Chapter 22: Encountering Qin Ming

After bidding farewell to the three deans, Zhou Yan left the academic office with Tian Lin in tow. "Teacher Zhou, where are we going now?" Tian Lin asked. "I'll take you to your dorm first. From now on, this will be where you live. Today, you should take some time to familiarize yourself with our Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Tomorrow, you'll officially join the class and start lessons," Zhou Yan said warmly. She couldn't help it—this boy was a rare gem. On the way, they encountered many male teachers who greeted Zhou Yan enthusiastically. It seemed she was quite popular at the academy. This wasn't surprising. Not yet 28 years old, Zhou Yan was on the verge of stepping into the Soul King level. Add to that her beauty and the charm of a mature woman in her prime, and it was no wonder she attracted attention. However, she appeared rather reserved. Most of the time, she responded with polite greetings. But when she saw a certain young man, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she walked toward him proactively. "Teacher Qin Ming, you're back from hunting soul beasts!" The young man was even younger than Zhou Yan, exceptionally handsome, with a tall and upright posture. His confident demeanor was palpable, making it clear at a glance that he was extraordinary. "So, this is Qin Ming, the Shrek Academy graduate mentioned in the original story?" Tian Lin thought, sizing up the young man. At this point, Qin Ming was much younger than when he appeared in the original timeline and had probably not yet reached the Soul Emperor level. Judging by Zhou Yan's words, he must have gone hunting soul beasts recently. Most likely, he had just broken through to the Soul King level. "Yes, Teacher Zhou. I was lucky this time. As soon as I entered the Star Dou Forest, I encountered a 9,000-year-old Fire Wolf. I'm now a Soul King and preparing to register as a Heaven-grade teacher," Qin Ming said modestly. A 9,000-year-old fifth soul ring? That wasn't an optimal configuration. Generally, the limit for a fifth soul ring for an average person was about 12,000 years. The difference between a 10,000-year soul ring and a thousand-year soul ring was significant. Tian Lin felt it was a shame that someone as talented as Qin Ming was held back by his soul ring. However, for most people, a 9,000-year soul ring was already exceptional. Zhou Yan, for one, was thrilled. "9,000 years! My goodness, Teacher Qin Ming, you're incredible. You're only 26 years old and already a Soul King. The three elders all say that with your talent, you're very likely to break through to the Soul Emperor level before the age of 32. If that happens, you'll be the second-youngest Soul Emperor on the entire continent!" It was evident to anyone that Zhou Yan admired Qin Ming. After all, Qin Ming was a prodigy with the potential to become a Titled Douluo, possibly achieving that rank by the age of 60. He was truly a once-in-a-generation talent. Qin Ming responded humbly, "The elders overpraise me. By the way, who is this boy?" "Oh, let me introduce you. This is my new student, Tian Lin. He's seven years old and already an 18th-level Assault Soul Master. What do you think? Isn't he a genius?" Zhou Yan pushed Tian Lin forward as she introduced him. She had a feeling that this boy would become the bridge to bring her closer to Qin Ming. Faced with Qin Ming, she had always felt a bit inferior. But if she could teach an extraordinary talent, it would bring her closer to him in an instant. "Seven years old, 18th level!" Qin Ming was visibly surprised. A genius like this was unheard of, even during his time at Shrek Academy. "Congratulations, Teacher Zhou, on having such an outstanding student. I've picked up some teaching skills over the years. Perhaps we can exchange ideas in the future," Qin Ming said, clearly intrigued. Influenced by Flender and Zhao Wuji, Qin Ming developed a deep passion for teaching, which led him to join the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. "Of course!" Zhou Yan's face flushed red. It seemed Tian Lin was her lucky star. He had barely arrived and had already helped her close the gap with her dream prince. This was the first time Qin Ming had actively invited her to anything. "Well, I need to visit the three elders, so I'll take my leave for now." Qin Ming cupped his hands in farewell and left. Watching the figure of her crush disappear into the distance, Zhou Yan was lost in thought. Meanwhile, Tian Lin teased from the side, "Teacher Zhou, you like that Teacher Qin, don't you?" Children speak without a filter, but instead of being upset, Zhou Yan admitted, "Yes, you saw it too. Teacher Qin is very interested in you. You must help your teacher in the future, okay? If I manage to win over Teacher Qin, I'll buy you candy every day." Candy? Seriously? Tian Lin thought. Did Zhou Yan think of him as a child? And asking a seven-year-old to help her chase a man? Who was the teacher here, and who was the lovesick fool? Tian Lin was inwardly speechless. No wonder the atmosphere at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was so bad. With teachers like this, how could the students be any better? His master must have been confident to send him to this place for training. Wasn't he worried about bad influences? After walking for a while, Zhou Yan brought Tian Lin to the dormitory area. His room was on the third floor. Surprisingly, it was a single room, and its luxuriousness rivaled the accommodations at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Thinking of Tang San now, Tian Lin guessed he was probably still living in a shared dorm with a dozen other students. The difference between a common beginner's school and a noble academy like Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was stark. However, Tang San had a little rabbit to cuddle with every night. The thought made Tian Lin feel a bit envious. At this moment, Zhou Yan pulled two books from the bookshelf. "Xiao Tian, I have to leave now. Someone will bring you your student card later. In the meantime, here are two books: one is the school's rules, and the other is an introduction to the academy. Make sure to read them carefully today so you can familiarize yourself with the academy." "Okay, teacher," Tian Lin replied obediently as he took the books. But as soon as Zhou Yan left, he casually tossed the rulebook into a random corner. Rules? He couldn't care less. It was probably just the usual nonsense about not fighting. But in a place like this, where everyone was a soul master, conflicts were bound to be resolved with fists. Rules were made to be broken, so why bother reading them? The academy introduction, on the other hand, was worth a look. It contained detailed information about the students, the cafeteria, and the locations of various simulated cultivation areas. Currently, Heaven Dou Imperial Academy has 557 students, divided into three class levels. Students with soul power between 15 and 25 were in the Heaven Low class. Those between 25 and 30 were in the Heaven Supreme class. Students above 30 were in the highest class, the Heaven Dou class. The teachers were similarly ranked: 40–50 for Heaven Low, 50–60 for Heaven Supreme, and above 60 for Heaven Dou. The academy had fourteen classes in total, each with about forty students. There was only one Heaven Dou class, three Heaven Supreme classes, and the remaining ten were Heaven Low classes. This meant that only about forty students in the entire academy had a soul power above 30. The remaining 70% were in the Heaven Low level—a dismal showing. "Sigh, this Heaven Dou Imperial Academy is hopeless," Tian Lin scoffed. After casually tossing the academy introduction aside, he sat on the bed and began to meditate. He needed to work hard. He had no intention of becoming one of those mediocre students.