Douro Continent

Chapter 18 Tang San's First Hidden Weapon in Another World (Part 4)

Tang San asked, "If there are beginner and intermediate levels, then there must also be advanced levels?"

Old Jack nodded, a hint of envy in his eyes. "Forget about the Advanced Soul Master Academy. It's not a place anyone can just get into. In our Heaven Dou Empire, there are only two Advanced Soul Master Academies, and they admit less than a hundred students each year. They're the cradle of a bright future. Graduates from Advanced Soul Master Academies are highly sought after by both the nation and the Spirit Hall, and are directly granted noble titles."

"Nobles? With such good conditions?" Tang San said in surprise.

Old Jack said, "Of course. Soul Masters are the noblest profession, and Advanced Soul Masters are even more so. They are all talented individuals. Therefore, for us commoners who want to rise to the top in one step, becoming an Advanced Soul Master is obviously the best shortcut. However, how many commoners can possess such a good Martial Soul? Even if they do, without the support of a large family, it would be difficult to graduate from an Advanced Soul Master Academy."

"Graduation exams are my own responsibility, why do I need someone else's help?" Tang San was a little confused.

Old Jack sighed and said, "That's the difference. The difference between the poor and the rich, the commoners and the nobles. The requirements for graduating from the primary Soul Master Academy are very simple: as long as your Martial Soul reaches level ten, you obtain a Soul Ring under the guidance of the academy's teachers, and successfully advance to the title of Soul Master, that's enough. It's not difficult; any child who has Martial Soul power at the time of awakening can do it. It's said that the ten levels of Soul Power required for a Soul Warrior to advance to a Soul Master is the easiest to increase."

"But things are different at the intermediate Soul Master Academy. To graduate from here, your Martial Soul must reach level 20, and you must obtain a second Soul Ring and the title of Great Soul Master. Reaching level 20 from level 10 is something many Soul Masters can't achieve in their entire lives. Moreover, after reaching level 20, to obtain a Soul Ring, you must rely on your own strength to hunt Soul Beasts. That's extremely dangerous. If you come from a noble family, you'll have family warriors accompanying you, so the danger is naturally much less. But Soul Masters like us, who come from commoner backgrounds, can only rely on ourselves."

"The graduation requirements for advanced Soul Master academies are even more stringent. Only by passing the level 30 bottleneck, obtaining a third Soul Ring, and rising from the title of Great Soul Master to the title of Soul Venerable can one graduate. It is said that level 30 is a threshold; crossing it allows one to be called a powerful Soul Master and a true noble, while failing to do so makes things very difficult. Moreover, there seem to be some restrictions on obtaining a Soul Ring at level 30; you should learn the specifics at the academy. In any case, it seems that less than a third of the students at those advanced Soul Master academies actually graduate."

After listening to Old Jack's words, Tang San gained some basic understanding of how Soul Masters were taught in Douluo Continent.

"Grandpa Jack, didn't you say there are ten titles for Soul Masters? Only graduates of advanced Soul Master academies become Soul Venerables. So how do we obtain the other titles?"

Old Jack smiled bitterly, "How would I know? Those who surpass the title of Soul Master are all big shots. Like the Soul Saint who came from our village, he was directly supported by the state. I've heard people say that the cultivation of Soul Masters becomes more and more difficult and dangerous as you progress. How many people can truly reach the level of a Title Douluo? I'm not even sure if there are such people in our Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire right now."

Old Jack only had a basic understanding of Soul Masters, and his explanations were vague. Tang San understood that he would have to learn these things gradually at the academy, especially regarding Soul Beasts and Soul Rings.

The journey from Holy Soul Village to Notting City wasn't far; it took the two half a day. They ate some dry rations along the way, and by the afternoon, they could already see the city walls in the distance.

Although Notting City wasn't a particularly large city, its walls were quite thick due to its proximity to the border of the Heaven Dou Empire. Tang San and Old Jack underwent the same inspection as other travelers before entering Notting City.

"Little San! Grandpa will drop you off at the academy and then head back. You must listen to your teachers while you're at the academy and don't leave without permission. Grandpa Jack will come to pick you up again at the end of the semester. That will be close to the New Year."

Tang San was somewhat flustered as it was his first time away from home, and he subconsciously asked, "Grandpa Jack, are you leaving so soon?"

Old Jack smiled wryly, "Inns are not something poor people like us can afford. You must strive to do well. When Grandpa sees you again, I hope you will have become a Soul Master. If so, our Holy Soul Village will be proud of you."

Notting Junior Soul Master Academy is located in the west of Notting City. Old Jack asked passersby several times before finally bringing Tang San there.

In the distance, they could already see a tall archway, twenty meters wide and more than ten meters high, all made of solid rock. Below it were two iron gates, dark and black, which Tang San could tell at a glance was made of the finest iron.

Through the iron fence, one can see that the path inside is winding and secluded, with a main road leading straight inside, and tall trees on both sides.

In the center of the archway are four large characters: "Notting College".

Just by looking at the academy's gate, you can see how important the Soul Master profession is in the Douluo Continent, and this is only a junior Soul Master academy.

Old Jack and Tang San had just reached the gate when they were immediately stopped by the young gatekeeper. "What are you doing? Is this a place for country bumpkins like you?"

Old Jack's clothes were considered quite respectable in Holy Soul Village, but when he arrived in Notting City, he looked like a complete country bumpkin, and the gatekeeper looked at him with a hint of disdain.

(End of this chapter)