We Are Brothers

A carriage was parked by the riverbank.

Yang Ming had long since taken off his bloodstained clothes and soaked in the icy river like a fish, calming the killing intent that had possessed him moments ago.

Only after breaking free from that slaughterhouse-like scene did Yang Ming feel weak and nauseated.

These were the aftereffects of killing someone for the first time.

Splash!

Ripples spread across the river as Yang Ming climbed ashore. Under the sunlight, his body displayed a golden triangular build—broad shoulders, a powerful chest, and a taut waist.

His muscles coiled like horned dragons, his abdomen traced with smooth lines, his abs firm and solid as stone.

Having just experienced slaughter, his still-youthful face had taken on a sharp, imposing air. His features were well-defined, with thick brows and bright eyes, giving off a heavy sense of pressure. It was because the murderous aura surrounding him was still too dense and had yet to fade. Only after some time would it gradually dissipate.

Old Jack held a bundle of clean clothes and draped them over Yang Ming's bare shoulders. Like an ordinary elder nagging a junior, he rambled on endlessly:

"You little monkey, why aren't you putting on clothes after getting out of the water? What if you catch a cold? Once you get to the city to study, no one will take care of you like I do."

Faced with the old man's nagging, Yang Ming looked nothing like a swordsman who had just killed dozens of bandits in one breath. Instead, he seemed like an awkward boy from next door and, under Old Jack's insistence, changed into fresh clothes.

As the saying went, clothes made the man.

After putting on a carefully tailored white outfit, Yang Ming looked entirely different. He no longer resembled a child from the countryside, but rather a refined young gentleman from the city.

The only slight flaw was that, perhaps due to years of training and constant exposure to the sun, Yang Ming had healthy wheat-colored skin rather than the pale face and red lips of those young masters.

Still, that somehow gave him a masculine sort of beauty.

Unlike those city-bred young masters, who looked as though they could be blown over by the wind.

After such an accident on the road, Old Jack did not continue their journey. Instead, they rested by the riverbank. First, Yang Ming and Tang San needed time to recover, and second, the delay had brought them to lunchtime.

After gathering some firewood from the forest and building a simple campfire, Old Jack skillfully picked up a forked branch and jabbed it repeatedly into the clear river. Three misses and one hit later, he soon speared a lively grass carp.

In a few swift motions, Old Jack removed the grass carp's head and tail, scraped off its scales, and set it over the campfire to roast.

Taking advantage of the break, Old Jack taught Yang Ming and Tang San some basic knowledge about life in the city.

"You two are both geniuses. Sooner or later, you'll enter an Intermediate Soul Master Academy. Let me tell you about academies now."

Although Yang Ming was a little sleepy and did not particularly enjoy listening to the old man's lectures, he patiently listened anyway.

He had no choice. When he had read the original Douluo novel, he had skimmed through most of it, barely remembering anything beyond the general outline.

Old Jack picked up his wine jug and took several large gulps to wet his throat before continuing:

"After completing six years at a Junior Soul Master Academy, most people choose to continue their studies at an Intermediate Soul Master Academy until they turn eighteen. What they teach there is more advanced, but the difficulty also rises greatly. If you cannot meet the academy's requirements, you will not graduate successfully. This is different from a Junior Soul Master Academy."

"Besides Junior and Intermediate Soul Master Academies, there are also Advanced Soul Master Academies. They are places that everyone aspiring to become a Spirit Master dreams of attending."

"In our Heaven Dou Empire, there are only two Advanced Soul Master Academies in total, and together, they admit fewer than a hundred students each year."

At this point,

A glimmer appeared in Old Jack's cloudy eyes—a longing for Advanced Soul Master Academies. Then, realizing how harsh reality was and that he was merely a worn-out old man, he could not help sighing deeply.

"This old man has no hope left in this life. I can only place my hopes on you younger ones. If you get the chance to attend an Advanced Soul Master Academy someday, you'll be able to cast off your commoner status and become nobles. Countless people would crack their heads open just to squeeze into that class!"

"So, you must work twice as hard. Never become complacent just because your talent is outstanding. You must understand that Holy Soul Village is only a remote corner of this vast continent. Beyond every mountain lies another mountain, and beyond every person is another person. Outside, there are plenty of geniuses more talented than you."

Old Jack paused and deliberately glanced at Yang Ming.

Clearly, those latter words had been directed specifically at Yang Ming. He feared that Yang Ming might grow arrogant after so easily killing dozens of bandits, and such a mindset was absolutely unacceptable for someone's growth.

Fortunately, Old Jack was rather relieved that Yang Ming showed no unusual reaction. At least, it seemed that he had listened. As for how much he had truly taken to heart, Old Jack could do nothing about that.

"Of course, you shouldn't put too much pressure on yourselves either."

Old Jack took a sip of wine and continued at length:

"Graduating from a Junior Soul Master Academy is simple. As long as your Martial Soul reaches Level Ten and you obtain a Soul Ring, successfully advancing to the Spirit Master rank is enough."

"But an Intermediate Soul Master Academy is different. Your Martial Soul must reach Level Twenty, and you must obtain a second Soul Ring. Moreover, as far as I know, after reaching Level Twenty, obtaining a Soul Ring becomes extremely difficult. You must rely on your own strength to hunt Soul Beasts and acquire Soul Rings."

"During this process, Spirit Masters born as commoners can only rely on themselves. Nobles, however, are different. They have family warriors accompanying them, making things much easier for them."

"And because of that."

Old Jack patted Yang Ming and Tang San on their shoulders and spoke earnestly:

"I hope that the two of you will look out for each other in the future. Whenever one of you encounters trouble, help the other as much as you can."

No matter what Yang Ming and Tang San were thinking at that moment, they both extended their hands in perfect understanding and clasped each other's tightly.

Yang Ming broke into a smile, revealing a row of gleaming teeth.

"Though we aren't blood brothers, we are brothers in all but blood. Through wind and fire, no matter what comes—if Third Brother ever faces trouble, even if I have to climb mountains of blades or plunge into seas of fire, I will never refuse!"

Tang San looked at the best friend, best brother, and best rival before him. He smiled freely, nodded heavily, and said:

"Me too. If anyone wants to harm you, they'll have to step over my corpse first!"

Clearly,

From this bandit incident, Tang San had already faintly sensed the stench of a conspiracy.

Perhaps,

It was because Cao Mengyun had left in disgrace last time, yet still lingered like a restless ghost.