A month later, in a run-down courtyard at the edge of the city.
Fang Ling was eating pork intestines, grinning with delight as he watched the progress bar in front of him steadily advance.
What was once an empty frame had now grown by more than a sixth!
A single pig, like a human, could provide one percent of progress, but killing pigs was far easier than killing people.
It was the kind of progress he had once dreamed of achieving.
Although due to his physical condition and lack of technique, he could only get to slaughter a pig every three days.
It wasn't much, but far better than just waiting around.
Killing pigs advanced the progress bar, and if he continued for another five or so months, he could accumulate enough to gain a soul point.
The speed of becoming a Soul Master had more than doubled.
But now, aside from killing pigs, there was something more important,
It was time to enroll.
That's right. In the villages outside the city, the Spirit Hall would awaken martial spirits three months in advance.
But since the city was nearby, it only happened a month prior.
After killing pigs for a month, Fang Ling was now ready to attend school.
He put on a clean and modest new outfit, took one last nostalgic look at the run-down courtyard, and memorized it.
He would be living at Nuoding Academy from now on. Unless something unexpected happened, he would likely never return to this Dragon-Hidden place.
He tucked the dagger he'd gotten from the old beggar into his waistband and pulled out his admission certificate.
After examining it carefully, he kissed it and then strode confidently out.
Nuoding Academy was located on the west side of the city, while his rundown courtyard was in the south.
The city wasn't big, and he was familiar with its layout, so it wouldn't take long to get there.
About half an hour later, he arrived.
A tall stone archway stood before him, beneath which were two heavy iron gates.
In the center of the arch were four large characters: "Nuoding Academy."
Just the gate alone showed how valuable this place was. Soul Masters truly were the rulers of the Douluo Continent.
A young man stood guard at the gate, his sloppy appearance suggesting he wasn't anyone decent.
Most likely, this was the same guy who would give Tang San trouble and then be described as someone who had a death wish.
Seeing Fang Ling standing still, the gatekeeper waved dismissively at him and said:
"Go away, kid. Go play somewhere else. This is Nuoding Academy, not a place for you to mess around."
"Hello, sir. I'm a working student from Huangshi Village here to enroll. This is my certificate of soul power issued by Master Su."
Fang Ling wasn't offended by the man's rude tone. He simply pulled out his soul master certificate and handed it over.
The gatekeeper glanced at it briefly: "Tool martial soul, scythe? Level one soul power?"
After waiting a moment and seeing Fang Ling make no move to offer anything, he glanced at Fang Ling's prosthetic leg, a mocking smile appearing on his face.
"A weak soul power and a cripple? And you think you can enroll?"
"Huangshi Village must be some garbage place."
Fang Ling didn't care that the village was insulted, he wasn't really from there anyway.
But he was still angered by the man blocking his way.
Tang San was right after all.
Fang Ling had to agree, the bastard really did have a death wish.
After working a month and earning barely anything, now this idiot gatekeeper, who wasn't even a soul master, dared to extort him? Did he have a death wish?
Fang Ling might be cautious, but he wouldn't allow an ordinary man to threaten him without fighting back.
A flash of light appeared in his right palm, the scythe martial soul materialized instantly.
At the same time, his eyes narrowed, cold and fierce, and a trace of killing intent unconsciously surfaced in his expression.
He had killed people before, and ten pigs as well, just recalling those moments brought out a natural killing aura.
A man without soul power working as a gatekeeper must have connections. Killing him wouldn't be wise.
So he only intended to intimidate. Otherwise, he would've started with a handful of lime powder.
The gatekeeper's grin froze abruptly.
Seeing the cold gleam of the blade in Fang Ling's hand, a chill ran down his spine. His hair stood on end, and his muscles trembled uncontrollably.
He had messed with the wrong person.
Where did such a terrifying kid come from?
He had survived three years of bribery and extortion by knowing when to back down.
Realizing he was in serious trouble, he quickly bowed and pleaded, "I didn't get enough sleep last night. I spoke out of turn today. Brother Fang, please don't take offense."
Fang Ling ignored his pleas and walked right past him.
Once inside the academy, the scythe vanished. Only then did his left hand slip out of the lime pouch tied at his waist.
He dusted off his hands and sneered, "Worthless coward."
Seeing the falling lime dust, the gatekeeper felt a cold shiver down his spine. He realized he had just danced on the edge of death.
He began bowing repeatedly and slapped himself hard across the face.
"I'm worthless. I'm worthless."
Fang Ling no longer paid him any attention. He knew where the academic affairs office was and headed straight for the first floor of the main building.
The office door was open. After confirming the sign, he stepped inside.
After registering successfully, Fang Ling received a standard white uniform from the director and headed toward the dormitories.
The working students lived in Dorm Seven, the worst dorm in the entire academy.
This was no surprise. He didn't pay any tuition, and the fact he even had a place to stay and study was already thanks to the Spirit Hall's charity.
At least he had a bed and wouldn't get murdered in his sleep. It was definitely better than the broken courtyard he had come from.
Just as he arrived in front of Dorm Seven, he heard a commotion inside.
Looking carefully, he saw the door was open and seven or eight children were roughhousing inside.
Fang Ling knocked on the door, wearing his usual bright smile.
They were dormmates, he needed to maintain good relationships.
Life would be more comfortable that way.
"Hello, I'm the new working student, Fang Ling."
Everyone turned their attention to him, stopping their rough play.
The tallest and biggest one stepped forward.
He was burly and towered over the thin Fang Ling by at least two heads.
He glanced at Fang Ling's improved prosthetic leg in surprise, then looked down at him from above.
"I'm the boss of this dorm, Wang Sheng. My martial soul is the Battle Tiger. What's yours?"
"Scythe."
Fang Ling summoned his martial soul and displayed it to them.
A scythe? Wang Sheng's eyes lit up, a decent combat-type martial soul.
But then his gaze dimmed. A cripple, unfortunately.
"Little cripple, make sure to listen to me from now on, got it?"
"What if I don't?" Fang Ling blinked.
"Beat me and you can be the boss. Want to try?"
Wang Sheng cracked his knuckles loudly and showed off his fist, the size of a sandbag.
He smirked arrogantly, trying to intimidate him.
"Scared?"
"Let's fight," Fang Ling said with a cheerful smile, raising his scythe in challenge.
"I have my own goals. I can't follow your orders."
Given Wang Sheng's physical advantage, unless Fang Ling went all out from the start, he'd likely lose.
They were going to be classmates for at least three years, and this was within the academy, Fang Ling didn't intend to seriously injure anyone, but a fight was unavoidable.
When people are bullied, they naturally want to take it out on someone else.
So from the start, he had to make it clear he wasn't someone to mess with.
Otherwise, being small and weak, would only get him picked on.
If you want to read advanced chapter please subscribe to my : patreon.com/Moorowkeel