What makes you think I'd teach you for no reason?"

The surrounding work-study students nodded in agreement, fully endorsing their boss's statement.

Xiao Lie, coming from a noble family, was well aware of this unspoken rule in the world of soul masters. However, in his earlier excitement, he had momentarily forgotten it. Now reminded by Ye Wen, his face flushed with embarrassment. Yet, driven by his determination, he refused to back down and said firmly:

"What do you want? As long as it's within my power, I'll get it for you—even if it costs me my life. Just teach me how to grow stronger."

Seeing the complete transformation in Xiao Lie, Ye Wen nodded and continued:

"I don't need your life. But I do have one condition."

"What condition?"

"Go and get your father to issue a permit for establishing a junior soul master academy. I only need the permit—the land and other resources I'll handle myself. If you can't even manage this, I can't justify teaching you."

"Alright, no problem."

Hearing this request, Xiao Lie breathed a sigh of relief.

Obtaining a permit for a junior soul master academy was difficult for commoner soul masters but relatively easy for nobles—it only required an application to be approved. However, few nobles bothered applying because such academies were seen as thankless endeavors. Compared to other industries, they generated little profit and involved dealing with troublesome noble children. Favoring nobles risked alienating commoner soul masters, while favoring commoners invited noble resentment. Ultimately, most chose to abandon the idea altogether.

As a result, 99% of junior academies on the continent were state-run, ensuring a balance where nobles couldn't act too arrogantly, while commoners could pursue the path of soul mastery as work-study students.

The crux of this arrangement lay in the Spirit Hall's suppression of the two empires. Whether either empire could muster even five God-ranked soul masters remained questionable. Relying solely on the scattered noble-backed soul masters to counter the Spirit Hall would be laughable. Though it was unclear whether the Spirit Hall currently desired to unify the continent, its hesitation likely stemmed from the vast number of grassroots soul masters under the empires. Even God-ranked soul masters, formidable as they were, had limited soul power reserves.

Thus, a delicate balance akin to mutually assured destruction had formed.

For this reason, though junior soul master academies seemed insignificant, they were the foundation of the two empires. The approval process for permits was relatively lenient. While the empires relied on commoner soul masters, their core support still came from the nobility. Therefore, obtaining a permit still required noble connections.

Ye Wen only wanted the permit, not any construction resources. Xiao Lie was confident he could secure the permit from his city lord father.

As Ye Wen had anticipated, Xiao Lie successfully obtained the permit for establishing a junior academy.

Xiao Lie began learning soul master cultivation under Ye Wen's guidance. Though Ye Wen withheld some knowledge, he tailored a training regimen suited to Xiao Lie's circumstances.

He instructed Xiao Lie to acquire a litter of wolf pups, raise them, and create a rudimentary simulated training environment. Though far inferior to professional setups, this arrangement greatly benefited Xiao Lie. Following Ye Wen's physical conditioning methods, Xiao Lie's physical prowess skyrocketed, and by graduation, his soul power had reached Level 15.

Additionally, based on Xiao Lie's martial soul characteristics, Ye Wen devised a combat system for him. Xiao Lie's fighting ability surged dramatically.

Boasting confidently, Xiao Lie claimed he could now defeat ten versions of his past self.

However, as the saying goes, paper can't contain fire forever. Xiao Lie's rapid progress eventually caught the attention of the city lord's main wife, who demanded that Xiao Lie attend an intermediate academy after graduation—clearly intending to hinder his cultivation path.

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