Looking Down on Others

After resting midway, the carriage set off again.

In less than an hour, they could already see the city walls in the distance.

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

Like the other travelers, Yang Ming and the other two underwent inspection before entering Notting City.

A broad road, wide enough for four horses to ride abreast, was paved with bluestone. Commerce flourished on both sides, with all kinds of shops standing in rows. Vendors' cries rose and fell endlessly, and the streets were crowded with pedestrians. Merchants from all over could be seen, along with fashionably dressed women. A lively, prosperous air rushed over them.

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

The group continued onward, and before long, they spotted a towering archway in the distance.

The archway was twenty meters wide and over ten meters tall, entirely constructed from solid stone. Beneath it stood two pitch-black iron gates. Yang Ming could tell at a glance that they had been forged from fine refined iron.

Through the iron gates, they could see winding paths leading into a secluded campus. A broad road stretched straight inward, with tall trees lining both sides.

Four large characters stood at the center of the archway.

Notting Academy.

Just from the academy gates alone, one could see how important Spirit Masters were on Douluo Continent. And this was only a Junior Soul Master Academy.

On Douluo Continent, strength reigned supreme.

Becoming a Spirit Master meant setting foot upon a path to greatness.

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

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

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

The gatekeeper was a young man dressed in an ordinary guard's uniform, but his brows carried a trace of disdain—the disdain of a city dweller toward country folk.

"You country bumpkins, stop right there!"

The gatekeeper slightly raised his chin and rubbed his thumb against his middle finger, secretly signaling Old Jack to pay up.

As the saying went, the King of Hell was easy to deal with, but his minions were hard to handle.

Old Jack rarely came to Notting City. How could he have known the guard was fishing for a tip? He ignored the gatekeeper's little gesture and forced a smile onto his aged face.

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

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

"These two little country brats think they deserve to enter our Junior Soul Master Academy? What do you take this place for? Our Junior Soul Master Academy is a sacred institution, not some doghouse for filthy bumpkins like you! Take my advice—go back to wherever you came from!"

The guard's words were extremely rude and harsh to the ear.

Old Jack trembled with fury. His wrinkled old face flushed red as he shouted,

"Young man, aren't you going too far? My grandson and San are both geniuses who awakened Martial Souls and possess Innate Full Soul Power!"

"Innate Full Soul Power? And there are two of them at once?" The gatekeeper snorted, looking as though he was saying, I may not be well-read, but don't try to fool me. He pointed at Yang Ming and Tang San and laughed. "I've worked as a gatekeeper at this academy for four whole years, yet I've never heard of or seen a student with Innate Full Soul Power. If these two little brats are both geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power, then I'm a Soul Saint, a Spirit Douluo-level expert! Hahaha!"

After saying that, the gatekeeper threw back his head and laughed wildly in a ducklike voice.

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

He was about to give the gatekeeper a taste of his own medicine when Yang Ming pressed a hand on him, stopping him from doing anything reckless.

After all, this was Notting City, where there were quite a few experts. If anyone saw him kill someone, it would likely 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. In an instant, the gatekeeper had the illusion that the child before him was not a little brat, but a wolf—a wolf from the grasslands that would eat people!

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

The gatekeeper was only an ordinary man. Bullying the weak and using his youth to oppress an old man was one thing, but facing vicious bandits? Even if he had a hundred times the courage, he would not dare!

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

He retreated too hastily, stumbled, and fell flat on his backside.

The gatekeeper was stunned at first. Then he realized that he had been forced to fall by a little brat, utterly humiliating himself. Furious from shame, he sprang to his feet, raised his right hand, gathered his strength, and swung a slap at Yang Ming's face.

Yang Ming reached out, pulling and guiding with Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon. His five right fingers curled inward into a dragon-claw shape and seized the gatekeeper's wrist.

The gatekeeper only saw a blur before his hand was caught by Yang Ming. Greatly alarmed, he tried to wrench himself free.

But Yang Ming had tempered his body since childhood, and the mysterious red fruit Old Jack had given him had strengthened him further. His strength was no less than an adult's. His fingers gripped the gatekeeper's wrist like iron hoops. Even when the man's face turned red from exertion, Yang Ming did not release him. He even squeezed hard enough to draw blood from the man's wrist.

Meeting the gatekeeper's horrified gaze, Yang Ming remained calm. Dealing with the gatekeeper was no different from dealing with an ignorant stray dog. He said flatly,

"Can you let us in now?"

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

But it seemed he could do nothing 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!"

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

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

"Here, take them."

The gatekeeper glanced over them casually, then scoffed.

"This country brat named Tang San has Blue Silver Grass as his Martial Soul? Heh, and he's supposedly got full soul power? I'd say both these certificates are forged by you, you stinking old man!"

As he spoke, the gatekeeper drove Old Jack away, his mouth still unforgiving.

"You filthy poor wretches from the countryside think you can come develop yourselves in Notting City? Keep dreaming!"

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