Qin Ming

Qin Ming's gaze swept past his students and landed on Chen Xin, who stood not far away.

Upon sensing that aura—as deep as an abyss and as vast as a mountain, yet restrained to the point of appearing like an ordinary man—his pupils constricted sharply. He immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"This humble one, Qin Ming of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, pays his respects to Your Excellency, Sword Douluo. Thank you, Your Excellency, for your restraint just now, and for not interfering with my students' soul beast hunt."

His posture was extremely humble, his words sincere.

What kind of status did a Title Douluo hold? If he had truly intervened at the girl's request, regardless of the outcome, it would have been seen as meddling in another's hunt, which would have benefited neither party's reputation.

Especially as the lead instructor, if his students required outside help to handle a threat, it would inevitably impact his own professional evaluation.

Chen Xin nodded slightly, acknowledging the greeting.

Qin Ming was accustomed to this; for the dignified Sword Douluo to even acknowledge a mere Soul King like him was already a significant show of face.

"Brother Lan Yin, what you said earlier was actually true! I never expected that striking the junction between the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino's horn and its forehead would cause an instant stun." Ning Rongrong spoke as if no one else were present.

"It isn't that simple," Tang Yin replied with a slight shake of his head. "Striking that spot can indeed cause an instant stun, but it places extremely strict requirements on a soul master's speed, precision, and force."

He had spoken glibly just moments ago, but theory was, after all, just theory; putting it into practice was far more difficult.

In any case, Tang Yin knew he couldn't manage it currently; even if his attacks landed, he would likely only be scraping the keratin off the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino's hide.

The two did not avoid others while speaking, and Qin Ming naturally observed this. He turned his gaze toward Ning Rongrong, and seeing her luxurious attire and refined air, he vaguely guessed her identity.

"This must be Miss Ning Rongrong, daughter of Sect Master Ning, correct?" Qin Ming asked in a warm tone.

"Instructor Qin Ming." Ning Rongrong's expression was uncharacteristically serious, appearing well-mannered and sensible.

This demeanor surprised Qin Ming, who lamented internally that rumors were indeed not to be trusted. Only then did he look toward Tang Yin, who stood beside her.

He had noticed this youth, who acted with such intimacy toward Ning Rongrong, quite some time ago.

"And this is?" To be on such close terms with the future sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and with the Sword Douluo present and offering no objection, this person either had an incredible background or astonishing talent.

Of course, it was primarily Ning Rongrong's earlier words that had caught his attention.

Not many people knew the weak point of the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino's horn; he himself had only learned of it from Dean Flender while studying at Shrek Academy.

"Lan Yin." Tang Yin stated his name briefly.

He found it difficult to judge Qin Ming, a loyal supporter of Shrek.

He remembered that in his past life, many claimed Qin Ming was an ingrate for leaving the Heaven Dou Royal Academy after Shrek Academy was humiliated, but to Tang Yin, that seemed like a forced criticism.

Qin Ming was simply employed by the Heaven Dou Royal Academy; the two parties had a straightforward employment relationship. If you decide to resign because you no longer wish to work at a company, does that make you an ingrate?

The only thing he could be faulted for was failing the team of students he led at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Judging by the original descriptions, both Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the eccentric granddaughter of the Poison Douluo held this Qin Ming in high regard.

"Brother Lan, you are young yet observant; it seems you have a wide breadth of knowledge regarding the characteristics of soul beasts." Qin Ming's words sounded sincere.

He could naturally discern Tang Yin's approximate age and level through his soul power fluctuations, and the keen eye the youth had shown in instantly identifying the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino's weakness made Qin Ming hold him in even higher regard.

Thinking of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament a few years away, and the fact that the academy had already tapped him to lead the next team, Qin Ming felt a stir of interest.

"This humble one teaches at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. If Brother Tang ever has an interest in visiting the academy for an exchange, you are always welcome."

