For example: why Sun Moon City was called Ming Capital; how big Ming Capital really was; why Ming Capital had no city walls, and so on.
The uncle, whose explanations rivaled those of a professional guide, was the Soul Ancestor Su Luoheng's father had asked to help him. Su Luoheng had been lucky to have his care throughout the journey.
Just like now, as he talked about Ming Capital, he held nothing back about anything he knew.
As Wang Chen continued his explanations,
the caravan passed through the inspection checkpoint, and finally entered Ming Capital proper.
The absence of city walls did not mean Ming Capital's defenses were weak.
There were numerous detection Soul Tools around Ming Capital, and high-energy compression array Soul Tools were also hidden at the city's four corners! Any enemy who underestimated Ming Capital's strength and rashly attacked would pay a terrible price.
Like most cities, Ming Capital was divided into an inner city and an outer city.
The Sun Moon Empire's imperial palace served as the dividing line. The areas outside the palace, including the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, all belonged to the outer city.
The inner city contained the Sun Moon Empire's imperial palace, and the research institute was there as well.
As he sat in the carriage, Su Luoheng listened to Wang Chen's explanation of Ming Capital while keeping his eyes on the city around them.
Ming Capital was truly prosperous.
The farther in they went, the more astonished Su Luoheng became!
Although it was nighttime, the sight was no less stunning.
All of Ming Capital blazed with lights, as bright as day. The lamps in countless homes illuminated the seemingly boundless city in dazzling splendor, almost rivaling the stars scattered across the sky. The steady stream of people coming and going was endless. Its prosperity far exceeded anything Su Luoheng had imagined, and "city that never sleeps" fit Ming Capital to a tee.
Before him stretched clusters of buildings, one after another.
In Maple Leaf City, Su Luoheng had seen only a handful. The contrast struck him with a powerful visual impact.
But here in Ming Capital, high-rises filled his view, rising one after another. He couldn't begin to count how many such towering buildings there were.
Between the buildings, broad stone-paved streets crisscrossed like a starry chessboard. Wide roads teemed with passersby...
For a moment, Su Luoheng felt as though he had been transported to a modern city!
That was right!
Coming to Ming Capital from Maple Leaf City felt almost like stepping out of ancient times and into the modern era. The influence of Soul Tools was quietly making its way into the daily lives of the Sun Moon Empire's people, even if it wasn't obvious yet.
"As expected of Ming Capital..."
Thinking this, Su Luoheng couldn't help but sigh.
The Douluo Three Kingdoms, basking in their victory, were still standing still and clinging to the past, while the Sun Moon Empire, spurred on by its shame, kept advancing.
Those who fell behind would be beaten.
The Sun Moon Empire was destined to unify the continent, while the Douluo Three Kingdoms would reap what they had sown.
Yet that lofty god had leapt in to make his presence known. For his own selfish desires, he had obstructed a continent that was on the verge of unification, and prolonged a war that should have ended.
He was unworthy of his position, but he was a god all the same.
If only he could...
At that thought, Su Luoheng shook his head, dispelling the idea.
For now, his goal was to join the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy and become a Soul Engineer.
His ambitions weren't great. He only wanted to take control of his own future, avoid getting caught up in endless complications or being forced into things against his will, and spend a carefree lifetime on the Douluo Continent.
That shouldn't be too much to ask, right?
A quarter of an hour later.
The caravan brought Su Luoheng past the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, and then they went their separate ways.
Before leaving, Wang Chen had even booked him a room at a nearby hotel. It was clear that he and Su Luoheng's father were very close; otherwise, he wouldn't have looked after him so carefully throughout the journey.
Judging by the hotel's exterior alone, a night there certainly couldn't be cheap.
"Luoheng, enrollment at the Sun Moon Royal Academy starts tomorrow morning. Just go to the place we passed earlier."
"Okay."
"And if you run into any trouble, you can go to this address. The shopkeeper and I are on pretty good terms. If this shipment weren't so urgent, I'd have stayed another day. I'd have made sure to take you to the academy myself."
"Thanks, Uncle Wang. I'll remember."
"..."
As Wang Chen gave his instructions, he handed Su Luoheng a slip of paper with an address written on it.
"All right, kid. Get some rest. I'd better get going."
"Goodbye, Uncle Wang."
Wang Chen gave him a few more reminders, then hurried off with the caravan. They would unload their cargo and leave Ming Capital the next day, so after dropping little Luoheng near the academy, they had to move on.
After saying goodbye to Uncle Wang, Su Luoheng didn't return to the hotel to rest. Instead, he took advantage of the night and went exploring around Ming Capital.
This was his first time in Ming Capital. He'd been fascinated by the bustling market ever since the carriage ride, and now that he was on his own, he naturally had to satisfy his curiosity.
Ming Capital was truly prosperous.
Before long, Su Luoheng was wandering through Ming Capital's streets and alleys.
After all, whether they were Soul Masters or Soul Engineers, ordinary people still made up the majority of the Douluo Continent's population.
The bustling streets, the dazzling array of goods, and the mouthwatering variety of food... Vendors' cries, customers haggling, laughter, and all the rest filled the air without pause.
The food in particular had little Luoheng's mouth watering.
He wandered along, eating the snacks he'd bought on a whim.
