Heaven Dou Royal Academy

When Jiang Baiyu slowly opened his eyes, the furnishings of the Rose Hotel came into view.

"Where am I?" He was a little dazed.

"Awake?" Su Wu called from across the room. "If you're getting up, go wash and get ready. Qian Renxue came by earlier with an admission letter from Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

"Got it." Jiang Baiyu sat up slowly and stretched. Then he spotted someone beside the bed and froze.

Her thick lashes rested like butterfly wings over her eyes. In sleep, her usually cool, stunning features looked softer, though her brows were faintly drawn, as if even her dreams held troubles she could not shake. Her dark hair lay scattered across the pillow, and her breathing was light.

Jiang Baiyu moved gently, afraid of waking the sleeping girl.

Su Wu came over too. "Zhuqing is a good girl. You've been unconscious since yesterday, and she's been looking after you the whole time."

Jiang Baiyu looked at Zhu Zhuqing, still fast asleep, his feelings tangled. It would be a lie to say he hadn't fallen for her. Perhaps he had first saved her because of her looks, but after months together, this resilient yet gentle girl had inevitably found her way into his heart. He sighed inwardly. Shameless as it was, he wanted to be a scoundrel.

Polygamy might exist in this world, but neither Qian Renxue nor Zhu Zhuqing deserved to be anyone's appendage.

As he pondered that, Zhu Zhuqing's lashes fluttered. Their conversation had clearly woken her.

"Zhuqing, you're awake?" Jiang Baiyu asked.

The moment Zhu Zhuqing saw him, she sat up quickly, her cheeks faintly red. "Senior Brother."

"Now that you're up, wash and have something to eat. Then we'll head to Heaven Dou Royal Academy." Seeing how nervous she was, Jiang Baiyu considerately said nothing more.

Once the three of them were ready, they left the Rose Hotel. A carriage had been waiting outside for some time.

They climbed aboard.

Before long, the carriage carried them out of the city and toward a mountain road.

After a while, it stopped at the foot of the mountain, unable to go any farther.

Looking up, they saw tier upon tier of mountains, all belonging to Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Pavilions and towers on the slopes stood half-hidden in a thin mist, magnificent and grand. Everywhere was the opulence befitting the empire's foremost academy.

White marble steps wound up the mountain. Each was carved with a different Soul Beast design, and in the sunlight, the stone gleamed with a soft white luster.

Su Wu led the way, with Jiang Baiyu and Zhu Zhuqing behind him. Together, they climbed the long mountain path step by step.

The mountain air was fresh and damp. Sturdy pines and cypresses lined the path, alongside broad stretches of carefully cultivated spirit plants. Lush vegetation filled the air with a faint, clean fragrance. The energy here was the purest natural Soul Power, perfectly suited to Jiang Baiyu's martial soul, the Shennong Cauldron.

The higher they climbed, the stronger the presence of the plants became. That was only natural. Plant-aspected Soul Power was the gentlest kind and benefited the cultivation of most soul masters.

When they reached the academy's main entrance, the imposing gate was almost breathtaking.

Everything about it, inside and out, proclaimed two words: "Filthy rich!"

The gate towered above them, its base built from massive blocks of black stone. Its main beams and pillars were made of thousand-year-old golden-thread nanmu wood, coated in vermilion lacquer polished to a mirror shine. Layered brackets and flying eaves swept upward, with strings of gilded wind chimes hanging from the corners. A breeze stirred them, sending clear notes drifting through the mountain woods. At the center hung an enormous gilded plaque, over six meters wide. The six characters for "Heaven Dou Royal Academy" shone upon it, personally inscribed by the reigning emperor, Xue Ye, every stroke inlaid with gold.

Two white marble lions stood on either side of the gate, each over three meters tall. With curled manes and imposing bearing, they watched arrivals through sharp obsidian eyes.

Two royal guards stood at the entrance. Both were soul masters who had reached Soul Elder rank. The imperial iris crest was engraved on their gleaming silver armor, swords hung at their waists, and they stood straight as pines, watching everyone who entered.

At the sight of Jiang Baiyu and his companions, one guard stepped forward politely and held out a hand. "Hello. This is Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and visitors are not permitted without authorization. May I ask your purpose here?"

Su Wu handed him the document Qian Renxue had given them.

The guard looked surprised and called to his fellow guard. "I didn't realize we had honored guests. Please, follow me. The three chief committee members have been waiting for some time." He had the other guard take his post, then led the three of them through the gate.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy was vast. Even at their pace, they walked for a long time. The guard explained, "The Education Committee is in the center of the academy's main campus, so it's a bit of a distance."

As he spoke, a large building came into view. Its lavish decoration was somewhat reminiscent of Spirit Hall.

When the group reached the entrance to the Education Committee, three elderly men were already waiting there.

All three wore black robes embroidered with strange patterns in gold thread. These robes were not exclusive to them. Soul masters above level eighty who held the rank of Soul Douluo could receive them from Spirit Hall. They were ceremonial attire denoting status, second only to the red robes of Titled Douluo.

Seeing the guard bring them over, the elder in front smiled and strode forward to greet them.

