Heaven Dou Imperial Academy

"Elder Snake Lance, follow him and see whom he's going to meet. Then go to Spirit Hall and look up his records."

Watching Huo Linfei's retreating figure, Xue Qinghe spoke to the tall, thin man beside him.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Snake Lance Douluo answered respectfully, then vanished in a flash. Xue Qinghe headed toward the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace with Porcupinefish Douluo.

The bustling sights of Heaven Dou City were so different from what Huo Linfei was used to that he could not help stopping to take a few extra looks. After all, it had been far too long since he had felt the bustle of a great city.

"What's that brat wandering around for?"

Watching Huo Linfei stroll about made Snake Lance Douluo, who was following from the shadows, frown.

Fortunately, Huo Linfei did not linger long before continuing toward the address.

He did not know the roads very well, but with directions from a kind passerby, he soon found the place.

It was a small manor in the west of Heaven Dou City.

At the manor gate, Huo Linfei handed a guard the recommendation letter Director Su had given him and asked the guard to announce his arrival.

Before long, a middle-aged man came out with the guard and led Huo Linfei into the manor.

Once Snake Lance Douluo saw who had come out and watched Huo Linfei enter the manor, he left.

Inside the manor's main hall.

"Mr. Suo Luo, I'm sorry to trouble you with what comes next."

Huo Linfei bowed slightly and cupped his fists to the middle-aged man before him, who wore a white robe and a half-frame pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

"It's no trouble. Brother Su recommended you, so there's no need for ceremony. He and I are friends. Speaking of which, how is that fellow?"

Smiling, Suo Luo waved a hand, signaling Huo Linfei not to stand on ceremony.

"Director Su is doing quite well."

Huo Linfei answered.

"Good. Now show me your Martial Soul and Soul Rings."

Suo Luo spoke again. Though the letter described them, and he did not doubt Director Su, the matter was simply too astonishing. He felt he had to see it with his own eyes.

"All right."

Huo Linfei answered and began circulating his Soul Power.

The next instant, a phantom appeared behind him. Half as tall as a person, it had a horned head resembling a dragon's, a crimson body, four golden claws, flames swirling around its four joints, and a striking, upright bearing.

Then two purple Soul Rings lit up beneath his feet, one after the other.

After absorbing two Thousand-Year Soul Rings, the Phantom Qilin Beast had gradually changed. It was larger than when it first appeared, and far more imposing.

Suo Luo saw Huo Linfei's Martial Soul and the two unmistakable purple Soul Rings beneath his feet. Although the letter had given him some warning, seeing them in person still sent a shock through him.

Then Suo Luo noticed something else. The letter called Huo Linfei's Martial Soul a Guard Dog, but no matter how he looked at it, it resembled no guard dog. It looked more like the qilin, the auspicious divine beast of legend.

"Hahaha! Good, good, good! A hero truly could emerge from the young. You can put it away now. Stay here with this old man for a few days, and I'll do everything I can to find you a good place to go."

Suo Luo set the thought aside. Looking at Huo Linfei, he laughed and said "good" three times in a row, his eyes full of admiration.

"Then I'm sorry to trouble you, Mr. Suo Luo."

"Oh, enough of that. Dinner is ready. Come eat with me first, and we can talk more afterward..."

The Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

Inside a study.

"Well? Where did he go? And did you get his records?"

Xue Qinghe was handling official business at his desk. When Snake Lance Douluo arrived, he looked up and asked.

"Your Highness, he went to Viscount Suo Luo's residence. Spirit Hall's registration records list him as follows: Martial Soul, Guard Dog; age, nine; rank twenty-nine Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster."

Snake Lance Douluo recited the details.

"Nine years old, rank twenty-nine, Guard Dog Martial Soul..."

At the last detail, Xue Qinghe could not help frowning.

To him, the Martial Soul he had seen the boy release that day could not possibly have been a Guard Dog. Were guard dogs ever that ferocious?

Clearly not. The person who examined him must not have paid attention. How else could they have lied so blatantly with their eyes wide open?

"All right. You may go."

Xue Qinghe waved Snake Lance Douluo away.

"Yes."

Snake Lance Douluo answered quietly and left the study.

Early the next morning, Suo Luo left the manor alone and headed straight for the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace. He meant to secure Huo Linfei a place at an advanced Soul Master Academy, and the one he had in mind was the finest in Heaven Dou City—indeed, in the entire Heaven Dou Empire: Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

He felt that Huo Linfei's heaven-defying talent could not be allowed to languish at some other academy.

But his standing as a mere viscount carried little weight with Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, so he needed someone else's help.

And the only person willing to hear a lowly viscount like him out was His Highness Xue Qinghe, who welcomed worthy people regardless of their origins.

Huo Linfei would never have imagined that, after turning down Xue Qinghe's help only yesterday, someone on his side would seek that very help today.

After Suo Luo went out, Huo Linfei had nothing to do but cultivate. As for going out to have fun, he decided against it. It was not that he did not want to; he was afraid of getting lost again. Heaven Dou City was too busy and too crowded, and he had always been somewhat hopeless with directions.

The Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

Xue Qinghe received Viscount Suo Luo. When he heard why the viscount had come, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Everything had gone just as he expected.

"Viscount Suo Luo, I'll grant your request. There's no need to summon the boy. Here's what we'll do: bring him to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy at noon tomorrow to enroll. I'll be there as well."

"Thank you, Your Highness! Should this old man ever be of use to you, I would gladly die ten thousand deaths in your service!"

At those words, Suo Luo bowed to Xue Qinghe at a perfect right angle.

"There's no need for that, Viscount Suo Luo. It's a small favor. To recruit such a genius is an honor for the Heaven Dou Empire and for Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. I'm sure the three of them won't object, even if it means making an exception."

After a further exchange of formalities, Suo Luo took his leave.

Back at the manor, Suo Luo told Huo Linfei he had found him a suitable academy and instructed him to be ready to report there at noon the next day.

The speed of it surprised Huo Linfei a little, but he did not dwell on it. He simply thanked Suo Luo.

The following day, Huo Linfei secretly left half his Gold Soul Coins on the table before accompanying Suo Luo to enroll.

Those Gold Soul Coins were no more than a hair from nine oxen to Suo Luo. Still, the man had done him an enormous favor. Huo Linfei could not accept it with a clear conscience without offering anything in return.

Before long, at noon, the two arrived before the gates of an academy called Heaven Dou Imperial Academy...