This small city on the border of the Heaven Dou Empire lay a thousand li from Heaven Dou City.
News traveled slowly here. The six-year-old genius in Heaven Dou City with Innate Full Soul Power and a 2,100-year first Soul Ring was scarcely mentioned here.
Occasionally, traveling merchants from the direction of Heaven Dou City would bring it up in taverns, saying an extraordinary child had appeared there. Everyone else simply took it as bragging and forgot about it afterward.
Notting Junior Soul Master Academy
Office
Yu Xiaogang sat with his hands folded atop the desk.
His face bore heartfelt satisfaction—or, more precisely, pride.
Just moments ago, Tang San, who had returned with the academy headmaster, had reported the process of obtaining his second Soul Ring and the details of his soul skill.
His second Soul Ring was a seven-hundred-year Ghost Vine, with the soul skill Parasite.
The headmaster had been the one Yu Xiaogang asked to help hunt the second Soul Ring. As a teacher, the help he could provide was actually quite limited.
It had been the same with the first Soul Ring. He could only stand to one side and watch that child face the soul beast alone, absorb the Soul Ring alone, and endure all the pain and danger alone.
His theories were extensive and his knowledge profound, but when it came to actual combat, there was indeed little he could offer Tang San.
Yet Yu Xiaogang did not see that as a problem.
Theory was the foundation of a soul master. Actual combat was merely an extension of theory.
He believed his theories were flawless, and he believed his disciple Tang San would be the perfect proof of them.
Leaning back in his chair, he looked out at the gray sky over Notting City.
This disciple possessed Innate Full Soul Power, Twin Martial Souls, and diligence and self-discipline unlike that of any eight-year-old child.
Given time, Tang San would surely stand at the pinnacle of the continent's soul masters. When that day came, the name Yu Xiaogang would be remembered across all Douluo Continent as "Grandmaster."
From Spirit Hall to the Heaven Dou Empire, from a mocked good-for-nothing to a renowned teacher who had single-handedly cultivated an unrivaled genius, that day was not far away.
"Teacher, then I'll head back to cultivate first."
Tang San's voice pulled Yu Xiaogang from his thoughts.
He nodded, his usual stern expression returning.
"Mhm. You still need more practice using your second soul skill. The parasitic effect of the Ghost Vine is highly compatible with the control-type path of your Blue Silver Grass. Study it carefully."
Tang San gave a respectful bow, then turned and left the office.
The door closed behind him, and his footsteps remained steady.
Blue Silver Grass, Ghost Vine Parasite, control type—he had no doubts about the path he had chosen.
His teacher was right. On the path of a control-type soul master, he would go very far.
What he did not know was that, a thousand li away in Heaven Dou City, a child his age had just absorbed a twelve-thousand-year second Soul Ring, gained six levels of Soul Power in succession, and obtained a Ten Thousand Year head soul bone.
Nor did he know
That when bro and his teacher stepped out of Notting City, this beginner village, they would not be facing the world he imagined—a world that could be slowly bound up with Blue Silver Grass.
Notting City's walls were not tall, but they shut out the winds from beyond.
A few days later, when Li Hanche emerged from the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, he had an additional scroll of silk in his hands.
It was not an imperial decree, but a document conferring a noble title.
Xue Ye had written it personally, and it bore the imperial seal of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Upon it was written a perfectly legitimate noble title, not some empty honorific, but one with an estate, a salary, and an official rank.
From this day forward, Li Hanche was a noble as well.
Just now, in the imperial study, Ning Fengzhi and Sword Dao Chen Xin had sat on either side, while Xue Qinghe stood beside Xue Ye.
Li Hanche stood in the center of the imperial study, briefly recounting what had happened in the Far North. He also thanked His Majesty for the Spirit-Concentrating Jade Marrow, as well as his elder brother Xue Qinghe for sending people across the continent to search for a head soul bone!
Xue Ye sat upon the dragon throne. As he listened, he began to laugh, his beard trembling, before sweeping a hand through the air and declaring,
"A dragon and phoenix have flown out of Heaven Dou City's slums. If I do not grant him a noble title, would that not make the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Spirit Hall laugh at us?"
