The Young Men Here

In the blink of an eye, another five years had passed.

In the City Lord's Manor of Nuoding City in the Heaven Dou Empire, two people sat facing each other. The man on the left had aged considerably; he was Lin Nuo, the lord of Nuoding City. Sitting on the right was Yang Dong, now a graceful young man.

Five years had passed. Yang Dong graduated from Nuoding Academy with outstanding results, and several intermediate soul master academies in the Heaven Dou Empire had extended offers to him. However, Yang Dong had long since made his plans.

"Grandfather, come with me to the Chuyun Principality," Yang Dong said softly.

Over the past five years, Nuoding City had become even more prosperous than before. When people spoke of Nuoding City, they thought more often of Nuoding Academy, Spirit Hall, and the commercial district. Lin Nuo, the lord of Nuoding City, had become increasingly unknown.

There were many reasons for Lin Nuo's declining influence, but the most important was that he was not a powerful soul master.

In this world where soul masters reigned supreme, it was already a rare thing for Lin Nuo to become the lord of a city.

"I'm old. There's no need to go through all that trouble."

There were far more wrinkles on Lin Nuo's face than before. He was not surprised to hear Yang Dong's words.

As early as two years ago, Lin Qiuyu had expressed her wish to bring Lin Nuo to the Wind Sword Sect in the Chuyun Principality, but he had refused on the grounds that he needed to care for Yang Dong.

"Grandfather..."

Yang Dong wanted to continue persuading him, but Lin Nuo interrupted him.

"Dong'er, you don't need to persuade me. I know this Nuoding City is no longer the Nuoding City it was when it was first built, but this place bears traces of your grandmother. If I leave with you, how lonely would she be here all by herself?"

"Besides, I'm not competing for anything. Whether it's Spirit Hall or anyone else, it makes no difference to me. I just want to remain here. I don't want to go anywhere."

After hearing Lin Nuo's words, Yang Dong could only respond with silence.

Time had worn away a man's fighting spirit. Yang Dong still remembered that when he had first come to Nuoding City, Lin Nuo had resisted Spirit Hall's policies within the city. But now, he simply let things take their course. Lin Nuo no longer involved himself in outside affairs.

"Nuoding City is still too small, after all. For you, Dong'er, the world outside is the broader stage."

There was a hint of melancholy in Lin Nuo's words. Over the past few years, most of the news he heard had been about Yang Dong, and every time others mentioned him, their faces were full of praise. Nuoding City's number one genius—he often heard that title.

"Originally, I didn't approve of you returning to the Wind Sword Sect. But your mother wrote to say she hoped you would return, and you yourself wish to do so, so I won't say much more."

"However, you must be careful. Although your father is the sect master of the Wind Sword Sect, there are different voices within it. Do you still remember Third Elder Yang Hong? Over the past few years, his grandson Yang Yuan has been in the spotlight and is known as the Wind Sword Sect's number one genius."

"I don't think they'll welcome your return."

Although Lin Nuo did not know the Wind Sword Sect's exact circumstances, based on the information he had gathered and his own experience, he had still reached a conclusion.

If the one returning was a good-for-nothing, then nothing would happen. The same would be true if the one returning was an unparalleled genius.

But if the one returning was an ordinary genius—someone with some talent, yet unable to overshadow others of the same generation—then certain people in the Wind Sword Sect might develop other thoughts.

In Lin Nuo's eyes, Yang Dong was an ordinary genius. Compared to the Wind Sword Sect's number one genius, he was probably still quite far behind.

"It's fine, Grandfather. Uncle Tianlang is currently in the Heaven Dou Empire's capital. I'll go meet up with him first, then the two of us will return to the Wind Sword Sect together," Yang Dong replied with a smile.

To be honest, he had never placed much importance on the position of future sect master of the Wind Sword Sect. Unfortunately, his mother Lin Qiuyu cared deeply about it, so he could only care about it as well.

"Since you have arrangements, then I can rest easy. When are you planning to leave for Heaven Dou City?"

Lin Nuo nodded. Since someone from the Wind Sword Sect would receive him, accidents were unlikely to happen.

"Today."

Yang Dong felt somewhat helpless. He had originally wanted to take Lin Nuo away with him, but after their conversation had reached this point, he had no good argument left. He could only let him have his way for now.

"Grandfather, take care!"

Outside Nuoding City, Yang Dong bid farewell to Lin Nuo. Riding a fast horse, he gradually disappeared from Lin Nuo's sight.

Who knew when they would meet again?

With a sigh, Lin Nuo slowly headed back toward Nuoding City with Butler Ma.

Heaven Dou City was the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, and people traveling to and from it came in an endless stream every day. After a week of travel, Yang Dong finally arrived at this majestic city.

"Brother, so this is Heaven Dou City? It's nothing special."

Among the people waiting to enter the city stood two young men of roughly the same age.

Their clothes were quite plain, but their words were anything but modest. Even Yang Dong could not help glancing at them.

"Hao, keep your voice down. This isn't home."

The slightly older youth gently tugged his younger brother, signaling him to speak more quietly.

"Hmph."

The younger brother snorted disdainfully, but said nothing more. His eyes swept around before quickly settling on Yang Dong, who stood behind them in line.

"Huh? A soul master?"

With a quiet exclamation, the younger brother stared at Yang Dong in surprise. They looked to be around the same age.

"Has no one ever told you that it's rude to stare at people like that?"

Yang Dong's gaze turned cold. The other party's unrestrained stare was a provocation. Among soul masters, looking someone over in such a manner was a serious taboo.

"I..."

"Sir, I'm sorry. My younger brother came from a small place and hasn't seen much of the world. I apologize on his behalf."

The older brother cut off his younger brother, his face full of apology.

"It's your turn to enter the city," Yang Dong said expressionlessly. Since the older brother had apologized, it was not appropriate for him to say anything more.

The younger brother had wanted to say something, but his brother dragged him into Heaven Dou City.

Before long, Yang Dong followed the two of them into Heaven Dou City.

This was Yang Dong's first meeting with the twin stars of the future-renowned Clear Sky Sect.

Heaven-Shaking Douluo Tang Xiao!

Haotian Douluo Tang Hao!

Of course, at this moment, they were merely youths like Yang Dong. The younger brother, Tang Hao, was about the same age as Yang Dong.

No one knew that one day, these two youths would become two Title Douluos.

Nor did the two brothers know that the person they had encountered today would one day grow into someone they would need to look up to.