Notting City

Biodata

Background / History

Notting City was a small settlement with limited high-level Soul Master resources. Xu Qianqian's father, a five-ring Soul King, died from injuries sustained while escorting Xiao Yuanshan's convoy after they encountered a ten-thousand-year Gale Wolf King near the city; the city lacked the healing Soul Masters needed to save him in time 2 3.

Following his death, Xiao Yuanshan adopted Xu Qianqian and arranged her father's funeral. Her status as the city lord's adopted daughter gave her access to the city's resources and to Notting Academy despite her initial lack of soul power 2 3 5.

Notting Academy

Notting Academy was the city's principal Soul Master academy and a major local institution.

• Xiao Li — Principal of Notting Academy and Xiao Yuanshan's younger brother 5.
• Xu Qianqian — Admitted as an exception despite possessing zero innate soul power; appointed the main library's librarian and an honorary instructor because she could appraise soul beasts' cultivation ages, skills, and weaknesses 5.
• Soul-ring expeditions — After Xu Qianqian began serving at the academy, it organized semesterly trips to obtain century-old first soul rings for students. Her appraisal ability substantially reduced the risk of selecting soul beasts that students could not safely absorb 7.
• Yu Xiaogang — Served as an honorary teacher for a time, but his title was revoked after a student following his guidance absorbed an unsuitable spirit ring, withdrew, and later took their own life 15.

Notable Locations

• City Lord's Manor — Xiao Yuanshan's residence and administrative center; Xu Qianqian was received and later adopted there 1 2.
• Notting Academy — The city’s Soul Master academy, library, and site of Xu Qianqian’s early work as an instructor 5 7.
• Spirit Hall branch — A local Spirit Hall outpost, later destroyed amid the battle over the city 26.
• Blacksmith shop — A shop associated with Boss Shi San and his sons; Tang San had worked there in the original timeline referenced by Xu Qianqian 1.
• City walls — Used to enforce the citywide lockdown during the Wolf Bandit incident 10 11.

Wolf Bandit Incident

Wolf Bandits allegedly infiltrated Notting City and killed two Notting Academy students, prompting a lockdown ordered by Xiao Yuanshan's wife and Xiao Li 10 11.

Xiao Yuanshan and Xiao Li concluded that the deaths were not truly caused by Wolf Bandits. The incident involved Tang San, Yu Xiaogang, and an unidentified but overwhelmingly powerful black-robed man—later understood to be Tang Hao. Fearing retaliation from a possible Soul Douluo-level figure, they suppressed the investigation and allowed Tang San to remain enrolled as a work-study student 11 12.

Xu Qianqian recognized that pursuing the truth could endanger both herself and the city. She advised Xiao Chenyu to neither antagonize nor become close to Tang San and Xiao Wu, warning that Notting City could not afford to provoke those behind them 11 14.

Destruction of the Xiao Family

After Xu Qianqian learned that the masked man connected to Tang San possessed killing intent toward her, she urged Xiao Yuanshan to consider the danger to the entire Xiao Family and prepared to leave the city 17 18.

Tang Hao later attacked Notting City to eliminate those who had investigated or could expose his identity. He killed Xiao Yuanshan, destroyed the City Lord's Manor, and pursued Xiao Chenyu through the city 21.

Xu Qianqian returned in time to rescue Xiao Chenyu and confronted Tang Hao above the city. Their clash devastated major local sites, including the City Lord's Manor, Notting Academy, and the Spirit Hall branch 21 22 26.

Aftermath

• Xiao Yuanshan and Xiao Li's deaths ended the leadership structure that had protected Xu Qianqian at Notting City 21 22.
• Xu Qianqian regarded her ties to the city as effectively severed after the destruction of the Xiao Family 22.
• Reports of a gigantic hammer and a terrifying wolf-like phantom over the city drew outside attention; Xue Qinghe later had residents questioned and ordered a renewed investigation 26 28.
• Spirit Hall planned to rebuild its destroyed branch during the reinvestigation 26.

Trivia

• Xu Qianqian’s initial perception range of approximately 500 meters allowed her to observe locations across Notting City, including a blacksmith shop 1.
• Her perception range had expanded to 1,000 meters by the time of the Wolf Bandit incident 7 11.
• The city’s inability to protect even a single thousand-year soul bone was a major concern after Xiao Chenyu acquired one from a Two-Tailed Gecko 10.