As the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, where Soul Tools were now the most advanced on the Douluo Continent, Ming Capital naturally had plenty of street stalls selling them. Most of the goods were interesting little trinkets ranging from first to third rank.
For more advanced Soul Tools, he would have to visit a shop or an auction.
"So many Soul Tools..."
After eating his fill, Su Luoheng was about to return to the hotel when he glanced at a Soul Tool stall. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He hurried over, picked up a Soul Tool just like the other customers, and poured Soul Power into it.
The stall owner was used to this and paid no attention.
That was how all the customers behaved here.
Low-level Soul Tools were common in Ming Capital, and there weren't many rules about selling them.
As long as you didn't break anything, of course.
As he poured in his Soul Power, the Core Arrays surfaced one by one in his mind. Before long, Su Luoheng set the Soul Tool down as though nothing had happened and left.
"Just as I thought!"
Su Luoheng murmured, a glint flashing in his eyes!
His First Soul Skill could now analyze second-rank Soul Tools, and most of the Soul Tools sold at these stalls fell within that range. More importantly, he could use his Soul Skill as much as he wanted to analyze and record their Core Arrays. He had studied array knowledge under his mother for years, but there was no way he could have covered every basic array in just two years.
But now, things were different...
Chapter 15: It Chased, He Fled; He Couldn't Escape Even with Wings [Please Recommend, Invest, and Collect!]
At the thought, Su Luoheng looked at the Soul Tools again, his eyes lighting up.
The Soul Tools before him were no longer Soul Tools at all. They were one irresistible second-rank Core Array after another!
Ming Capital really was something. It had surprised him on his very first day!
Su Luoheng, who had been about to return to the hotel, was suddenly eager to keep going. He picked a target and hurried to the next Soul Tool stall.
"I haven't learned this one."
"And this one, too!"
"This one's pretty interesting. Analyze it."
"Analyze, analyze... Analyze them all."
"..."
He wandered along the stalls lining both sides of the street, stopping and starting, and analyzed every Soul Tool that caught his interest.
Su Luoheng came away with a bountiful haul. To make it easier to analyze more Soul Tool arrays, he chose mostly sword-type melee Soul Tools that used the least Soul Power. He recorded eight second-rank Soul Tool Core Arrays and twelve first-rank ones.
His Martial Soul Projection also gained quite a few new weapons.
As far as Su Luoheng was concerned, Ming Capital really was a wonderful place.
The Core Arrays he'd analyzed here in half an hour were more than he'd learned in a whole week back home.
"That's about enough..."
"I've nearly used up all the Soul Power in my body. I'll call it a night."
At the stall, Su Luoheng set down the Soul Tool.
Even though he'd stuck to sword-type Soul Tools, analyzing them continuously had worn down his Soul Power.
Besides, although the Core Arrays he analyzed were committed directly to memory, he still needed time to practice before he could fully master and use them.
And there were already enough arrays to keep him busy for a while. He knew that biting off more than he could chew wouldn't do him any good.
There was no rush to analyze more. He could continue once he'd mastered these.
In Ming Capital, Soul Tool stalls could be found just about everywhere.
"I should get back and rest. I've got to enroll tomorrow~"
At the thought, Su Luoheng stretched, took a candied hawthorn from his ring, and headed toward the hotel as he ate.
He'd used up quite a bit of mental energy, so a little something sweet would help replenish it. It definitely wasn't because he was being greedy.
Su Luoheng: (???)
Ming Capital at night had a charm all its own.
The brightly lit streets were bustling, and people streamed in and out of the shops along the roadside.
On his way back, he passed the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy again.
Even at night, accented by patterns in gold and silver, the Sun Moon Empire's emblem, the Golden Sun Silver Moon, still shimmered with a soft glow. Along with its solemn majesty, it exuded an air of nobility.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy was undoubtedly the finest national academy among the Four Great Empires.
It was more than just an academy for Soul Engineers. It represented the future path of Soul Masters.
With its students drawn from a single nation, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy stood toe-to-toe with Shrek Academy, which drew outstanding students from three kingdoms. In truth, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy had already won.
Facing the academy's grand, imposing gates, anticipation flickered in Su Luoheng's eyes.
He believed the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy wouldn't disappoint him for making this choice!
Just as Su Luoheng was about to turn and leave, a sudden burst of panicked, chaotic noise from behind drew his attention.
People in the surrounding area scattered, shrieks and cries rising one after another. The orderly street fell into chaos in an instant, and the crowd scattered, shouting as they ran.
"Everyone up ahead, get out of the way!"
"Move! A horse has bolted behind us. It's charging this way!"
"Huh?"
"What do you mean, 'huh'? Run!"
"..."
Seeing this, Su Luoheng joined a small group of people fleeing ahead.
He still didn't know exactly what was going on, but in a situation like this, following the crowd was definitely the right call.
Listening to the crowd's overlapping chatter as he ran, Su Luoheng soon pieced together what had happened.
A carriage on Central Avenue up ahead had gotten into trouble. A Silver Ring Horse had suddenly gone berserk, broken free of its reins, and was galloping through the street. It was like a car careening out of control through the middle of a city.
The sudden incident had plunged everything into chaos. Passersby scattered like headless chickens.
But it should be over soon. After all, this was the capital of the Sun Moon Empire.
Before you continue