All rights reserved to the respective authors.
"Dialogue": Represented in double quotes for conversations between characters.
'Thoughts': Represented in single quotation marks, indicating the characters' internal reflections.
[Diary]: Represented in square brackets, used for messages intended for the heroines or entries written by Tenshin.
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Nuoding Academy
It had been just over a year since Satoru Tenshin began his studies at Nuoding Academy. Now in the second month of his sophomore year, he stood alone on a secluded hill behind the academy, immersed in intense training. His snow-white hair clung to his sweat-drenched forehead, and his ragged breathing betrayed the toll of his relentless routine. To a casual observer, he might have looked like he was merely practicing basic strikes—but a keener eye would notice the precise footwork and fluid transitions that revealed true mastery in motion.
After several more minutes of exertion, Tenshin finally dropped to one knee, spent. As he lifted his head with a wince, a familiar blue panel shimmered into view before him:
[Name: Satoru Tenshin]
[Age: Seven years old]
[Martial Soul: Dragon Chains, Wise Eyes of the Dragon]
[Soul Power Rank: Level 10 (Soul Trainee), Accumulated Soul Power: Level 17 (84%)]
[Combat Power: Level 22]
[Spirit Power: Spirit Sea Realm (1,600 points)]
[Martial Techniques: Unarmed Combat (Low–High), Armed Combat (Low) (+)]
[Self-Created Skills: Lightning Wave (Incomplete), Circular Defense, Soul Burst, Soul Rebirth Circulation, Rasengan, Lingbo Weibu, Cero]
[Cultivation Techniques: Foundation Breath (Basic–High), General Meditation Method (Basic), Base Vein Refiner Sutra (Mid–Mid), Silent Breath of the Deep Core (Mid–Low)]
[Secondary Skills: Imitation (Camouflage Color), Blacksmithing (Master, Rank 2), Alchemy (1), Soul Engineer (1), Soul Gesture Codex]
"..." Tenshin stared at the status screen, a flicker of frustration tightening his jaw.
'It's been weeks since I've seen any real progress,' he thought, pushing himself upright with effort. 'It might be time… to get my ring. Maybe even two rings.'
He moved toward the shade of a nearby tree, reaching for the water bottle he'd placed there earlier.
The past year had been a whirlwind. Between his rigorous training, self-directed study, blacksmithing, and academy classes, Tenshin had forged a strict, demanding schedule. And while his weekdays were packed to the brim, he always kept his Sundays open—reserved for meditation, quiet walks through the city, or simple rest. The routine had turned him into something of an enigma among his peers; outside of class, meals, or bedtime, he was rarely seen. The spotlight drawn by Tang San—and especially Xiao Wu—only helped in keeping attention away from him.
Over the months, Tenshin had nearly exhausted the contents of Nuoding Academy's library. While the institution was a basic soul master academy, its collection was unexpectedly rich, filled with tomes and notes left behind by students, teachers, and staff alike. This trove had helped cement the foundation of his theoretical knowledge. Yet what truly elevated his understanding were the documents he had quietly scanned—notes that Yu Xiaogang had acquired during his time in the Spirit Hall, and even some from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan before he ran away. Ignoring the man's personal theories, the raw data from two of the continent's most influential forces proved to be invaluable, particularly in the areas of soul beasts, martial souls, and medicinal cultivation.
But it hadn't all been smooth sailing.
Over the course of the year, nothing had tested Tenshin's patience more than the antics of a certain master-disciple duo: Yu Xiaogang and Tang San. Just the thought of them was enough to make his eyebrow twitch in exasperation.
'How can they be so shameless...'
Flashback On
It was a quiet afternoon at Nuoding Academy, and five months had passed since Tenshin had begun his first-year classes. On the academy playground, he moved through a familiar set of physical drills, sweat trickling down his brow with each precise motion. After finishing a set, he sat down, fishing a book out of his backpack—one he had borrowed from the library. The topic: identifying the age of soul beasts by their physical traits.
