Chapter 19: Your Damn Charm

First day of school, early morning.

“Son, school starts today! Don’t forget what Dad told you before.”

Father Wang advised, “Don’t compare Soul Pets with others. Just focus on nurturing your own Soul Pet. Don’t be envious of those Rare Soul Pets.”

“And if it really underperforms, don’t lose heart.”

“Speaking of which, this little critter has grown so much in just two weeks. Green Caterpillars are easy to raise.”

Father Wang stared at the Green Caterpillar on Wang Che’s back, moved.

Father and Mother Wang didn’t know much about Soul Pets. Any knowledge they’d learned long ago had already been returned to their teachers.

They thought the Green Caterpillar grew quickly, but not too quickly.

After all, it was just a bug.

“Got it.” Wang Che nodded, then turned to the Green Caterpillar. “School’s starting. Be friendly if you meet other Soul Pets. And during the entrance tests… don’t compete with them.”

“Understand?”

“Murr!” The Green Caterpillar also nodded obediently.

“Oh hush, with your constant chatter.” Mother Wang stuffed some bread into Father Wang’s mouth. She huffed, “I asked Auntie Li, my colleague, whose son is also in his second semester of senior year. She said Green Caterpillars can’t grow this fast. I think our son’s Green Caterpillar isn’t an ordinary one.”

“Plus, he’s raised it well. Look, it’s full of vigor! If it had a ‘King’ [Wang] character tattooed on its forehead, it’d seem even mightier than a tiger! It’s not inferior to those Rare Soul Pets!”

“Honey, if you put a ‘King’ [Wang] character on something’s forehead, it might not be a tiger… it could also be, y’know… a turtle…” Father Wang mumbled.

“Looks like I need to loosen your joints today!”

“Huh?… Wait, it’s a tiger! Definitely a tiger!”

Smack! Smack! Smack!

…Amidst noisy sounds.

Wang Che glanced over. Married for decades, but still bickering.

He led the Green Caterpillar outside. The blue sky looked lovely, and his mood felt pretty good.

“Let’s go. Tianxin City First High School.”

—

Tianxin City First High School.

One of the three major schools in Tianxin City.

On opening day, a dense, endless stream of students and parents came and went.

Among them, first and second-year students gazed at the senior-year seniors with undisguised envy and longing.

Their eyes lingered on the Soul Pets accompanying the seniors – pets that were either fiercely handsome, super cute, or strikingly beautiful.

Those who hadn’t awakened their Martial Souls yet had their Soul Pets follow them physically.

Once a Martial Soul awakened, the Soul Pet condensed into a Soul Ring for the Soul Pact Master. Due to the Life Soul Pact, the Soul Ring formed a unique Soul Domain space inside.

At that point, the Soul Pet could enter this Soul Domain space within the Soul Ring to rest, train,

No longer needing constant physical presence at the Soul Pact Master’s side, it wouldn’t take up space.

It was only during senior year that one could see so many Soul Pets physically walking beside their masters.

Wang Che stood before the grand, solemn school building.

For a moment, an inexplicable sense of absurdity washed over him.

An illusion, like when he’d first stepped onto the Cultivation path and beheld the mountain gates of immortal sects.

Wang Che shook his head with a light laugh. He roused himself, thinking:

‘Ahem, though I’ve lived a long time, my mindset is ever young.’

With the Green Caterpillar following behind, Wang Che walked inside.

There were many students with Soul Pets. Size-wise, plenty dwarfed the Green Caterpillar.

For example, Ancient Tree Warriors standing taller than most people.

In cuteness, the pitch-black Tidal Cats with moonlit fur, small as teapots, were even more adorable than a Green Caterpillar.

As for strength? There were countless examples, overwhelming in number.

The senior class at First High wasn’t big – around three hundred sixty students.

Almost every single one had a Soul Pet beside them.

Amidst them all, the Green Caterpillar was… remarkably unremarkable.

Utterly plain and ordinary.

“Wang Che! Hey! Your Green Caterpillar’s kinda… big?”

Xu Haifeng’s voice called from behind.

He was hugging a dumpling-shaped Soul Pet, sprinting over excitedly.

Getting closer, he spotted the puppy-sized Green Caterpillar trailing Wang Che.

Instantly shocked.

“So… this is the Hundred-Flower Beast?”

Wang Che turned around, smiling at Xu Haifeng.

