Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Delayed Enrollment
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Five days later, Beikouhe Town.
Today wasn't market day, so the town wasn't bustling with people. Small groups of pedestrians went about their business, and Ling Yi followed Ling Xiaoshan, blending in as just two ordinary passersby.
At the blacksmith shop on the west side of town, Ling Xiaoshan took out a handful of Copper Soul Coins and two Silver Soul Coins, handing them to a burly man with a grizzled beard. He received a bulging burlap bag from the man and peeked inside.
Beside the casting table, a burly young man, drenched in sweat, was hammering a red-hot iron ingot, the rhythmic sound of his hammering sometimes pleasant, sometimes punctuated by a few off-key strikes.
Ling Yi stood obediently at the door, his eyes filled with curiosity as he quietly observed the scene inside the shop.
"Let's go~"
Ling Xiaoshan's clear voice rang in his ear, and a warm, large hand covered Ling Yi's head, drawing his gaze back.
Ling Yi looked up to meet Ling Xiaoshan's smiling eyes and nodded, "Mm!"
"Master Jiang, Baiwa, see you later—"
"Alright~"
"Uncle, Ah Yi, take care—"
Amidst the farewells from the blacksmith shop owner and the burly young man, the two figures, one large and one small, waved and stepped out into the blazing sun, heading towards the outskirts of town.
"Clank! Clank—!"
As they walked, the burlap bag in the bamboo basket on Ling Xiaoshan's back occasionally emitted a crisp metallic sound.
Six brand new iron hoe blades, when fitted onto six straight, sturdy wooden handles, would make six excellent hoes.
Currently, in the Ling and Zhang families, the three male members of the Zhang family all had the "Hoe" soul tool, making it convenient for them to use the Farmer's Three Techniques - Hoe Swing Style. However, Ling Changqing, Ling Xiaoshan, and Ling Yi himself needed hoes to perform their techniques.
In addition, Grandma, Grandmother, Mother, and Aunt would occasionally help out in the fields, so they couldn't do without hoes.
"Ah Yi~"
"Hmm?"
"With this Basic Meditation Technique, you should focus on your cultivation and avoid working in the fields..." Ling Xiaoshan looked down at Ling Yi, his expression serious.
Hearing this, Ling Yi patted his chest, feeling the thin booklet inside. He turned to his father and replied with equal seriousness, "Dad, don't worry, I'll cultivate diligently."
"But~"
Just as Ling Xiaoshan was about to nod, Ling Yi spoke again, "Dad, when I got the Basic Meditation Technique, Uncle Yan Bin told me that each cultivation session shouldn't be too long. The duration varies based on individual talent. Exceeding this time not only reduces efficiency but can also harm the body if you're not careful..."
"Alright~" Listening to Ling Yi, Ling Xiaoshan was momentarily speechless, for he was a complete novice in the realm of soul cultivation and had no authority to speak on the matter.
Ling Xiaoshan pursed his lips, then seemed to remember something and asked, "Right, Ah Yi, can you read the meditation technique?"
"Over the years, we've taught you some characters, but I'm not sure if it's enough. How about we sell the wild chickens and rabbits we've raised at home? That way, you can afford tuition to go to Wood Plant City for school..."
Ling Xiaoshan didn't mention the Work-Study Student quota because both he and Ling Yi knew they wouldn't get a spot this year.
What is a Work-Study Student?
How are the Work-Study Student quotas allocated?
It's quite simple. A city is supported by the surrounding towns and villages, which provide the majority of the daily necessities, such as grains, vegetables, and meats.
A significant portion of these contributions is made无偿 by the residents of the towns and villages, essentially functioning as taxes for the rulers.
In such a situation, the rulers are willing to give talented and promising commoner soul masters a chance—a chance to attend school for free.
Not only is the education free, but they also provide part-time work opportunities, allowing students to earn some living expenses during their free time.
This way, once these commoner soul masters grow up, whether they are absorbed into the established circles of the rulers or return to their hometowns to become new minor lords, it is beneficial in every way and harmful in none.
If, by chance, a genius emerges, it would be a huge win!
But let's get back to the topic at hand.
The Work-Study Student quotas are allocated by the city where the初级 soul master academy is located, based on the contributions of the towns and villages and the prosperity of the city itself.
Unfortunately, Waterwood Principality is one of the smallest countries in the Douluo Continent, with a total land area smaller than the smallest province of the Tian Dou Empire.
Or, more accurately, it was carved out from the smallest province of the Tian Dou Empire.
The entire country has only three cities, and the capital, Wood Plant City, is just a regular large city by the standards of the Douluo Continent.
Due to the country's circumstances, most people with soul master potential are concentrated in the three cities.
In the countryside, it often takes several decades for a soul master with the potential to reach the rank of Soul尊 to emerge.
Thus, the quotas for the初级 soul master academy in Wood Plant City are mostly allocated to the town level and rarely reach the village level.
In short, while there are Work-Study Student quotas, a town like Beikouhe has only two or three.
Coincidentally, this year, three descendants of soul masters in the town turned six and awakened their innate soul power.
Children of soul masters do have a higher chance of awakening their innate soul power...
On the sunlit, quiet country road, the two figures, one large and one small, walked further and further away. The scorching wind scattered golden light onto the listless Blue Silver Grass by the roadside.
As they walked, Ling Yi pondered the 'wealth' his family now possessed.
Regarding the Work-Study Student quota, Ling Yi thought about it briefly and then dismissed it from his mind.
Although enrolling earlier would allow him to learn more about soul tools and soul beasts sooner, even in the初级 soul master academy, students still primarily cultivate the Basic Meditation Technique.
Ling Yi had already confirmed this with Yan Bin.
Given that Ling Yi's innate soul power was only half a level, whether he enrolled a year earlier or later made no significant difference.
After all, at the academy, the focus would still be on soul power cultivation, with the study of soul tools and soul beasts as a secondary concern.
Therefore, it would be better to cultivate his soul power at home and, when the time was right, enroll as a Work-Study Student to absorb the knowledge at the初级 soul master academy.
With his current mental capacity, he could quickly master the curriculum of a初级 soul master academy, much like how Yu Xiaogang memorized the entire library of the Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Soul Temple.
Facing the lush greenery on both sides of the road, Ling Yi's eyes sparkled.
Starting tomorrow, he would be a diligent soul master, advancing in physical strength, mental power, and soul power equally.
Starting tomorrow, he would lead the relatives of the Ling and Zhang families in farming, breeding, and hunting, striving for a better life together.
(End of Chapter)