He paused when he saw Su Wu, then burst into hearty laughter. "His Highness the Crown Prince told us about you. I've long looked forward to meeting you! I'm Meng Shenji, chief of the Education Committee. My martial soul is the Black Demon, and I'm a level-eighty-six, eight-ring Control System Battle Soul Douluo. Let me introduce the others."

Meng Shenji was of average height and so thin he seemed to have scarcely any flesh on him. His voice was somewhat shrill, but not unpleasant, and his manner was warm. His hair and beard were white, yet he was remarkably vigorous and rosy-cheeked.

As he spoke, Meng Shenji gestured to the elder on his left. "This is Bai Baoshan, the Education Committee's second seat. His martial soul is the Heavenly Star Furnace, and he's a level-eighty-five, eight-ring Defense System Battle Soul Douluo."

Bai Baoshan was Meng Shenji's opposite in build: short and extremely fat, the sort of man whose waist measured as much as his height. A gentle smile never left his face, making his cheeks jiggle. When Meng Shenji introduced him, he smiled and nodded to the group.

Meng Shenji pointed to the last elder. "This is Zhi Lin, the Education Committee's third seat. His martial soul is the Azure Sky Vine, and he's a level-eighty-three, eight-ring Control System Tool Soul Douluo."

Of the three senior committee members, Zhi Lin looked the most ordinary. His features were unremarkable too; only the occasional bright gleam in his eyes hinted that there was anything special about him.

Su Wu was about to introduce himself in turn, but Meng Shenji put a hand on his shoulder. "Too many people around. Come inside first, shall we?"

Su Wu glanced at the students passing nearby. They were stealing looks at the group, curious about who could make all three chief committee members wait outside.

Seeing Meng Shenji act this way, Su Wu knew his identity had been recognized. "Of course," he said at once.

Even the eldest of these three was from a generation after his own. How could they fail to recognize him, especially when he had made no attempt to disguise himself?

The Education Committee's building was not as luxurious as one might imagine. Quite the opposite: the rooms where the three Soul Douluo worked and lived were very plain.

There were only essential furnishings and a few simple green plants for decoration.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Meng Shenji looked at Su Wu. "Su Wu, you vanished nearly ten years ago. From the rumors, we all thought you were dead. To think you'd gone into hiding. So, what level is your Soul Power now? If I remember correctly, you were already on the threshold of Soul Douluo ten years ago. Don't tell me you've reached Titled Douluo."

The other two committee members were also watching Su Wu with interest, eager to hear the answer.

Su Wu smiled faintly. "Since the Three Education Committee Members have asked, I'll give you a demonstration." Soul Power slowly rose from within him. Pale green light drifted outward like mist among mountain bamboo, and Soul Rings rose one by one beneath his feet. As their light spread, the immense pressure of a Soul Douluo rippled through the room. He kept it carefully restrained, however, so it did not bear down on anyone nearby.

As he activated his martial soul, a long bamboo staff, lustrous as green jade, took shape in his palm. It was his martial soul: the Jade-Green Nine-Jointed Bamboo.

The Jade-Green Nine-Jointed Bamboo was slender, with exactly nine segments. Each gleamed with translucent green-jade luster, its natural grain clearly visible. A faint green glow edged the bamboo, and wisps of fresh, verdant energy drifted from it. The vitality unique to plant-type martial souls washed over everyone, while tiny green shoots quietly emerged from the floor nearby.

"Su Wu. Martial soul, Jade-Green Nine-Jointed Bamboo. Level-eighty-six Control System Soul Douluo," he said calmly.

The jade staff in Zhi Lin's hand wobbled, and even his beard gave a sharp twitch. His eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Level eighty-six?"

His shock was understandable. Su Wu was nearly twenty years younger than them, yet in less than ten years, he had reached level eighty-six. Judging by his Soul Power, he might break through to level eighty-seven at any time. With such talent and speed, Titled Douluo was well within his reach.

What was more, as a fellow plant-type martial soul user, Zhi Lin could tell that Su Wu's martial soul had evolved. It brimmed with life.

Bai Baoshan asked, "Su Wu, why did you disappear? And now that you've returned, are you not planning to announce it?"

Meng Shenji added, "Would you be interested in teaching at Heaven Dou Royal Academy? With your strength and knowledge, you're more than qualified to be a Heaven Dou-rank teacher. In another couple of years, you could certainly join the Education Committee."

Su Wu drew back his martial soul and Soul Power, and the green bamboo faded from sight. "Thank you for the offer," he said evenly, "but I can't appear in public right now."

He then told them about his feud with the two Douluo of the Clear Sky Sect.

"I see." Meng Shenji sighed softly. "Given that mad dog Clear Sky Douluo's temperament, the moment you showed yourself, he'd come after you. It wouldn't matter whether you were the one who leaked news of the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast."

Zhi Lin offered some reassurance. "Still, in a few years, all of us may have to address you as Your Eminence."

Their laughter dispelled the somber mood.

Then Meng Shenji turned to the two children sitting quietly nearby. "You must be Jiang Baiyu and Zhu Zhuqing. His Highness the Crown Prince had nothing but praise for the two of you."