Three more months passed after Lu Chen secured Radish Village's work-study student place, and Nuoding Academy in Notting City was about to begin its new term.
After three months of breathing, Lu Chen's strength had grown a little more. Now, carrying his luggage, he arrived at the village entrance as Lu An and Rose saw him off.
Old Jack and a villager driving an ox cart were already waiting for them at the village entrance.
They saw Lu Chen, Lu An, and Rose, the family of three, approach.
Old Jack reached out and drew Lu Chen over, then waved to Lu An and Rose and said:
"Lu An, Rose, you can rest easy leaving little Chen with me. You can head home now."
"I'll make sure little Chen reaches Nuoding Academy in the city safe and sound."
Hearing Old Jack's assurances, Lu An and Rose thanked him a thousand times over, words of gratitude pouring from their mouths. In the end, they reluctantly left the village entrance, looking back three times with every step.
After seeing Lu An and Rose off, Old Jack took Lu Chen onto the ox cart, and another long wait followed.
Only then did Tang San finally arrive, carrying just a small bundle. He wore an old outfit covered in patches, and his little bundle contained only a few similarly old changes of clothes.
He was nothing like Lu Chen, who carried an enormous pack containing a soft quilt, brand-new clothes, a washbasin, towels... and the dozens of Silver Soul Coins his parents had pressed upon him.
From this, it was clear that Tang Hao had utterly failed in his responsibilities as a father, yet Tang San remained blindly filial. He truly lived up to being an heir to feudalism.
Seeing Tang San again, Old Jack was considerably colder. He did not reach out to take his hand, merely speaking in an offhand tone:
"You're here, little San. Get on the cart first. We're about to leave."
Tang San was deep and calculating, and he noticed the change in Old Jack's attitude. He frowned slightly, then buried all his emotions deep inside.
He nodded in acknowledgment, then climbed onto the ox cart and sat in a corner.
After looking at Lu Chen's enormous pack and then his own little bundle, Tang San lowered his head deeply, his thoughts unknown.
With Lu Chen and Tang San aboard, Old Jack called to the villager driving the ox cart. The villager flicked his whip, lightly striking the old yellow ox on its rump. The ox swished its tail and pulled the cart toward Notting City.
Although Notting City was only a small city, its location on the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire made it relatively important. Merchant caravans traveling north and south all had to pass through it, so the city was quite prosperous.
As an elementary soul master academy, Nuoding Academy in Notting City admitted children who had just awakened their martial souls and possessed the aptitude to become Spirit Masters, training them for six years.
After six years, as long as their soul power reached rank ten, they could hunt any Spirit Beast, absorb its spirit ring, and become a One-Ring Spirit Master, allowing them to graduate successfully from Nuoding Academy.
After graduation, whether they advanced to an intermediate soul master academy to continue studying or went out to find work, various factions would compete to recruit them.
For children from poor families, it was an excellent chance to turn their fortunes around!
After more than two hours on the road, Old Jack's group arrived outside Notting City.
Old Jack had the villager wait outside the city with the ox cart, while he took Lu Chen and Tang San to queue up and enter Notting City. Asking for directions along the way, they reached Nuoding Academy.
At Nuoding Academy's main gate!
Old Jack took out Lu Chen's and Tang San's Martial Soul Certificates and Work-Study Student Certificates, then approached the gatekeeper stationed outside Nuoding Academy's main gate, his face wreathed in smiles. He said very politely:
"Young man, these are the two children's Martial Soul Certificates and Work-Study Student Certificates. They're both enrolling at Nuoding Academy this year."
The young gatekeeper, whose face carried a trace of arrogance, took the Martial Soul Certificates and Work-Study Student Certificates and looked them over.
He immediately sneered, casually tossed the Martial Soul Certificates and Work-Study Student Certificates onto the ground, and said with a face full of mockery:
"Blue silver grass martial souls? Innate full soul power? And two of them? Do you take me for a fool!"
"Do you have any idea what innate full soul power means? In all its history, Nuoding Academy has never had a genius like that."
"I think you're just beggars and swindlers trying to sneak into Nuoding Academy to scam free food and drink. Get lost already, and don't make me use force."
As he spoke, the gatekeeper waved impatiently.
Looking distressed, Old Jack bent down to pick up the Martial Soul Certificates and Work-Study Student Certificates that had been thrown onto the ground.
He brushed the dust off them as though they were precious treasures, then looked up at the gatekeeper, ready to argue his case.
But Lu Chen, who had long anticipated something like this, strode forward without a word. Reaching out with a hand like an iron clamp, he seized the gatekeeper's wrist and forcibly dragged him outside.
As he walked, Lu Chen said:
"Those Martial Soul Certificates were personally issued to us by Master Su Yuntao of Spirit Hall. If you don't believe us, I'll take you to confront him right now."
The gatekeeper was completely dumbfounded. Lu Chen's strength was terrifying; the moment he grabbed his wrist, he dragged him into a stumble. He could not even resist.
Seeing Lu Chen's blazing eyes, the seriousness and determination covering his young face, and his upright, muscular figure, coupled with his booming voice, the gatekeeper went green with fright.
He's fucking six?!
At that moment, the gatekeeper's mind was filled with disbelief.
The next instant, Lu Chen was dragging him along without the slightest resistance.
Realizing he could not break free of Lu Chen's grip, the gatekeeper panicked. If he really confronted someone from Spirit Hall, even a frown from them would surely cost him his job as gatekeeper.
So he shrieked:
"All right, all right, I believe you! Let go of me already. Go into Nuoding Academy and head straight to the Academic Affairs Office in the teaching building. You can register there."
Hearing this, Lu Chen abruptly let go. Caught off guard, the gatekeeper landed on his backside.
Lu Chen ignored him, turned to take his Martial Soul Certificate and Work-Study Student Certificate from Old Jack, and said goodbye with a grin:
"Goodbye, Grandpa Village Chief. You don't need to see me any farther. I'm going into Nuoding Academy to register."
Feeling somewhat vindicated, Old Jack glanced at the young gatekeeper. Hearing Lu Chen's words, he kindly reminded him:
"Little Chen, once you're at Nuoding Academy, take good care of yourself and study hard. When you leave, you'll be a noble Spirit Master. Grandpa is proud of you!"
Standing nearby, Tang San watched Old Jack and Lu Chen act out their affectionate, reluctant farewell as grandfather and grandson. Black lines covered his forehead, and turmoil churned within him, leaving a bitter taste.
Then Tang San approached and said in a low voice:
"Grandpa Village Chief, I'm going to register too."
Hearing Tang San speak, Old Jack seemed to notice him only then. He handed Tang San his Martial Soul Certificate and Work-Study Student Certificate, dismissing him casually:
"Little San, go register on your own."
After sending Tang San off, Old Jack took another long look at Lu Chen before turning and leaving, thoroughly satisfied.
Tang San alone remained standing there, tightly clutching his Martial Soul Certificate and Work-Study Student Certificate.