Just as he was settling in to read, two long shadows fell across the pages.
"Huff~~" Tenshin exhaled, long and heavy. He didn't need to look up to know who had arrived.
And sure enough, there they were—the ever-persistent Yu Xiaogang and his overbearing disciple, Tang San.
"What do you want this time?" Tenshin asked flatly, not even bothering to hide his irritation.
The pair had been tailing him for months, always managing to appear at the worst possible moments. Ever since Tang San returned with his first soul ring, their visits had become maddeningly routine.
Though they wore polite expressions, Tenshin could sense their barely concealed hostility. Yu Xiaogang gave a casual nod.
"Training hard, I see," he remarked, tone neutral yet oddly weighted—measured.
Tenshin responded dryly. "Obviously."
That was enough to provoke Tang San, who took a step forward, his frown hardening. "Watch your mouth," he snapped. "That's my teacher you're speaking to. A little respect wouldn't hurt. Try some humility for once."
Tenshin gave a slow, sardonic smile.
"Humility?" he echoed, voice cool and clipped. His gaze fixed on Tang San with unsettling intensity. "You speak of humility… but have you ever stopped to look at yourself? You've carried this arrogant air long before you awakened your martial soul. The only difference now is that you've stopped pretending otherwise."
Tang San's hands balled into fists, eyes narrowed in restrained fury. "You've got a sharp tongue."
Before tensions could rise further, Yu Xiaogang stepped in, placing a calming hand on his student's shoulder.
"Enough, Little San," he said evenly. "This one's on me."
Tenshin arched an eyebrow, unconvinced.
"Satoru Tenshin," Yu Xiaogang continued, "I hear you still haven't absorbed your first soul ring—even months after reaching level 10."
Tenshin sighed inwardly. From the academy's perspective, he'd hit level 10 just a couple of months into the semester. He had made sure to conceal his true progress from everyone.
Yu Xiaogang pressed on. "You've seen Tang San's growth after obtaining his ring—chosen with my guidance. Yet you remain stuck. Hunting soul beasts isn't easy. But if you become my disciple, I can help you."
Tenshin held back a scoff, instead tilting his head slightly with a feigned curiosity. "And what kind of soul ring does Grandmaster have in mind for me?"
Yu Xiaogang straightened proudly. "Considering your martial soul is Chains, it likely falls under the control system. A poison-type soul beast—around a hundred years old—would suit you well."
The confidence in his voice bordered on smug.
Tenshin's lips twitched. He smiled faintly. "No need. I have my own plans, but I appreciate your... concern."
Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "As for becoming your disciple... I'd hate to slow down your star pupil's progress. You should focus on him."
The rejection was polite, but unmistakably final.
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened. "Come, Little San," he muttered. "We're done here."
He had extended the olive branch—again—and been rebuffed. Let the boy regret it in time.
As they turned to leave, Tang San threw a final, cold glance over his shoulder.
"Satoru Tenshin," he sneered, "your martial soul is nothing more than chains. You reject my teacher's guidance? Don't expect to achieve anything great."
Tenshin snorted softly, shaking his head as he began typing into his Diary System:
[It seems Yu Xiaogang and Tang San have a rare talent—for ruining my day.]
That single line was enough to pique the heroines' curiosity. As they scanned the latest entry, their brows furrowed in unison, intrigue mounting with each word.
[Ever since their return from hunting Tang San's first soul ring, they've been glued to me like parasites. Yu Xiaogang won't stop pressing me to become his disciple, and Tang San either hovers nearby or tries to provoke a fight. It's exhausting.]
[Today, Yu Xiaogang was especially odd—too calm, too deliberate. Every word was measured, like he was playing chess while I didn't even know I'd been invited to the board. And when the conversation turned to my soul ring—one I've yet to absorb for good reasons—every alarm bell in my head went off.]
