He Was a Citizen of the Empire

The Three Powerhouses of Notting City all sensed something was wrong.

A six-year-old child had been found at the heart of an explosion powerful enough to destroy half a mountain. Not only had he miraculously survived, but an unknown force had protected his Heart Meridian. And now he claimed he knew nothing?

To be fair, if a powerful expert had intervened, was it really strange that a child had noticed nothing?

Faced with such "honest" bewilderment from a six-year-old, what else could they ask?

Were they supposed to torture a child who had just been pulled back from death's door and possessed astonishing Martial Soul potential?

In the end, Dean Wei gave a dry laugh and tried to smooth things over.

"Uh... it's all right, child. There was... an accident on the Back Mountain, but it's over now. Focus on recovering. Don't worry about the academy. You can return to class when you're well."

City Lord Xiao and Hall Master Ma Xiunuo could only set aside their doubts for now. They added a few polite words about resting up and coming to them if he needed anything.

Chu Chen obediently agreed to each of them, though he knew this matter was probably far from over.

But his choice to say "I don't know" had at least won him precious time to recover without interruption.

As for what came later...

Once his strength returned, he would find a way to deal with it.

The three leaders offered a few more words of concern, then left the room with their questions unanswered.

When the door closed, Chu Chen was alone in the luxurious, quiet room.

He slowly exhaled and shut his eyes again, silently assessing his condition while considering what to do next.

Outside, City Lord Xiao, Hall Master Ma Xiunuo, and Dean Wei exchanged glances in the corridor. Each saw the same deep doubt and suspicion in the others' eyes.

"What do you make of... what young Chu Chen said?"

Hall Master Ma Xiunuo spoke first, keeping his tone as gentle as he could, though the scrutiny in his eyes had not faded.

But no one answered his question right away.

The corridor was dim, and a delicate silence hung in the air.

City Lord Xiao stood with his hands behind his back, his thumb unconsciously rubbing a knuckle on his forefinger. His brow was tightly furrowed.

After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice low, as though talking to himself as much as to the other two.

"A six-year-old child... surviving in a place like that... and saying he has no idea what happened..."

He paused, looking from Dean Wei to Hall Master Ma Xiunuo.

"Do you believe him?"

Dean Wei stroked his graying beard with a rueful smile.

"Does it matter whether we believe him? What matters is that, right now, we have no choice but to accept his story."

"What do you mean?"

Hall Master Ma Xiunuo pressed.

Dean Wei sighed. His eyes held the weary clarity of someone who had seen too much.

"Think about what happened on the Back Mountain. What level of power was that? Titled Douluo! And judging by the destruction, there may have been more than one. It might even have been a fight to the death!"

"To protect a six-year-old child at the heart of an explosion on that scale, and preserve his Heart Meridian..."

"Would an expert like that act without a reason?"

"Would he save a child from a mountain village who had only just awakened his Martial Soul for no reason at all?"

Dean Wei's voice grew quieter, but every word struck home with the other two.

City Lord Xiao's pupils contracted.

"You're saying... that expert saved Chu Chen deliberately, and might even... have some connection to him?"

"Not necessarily a connection."

Dean Wei shook his head and continued slowly.

"But at the very least, that expert didn't want the child to die. Or perhaps there's something about the child that made him worth saving."

As Dean Wei spoke, he looked back at the closed door, his expression complicated.

"Innate Full Soul Power... a mutated Martial Soul... those alone make him exceptional. I'm afraid there's more to this child than meets the eye."

Hall Master Ma Xiunuo took a deep breath and nodded.

As the head of a Spirit Hall Branch Hall, he might not have been among the strongest, but his experience and instincts were sharper than most.

"Dean Wei is right. Whether Chu Chen truly knows nothing or is hiding something no longer matters."

"What matters is the outcome: a mysterious expert of at least Titled Douluo rank saved him."

"That expert's stance will be ours."

City Lord Xiao took up the thread, his tone turning firm.

"If that expert chose to save him, then the child must not die. At the very least... he must not die easily within Notting City's borders, and certainly not because of negligence or hostility on our part."

As his words fell, the three exchanged glances and saw the same resolve in one another's eyes.

City Lord Xiao fell silent for a moment, then spoke again.

"I'll report everything to Heaven Dou City exactly as it happened: a battle involving what appeared to be Titled Douluo took place on the Back Mountain."

Hall Master Ma Xiunuo immediately turned to him.

"I'll report to the Pope as well. A Titled Douluo appearing in a small border city could be a minor matter or a grave one. The Main Hall must—"

"Hall Master Ma Xiunuo!"

City Lord Xiao cut him off before he could finish.

"How you report it is Spirit Hall's business. But as for Chu Chen, I must remind you that he attends a Soul Master Academy and is a citizen of the Empire. I trust you understand what I mean!"

Hall Master Ma Xiunuo's expression shifted slightly at City Lord Xiao's pointed words and sharpened tone, then settled back into calm.

Of course he understood.

Chu Chen was a student at Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy. By the customs of the continent, Soul Master Academies fell under the authority of the kingdom or Empire where they were located.

Spirit Hall's influence might extend across the continent, but the two Empires had always been wary of its "recruitment" of enrolled students, especially commoners with no clear allegiance.

And if Chu Chen truly had a Titled Douluo backing him, the question of his allegiance became more sensitive still.

"You needn't worry, City Lord."

Hall Master Ma Xiunuo managed a smile and kept his voice even.

"I'll merely report the unusual appearance of a Titled Douluo as it happened. That is my duty as head of a Spirit Hall Branch Hall."

"As for Chu Chen... his talent is remarkable, but I won't do anything against his wishes."

"Good."

City Lord Xiao nodded, his tone softening somewhat.

"After all, this child came from Notting City. With talent like his, any future achievements would bring honor to the city."

Listening to their exchange, Dean Wei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

As the academy's dean, he naturally hoped someone as talented as Chu Chen would stay and one day bring distinction to the academy.

More importantly, he did not want the academy dragged into a struggle between major powers because of Chu Chen.

"In that case, let's each do what we need to do."