The sky had not yet fully brightened.
Morning in Qingshi Village was as quiet as ever. Thin mist clung close to the ground, drifting slowly, while the distant crowing of roosters sounded unusually clear. Li Changsheng stood in front of his home, a not-too-heavy pack on his back, the soil beneath his feet still carrying the dampness of the night.
He turned back for one last look.
The courtyard was familiar. The pile of firewood, the stone mill, the old tree in the corner that never grew very tall—everything was exactly as it had been. Nothing had changed, and nothing needed to.
Qin Hui was already standing at the doorway.
His expression appeared calm, yet the trace of reluctance in his eyes betrayed his true feelings. It did not look like the farewell of a child going off to study, but rather the silent send-off of someone destined to travel far.
"Don't rush on the road."
That was all the man said.
Li Changsheng nodded. There was no need for more words. He understood that no amount of advice could alter the path ahead—and his father understood that as well.
The morning breeze brushed against his face, carrying a hint of chill.
He turned and stepped forward, without looking back.
There were already people at the village entrance.
On the quiet street stood two carriages. The one in front was clearly much cleaner. Wu Chang sat upon it, beside a deacon soul master from the Spirit Hall. Wu Chang was bidding farewell to his parents, his emotions unconcealed, his voice far from low.
Li Changsheng did not linger. He passed by the front carriage and walked toward the one behind it.
By comparison, the rear carriage looked far more dilapidated. The wooden planks were old, the edges badly worn. As soon as he climbed aboard, he saw that four other children of the same age, from different villages, were already seated inside.
Some carried brand-new packs; others bore bags that had clearly been used for many years.
Their expressions differed, yet all were wrapped in the same tension.
Someone noticed Li Changsheng, their gaze lingering on him briefly before quickly moving away.
There was no hostility, nor any deliberate distance.
And no one stepped forward to start a conversation.
This, instead, made Li Changsheng relax.
He glanced once more toward the village entrance. His father was no longer there—he had likely already returned home.
Seeing him off this far was enough.
Once they left the village, the road gradually widened.
A stone-paved path stretched into the distance under the morning light. From time to time, they passed simple carriages or other youths traveling on foot. Some walked in groups, their voices loud, their conversations almost always revolving around martial souls, soul power, and the academy life that was about to begin.
Li Changsheng neither deliberately approached nor deliberately avoided them.
For a stretch of the road, he walked alongside two other boys. They were clearly also headed for Orlick Junior Soul Master Academy. In their brief casual chat, the topic soon shifted to soul power levels.
"My innate soul power is level three."
"That's pretty good—higher than mine. I've only got two and a half."
The speaker smiled, his tone unforced.
"As long as I can get into the academy, it's fine. In the end, it still comes down to effort."
The words were not stirring, but they were real.
Li Changsheng listened without speaking. The others did not press him for his own details—this was only natural. Strangers meeting away from home rarely formed deep connections.
Everything felt reasonable.
The journey was not short.
When the outlines of low yet orderly buildings appeared in the distance, the conversations gradually fell silent. Some faces showed anticipation; others instinctively straightened their clothes.
Orlick Junior Soul Master Academy.
It was not grand, nor particularly imposing, yet it stood at the end of the road with a matter-of-fact presence, as though it had been waiting there all along.
Li Changsheng looked at the cluster of buildings.
Within his heart, a faint desire to grow stronger was kindled.
And he was already standing on the path of a soul master.
What remained was simply to walk forward—step by step.
He continued ahead, his gaze calm as he observed the academy that would accompany him for the next six years.