Douluo: Divine Dragon Pattern Staff

Li Yusong took the butchered pork out of his storage-type soul-guidance tool and began preparing it.

Before long, the rich aroma of roasted meat filled the air, its scent wafting everywhere.

"Alright, Xiao Chen, dig in! Be careful—it's hot! Hahahaha!"

Li Yusong looked at his now-normal grandson with eyes full of pride and relief.

"Got it, Grandpa! I won't hold back. Mmm!"

Li Luochen didn't bother being polite—he was starving. He had spent the entire afternoon organizing his memories, and all that mental effort had drained him.

The grandfather and grandson enjoyed the roasted meat together, the scene warm and heartwarming—a kind of familial bliss that many powerful figures on the continent could only dream of.

"Grandpa, didn't you mention before that you teach at a certain academy? What academy is it? Are there any outstanding students?"

Li Luochen wanted to get a sense of the timeline. He knew it should be earlier than the original storyline because his grandfather, Li Yusong, appeared in the canon as a 63rd-level Tool Spirit Emperor. 

Currently, Li Yusong was at level 58. At his age, it would still take him a few more years to reach the rank of Spirit Emperor. The prime age for soul masters to cultivate was before forty; after that, their cultivation speed would drop significantly.

"Grandpa currently teaches at an academy called Shrek Academy. The principal is my good friend, Four-Eyed Owl Flender, who is now a Spirit Emperor-level powerhouse around forty years old.

The vice-principal, Immovable Bright King Zhao Wuji, is also a Spirit Emperor. There are several other teachers who are Soul Kings, so our faculty isn't bad.

As for the students, we have two notable ones. Shrek Academy mainly trains prodigies—'monsters,' if you will. One of them is named Qin Ming, whose martial soul is the Blazing Flame Wolf. He's already 19 years old with a spirit power level of 42. He's extremely talented and has reached the graduation age.

The other is named Mo Yu, whose martial soul is Wind and Thunder Wings. He's 18 years old with a spirit power level of 37. His talent is good, but unfortunately, his mentality isn't as strong. He often feels immense pressure, likely because Qin Ming is so exceptional."

Li Luochen listened carefully. This was clearly one of the earliest batches of students at Shrek Academy. He knew Qin Ming from the canon—he would later be hailed as the second-youngest Spirit Emperor, though that title came with some caveats.

As for Mo Yu, he might not have graduated from Shrek Academy. Being accepted into Shrek meant he must have been exceptionally gifted—reaching level 25 by age 12. At 18, reaching level 37 without simulated training or resources was still an impressive feat.

Li Luochen was well aware of the specific situation at Shrek Academy. Their teaching quality wasn't extraordinary, and they lacked cultivation resources. Simulated training suited people like Qin Ming and Mo Yu, who had conventional attributes. Qin Ming was truly remarkable—level 42 at 19 was incredibly high talent. Mo Yu, while slightly behind, was still considered a genius.

"Grandpa, what you just said about Mo Yu—are you saying he might not graduate? Why is that? Level 37 at 18 is already very impressive!"

Li Luochen asked, puzzled.

"Our graduation requirement at Shrek is to reach the rank of Spirit Ancestor before turning 20. Since breaking through to level 35, Mo Yu has only improved every six months or so. It's probably due to the immense pressure he feels."

In truth, Li Yusong knew their academy was essentially a small village with no cultivation resources. Principal Flender, while protective of his students, was notoriously stingy—even delaying wages. But aside from that, everything else was fine. And considering Flender's relatively young age, becoming a Spirit Emperor at this stage meant he would likely advance to the rank of Spirit Douluo in the future.

Afterward, Li Luochen stopped asking questions. Too many inquiries might not yield answers, and his grandfather was currently focused solely on raising him. Besides, Li Luochen hadn't even awakened his martial soul yet—who knew if he'd even have innate spirit power? Knowing too much beforehand might be useless.

