Affinity Increased, Heading to Notting City

"Dragon Sister, you're awake?"

Jiang Lin looked at her somewhat awkwardly.

"Jiang Lin, what did you go out to do? I can sense killing intent on you."

Little Dragon Girl turned around, a trace of scrutiny in her eyes.

"Fine, I knew I couldn't hide it from you, Sister. Do you remember those people from earlier today? Although Grandpa Jack let them go, I couldn't swallow this anger."

"Whether it was for you, Sister, or for Grandpa Jack, they had to die!"

Jiang Lin's voice was calm, but his words left Little Dragon Girl silent for a long time.

Seeing that Little Dragon Girl still had not spoken, Jiang Lin's heart sank slightly. He thought she found it hard to accept his actions.

Just as Jiang Lin's gaze gradually dimmed, Little Dragon Girl finally spoke.

"Thank you, Jiang Lin."

"Those people really made me uncomfortable. Thank you for teaching them a lesson for me."

[Ding!]

[Little Dragon Girl's Affinity +10. Current Affinity: 50 (Familiar)]

"Phew..."

Jiang Lin quietly let out a breath. Good. It seemed Little Dragon Girl did not hate him.

"Dragon Sister, there's no need to thank me. Since you came to this world, I'll definitely protect you well. I'll never let you get hurt."

"Mm, Jiang Lin, you're so kind. I'll protect you too. I'm very strong, you know. If something like this happens again, you have to bring me along."

Little Dragon Girl spoke very seriously, her face full of sincerity.

"Don't worry, Dragon Sister. I will."

"It's still early. Go back to sleep, Sister."

Early the next morning, Holy Soul Village was hit by a massive "earthquake." A villager had awakened to discover that several neighboring households had vanished without a trace, and soon, more people discovered the same thing.

For a time, the villagers were filled with panic, their faces gloomy.

"Little Lin? Little Lin?"

Old Jack's worried voice rang out at the door. He was afraid Jiang Lin had mysteriously disappeared like those people.

"Grandpa Jack, I'm here."

Jiang Lin quickly came to the door and opened it.

"Phew..."

"It's good that you're all right, Little Lin. Did you hear anything last night? Ao Gang's entire family next door has disappeared. Not only that, but other people in the village have mysteriously vanished too."

"Huh? How could something like that happen? Weren't they perfectly fine yesterday?"

Jiang Lin's face was full of surprise, yet he did not look like the culprit in the slightest.

"Sigh, although those people deserved to die, having them all disappear like this is truly frightening."

A trace of fear appeared in Old Jack's eyes. Then, remembering why he had come, he said, "Little Lin, something like this has happened in the village. Even though you're fine, for your safety, Grandpa plans to send you and Little San to Notting City today."

"Hurry back to your room and pack up."

They were leaving today? Jiang Lin nodded slightly.

Although the timing was a little rushed, everything that needed to be done had already been done. There really was no need to stay.

"Jiang Lin, are we leaving?"

Little Dragon Girl sat up in bed.

Jiang Lin responded while packing.

"Yes, Dragon Sister. We're leaving Holy Soul Village today and heading out into the world beyond."

"The world beyond? I wonder what the outside of this world will be like."

After finishing his packing, Jiang Lin slung a small bag over his back and left the room with Little Dragon Girl.

"Little Lin, is Miss Long coming with us to Notting City too?"

"Yes, Grandpa Jack. But Dragon Sister has a place to stay in Notting City. Once we get there, she'll leave."

Hearing that, Old Jack did not ask any further questions and led Jiang Lin and Little Dragon Girl toward Tang San's home.

"Little San, are you done packing? We're about to set off."

"I'm coming, Village Chief Grandpa."

Tang San walked out of the room with a small bag on his back. Behind him stood a middle-aged man with an unkempt beard and the stench of alcohol all over him—his father, Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao!

So this is Tang Hao? Although he isn't leaking even a trace of cultivation, that naturally commanding presence cannot be faked. As expected of the youngest Titled Douluo in the history of Douluo Continent.

A trace of envy appeared in Jiang Lin's eyes. With strength like that, even with the system, it would probably take him several years to reach that level.

"Jiang Lin, that man is dangerous. I'm not his match."

Little Dragon Girl's eyes were full of wariness. Clearly, she had sensed Tang Hao's terrifying cultivation.

"It's fine, Dragon Sister. That man won't act lightly."

