Street Encounter

Flender didn't find this request strange. He closed his book and said in a deep voice:

"If you really want to find historical records like that, don't waste your time in these civilian bookstores."

"The most complete collection of ancient Soul Master texts on the entire continent is either in the library of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the Martial Soul Hall Academy in Martial Soul City, or the academies of the Star Luo Empire."

"If you can't find the records of Martial Souls you're looking for in those three places, then there's no point in looking anywhere else."

Lin Feng finished the last book without finding even half a volume of ancient texts related to immortal herbs or special Martial Souls.

He sighed, shoved the old book back onto the shelf with a thud, and looked utterly disappointed.

"Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"

"Can you get me in there?"

This was, in fact, one of the reasons he had come to Heaven Dou City in the first place.

His cheap teacher was currently masquerading as Xue Qinghe, serving as the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.

With the status of a crown prince, getting into the library would be a simple matter of a single word, and the best part was that it wouldn't arouse any prying questions from his teacher.

"No."

Flender shook his head, pushed up the crystal glasses on the bridge of his nose, and shot him an annoyed look.

"I don't have the slightest connection to those old fogies at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. That place is the treasure vault of the Heaven Dou Empire, and the library is the vault within the vault. How could just anyone get in?"

He changed the subject, squinting with a smile.

"But then again, isn't your teacher's status in Martial Soul Hall quite high? It would be a waste not to use that connection."

"If you really want to find it, we can just make a trip to Martial Soul City when the time comes. The library at Martial Soul Hall is far more comprehensive than the one at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

"Yo, a dignified Soul Saint, yet you're not doing so well, Dean."

Lin Feng stretched, shot him a teasing look, and turned to walk out of the bookstore.

"Let's wait and see. Martial Soul City is thousands of miles away. I'll ask my teacher later and see if she has any connections at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Being told to his face by a junior that he wasn't doing well, Flender couldn't keep his composure. He scoffed and retorted with his neck stiffened.

"You brat don't know a thing. I have old acquaintances among the Three Great Sects, and I even have a sworn brother who is peerless in the world of theory. Do you really think I've spent these decades in the Soul Master world for nothing?"

Hearing the words "peerless in theory," the name Yu Xiaogang instantly popped into Lin Feng's mind. He couldn't help but burst into laughter and waved his hand.

"Alright, Dean, there's no one else here. Why keep up the act? You're a Soul Saint who can only afford to run a crummy little academy; how much better could your sworn brother be? He might even be worse off than you."

As soon as these words were out, Flender became anxious, his face flushing red as he glared at him to defend his good brother.

"What do you know, kid? His theories just lack verification. One day, his theories will shock the entire Soul Master world."

Lin Feng tilted his head slightly, asking with a curious expression.

"Then, Dean, I'm quite curious. Since this master of peerless theory is so incredible, what level is he?"

Flender was stunned by the question and instantly wilted, his eyes darting around with a lack of confidence.

"2... 29th level, Soul Grand Master."

"A 29th-level Soul Grand Master, and he dares to call himself a master of peerless theory?"

Lin Feng paused, then rubbed his chin, nodding with a straight face as if he were being serious.

"Fine, then I, a dignified 38th-level Soul Elder, am nine levels higher than him and only two steps away from being a Soul Ancestor. If he can be called a master, it wouldn't be excessive for me to call myself a grandmaster of theory, right?"

"Yes! And you, Dean, are a Soul Saint, so you must be called a Saint Teacher of theory. Our domination of the Soul Master theoretical world is just around the corner."

Flender's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Too lazy to argue with such twisted logic, he put his hands behind his back and huffed haughtily.

"It's useless to say more. When you see him in person, you'll know just how powerful his theories are."

Lin Feng rolled his eyes, not bothering to retort.

Breaking through to the 30th level at fifty years old was indeed impressive; most people couldn't do it.

Regardless, his teacher wasn't Yu Xiaogang, so whether his theories were powerful or not had absolutely nothing to do with him.

On the other side, Xue Qinghe had just emerged from the imperial palace after dealing with a pile of red tape. He leaned back in the jolting carriage, rubbing his brow with indifference.

Outside the window was the bustling street scene of the imperial capital, but he had no heart to look at it, his eyes filled with the exhaustion of navigating court politics.

Suddenly, his peripheral vision caught a familiar figure flashing past the street.

His originally languid posture instantly stiffened. He threw open the carriage curtain and shouted urgently at the driver.

"Stop."

"Yes! Your Highness!"

The driver quickly pulled the reins, and the four snow-white steeds lifted their hooves in unison, bringing the carriage to a steady halt by the roadside.

"Little Lin?"

Xue Qinghe stared at the handsome figure not far away, along with Flender following beside him. Confirming that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, a strange expression surfaced on his face.

How did this guy suddenly end up in Heaven Dou City?

The exhaustion of the disguise that had weighed on her heart for days, along with the loneliness of having no one to confide in, seemed to be blown away by a breeze the moment she saw Lin Feng; the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and her mood inexplicably lightened.

"Little Lin?"

Lin Feng, who had been bickering with Flender, suddenly heard someone call his name. He turned around instinctively, following the sound.

He saw an incredibly luxurious gilded carriage parked by the side of the street, and standing beside it was a youth with a gentle and refined temperament. His brocade robes clearly marked him as someone of extraordinary status, and he was looking at him with a smile.

Lin Feng was stunned on the spot, turning his head left and right to look around.

Who is this? Do I know him? Could it be a case of mistaken identity?

Just as he was filled with confusion, Xue Qinghe had already walked over slowly and stopped in front of him.

"Stop looking, I'm the one calling you."

Seeing the bewildered look on Lin Feng's face, he couldn't help but chuckle.

Lin Feng stared at this completely unfamiliar face, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Big Brother, you must have mistaken me for someone else. Why don't I have any memory of you?"

Xue Qinghe smiled gently and politely:

"You might not know me, but your teacher has mentioned her money-loving apprentice—the little guy nicknamed the Gold-Swallowing Beast—to me more than once."

"Your teacher and I are... very good friends. You can just call me Brother Xue. But what about you? Why did you suddenly come to Heaven Dou City?"

Hearing the words "Brother Xue" and instantly associating them with his teacher's undercover identity as the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Lin Feng's mind buzzed, and he realized the truth on the spot.

He gave a look to the wary Flender beside him, then immediately put on a familiar smile, intentionally putting on an expression of exasperation.

"I say, Brother Xue, you claim to be good friends with my teacher, but today is her birthday—how could you forget that?"

"In the past, it was always Teacher who traveled thousands of miles to find me. This time, it's my turn to come find her."

Xue Qinghe froze in place.

For so many years, apart from her student Lin Feng, no one had ever remembered her birthday. Even she herself had almost forgotten this special day amidst the day-after-day of disguises.

A wave of warmth instantly enveloped her cold, numb heart. Coming back to her senses, she looked at Lin Feng and couldn't help but chuckle, her tone carrying a gentleness she hadn't even noticed herself.

"It is my fault. I have been too busy these past few days and actually forgot such an important matter. Thank you, Little Lin, for reminding me."

As he spoke, he took out a storage Soul Tool and handed it to Lin Feng, speaking in a gentle voice.

"Since this is our first meeting, I didn't have much time to prepare anything. Consider this a gift for our first encounter. In the future, if you encounter any trouble or need anything while in Heaven Dou City, you can come directly to me."