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Chapter 4: Enrollment and Gaining the Meditation Technique
🕑 Added 2025-07-11 04:14:11 +0000 UTCBefore two full hours had passed, the old village chief and young Ignaz had arrived at the gates of the academy.
Looking up at the towering buildings ahead, Ignaz was in awe. The Junior Soul Master Academy of Vast Sea City was massive, its vast campus stretching far beyond the horizon. Blue buildings, shaped like giant seashells, dotted the landscape, exuding an air of grandeur and importance.
Most of the students at the academy were returning students, with only a handful of new faces like Ignaz’s. As they approached the gate, the village chief handed Ignaz’s soul certificate to the gatekeeper.
“This is one of our village’s children who awakened his soul this year. This is his soul certificate,” the chief explained respectfully.
The gatekeeper glanced at the certificate, then gave Ignaz a once-over. His eyes narrowed with a touch of disdain.
“A Rusted Spear soul with third-level soul power?” he scoffed. “You’re one lucky kid! The new student registration office is to the right.”
Although the gatekeeper’s comment was a bit condescending, he didn’t make things difficult for them—unlike some gatekeepers who treated newcomers poorly due to personal biases. His professionalism was evident.
The village chief turned to Ignaz, patting him on the head with a smile. “Ji, remember to listen to the teachers here, study hard, and become a great soul master. The whole village will be proud of you.”
“I will, village chief!” Ignaz’s face lit up, his voice filled with youthful ambition. “Our Skyfin Village will be as famous as Douluo Village one day!” he said, with a touch of dramatic flair, typical of a young dreamer.
After waving goodbye to the village chief, Ignaz made his way into the academy. But as soon as he took a few steps forward, the gatekeeper hurried after him with a stern look.
“Kid, you can’t bring that huge spear inside! It’s too dangerous!”
Ignaz blinked and grinned. “Uncle, this spear is my soul!”
The gatekeeper froze, blinking in surprise. “Huh? That’s... your soul?”
Before the gatekeeper could react further, Ignaz continued on his way, heading toward the registration office. As he turned a corner, he saw a man sitting at a desk, registering new students and handing out uniforms.
Ignaz approached and joined a recently registered student in line.
“Hello, teacher,” Ignaz said respectfully. “Here’s my soul certificate. I just awakened this year.”
The registrar, Director Lu, took the certificate and glanced at it. His eyes lingered a moment longer before shifting toward the large spear on Ignaz’s back.
“Interesting,” Director Lu said. “I’ve never seen a Rusted Spear soul with third-level soul power before.”
“My name’s Lu. I’m in charge of the first-year students’ schedules. You can call me Director Lu. But, um... why haven’t you retracted your soul?” Director Lu asked, somewhat puzzled. As a soul master, he could sense the flow of soul power emanating from Ignaz, continuously channeled into the spear.
Ignaz, feeling a bit awkward but not wanting to explain too much, replied, “My soul cultivation method is a bit unusual. I need to keep my soul in its physical form for better training. Don’t worry, though—I won’t harm anyone.”
Seeing Ignaz’s sincerity, Director Lu seemed to relax. Every soul master had their own unique cultivation methods.
“You’re probably here on a work-study program, right?” Director Lu asked. “You’ll find all the details about your dorm and schedule once we’re done.”
“No, actually,” Ignaz interrupted politely. “I’m paying for my own tuition. Here’s my tuition for the year.” He took out four golden soul coins from his pocket—almost all of the savings his family had scraped together. After covering his basic needs, he should be able to afford about two to three years of academy life.
Director Lu nodded, then handed him a key. “Alright, here’s your key to dorm 301. Walk straight ahead for 500 meters, then turn right. The dormitory building is a three-story circular structure.”
Ignaz took the key with a nod, thanked Director Lu, and left the registration desk.
“Such a polite kid,” Director Lu muttered to himself. “And a little mysterious. A third-level soul power... Not bad for a first-year.” He watched Ignaz walk away, admiring the young man’s potential.
When Ignaz reached his dorm room, he was pleased to find it clean and neat, with a bed, bedding, and the academy's blue uniform already set out for him.
Sighing to himself, Ignaz muttered, “Looks like I’m starting over, huh? Back to square one.”
He unpacked his belongings, tidied up the room, and set his spear beside the bed. Then, he headed to the cafeteria for a meal.
Meanwhile, Director Lu was in the dean's office, reviewing the list of new students.
“Here’s this year’s enrollment report, Dean,” Director Lu said, handing over a sheet. “Fifty-two new students—five with fourth-level soul power, and ten with third-level. Here’s their basic information for your review.”
The dean, a man with a large scar across his face, scanned the report and then paused. His finger stopped at one name. “Ignaz, Rusted Spear soul, third-level soul power?”
“Yes, Dean. I’ve seen his soul. The rusted part is at the tip of his spear—not exactly what we would expect from a ‘broken’ soul,” Director Lu explained.
The dean’s face softened, but his voice was tinged with disappointment. “I see. Too bad his talent seems a bit lacking.”
“You should still keep an eye on this kid. There aren’t many weapon-type soul masters in the Sea Soul Sect,” Director Lu continued. “He’s a rare case. But if he’s stuck in the sea without other soul masters around, his chances of survival are slim.”
The dean nodded thoughtfully. “Alright. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
In the cafeteria, Ignaz found himself the center of attention. His large spear drew curious stares as he bought a few roasted chicken legs and quickly moved to a quieter corner of the room, trying to avoid the crowd. With a leg in hand, he made his way to the library.
The library was nearly empty, as most students were still too young to appreciate books. Ignaz browsed the shelves until his eyes landed on a particular title: “Systematic Meditation Cultivation Method.”
“Finally,” he muttered under his breath, pulling the book from the shelf. He found a quiet corner to sit and began reading.
“As I thought… This is the real meditation method,” Ignaz murmured as he flipped through the pages. “The stuff I was practicing for the last three months was just scratching the surface!”
While the academy’s meditation techniques were basic, more advanced methods could only be found in sects or wealthy families. These advanced techniques were tailored to specific souls.
“But no matter what, having a proper meditation method is better than none,” Ignaz thought, determined.
Sitting cross-legged, he followed the instructions in the book. His body relaxed, and he began to feel his soul power moving rhythmically inside him, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy. Slowly, that energy condensed into strands of soul power, which gathered in his dantian.
It felt like opening a door. Although his cultivation speed was still slow, it was definitely faster than before.
And with that, Ignaz’s journey toward mastering his soul had truly begun.
