soul land:My martial spirit is hogoromo

Xiao Chenyu charged at Lin Ming like a raging beast, his claws gleaming under the sunlight as they slashed through the air. Lin Ming narrowed his eyes, analyzing the attack with sharp focus. At the last moment, he sidestepped effortlessly, his movements fluid and precise.

Before Xiao Chenyu could react, Lin Ming's foot lashed out like a whip, slamming into his face with bone-jarring force. Xiao Chenyu staggered back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he glared at Lin Ming in disbelief.

"You should give up," Lin Ming said calmly, his tone devoid of arrogance but firm enough to strike at Xiao Chenyu's pride.

But Xiao Chenyu, blinded by humiliation and rage, refused to surrender. "You lowly commoner! How dare you humiliate me!" he roared. His spirit ring flared as his martial soul ability activated, causing his claws to elongate and gleam with an even sharper edge.

Lin Ming's expression grew serious

Without wasting any more time, Lin Ming summoned his martial soul. A shimmering chain appeared, coiling loosely around his hand like a serpent waiting to strike. As Xiao Chenyu charged again, Lin Ming lashed out with his chain like a whip.

Xiao Chenyu raised his clawed hands to block, but the chain coiled tightly around his wrists. Lin Ming smirked.

"Got you."

With a sharp tug, he yanked Xiao Chenyu off balance. The noble student stumbled forward, his footing lost. Lin Ming seized the opening. With a swift leap, he spun mid-air and delivered a powerful Leaf Whirlwind Kick directly to Xiao Chenyu's jaw.

The impact sent Xiao Chenyu sprawling to the ground, completely unconscious.

Silence fell over the courtyard.

The noble students stared in disbelief. Their so-called 'boss,' the one they had admired and feared, had been defeated—no, humiliated—by a commoner. Lin Ming hadn't just won; he had dominated the fight.

Lin Ming's gaze swept over the nobles, his eyes sharp and menacing. "Who's next?"

No one stepped forward. Instead, the nobles quickly scrambled to carry the unconscious Xiao Chenyu to the infirmary, their previous arrogance nowhere to be seen.

As the work-study students erupted into cheers, Lin Ming relaxed slightly, allowing himself a small smile. Wang Sheng slapped him on the back.

"That was amazing, Boss Lin! You crushed him!"

Lin Ming, smiled, though inwardly, he was already planning how to further refine his techniques.

While heading back to the dormitory with the excited work-study students, they spotted Tang San running toward them.

"Weren't you guys supposed to be fighting the noble students? Is it over already?" Tang San asked, looking surprised.

Wang Sheng, still buzzing with excitement, jumped in to explain everything in vivid detail. Tang San's eyes widened slightly as he processed the information.

'Defeating a spirit master while still a spirit scholar?' Tang San thought. 'I could've done it because of my Tang Sect techniques, but Lin Ming… he did it with raw skill and self-created moves. Impressive.'

Tang San looked at Lin Ming with newfound respect but also a hint of competitiveness.

Later that day, the group celebrated in the cafeteria, their bond growing stronger. Lin Ming, however, quickly returned to his training routine afterward. He practiced the three basic ninjutsu techniques until dinner and spent the evening meditating on the Heavenly Treasure Record to consolidate his progress.

That night, Lin Ming entered his mental realm, where Hagoromo waited patiently.

"Senior Hagoromo," Lin Ming began, "So which soul beast do you think will be beneficial for my martial soul?"

Hagoromo stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Focus on beasts with metal attributes.From what we've read in the library it is better to absorb a soul beast that complements your martial soul as it can help increase your martial souls durability and power"

Lin Ming nodded and continued brainstorming strategies with Hagoromo before finally drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, Lin Ming arrived at the training grounds, only to find Xiao Chenyu standing there with a group of noble students. To his surprise, Xiao Chenyu bowed deeply.

"Boss Lin!" Xiao Chenyu declared loudly, "From today onward, I acknowledge you as the true boss of Nuoding Academy!"

Lin Ming's jaw nearly dropped. The nobles behind Xiao Chenyu quickly followed suit, bowing and calling him 'Boss Lin.'