[Honestly, after combing through libraries of Spirit Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, I'm baffled how this man still knows next to nothing about martial souls and soul ring integration—and yet walks around convinced he's an authority.]
The heroines nodded. What once felt like a comedic subplot had now grown stale. Weekly run-ins with the bumbling duo had lost their novelty. But when they reached the next part of the entry, their amusement gave way to sharper curiosity:
[What do you mean—he doesn't know anything?]
That thought echoed in each of their minds. They had already dismissed Yu Xiaogang as a plagiarist. Even Liu Erlong and Bibi Dong had acknowledged his fraudulence, especially after his unwitting self-exposure during Tenshin's first broadcast. But to think he had studied two of the most powerful factions on the continent for decades and still grasped so little? That was laughable.
Tenshin's diary continued updating in real time:
[Let's be honest—most of his so-called 'theories' are just rearranged knowledge lifted from Spirit Hall's archives. 'Organized' is the polite term. In truth, they're little more than glorified book reports.]
[And they don't even hold up under scrutiny. Let's break this down:
First—some of his ideas are just common sense. Things any competent soul master would deduce through experience. Like: the better your martial soul, the stronger your innate power; or the fact that not absorbing a ring at a bottleneck doesn't halt cultivation entirely.
Second—his classifications are fundamentally flawed. Defining martial souls strictly as beast-type or tool-type? Where does that leave Luo Sanpao? It's alive, yet has no soul of its own. And plant-based martial souls shoved into the 'tool' category? That's just lazy.
Third—some of his claims are flat-out wrong. The so-called 'age limit' for soul rings? Already disproven. See earlier entries.]
Initially, the heroines skimmed through this segment—until the logic began to sink in. Tenshin wasn't just venting; he was dismantling a long-standing myth piece by piece.
[But let's set all that aside for a moment. Let's focus on Yu Xiaogang's understanding of martial souls and soul rings.]
[His advice for Tang San? Push Blue Silver Grass down a 'control' path. That was mistake number one. Then he doubled down—insisting on poison-type soul rings. That's not just flawed. It's reckless.]
[Blue Silver Grass is weak by default. Even its control traits are mediocre. Worse, poison soul rings are fundamentally incompatible with its nature. Without the hidden Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, Tang San's martial soul would've collapsed under his second ring—if not the first.]
[Blue Silver Grass is defined by resilience and vitality. Traits that align with support or life-flow routes—not control with poison. If you want compatibility, you look for soul beasts with similar essence. That's basic soul theory.]
[And in the original story, there isn't a single time the poison effect ever worked on an opponent. Then, when Tang San finally awakens the Emperor bloodline, all that poison? Purged. Gone.]
The heroines couldn't refute it. The evidence was plain. Even without encyclopedic knowledge, most soul masters knew instinctively to seek soul rings that matched their martial soul's nature.
And that raised a chilling question: After decades of research and study, what had Yu Xiaogang actually learned?
Tang Yuehua wasn't just annoyed—she was livid. She had read past entries carefully, knew her brother had been watching over Tang San all the time. So why had he stood by and let this happen?
Tenshin's next update struck a more sardonic tone:
[Now let's talk about the punchline—Yu Xiaogang's own martial soul.]
[Luo Sanpao.]
[It's hard to tell if it's a tragic joke or a cosmic punishment. It carries traces of the Golden Sacred Dragon bloodline. But thanks to Yu Xiaogang's abysmal innate soul power, he can't tap into any of it.]
The heroines paused. A pig-like creature bearing such a prestigious lineage? It sounded absurd—yet unsettlingly plausible.
[Some records speculate that Luo Sanpao may descend from the Light Sacred Dragon. Consider the Golden Iron Triangle's fusion technique—it manifests as the Golden Sacred Dragon. Strange, isn't it? Three unrelated martial souls combining into one mythical entity?]
[More telling is the fact that the fusion centers around Luo Sanpao—it's the vessel, while Liu Erlong and Flander are catalysts. That implies the dragon bloodline resides in Luo Sanpao alone.]