The Soul Pet in his arms resembled a cute steamed bun. Its body was pale green. On top of the bun sat a flower cluster like a tiny antenna. It had little short, round arms on each side, and bunny-like legs beneath.

In the center of the bun was a pair of tiny, tightly shut eyes, deep asleep.

The art style was… distinctive.

The Hundred-Flower Beast – super cute in its early stages, exceptionally beautiful later, and not weak in strength.

Deeply beloved by many teenagers.

Xu Haifeng’s Hundred-Flower Beast wasn’t very big. Cradled, it was like holding a basketball.

But… he’d actually draped a petite, stylish pink-and-white coat over it.

The flower cluster atop its head? Tied into a bow.

“Did you… raise a doll?” Wang Che remarked, looking it over.

“What? Not cute?” Xu Haifeng chuckled.

Wang Che swept his eyes over the guy.

Xu Haifeng stood six feet tall, barely half a head shorter than Wang Che. Close-cropped hair, decent features, but a whiff of roguishness lingered between his brows.

Definitely… unexpected behavior from a supposed tough guy.

“Too fussy.” Wang Che stated.

“Psht, you don’t get it.” Xu Haifeng lowered his voice conspiringly. “With how adorable and cuddly my Hundred-Flower Beast is, it’s definitely gonna charm plenty of lovely ladies!”

“……” Wang Che.

“So… that’s why you chose the Hundred-Flower Beast?” Wang Che tilted his head, eyeing him sideways.

“Just one reason.” Xu Haifeng grinned again. “Mainly, I heard Flower Fairies are breathtakingly beautiful. So I’m basically raising a daughter now. Hey, little one, time to meet someone.”

The Hundred-Flower Beast drowsily opened its eyes, each as small as a grain of rice. It glanced at Xu Haifeng first, then turned its gaze to Wang Che.

“Huhu!”

The Hundred-Flower Beast made soft noises, extending its short, toothpick-like arms towards Wang Che.

Seeming… to ask for a hug.

“Woah! Betraying me already?!” Xu Haifeng was dumbfounded. “Get lost, Wang Che! Your damn charm! Even Soul Pets aren’t immune?! I’m gonna puke!”

“……” Wang Che.

“Murr!”

The Green Caterpillar behind Wang Che suddenly chirped at him.

“Hmm?” Wang Che glanced at it. “You… want clothes? Your skin’s plenty thick. You don’t need clothes.”

Green Caterpillar: “(乛_乛)”

“By the way,” Xu Haifeng dropped his voice even lower, pride sneaking in, “my Hundred-Flower Beast already has sixteen years of Soul Power Cultivation now. Saw some of our classmates yesterday… total slackers! Barely managed to initiate their pets.”

“During this Soul Power test later… I’m gonna shine!”

Wang Che smiled. He smiled without speaking.

—

They chatted as they walked into the campus.

Ancient trees, lush and vibrant, lined the grounds. Blue-and-white classroom buildings stood neatly side-by-side. Wide, sturdy paths easily accommodated any juvenile Soul Pet walking freely.

The most unusual structure was the sports field.

Immense. Equipped with various training gear for juvenile Soul Pets. The entire field was covered by a light film overhead, shielding it from wind and rain.

Schooling naturally included lessons on how to train Soul Pets.

For extra training, you’d have to pay for off-campus clubs.

The school only offered free access to equipment during teaching hours for pet training under instructor guidance.

The second semester of senior year started with tests.

They wouldn’t test specific Soul Pet data like strength, speed, or constitution – these all involved training just now beginning.

Instead, it was a straightforward Soul Power Cultivation test.

Because Soul Power… was always the foundation.

Generally, Soul Power Cultivation could be roughly estimated by a Soul Pet’s size, physical traits, state, etc.

But pinpoint accuracy was near impossible.

If a Life Soul Pact had been signed, a Soul Pact Master could sense their Soul Pet’s cultivation directly.

Every time it grew by one year, the Soul Pet’s body would glow faintly with golden light.

It was very obvious.

The school tested this primarily to gauge students’ progress over the winter break – how well they’d hatched and raised their pets so far.

The testing location, naturally, wasn’t your regular classroom.

Senior year instruction largely happened on this very sports field.

After all, Soul Pets differed wildly in size. An ordinary classroom couldn’t hold them all.