Lin Ming didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 'I just want to train in peace…'

With his position in the academy now unshakable, Lin Ming stopped attending regular classes as they were pretty inefficient. Instead, he spent most of his time in the library, diving deeper into soul beast research and refining his techniques.

Days passed in peaceful training as Lin Ming prepared himself for the next step—acquiring his first soul ring.

A week later, an old man who looked to be around fifty and a young boy of about nine walked side-by-side through a bustling street.

Lin Ming's eyes sparkled as he took in the sights around him. The area was packed with people, and soul masters were everywhere, showing off their martial souls or demonstrating techniques for prospective clients.

The market felt chaotic—mercenaries shouted to attract attention, advertising their services to help hunt soul beasts.

"Need help capturing a thousand-year-old soul beast? Fast and affordable!"

"Guaranteed safety for all clients! No payment if the mission fails!"

Lin Ming shook his head at the noise but couldn't help feeling excited. This was the first time he had experienced the liveliness of the soul master world outside Nuoding Academy.

The old man, Dean Zhou Yi, glanced at him with curiosity. "Have you decided which soul beast you want for your first soul ring?"

Lin Ming, snapping out of his awe, looked at the dean and nodded. "Yes, I'm planning to hunt a Steel Spike Porcupine."

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the choice.

"A Steel Spike Porcupine?" the dean repeated. "You do realize that's one of the easiest soul beasts to hunt? They're not inherently dangerous except for their spikes, and even a spirit grandmaster can kill one as long as they avoid close-range attacks."

Lin Ming smiled confidently. "I know, Dean. But don't worry—I won't disappoint you. This soul beast is highly compatible with my martial soul."

Zhou Yi studied Lin Ming for a moment, then sighed. "You're a strange one, Lin Ming. But I'll trust your judgment."

They soon reached the entrance to the Soul Beast Forest—a vast, ancient woodland that stretched beyond the horizon. The air was thick with tension, and the cries of soul beasts echoed from deep within.

Lin Ming took a deep breath, calming his nerves. This was his first real step into the world of cultivation.

The two ventured deeper into the forest, carefully avoiding stronger beasts as they searched for the Steel Spike Porcupine. It wasn't a rare creature; in fact, most soul masters avoided it because of its weak abilities.

After nearly a day of searching, they finally found one. It was slightly larger than average, its body covered in gleaming steel-like spikes.

Zhou Yi immediately analyzed it. "This one's about 600 years old—a bit high for a first soul ring."

Lin Ming's eyes lit up. "Perfect."

The dean frowned. "Are you sure? Absorbing a 600-year-old ring as your first can be dangerous. Most can only handle rings around 400 years without risking their lives."

Lin Ming didn't hesitate. "Dean, I've already prepared myself. I'll be fine."

After a long pause, Zhou Yi finally nodded. "Very well. But if you show any signs of trouble, I'll intervene immediately."

The dean moved swiftly, his martial soul appearing he quickly left the soul beast half dead with a single precise strike.Lin Ming gave it the the final blow with a knife he brought with him.A deep yellow ring flew out of the soul beast.

Lin Ming wasted no time. He sat cross-legged on the ground, calming his breathing as he focused on absorbing the soul ring.

The moment the soul ring he started absorbing the soul ring , intense pain erupted through him. His muscles spasmed, and beads of sweat poured down his face. It felt as if thousands of needles were piercing every inch of his flesh.

Zhou Yi watched nervously, ready to step in at the first sign of danger. But Lin Ming clenched his teeth, refusing to give in.

'This pain… it's nothing compared to what I've trained for!' Lin Ming thought as he endured.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. Finally, after nearly an hour, Lin Ming's expression eased, and his breathing steadied. The soul ring was stabilizing.

Zhou Yi let out a sigh of relief. "He did it," the dean muttered under his breath.

Another hour passed, and Lin Ming slowly opened his eyes.

Zhou yi asked with some curiousity"what is your first soul ring ability?"

Lin Ming smiled and replied"my soul ring ability is "

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End of Chapter 6