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"What's the matter with you?"
Lin Jin asked in surprise after returning to his senses. He noticed something strange about Shen Xin's expression.
"N-Nothing!"
Shen Xin quickly turned her head, trying to collect herself and mask her emotions.
Lin Jin frowned again. He'd only stepped away for a few minutes—what on earth had happened to her in that short time?
"Are you sure?" he asked, concern deepening in his voice.
"Really! It's nothing!"
Shen Xin shot him a glance.
'As if I'd tell you I almost cried…'
Although her mood seemed to have settled, Lin Jin remained suspicious.
He asked tentatively, "Were you just... too excited?"
"Yeah, exactly. I was just too excited. Let's head back," she said quickly, brushing off his concern.
Lin Jin didn't buy it. The answer felt too rushed, too shallow.
But despite his lingering doubts, he couldn't press further—there was no obvious reason to keep questioning her.
With a quiet sigh, he let it go.
They made their way back to the academy from the Star Dou Forest.
By the time they arrived, it was already noon, and most people were taking a rest.
Dai Mubai's face lit up in surprise.
"You're back already? That was fast."
Lin Jin sat down in his usual spot, like a king returning to his throne, and smiled.
"We got lucky and found the right spirit ring quickly."
Finding the right spirit ring in just one day was extremely fortunate.
Many spirit masters could spend ten days—or even half a month—scouring the dangerous spirit beast forest for a suitable match.
Lin Jin took a sip of the hot tea he'd prepared earlier and casually asked, "Everything okay at the academy while we were gone?"
He wasn't worried. If something had gone wrong in just one day, he figured his luck was strong enough to win a lottery—if such a thing even existed here.
'Wait... is there no lottery system in this world? His eyes lit up suddenly. I should write that down—this could be a great business idea.'
Without missing a beat, Lin Jin pulled out a small notebook from his spirit guide and started jotting down ideas for future academy development.
Dai Mubai watched him with a raised brow. Lin Jin was always doing something strange these days, so he didn't dwell on it.
"Nothing major happened," he said, "but..."
Lin Jin looked up.
"But what?"
Dai Mubai sighed, a rare hint of helplessness on his face.
"There's a stubborn little kid who has been camping outside the academy gates, begging to join. He's been mumbling to himself out there for two days now."
"A kid? I didn't see anyone when we came through the front gate," Lin Jin said, surprised.
"He goes back around mealtimes—he's from the nearby village," Dai Mubai explained.
"Went back for lunch, probably."
Lin Jin's brows twitched. For some reason, the tea in his mouth suddenly tasted bitter.
He put the cup down.
"What's his situation?"
"Stone martial spirit. Only second-level spirit power. And he missed the registration period," Dai Mubai said plainly.
"A stone? The kid's martial spirit is a stone? And it actually has spirit power?"
Lin Jin raised an eyebrow. The world indeed never ceased to amaze him.
He'd seen some bizarre martial spirits before, but one that looked like a literal stone and still possessed spirit power? That was a first.
"According to him, his grandmother used to be a powerful spirit master," Dai Mubai added.
"However, his mother's martial spirit had mutated negatively, and her innate spirit power was remarkably weak."
"So there's a strong bloodline behind him… It's just dormant," Lin Jin muttered to himself, lost in thought.
"Bloodline? What are Bloodline?" Dai Mubai looked confused.
"Think of it as heredity," Lin Jin explained with a sigh.
"If the kid's father had even a little more talent, there wouldn't be a martial spirit as useless as a rock."
A stone? What can a stone even do? Bash people over the head?
A meteorite? Planet-busting star?
"Hmm... actually, that does sound kind of interesting..." Lin Jin rubbed his chin thoughtfully, eyes lighting up with sudden curiosity.
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Afternoon — Dean's Office.
"What's your name?" Lin Jin sat at his desk, eyeing the small boy standing before him.
The kid looked like a chubby little tiger cub—slightly pudgy, but standing tall and proud.
"Pang Hu."
Despite his round, simple appearance, the boy was unexpectedly calm.
He stood straight, looking Lin Jin dead in the eyes, a quiet hope gleaming within them.
"Wait, what? Like Fat Tiger?" Lin Jin blurted out, stunned.
'What a name... It's perfect for teasing!'
"Pang. Pang like giant pangolin! Pang Hu!"
The boy corrected him seriously, frowning slightly at the mispronunciation.
"Ah, too bad," Lin Jin sighed with mock regret.
If his name were "Fat Tiger," messing with him would be even funnier.
But alas, it's just Pang Hu.
"So, Pang Hu, why didn't you attend the entrance exam at the beginning of the school year? And now here you are, causing a ruckus?"
"I wasn't making a fuss!" Pang Hu protested stubbornly.
"No? I heard you've been shouting at the gate for two days, disturbing everyone's meditation and cultivation."
Lin Jin narrowed his eyes, adopting a stern expression to intimidate him.
"I just... I want to join the academy," Pang Hu mumbled, his tone softer now, but his eyes still brimming with determination.
"Then why didn't you come earlier? You live in the village nearby, don't you?"
"I was away... I only came back yesterday."
The little chub was honest—so honest that Lin Jin almost felt bad trying to bully him.
Almost.
But picking on honest kids only stays fun for so long. Lin Jin straightened up, voice now serious.
"Why do you want to join our academy?"
"Because I want to become a spirit master!"The answer came loud and proud.
Of course you do...Lin Jin rolled his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.
This is exactly like those job interviews where the boss already knows the answer but asks anyway because there's nothing else to say.
"Why do you want to join our company?" Ugh. Rotten question.
"Fine, I'll give you a test. If you complete it, you can join."
"I'll do it!"
"Oh? So confident? I haven't even told you what the task is." Lin Jin raised an eyebrow, testing him.
"No matter what it is—I'll do it!"
"Alright then. I like your spirit. Your task... is to go to the third floor and jump off."
Pang Hu paused for half a second. Then, without saying a word, he turned around and walked straight out the door.
...
He left? Lin Jin stared at the doorway in shock.
That kid's pride runs deep, he thought, still reeling from the shock.
Then his eyes widened.
"Wait—no, no, no!"
He bolted after the boy.
"Hey! You little maniac! I was kidding!!"