This was a remarkably friendly olive branch. An instructor of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy held a status that was far from ordinary.

"Many thanks for your kindness, Instructor Qin." Tang Yin cupped his hands in thanks, saying nothing more.

While joining the Heaven Dou Royal Academy would be a decent choice for him, his identity issues still required some maneuvering.

Seeing this, Qin Ming offered a scholarly smile; some things were better left as a mere mention, as saying too much would be counterproductive.

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy was within the sphere of influence of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. In his view, Ning Rongrong joining the academy was a near certainty, and since the youth before him was so close to her, he likely wouldn't refuse.

After a few polite exchanges, Qin Ming took his leave to tend to his students. Chen Xin also signaled for Tang Yin and Ning Rongrong to depart.

"Sword Grandpa, that Instructor Qin seems quite capable, and he's a nice person too!" Once they were back in the carriage, Ning Rongrong whispered.

"A level 51 Soul King with a Blazing Gray Wolf martial soul; he is considered a standout among the younger generation of instructors at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy." Chen Xin's tone was flat. "He identified my identity immediately, yet remained neither servile nor overbearing, responding with perfect decorum. He certainly has his merits."

Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong's eyes rolled, and she looked toward Tang Yin beside her.

"Brother Lan Yin, Instructor Qin just invited you to join the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. What do you think?"

Originally, Ning Rongrong had been rebellious about her father's plan to arrange her entry into the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but if Lan Yin joined as well, that would be a different story.

"We'll see when the time comes. After all, the requirements for entering the Heaven Dou Royal Academy are extremely harsh." Tang Yin waved a hand, fully aware of the schemes running through Ning Rongrong's mind.

There were two main types of students at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

One type consisted of noble children, and the other consisted of commoner geniuses recommended by Title Douluos or high-ranking officials like the Crown Prince.

He, Tang Yin, was neither a noble nor did he have anyone to recommend him; gaining entry would be no small feat.

Perhaps even Qin Ming hadn't expected that a youth who could be so close to Miss Ning Rongrong and accompanied by the Sword Douluo would lack the qualifications to enter the Heaven Dou Royal Academy!

"What's the big deal? At worst, we can just have Sword Grandpa or Bone Grandpa recommend you, right?" As she said this, Ning Rongrong looked expectantly toward Chen Xin, who sat with a cold face.

Facing Ning Rongrong's hint, Sword Douluo Chen Xin sighed internally, though this was not a matter he would decide lightly.

As the protector of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, even if he recommended someone to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy in a private capacity, to outsiders, it would still represent the will of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"You should discuss this matter with your father." Chen Xin looked at Tang Yin with a meaningful expression as he added, "Rongrong, if you want Lan Yin to have fewer complications at the academy in the future, relying on a guarantee from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might not be the best choice."

The words were spoken tactfully, but the meaning was clear.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect held a unique status; while no one would dare obstruct an enrollment recommendation made in their name, it would inevitably brand Tang Yin with the "Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect" label, dragging him into the delicate web of relations between the sect, the imperial family, and other factions.

Ning Rongrong naturally grasped these intricacies in an instant and grew somewhat indignant, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head to gaze out the window, lost in thought.

The remainder of the journey was uneventful. Several days later, the silhouette of Heaven Dou City, resembling a prehistoric behemoth, finally appeared at the edge of the horizon.

Unlike the grim, martial atmosphere of Jialing Pass, Heaven Dou City greeted them with the grandeur and prosperity of an empire with centuries of history. The city walls soared into the clouds, stretching for countless miles, the bricks shimmering with a dark golden luster under the sunlight. The city gates were massive, with an endless stream of carriages, horses, and pedestrians flowing through; the clamor could be heard faintly even from a great distance.

"Wow! We're finally here!" Ning Rongrong cheered, the fatigue of days of travel seemingly swept away. She tugged at Chen Xin's sleeve, "Sword Grandpa, are we going to the Crown Prince's Mansion first?"