Looking Down on Others

After resting partway through the journey, the carriage set off again.

Less than an hour later, they could already see the city walls in the distance.

Compared to the tiny Holy Soul Village, Notting City was not some famous metropolis. But because it lay close to the Heaven Dou Empire's border, its walls had been built tall and thick to guard against invasion from enemy nations.

Like the other passersby, Yang Ming and the other two submitted to inspection before entering Notting City.

A broad road, wide enough for four horses to ride abreast, was paved with blue stone. Commerce flourished on both sides, with all kinds of shops lined up along the street. Vendors' cries rose and fell, pedestrians crowded the road, and merchants from all over came and went alongside fashionably dressed women. A lively, prosperous atmosphere washed over them.

It was Yang Ming's first time in Notting City, and everything felt fresh to him.

As the group continued onward, Yang Ming soon spotted a towering archway in the distance.

The archway was twenty meters wide and over ten meters tall, built entirely from sturdy stone. Two pitch-black iron gates stood beneath it, and Yang Ming could tell at a glance that they had been forged from high-quality refined iron.

Through the iron gates, they could see winding paths leading into quiet depths. A broad road stretched straight inward, flanked by tall trees on both sides.

Four large characters were written in the center of the archway.

Notting Academy.

Just from the academy gates alone, one could see how important the profession of Spirit Master was on Douluo Continent. This was only a Junior Soul Master Academy.

On Douluo Continent, the strong were revered.

As long as one became a Spirit Master, it meant stepping onto a path toward becoming strong.

No wonder Spirit Masters were so sought after by everyone across the continent.

Old Jack led Yang Ming and Tang San to the entrance. Just as they were about to enter, they were stopped by the gatekeeper.

Old Jack wore plain clothes, and after serving as a carriage driver all the way here, he was covered in dust and looked somewhat disheveled, like a refugee who had fled from the countryside.

The gatekeeper was a young man wearing an ordinary guard uniform, but there was a trace of disdain between his brows—the contempt city folk held for country people.

"You country bumpkins, stop right there!"

The gatekeeper slightly raised his chin and rubbed his thumb against his middle finger, secretly signaling for Old Jack to give him money.

The King of Hell was easy to deal with, but his underlings were hard to handle.

Old Jack rarely came to Notting City, so how could he know the guard expected a tip? Ignoring the gatekeeper's little gesture, he forced a smile onto his aged face.

"Young man, is there some misunderstanding? These two children are the work-study students our village sent this year. Please do not make things difficult for us. Let us enter."

Seeing that Old Jack did not know his place, the gatekeeper's already unpleasant expression turned colder. Pointing at Yang Ming and Tang San, he said in a mocking tone:

"These two little country bumpkins are worthy of entering our Junior Soul Master Academy? What do you take this place for? Our Junior Soul Master Academy is a sacred institution, not a doghouse for country trash like you! I advise you to crawl back wherever you came from!"

The guard's words were exceptionally rude and harsh.

Old Jack trembled with anger, his wrinkled old face flushed red as he shouted:

"Young man, you have gone too far! My grandson and Tang San have both awakened Martial Souls, and they are geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power!"

"Innate Full Soul Power? And there are two of them at once?" The gatekeeper sneered, wearing an expression that said he might not have studied much, but he could not be fooled. Pointing at Yang Ming and Tang San, he laughed. "I have been a gatekeeper at this academy for a full four years, and I have never even heard of a student with Innate Full Soul Power. If these two little brats are geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power, then I am a Soul Saint, an expert Soul Douluo! Hahaha!"

With that, the gatekeeper threw back his head and laughed wildly in a voice like a squawking duck.

Seeing how arrogant the gatekeeper was, Tang San had already secretly prepared his hidden weapons.

He was ready to let him have it and teach the gatekeeper a lesson.

Yang Ming pressed one hand onto Tang San, stopping him from doing anything rash.

After all, this was Notting City, where there were quite a few experts. If someone saw him kill a man, it could bring trouble.

But that did not mean Yang Ming would play the good guy and let others bully him!

Yang Ming stepped forward. Though he was not tall, his presence was overwhelming. The gatekeeper suddenly had the illusion that the child before him was not a little brat, but a wolf—a wolf from the grasslands that could eat people!

Yang Ming had just killed dozens of bandits, and an invisible killing intent clung to him, piercing others like needlepoints.

The gatekeeper was merely an ordinary person. He could bully children and take advantage of the elderly, but if he had to face vicious bandits, he would not dare even if he had a hundred times the courage!

Affected by Yang Ming's killing intent, the gatekeeper staggered back several steps.

He retreated too quickly, stumbled, and actually fell flat onto his backside.

The gatekeeper was stunned at first. Then he realized that a little brat had forced him to fall to the ground, humiliating him terribly. Embarrassed and enraged, he sprang to his feet, raised his right hand, gathered his strength, and slapped at Yang Ming's face.

Yang Ming reached out, pulling and guiding with Seize Crane, Capture Dragon. His five right fingers curled inward into a dragon claw, grabbing the gatekeeper's wrist instead.

The gatekeeper only saw a blur before his hand was caught by Yang Ming. Terror filled his heart as he tried to break free with all his strength.

But Yang Ming had trained his body since childhood, and the mysterious red fruit Old Jack had given him had strengthened him further. His strength was no weaker than an adult's. His fingers clamped around the gatekeeper's wrist like iron hoops. No matter how red the man's face turned, Yang Ming would not let go. He even squeezed until blood seeped from the man's wrist.

Facing the gatekeeper's horrified gaze, Yang Ming remained calm. Dealing with him was like dealing with some meaningless stray dog. He said flatly:

"Can you let us in now?"

The gatekeeper's chest rose and fell several times. Being bullied by a little brat made him furious.

But there seemed to be nothing he could do about it.

Wait!

The gatekeeper's eyes lit up as he thought of a vicious idea. He sneered.

"You want to enter? Fine. Show me the certificate issued by Spirit Hall!"

When Cao Mengyun had gone to Holy Soul Village to preside over the awakening ceremony, the process had been somewhat unpleasant, but he had still issued certificates for Yang Ming and Tang San.

Old Jack hurriedly took out two certificates from his bundle and handed them to the gatekeeper.

"Here you are."

The gatekeeper glanced over them carelessly, then sneered.

"This country bumpkin named Tang San actually has Blue Silver Grass as his Martial Soul? Heh, and he is supposed to have full soul power? I think these two certificates are forged by you, old fool!"

As he spoke, the gatekeeper drove Old Jack away, still refusing to stop insulting him.

"You worthless poor trash from the countryside think you can come to Notting City and make something of yourselves? Dream on!"

(This book has already been signed. Any rewards?)