Heading to Notting Junior Academy

After Old Jack, the village chief of Holy Soul Village, settled with Tang Hao on the work-study places for Lin Hao and Tang San at Notting Junior Academy, he left for the neighboring Soul King Village to borrow another place.

After Old Jack left, Tang San could hardly wait to show Tang Hao his second Martial Soul, the Clear Sky Hammer.

"Dad, I have Twin Martial Souls. My second Martial Soul is a hammer."

"Dad, do you know what it is?"

A pitch-black hammer hovered above Tang San's left hand. Its handle was about half a foot long, and its cylindrical head bore a faint pattern. An unusual sheen played across its dark surface.

Tang Hao stared at the Clear Sky Hammer above Tang San's hand, shock giving way to delight.

"The Clear Sky Hammer... You have Twin Martial Souls!"

Overjoyed, Tang Hao scooped Tang San up and spun him around.

"Hahaha! Twin Martial Souls! That's my son!"

Tang San laughed too as Tang Hao whirled him around, laughing at the top of his lungs.

Once his excitement subsided, Tang Hao set Tang San down and spoke the words he would always be remembered for.

"Remember this: in the future, you must use the hammer in your left hand to protect the grass in your right. Always."

Tang San nodded without understanding. Tang Hao went to the forge, tossed a piece of pig iron into the furnace, and prepared to hammer away his lingering excitement.

Meanwhile, Tang San returned to his bedroom to study the Tang Sect knowledge that had appeared in his mind after his Martial Souls awakened.

Before long, noon was approaching.

Tang Hao struck the final blow on the nearly finished shovel, then tidied up and prepared to make Tang San lunch.

Over the past five years, Tang San had driven Tang Hao to improve from a cook whose food even ghosts would refuse to one who could put together a decent meal. He almost had the bearing of a master chef.

Just as Tang Hao finished washing his hands, the front door flew open.

Lin Hao walked in carrying a Mountain Antelope with one leg missing.

"Uncle Hao, I went to test my Heavenly Blade Martial Soul after the awakening ceremony and happened to catch a Mountain Antelope."

"Let's roast the three remaining legs, one for each of us, and stew the rest."

Tang Hao came over and took the Mountain Antelope, which was missing a hind leg, from Lin Hao's shoulder.

"Sure. Little San, Lin Hao's here. Go spend some time with him. I'll call you both when lunch is ready."

Hearing his voice, Tang San came rushing out of the bedroom toward Lin Hao.

At the sight of the battered Mountain Antelope Lin Hao had brought in, Tang San looked thoroughly envious.

"Lin Hao, I didn't expect your Martial Soul to be so powerful..."

Three months later.

On the road to Notting City.

An ox cart carried Old Jack, Lin Hao, and Tang San toward the city. Old Jack drove while the two boys sat in back, watching the scenery pass.

Both looked calm, but excitement churned inside them. Soon they would enter a Soul Master Academy, obtain their first Soul Rings, and become Soul Masters.

As for why Tang Hao had not come to see Tang San off, Lin Hao guessed he had gone looking for a suitable first Soul Ring for Tang San.

He thought so because, when Lin Hao had come to fetch Tang San that morning, Tang Hao had told his son not to rush into hunting a Soul Beast for its Soul Ring.

Lin Hao wondered whether Tang Hao would help him get his first Soul Ring too.

Having a cart made all the difference. In the original story, Old Jack and Tang San had walked all morning to reach Notting City.

This time, Old Jack brought both boys to Notting City in just an hour and a half.

After driving the ox cart into the city, Old Jack found a shop that regularly traded grain and vegetables with Holy Soul Village. He left the cart there and asked for directions to Notting Junior Academy.

The academy stood in western Notting City. Its tall archway was visible from afar.

Four large characters above the archway read "Notting Academy."

The moment Old Jack led the boys to the academy gates, a young gatekeeper stopped them. "What are you doing here? Do you know what this place is?"

As the gatekeeper approached, Lin Hao handed over his Martial Soul certificate. Tang San quickly did the same.

"These two children from Holy Soul Village awakened Innate Soul Power this year," Old Jack said. "One has a Mutated Long Saber Martial Soul, and the other has Blue Silver Grass."

The young gatekeeper took the certificates and glanced over them together. When he saw Innate Full Soul Power listed beside the supposedly useless Blue Silver Grass, he could not hold back his surprise.

"Wait, how could a useless Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass awaken with Innate Full Soul Power?"

He examined Tang San's certificate again and compared it with the other one.

"The paper's right too. Spirit Hall issued this."

While the gatekeeper exclaimed over the certificates, Lin Hao summoned his Heavenly Blade Martial Soul. Tang San followed suit and summoned his Blue Silver Grass.

With a clang, Lin Hao's Heavenly Blade struck the ground.

"Well, sir? Have you checked enough?"

The young gatekeeper looked at the Heavenly Blade in Lin Hao's hand. Feeling the faint pressure radiating from it, he swallowed and hurriedly returned both certificates.

"Everything's in order. Please, go in."

Lin Hao took his certificate and gave the gatekeeper a cold snort.

Then he turned to say goodbye to Old Jack.

"Grandpa Jack, take it slow on the way back."

The two boys waved goodbye. Once Old Jack had disappeared down the road, they turned toward the entrance. The gatekeeper hurriedly pointed them toward the teaching building, where new students registered on the ground floor.

Lin Hao and Tang San followed the main path. Even as they neared the teaching building, Yu Xiaogang had yet to appear and coax Tang San into becoming his disciple.

Then again, that made sense. Yu Xiaogang had probably gone out on some errand and would run into Tang San, by chance or design, on his way back.

But Old Jack had brought the boys by ox cart, getting them to Notting Academy a good three or four hours early. If they still ran into Yu Xiaogang on the way, it would prove he had been plotting something all along.

The registration desk was on the ground floor of the teaching building. A middle-aged teacher who looked to be thirty-four handled the new students, assisted by two younger teachers.

Lin Hao and Tang San approached and handed over their Martial Soul certificates.

"Hello, teachers!"

"These are our Martial Soul certificates."

The middle-aged teacher took both certificates and said, "My surname is Su. You can call me Director Su."

"To think you both have Innate Full Soul Power. It's a shame Tang San's Martial Soul is the useless Blue Silver Grass."

"I'll register you now..."