For now, he decided to look into books about soul beasts and martial souls. Knowledge in those areas would still be useful. Additionally, Li Luochen wanted to pick up a side skill—medicine. Who knew when it might come in handy? If things didn't work out, he could retreat to a quiet village far from the center of the continent, live a simple life, and make ends meet as a barefoot doctor.

"Grandpa, my head's clear now. Do you have any books related to soul masters? Let me take a look—I'm bored anyway."

Li Luochen figured he still had three years before his martial soul awakening. He might as well start studying now since he had nothing better to do. Unlike Tang San, who practiced the mysterious Xuantian Technique from a young age and lived a fulfilling life, Li Luochen couldn't rely on such methods.

In his previous life, he had dabbled in some health-cultivating techniques from Lanxing (Blue Star), but he wasn't sure if they'd work here. Back then, they were only meant for physical fitness—not necessarily for cultivation in this world.

"Sure, sure. As long as you're interested in something, that's good enough for me. Here, this is a compendium of soul beasts that Grandpa collected when I was younger. It contains a wide variety of soul beasts. I'll give it to you."

Li Yusong retrieved a book from his storage-type soul-guidance tool and handed it to Li Luochen. The cover was heavily worn, and the pages inside were yellowed with age—it was clearly an old book.

"Great, thanks, Grandpa! By the way, Grandpa, I want to learn some medicine. Could you help me find some medical books? Here's what I'm thinking:

Martial soul awakenings are unpredictable. If my talent turns out to be poor, I won't pursue being a soul master. Instead, I'll become a barefoot doctor. At least I'll have a way to make a living."

Upon hearing his grandson's words, Li Yusong frowned slightly. While he was glad that his grandson had returned to normal, the lack of confidence in his tone made him uneasy.

Still, he thought about his late son, who had only possessed innate spirit power of level 3 and hadn't inherited his Dragon Pattern Staff. Instead, he awakened a wooden stick—a martial soul with abysmally low talent, destined never to reach the rank of Soul King. Even at his peak, he was only a Great Soul Master in his twenties.

And then, during a mission with a team of soul masters, he and his wife were killed by a soul beast. Perhaps living as an ordinary person wasn't so bad—it avoided calamity and hardship. Seeing his grandson live happily might be enough. With his current talent, reaching the rank of Spirit Sage might still be possible.

Living a hundred peaceful years without illness or disaster shouldn't be a problem. Watching his grandson grow up, marry, and have children might not be so bad either. If his grandson truly lacked talent, he'd take him away from all this. He'd quit being a teacher and retire with his grandson to a quiet village.

"Alright, I'll go find some books for you. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. Grandpa doesn't have any grand ambitions anymore. If you're willing to learn, I'll find the books for you."

Li Yusong spoke earnestly.

"Thanks so much, Grandpa!"

Li Luochen hugged his grandfather happily. Though Li Luochen was a transmigrant, he had been raised by Li Yusong for three years—with diapers and all—and he remembered it all.

People have feelings. Li Yusong was truly a kind and gentle grandfather. In his previous life, Li Luochen had never known his own grandfather, who had passed away early. He didn't know what it felt like to have a close bond with an elder.

It was a pity that his parents hadn't lived long enough to receive filial piety—it was a regret he carried. But now, his grandfather Li Yusong treated him well, and naturally, he harbored no resistance. Blood ties couldn't be changed, and neither could familial affection.

Li Yusong was in a great mood today. First, his grandson had returned to normal. Second, his grandson was incredibly smart. Li Yusong was deeply reassured by how intelligent Li Luochen was.

Before turning three, Li Luochen had spent most of his time in a daze. When he was lucid, however, he was remarkably sharp—learning to read and study quickly. As long as Li Luochen wasn't confused, his education required little effort from Li Yusong.

Now that Li Luochen had returned to normal, his soul, strengthened by two lifetimes of experience, allowed him to learn rapidly. He finally understood the concept of photographic memory and began self-studying knowledge about soul masters and understanding the characteristics of soul beasts.

Li Yusong, being a teacher himself, excelled in teaching. His instruction was meticulous—perhaps even more so because this was his grandson.

And so, Li Luochen began to explore this familiar yet strange new world.

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