Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy (End)

Yu Xiaogang was unfamiliar with Notting City. For one Silver Soul Coin, he learned the layout of the city: what places were where, which noble families lived there, where Spirit Hall was located, and all sorts of miscellaneous rumors of uncertain truth.

After learning what he needed, Yu Xiaogang casually dismissed the passerby. The man thanked him profusely before heading home, delighted that answering a few questions had earned him a free Silver Soul Coin. Secretly, he sighed, What a fool with more money than sense!

Yu Xiaogang headed straight to the Medicine Shop under the Seven Treasure Merchant Association. After finding it, he looked at the little tower insignia beneath its signboard and could not help but marvel. As expected of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—even in this small border city, it had its own shops. They truly had money to burn.

Upon entering the Medicine Shop, the young woman at the front desk immediately stood and politely asked, "Good evening! What do you need, sir? The Seven Treasure Merchant Association carries common medicinal herbs from across the continent. If you need herbs for soul masters, this shop can also request stock from our superiors."

Yu Xiaogang hummed in acknowledgment and looked at the rows of small drawers behind the counter. It gave him the feeling of entering a traditional herbal medicine shop.

"Do you have high-year Whale Glue? How much is it? Also, I have a list of medicinal ingredients here. Take a look, and if you have them, prepare one batch for me."

The receptionist stared at Yu Xiaogang in surprise. She had not expected such a handsome man to have problems in that department. Yu Xiaogang felt himself blush under her gaze. After all, Whale Glue was currently used only as an aphrodisiac. No wonder she misunderstood when he walked in asking for it.

"Ahem! Ahem! Do you have high-year Whale Glue or not?"

Thick-skinned, Yu Xiaogang coughed and continued asking. He then handed the already prepared list of medicinal ingredients to the receptionist.

"Of course we do. We have hundred-year and thousand-year varieties. A shipment just arrived from our superiors, including a piece of ten-thousand-year Whale Glue. Which kind would you like?"

The young woman answered as she accepted the list.

"I'll take all of it! If you get any more ten-thousand-year Whale Glue in the future, save it for me. I'll come by often to buy it!"

Yu Xiaogang spoke without blushing or even catching his breath, trying hard to put on a thoroughly upright expression. Yet inwardly, he felt as though he were buying Little Umbrellas.

"Ah? All of it? All right! Please wait a moment, sir. I'll package it right away."

After a brief moment of shock, the young woman happily went to fetch the goods. Only noble lords bought Whale Glue, and even then only in small quantities, so it was easy for it to sit unsold. This sale would earn her a decent commission.

"Sir, these are the medicinal ingredients you requested. The total is 3,580 Gold Soul Coins! Would you like to pay by card or cash?"

Before long, the receptionist had packed a bag of goods and neatly placed it on the counter as she looked at Yu Xiaogang.

"All right! Thank you. Cash."

As he spoke, Yu Xiaogang touched the Soul Tool at his waist and took out several bags of Gold Soul Coins. He then casually stored the medicinal ingredients on the counter in his Soul Tool, safely securing them.

"Count them. I can wait over there."

After saying that, Yu Xiaogang waited nearby while considering which hotel to rest at later. The receptionist quickly finished counting, returned the excess Gold Soul Coins to him, and saw him out with a bright smile.

Yu Xiaogang found a hotel that looked nicely decorated, rented a superior room, ordered some specialty food and wine, and enjoyed a fine meal. After taking a bath, he went to bed. Tomorrow, he still had to meet an old friend of the original owner. Since he needed to ask someone for a favor, he had to be well-rested.

He got up early the next day and sat cross-legged on the east-facing balcony to complete his daily cultivation. Once he was done, he went downstairs to check out.

He headed toward Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy. Along the way, he occasionally encountered children wearing uniform sky-blue outfits. Yu Xiaogang had not been entirely sure where the junior soul master academy was and had planned to ask someone for directions, but now he had free guides leading the way.

He found a breakfast stall along the road and bought a few large meat buns and some milk to fill his stomach. Soon, he spotted a grand gate. Several gleaming golden characters on the plaque above it radiated a halo beneath the morning sunlight.

"Hey! You there! Who are you? This isn't a place for commoners! Get lost! Otherwise, I'll throw you out myself!"

The ordinary-looking but arrogantly proud gatekeeper shouted at Yu Xiaogang.

"I'm here to see your dean. Please open the gate."

Yu Xiaogang frowned at the gatekeeper before him.

"Get lost! Get lost! Is this a place for commoners like you?! If you don't leave, I really will get physical! With the way you look, you think you can see the dean?"