Only then did Little Dragon Girl let out a quiet breath, though the vigilance in her eyes did not diminish at all.

While Jiang Lin and the others were observing Tang Hao, Tang Hao noticed them as well.

However, his gaze merely paused on Little Dragon Girl for a moment before he looked away.

She was only a Soul Venerable. She could not arouse his interest in the slightest.

"Village Chief, I'll leave Little San to you."

"Don't worry, Tang Hao. I'll get Little San safely to Notting City."

Along the way, aside from talking to Little Dragon Girl, Jiang Lin barely paid Tang San any attention.

Although he needed Tang San to farm Collapse Points, that did not mean he had to deliberately curry favor with him or become Tang San's nanny. He only needed to intervene and change things when Tang San encountered important plot points.

Thus, in Jiang Lin's mind, Tang San was merely a tool. As long as Tang San did not attack him, he could not be bothered with him.

Tang San did not care about Jiang Lin's coldness either. He had long been used to being alone and would not care about the attitude of a stranger like Jiang Lin.

"Sigh..."

Old Jack shook his head, but did not interfere.

Around noon, Jiang Lin and the others finally arrived at Notting City.

"Jiang Lin, is this a city in this world? It's so bustling, and the buildings are so tall. These people's clothes are so pretty too. Oh, and some of them have blue and yellow hair, even emerald-green eyes..."

Seeing a real city for the first time, Little Dragon Girl's face was full of curiosity. She kept turning to look at both sides of the street and could not help whispering to Jiang Lin.

"Dragon Sister, Notting City is only a small city. In the future, I'll take you to see more prosperous cities. I guarantee they'll open your eyes."

"Really? Then I'll have to look forward to it."

Perhaps because her affinity had increased, Little Dragon Girl's attitude toward Jiang Lin was no longer as cold as it had been at first. From time to time, she even revealed some of her girlish nature.

After his initial surprise, Jiang Lin naturally accepted this change. It was a good start. He believed that before long, his relationship with Little Dragon Girl would go a step further.

After finding an inn and settling Little Dragon Girl down, Jiang Lin and the others arrived at their final destination.

A towering stone archway appeared before them, with the four words "Notting Academy" hanging in its center.

Below it were two black iron gates. Through the gaps, they could clearly see the lush trees and broad, tidy road beyond.

"What are you people doing here? Unauthorized people are forbidden from entering. Get lost!"

Before they could take a closer look, a gatekeeper in uniform strode over, waving an iron rod as he tried to drive Jiang Lin and the others away.

"This young brother, I'm the village chief of Holy Soul Village. One of these children is this year's work-study student, while the other is here to enroll."

Old Jack hurried forward and took out the testing certificates Su Yuntao had given them, handing them to the gatekeeper.

"Oh? Innately full soul power, but the martial soul is actually useless Blue Silver Grass!"

"And this one has innate soul power rank nine and even a high-grade martial soul. But when did a genius like this end up at Notting Academy?"

"Hmph, old man, if you're going to forge certificates, you should at least use some common sense. Do you even believe these two certificates yourself?"

The gatekeeper looked at the two certificates, then at their worn clothes and the air of poverty that could be smelled from far away. His face immediately filled with mockery.

The next moment, he directly threw the certificates onto the ground and viciously stomped on them several times!

"Young brother, you've gone too far! These are certificates personally issued by Deacon Su Yuntao of Martial Soul Hall!"

Old Jack became somewhat agitated.

"Hmph, old fool, you dare use Martial Soul Hall to pressure me? This is Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, an institution directly under the official authority of the Heaven Dou Empire. A mere deacon from Martial Soul Hall has no authority here!"

"Get lost right now, or don't blame me for being rude!"

The gatekeeper raised the iron rod in his hand. Looking at the frail Old Jack before him, a vicious thought rose in his heart.

Then, while Old Jack was not paying attention, he suddenly kicked at him.

"Hmph, courting death!"

Jiang Lin's face instantly turned cold. Before Tang San could act, Jiang Lin summoned the King's Power Sword and slashed at the gatekeeper's leg.

"Ah!"

A scream rang out as the gatekeeper fell to the ground. Before him lay a bloody severed leg.

"You... you actually dare attack me—"

"You little bastard, just you wait! I definitely won't let you off!"

With that, the gatekeeper pulled a small crystal ball from his clothes. Just as he was about to activate it, a weathered middle-aged man in a long black robe walked over from the distance.