Bibi Dong, a recognized authority on soul theory, found herself leaning forward, intrigued.
[Spirit fusion demands extreme martial soul compatibility—and deep personal bonds. Liu Erlong's Fire Dragon may share some affinity with Yu Xiaogang's martial soul. But Flander's Owl-Cat hybrid? It should have no synergy. So how does their fusion work?]
[The only logical answer: Luo Sanpao carries the latent bloodline of a true Sacred Dragon.]
[With proper cultivation, it might've evolved into a genuine Golden Sacred Dragon. But instead, it stagnated. His mismatched soul rings sealed its potential. Now it's little more than a farting mascot.]
[And as if that weren't enough—he feeds it white radishes to trigger those farts. White radishes! Not even basic nourishment, much less spiritual herbs or beast meat. His martial soul is crying for help, and he's doing nothing.]
As the entry ended, each heroine wore a tangled expression of disbelief and reluctant agreement.
Tenshin hadn't just critiqued Yu Xiaogang—he had dismantled him, brick by brick. And every word rang true.
After finishing the entry, he closed his diary and returned to his book.
Flashback Off
Tenshin shook his head, dismay and irritation flickering across his face—only to be replaced a moment later by a faint, knowing smile.
'So it aligns perfectly with the timeframe I set for using Heavenly Glimpse,' he mused.
Over the past year, he had amassed a staggering trove of knowledge—studied, synthesized, and refined again and again using the Diary System's Synthesis function. The process had been grueling, draining a significant amount of LP and other rare resources, but the payoff was undeniable.
After a short rest, Tenshin returned to his training. Hours slipped by in intense concentration. His body moved with fluid precision and disciplined rhythm—each punch sharp, each kick measured. There was no wasted motion. He drilled rigorous sequences with relentless focus, deepening his control over his martial soul and learning to channel his soul power with subtlety and finesse.
In the past few years, despite his unwavering commitment, Tenshin's soul power hadn't developed as rapidly as he'd expected. At first, the slow progression puzzled him. But after stepping back to analyze the issue, he quickly pinpointed the cause: his soul power was being compressed at an extremely high level.
Even though his cultivation method—the Base Vein Refiner Sutra—offered a 30% speed advantage over the standard General Meditation Method given to newly awakened soul masters, the sheer density and purity of his soul power demanded significantly more energy to advance. His comprehension had evolved so far beyond the norm that his breakthroughs now required vastly more accumulation than others at his level.
The realization reminded him of soul masters with Ultimate attributes, whose soul power is so pure that they're forced to compress their soul power that makes that between certain bottlenecks—slowing their cultivation but drastically enhancing their power base. Knowing this, Tenshin didn't immediately try to "fix" the problem by altering his technique. Why should he? Even with the added difficulty, he had advanced seven full levels in just one year. If anyone else knew that, they'd probably want to kill him out of sheer envy.
Rather than waste precious time, he chose a long-term strategy: accumulate as much data as possible, and only then use Heavenly Glimpse to optimize his technique to the highest possible degree. So while he researched and gathered data, he shifted his focus to combat training—honing his practical skills, physical conditioning, and combat intuition.
But about a month ago, something changed. His progress in physical fitness plateaued sharply. In the past few weeks, he had been mulling over solutions. His first thought was to incorporate weighted training. But that idea was quickly discarded—his physical strength was already immense, and any effective weight would have to be so dense it would hinder mobility, not to mention being a hassle to put on or remove.
Only one viable solution came to mind: training under increased gravity, using a specialized soul tool. Since he didn't possess any gravity-related soul abilities, this was the most efficient route forward.
Without hesitation, Tenshin made his way back to his dormitory. Moving with practiced efficiency, he packed his training gear, carefully storing everything in his soul storage device. The tool had been purchased at a steep discount due to a malfunction, but through his own technical knowledge, he had repaired it.