He immediately ordered his attendants to spread out silk and grind ink. The reason for the title was written in lofty terms: a genius soul master of the Heaven Dou Empire, who had created a precedent for Soul Rings on the continent.
Li Hanche did not care much about it. Noble or not, it made little difference to him.
Still, having a title was indeed convenient. The next time he beat up those spoiled young masters who bullied commoners in the streets, aside from saying, "My elder brother is the Crown Prince, and my teacher is a Titled Douluo," he could add, "I'm a noble myself."
Three layers of protection!
By the time the carriage stopped at the villa entrance, the sky had already darkened.
From afar, the villa windows could be seen glowing with light.
A tiny figure crouched at the entrance, her blue dress fluttering slightly in the night wind.
The moment Ning Rongrong saw the carriage stop, she sprang up from the steps and ran over, lifting her skirt.
She ran up to Li Hanche and tipped her head back. Her large dark eyes sparkled beneath the streetlamps, while her lips moved several times as though she had much to say.
Worry turned to nervousness, nervousness to relief at seeing him safe and sound. Those emotions flashed repeatedly across her face.
In the end, she swallowed them all, tucked both hands behind her back, and raised her chin slightly. In a tone that tried to sound casual but clearly concealed pride, she said,
"I'm very proud to have a little brother like you."
Li Hanche raised a hand and flicked her forehead.
He did not use much force, just enough to make her lean back slightly.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
Ning Rongrong covered her forehead, pouting.
"Shouldn't it be that you're proud to have me as your big brother, while you're the little sister?"
Ning Rongrong clutched her forehead and huffed, but no matter what she did, she could not suppress the corners of her lips.
Su Nianxue arrived just as Li Hanche and Ning Rongrong entered the living room.
Her carriage practically charged to a stop outside the villa. Before it had even fully halted, she jumped down, startling the coachman so badly he nearly sprang from his seat.
She was still panting when she pushed open the door, her chest heaving and beads of sweat dotting her forehead.
Her family was also noble, and news reached them quickly. That afternoon, she had learned from the palace that Li Hanche had returned to the city.
There had never been a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring on the continent before. No one knew what might happen during absorption.
Her worry had not begun today. Ever since she learned from him that he intended to challenge a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, she had slept poorly for several nights in a row.
Now, seeing Li Hanche standing safely in the living room, the heart she had kept suspended for days abruptly settled. Yet her eyes reddened against her will.
She hurried over to Li Hanche, placing both hands directly on his arm. From his wrist to his shoulder, then from his shoulder to his back, she examined him as though inspecting a precious item that had been lost and recovered.
Her hands trembled faintly when they touched his arm.
"Are you alright, Hanche? Were you hurt? Did the Soul Ring absorption go smoothly? What level is your Soul Power now?"
"Don't touch him!"
Ning Rongrong rushed over from the sofa, grabbed Su Nianxue's sleeve, and pulled her backward.
Su Nianxue did not let go. She merely turned her head and gave Ning Rongrong a calm glance.
"I'm worried about my classmate. What does it have to do with you?"
That glance only made Ning Rongrong angrier. Her fingers remained tightly clenched around Su Nianxue's sleeve.
Li Hanche stood between them, with Su Nianxue touching his left arm and Ning Rongrong tugging his right. Neither of his hands was free.
On the other side of the living room, Ning Fengzhi, Sword Dao Chen Xin, and Xue Qinghe had somehow already risen to their feet.
Xue Qinghe's gaze swept back and forth between Ning Rongrong and Su Nianxue, an amused smile curling at his lips.
"Teacher, I suddenly remembered that there's something to handle at the palace."
"Fengzhi also remembered that there are matters at the sect requiring his attention."
Sword Dao Chen Xin said nothing. Wearing an expression that plainly said, I am a Titled Douluo and should not get involved in this sort of thing, he was the first to turn and head for the door.
The three adults moved astonishingly fast. In the blink of an eye, they had disappeared out the door.
When the door shut, Li Hanche finally realized that those three old foxes had slipped away.
He lowered his head to look at Su Nianxue on his left, then Ning Rongrong on his right.
The two girls were glaring at each other. One still had reddened eyes but refused to yield in her gaze; the other had her lips pouted, her fingers clenched tightly.
"...Sister Baiwei! Serve tea! We have a guest!"
Before you continue