The gatekeeper had been watching this strange man for quite a while. Adult soul masters rarely came here. Most visitors were commoners who admired the soul master academy and came to look around, which had become endlessly annoying. Moreover, this man had stood in the middle of the road for a long time. His clothes were not luxurious either—just plain gray cotton and linen without any fine ornamentation.

The gatekeeper also knew every teacher at the academy and every friend who came and went regularly. Thus, he often arrogantly stepped out to berate commoners who did not know their place.

Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang looked speechlessly at the snobbish gatekeeper and decided to teach him a proper lesson. It would be for the man's own good. Otherwise, one day he might offend someone he should not and not even know how he died.

With that thought, Yu Xiaogang stepped forward. Light shone beneath his feet as two yellow and one purple soul rings appeared. Without summoning his Martial Soul, he directly activated the Second Soul Ring skill at its lowest power, using Dragon Might to give the brainless gatekeeper a little lesson in love.

The gatekeeper immediately felt that the man before him had become incomparably terrifying, as though he were facing an ancient ferocious beast—a divine dragon. Pressed down by that shocking aura, he fell onto his backside. His legs trembled, his face turned pale, and he frantically scrambled backward.

"Th-Three Ring Soul Elder! And your First Soul Ring is a yellow hundred-year ring! I-I'm sorry! Honorable Lord Soul Master, you're here to see the dean, right? I'll open the gate immediately! This lowly one failed to recognize greatness. Please be magnanimous and forgive my earlier rudeness!"

The gatekeeper cried out in terror from the ground. Fright had made him stutter, and none of his initial arrogance remained.

"Hmph! Let this be the last time! Do your job properly. I may not belong to this academy right now, but the dean is my friend! You won't be so lucky next time."

Yu Xiaogang snorted coldly, feeling thoroughly refreshed. He had actually received Tang San's treatment ahead of time. But were the gatekeepers of Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy all cut from the same cloth? Even twenty years later, the gatekeeper would treat Tang San the same way.

Yu Xiaogang had originally only wanted to teach the gatekeeper a memorable lesson. At the same time, having acquired Supernatural Abilities beyond anything he could reach on Earth, he was excited and somewhat eager to show off. Since someone had conveniently run straight into his gun barrel, it was the perfect opportunity for Yu Xiaogang to establish his authority.

In the original story, Yu Xiaogang had not been well received at Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy. Now, however, the students nearby were all looking at him with admiration and envy. It seemed Yu Xiaogang had achieved his goal.

"What's going on? Why are you all blocking the entrance? Why aren't you in class?"

At that moment, an authoritative voice sounded from behind the students.

Yu Xiaogang looked up and saw a young man in his twenties, dressed in an elaborate teacher's uniform of deep blue embroidered with golden patterns.

"Hello. I'm Yu Xiaogang. Dean Kahn of your academy and I are old friends. We already contacted each other by letter. Didn't Dean Kahn mention me to you?"

Yu Xiaogang asked the young teacher before him with a smug expression.

"So you are Master Yu Xiaogang, whom Dean Kahn mentioned! My apologies. I apologize for our gatekeeper's rudeness. Luo Qie'er! If there's a next time, don't bother coming to work again. Go home and farm!"

After Teacher Mo Yue reprimanded the gatekeeper, he turned toward Yu Xiaogang. Behind him, the gatekeeper repeatedly expressed his gratitude, quickly scrambled to his feet, and staggered off to open the gate.

Teacher Mo first berated the gatekeeper, saying a few inconsequential words before letting the matter pass. The gatekeeper was, after all, part of the academy's public face. Then he gave Yu Xiaogang a slight bow of respect and introduced himself.

"Hello, Master Yu Xiaogang! I'm Mo Yue. You may call me Teacher Mo. I am this academy's practical combat instructor."

"Please come with me, Master Yu Xiaogang! Dean Kahn was delighted to receive your letter. I'll take you to the dean's office to see him now."

As Teacher Mo introduced things to Yu Xiaogang, he inwardly thought that the rumors were wrong. Wasn't Yu Xiaogang supposed to be a useless man with Innate Half Level Soul Power? Theory was supposed to be his strength, and Dean Kahn had invited him to the academy as a theory teacher to teach the students about soul beasts.

But judging from how he had just disciplined the gatekeeper, the aura from his soul rings was incredibly powerful! Even Teacher Mo's Beast Martial Soul had suffered intense suppression. Moreover, his soul rings were an optimal configuration. His Third Soul Ring was a very deep purple and appeared to be of a high age! Teacher Mo had no idea how many years it was, though. After all, he was merely a practical combat instructor with muscles and little theoretical knowledge!