Departure for Notting

Imagine being in the middle of a fight when, out of nowhere, you got hit by a heavy punch with triple the force—and it kept landing critical blows.

Even a ghost would call that downright hellish.

Moreover, the Nine Heavens Stacking Waves Force was not limited to any particular medium. In other words, Jiang Chen could apply this power to any part of his body.

Jiang Chen could not help looking downward.

"Ahem, my mind wandered."

Jiang Chen coughed dryly a few times, composed himself, and began trying out the Nine Heavens Stacking Waves Force.

In fact, he had always been able to cultivate the returned techniques, but Jiang Chen had previously been too absorbed in beating up Tang San and farming rewards to settle down and train properly.

Jiang Chen shook out his fist, stared at the old tree before him that was thick enough for one person to wrap their arms around, and took a deep breath.

He lowered his calves slightly, tensed his waist and back, and the muscles in his right arm abruptly bulged.

"First Layer, activate!"

His fist tore through the air, smashing into the trunk with a dull howl.

Bang!

The tree trunk groaned under the strain, and a fist-shaped crater was violently punched into the spot it struck.

"What a terrifying boost."

This punch had been thrown purely with Jiang Chen's physical strength, without any Soul Power added to it.

If he used Green Lotus Enhancement along with Soul Power, its might would probably reach the level of a Soul Grandmaster.

"My current limit is the Second Layer, a fourfold boost. Combined with the Glazed Green Lotus's enhancement, dealing with a Soul Beast around a thousand years old should not be a problem."

Jiang Chen did not need to hunt Soul Rings himself, but Tang San did.

He could not just stand by and watch Short Hair make Tang San absorb a ten-year Lone Bamboo, could he?

"Dad, I'm leaving. Remember to eat on time."

Tang San placed the cooked porridge on the table and called into the room.

But there was still no response.

"Little San, let's go. Your drunkard father probably won't be getting up. Little Chen is still waiting at the village entrance." Old Jack called to Tang San from the doorway.

Today was the opening day of Notting College. He had gotten up especially early and even changed into a new set of clothes, making him look much more energetic.

"Alright, Grandpa Jack."

Tang San slung his bundle over his back, reluctantly glanced at his father's door, then quietly left.

The journey to Notting College was not far, but considering Old Jack's legs, Jiang Chen and Tang San both consciously slowed their pace.

Old Jack walked at the front with his cane, while Jiang Chen and Tang San followed side by side behind him. The three headed toward Notting City along the country dirt road.

Old Jack was in high spirits. His mouth never stopped moving as they walked, and he kept turning back to ramble at the two of them.

"You two little fellows, remember this. Although Notting College is only a junior Soul Master Academy, it is still considered the best in our area. You only need to reach Rank Ten and obtain one Soul Ring to graduate. Above the junior academy is the intermediate academy."

At that, Old Jack held up two fingers and waved them. "As long as you reach Rank Twenty and become a Soul Grandmaster, you can smoothly graduate from an intermediate academy."

Tang San listened seriously, while Jiang Chen looked lazy and casually plucked a strand of Blue Silver Grass from the roadside to hold between his teeth.

"You only need Rank Twenty to graduate from an intermediate academy?" Tang San was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, that is the requirement for intermediate academies," Old Jack said seriously.

"Then wouldn't anyone with hands be able to graduate?" Jiang Chen remarked from the side.

He felt that the Soul Power accumulated within him had already surpassed that of a Rank Twenty Soul Master.

He simply had no Soul Ring, so he could not use it.

"You brat, you look down on this and that all day long."

Old Jack tapped Jiang Chen on the head with his cane. "If it were really as easy as you think, there would not be people in their fifties or sixties still stuck at Soul Grandmaster."

Jiang Chen felt that Old Jack was taking a jab at some Master, but he had no proof.

"You need to understand that the hardest part of being a Soul Master is not cultivation, but facing Soul Beasts when hunting Soul Rings!"

"You both have Innate Full Soul Power, so you can ask teachers for help with your first Soul Ring. But after reaching Rank Twenty, if you want to obtain Soul Rings, you can only rely on yourselves."

"After all, Soul Masters from commoner backgrounds like us have neither the money to hire mercenary groups nor family support. One careless mistake, and you could lose your life to a Soul Beast! So in the future, you two should hunt Soul Beasts together whenever possible. Never act alone just to prove yourselves."

"Especially you, Little Chen. Understood?"

Old Jack knew that Jiang Chen often bullied Tang San, so he made a point of reminding him.

"Got it, got it."

Jiang Chen waved impatiently. "By the way, we've been walking for so long. Why haven't we reached Notting College yet?"

He remembered that in the original story, the journey from Holy Soul Village to Notting College took no more than two hours.

They had set out before dawn, and it was nearly noon now. Forget the academy—even a nearby village was nowhere in sight.

Tang San had never left home before, so he could only cast Old Jack an inquiring look.

Old Jack also sensed that something was wrong. He stopped and looked around. "Strange. I clearly didn't take the wrong road. Why does it feel different from what I remember?"

Just as he was about to take another step, the earth beneath his feet suddenly loosened, revealing a deep pit. Countless vines coiled upward like living snakes!

"Good heavens! What's going on?!" Old Jack cried out as his body uncontrollably toppled forward.

Jiang Chen reacted quickly, yanking Old Jack backward with one hand before using the momentum to leap away himself.

Tang San rolled aside to evade the vines' entanglement, narrowly avoiding the first wave of attacks.

After putting some distance between them, Jiang Chen focused his gaze.

A strange dark-purple plant emerged from the split in the ground. Its thick roots curled like pythons, and at its top bloomed a flower core filled with sharp teeth.

"It's a Soul Beast!" Purple light flashed in Tang San's eyes as he warned them.

"How could there be a Soul Beast in a place like this?!" Old Jack's legs went weak with fright.

After living so long, this was the first time he had seen a Soul Beast near the village.

"It's probably a plant-type Soul Beast skilled at camouflage."

Jiang Chen narrowed his golden eyes as his Glazed Divine Eyes quietly activated. "It should not be too strong, or it would not have escaped a Soul Master's senses."

"Little San, dare to take it on with me?"

"Who's afraid of who!"

Tang San and Jiang Chen exchanged a glance, then simultaneously darted to opposite sides.

"I'll take it head-on. You flank it."

As Jiang Chen spoke, green light bloomed from his palm and the Glazed Green Lotus appeared.

Without hesitation, he pressed the Green Lotus against his chest.

Buzz!

As golden light flowed, Jiang Chen's aura surged, and every aspect of his body was instantly enhanced!

Sensing the threat, the plant Soul Beast sent several vines lunging at Jiang Chen like venomous snakes.

At the critical moment, a phantom Green Lotus lit up beneath Jiang Chen's feet. He dodged like a ghost while secretly gathering power in his right fist.

The First Layer of the Nine Heavens Stacking Waves Force quietly began to circulate!

"Little San, cover me!"

Tang San nodded and flicked both hands repeatedly. Several stones struck the flower core with precision. Though they caused no substantial damage, they successfully drew the Soul Beast's attention.

The plant Soul Beast turned furiously, sending even more vines whipping toward Tang San.

"Now!"

Seizing the opening, Jiang Chen shot forward and punched the area where the vines were most densely packed, sending dark-purple juice spraying everywhere.

The plant Soul Beast thrashed in pain, and the severed vines actually regenerated at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"What terrifying vitality!"