After shaking off the many enthusiastic villagers, Wang Li finally returned to his own home. This was just the Spirit awakening; he hadn't even obtained a spirit ring yet.
He let out a long breath. Although it wasn't absolute, he was currently a lonely orphan who had suddenly become the apple of everyone's eye.
Returning home, he picked up his weeding tools and headed out again toward the fields.
Even though he had awakened his Spirit, the fields still needed to be farmed.
Wang Li had a thoughtful expression as he mused to himself:
"There are still three months. Once I get to Notting Academy, I definitely won't have to farm anymore. Work-study students don't pay tuition, but I still need to figure out a way to pay for food."
"I'll sell all the grain harvested this year after paying taxes. As for the family's fields, I'll sell what I can and rent out what I can't."
"As long as I officially become a Spirit Master, I can receive a subsidy from Spirit Hall. Then I'll be able to escape this tight financial situation... Three months is neither long nor short; it will pass quickly."
Wang Li counted all his savings, mostly bronze coins mixed with some silver coins. After counting, he said:
"Twenty-five silver coins and two hundred and thirty-four bronze coins. That converts to twenty-seven silver coins and thirty-four bronze coins. This should be enough for me to survive for a while."
In the currency of the Douluo World, one gold coin can be exchanged for one hundred silver coins, or ten thousand bronze coins.
(PS: In the original work, 1 gold coin = 10 silver coins = 100 bronze coins. The author must have been careless, either not calculating clearly or not writing clearly. Otherwise, in the academy, sweeping the floor for a day earns ten bronze coins, and sweeping for ten days would be one gold coin.)
Wang Li sold the grain and, under the supervision of Village Chief Wang Ping, rented out his family's fields to other villagers at a low price. If possible, Wang Li would have liked to raise the price, but given the village's economic level, no one would rent them if the price were high.
This way, the price wasn't high, but it provided a steady stream of income, and Wang Li was already very satisfied.
Just then, a voice came from outside the house:
"Little Li, are you home?"
Hearing this, Wang Li put away the two money bags—one large and one small—and quickly ran to open the door. He saw not only Wang Ping but also some villagers, and greeted them:
"Grandpa Village Chief, and all you uncles and aunts, why have you all come? Please, come in and sit, I'll pour some water for you!"
Wang Ping knew there were many of them and Wang Li's house couldn't accommodate them all, so he didn't enter. Instead, he said with a smile:
"Little Li, we won't go in. You're coming to the city with me tomorrow, so you must have a lot of things to pack. Make sure to bring everything you need. Once you enter Notting Academy, it's impossible for us commoners to go in and see you."
After speaking, Wang Ping took out a pouch and solemnly handed it to Wang Li, saying seriously:
"The city isn't like our countryside. Once you go, you won't be back for half a year or more. Take this money; it's a token of everyone's goodwill. Cultivate well, study hard, and you must become a Spirit Master in the future!"
Wang Li received it as if it were a precious treasure. He didn't know how much money was inside, but seeing the expectant faces of Wang Ping and the other villagers, he thanked them loudly:
"Thank you, Grandpa Village Chief, and thank you, uncles and aunts. I will definitely become a powerful Spirit Master!"
This feeling was like a student from a backward village suddenly getting into university and heading to the city to study, carrying the hopes of the entire village.
Wang Li did not refuse this kindness. Once his strength grew, repaying the village would be an easy task.
Wang Ping was overjoyed upon hearing this. It was the sorrow of a small place; after so many years, they finally had Wang Li, who possessed spirit power. They could only pin all their hopes on him. He took a deep breath and said repeatedly:
"Good child, good child..."
Besides Wang Ping, the group of villagers also enthusiastically brought Wang Li some dry rations and fruit. Wang Li accepted them all with a smile.
After seeing off Wang Ping and the villagers, Wang Li's face was a bit stiff from smiling. Returning to the house, he first organized the rations and fruit, then opened the money pouch Wang Ping had given him. He counted carefully: a full thirty silver coins.
Wang Li's eyes shone exceptionally bright. It seemed that after going to Notting Academy, he would not only be able to eat his fill but even eat well—at least he could add a chicken leg.
He quickly put all the money away. Just as Wang Ping said, Wang Li did need to pack many things: two sets of clothes, shoes, socks, bedding, dry rations... it really did feel a bit like being a university student.
The next day!
Before dawn, Wang Li got out of bed. He didn't cook but boiled a pot of hot water and filled his stomach with dry rations.
Then, carrying his large and small bags, he walked out the door. He looked back at the place where he had lived for six years, then closed the door, resolutely embarking on his path as a Spirit Master.
Spirits, spirit rings, Spirit Bones... Douluo Continent, it's truly something to look forward to.
At the village entrance, Wang Ping and his son, Wang Shun, were already waiting. Beside them was an ox cart.
Wang Li walked over quickly and called out:
"Grandpa Village Chief, Uncle Wang Shun."
A smile filled Wang Ping's aged face. Seeing Wang Li, he hurriedly greeted him:
"Little Li is here. Get on the cart quickly; we should set off early so as not to miss your enrollment time."
Wang Ping's son, the tall and sturdy Wang Shun, strode over to help Wang Li load his luggage onto the cart. His eyes were full of envy, as Wang Li would likely be the only Spirit Master in their village.
With everything ready, Wang Ping and Wang Li sat on the ox cart while Wang Shun drove it forward.
Along the way, Wang Ping loudly told Wang Li all the anecdotes he knew about Spirit Masters. Some were true stories, others were legends, but his words were filled with longing for the World of Spirit Masters.
On the Douluo Continent, Spirit Masters were equivalent to nobility. Nobility was born, but Spirit Masters gave commoners a hope, even if that hope was very slim.
This showed the special status of Spirit Masters.
Outside Nuoding City, Wang Shun stayed with the ox cart while Wang Ping took Wang Li into the city. After asking around a bit, they found the location of Notting Academy.
Arriving at Notting Academy, it was a vast complex. The gate alone was twenty meters wide and four meters high, forged from fine iron.
At that moment, in front of the gate, there were also an old man and a young boy who seemed to want to register, but they were being blocked by a Gatekeeper.