Nuoding City's walls were even taller and thicker up close than they had appeared from afar. Their blue-gray bricks had weathered wind and frost, etched with the marks of time.
Traffic streamed through the city gates, with pedestrians and merchants coming and going without end. A wave of clamor washed over him, carrying the vitality and restlessness unique to a big city.
Ling Feng followed the crowd into the city.
Shops lined both sides of the broad streets, their varied signs and banners dazzling the eyes. The fragrance of food, the clang of smithies, the neighing of horses, the fluctuations of Soul Power occasionally leaking from Soul Masters... everything wove together into a vivid, lifelike portrait of a city on the Douluo Continent.
He seemed somewhat out of place amid his surroundings.
Young, plainly dressed, and travel-worn, he nevertheless had eyes that were far too calm and sharp. His steps were steady, and he showed neither wonder nor timidity at the prosperity around him.
Occasionally, a passing Soul Master would instinctively give him a second glance, seemingly sensing the vast Soul Power held in reserve within him. Yet closer examination yielded only a blur, leaving them to shake their heads in puzzlement and walk away.
Ling Feng did not linger.
Following the street signs and occasionally asking directions, he crossed several bustling streets and turned onto a relatively quiet, tree-lined avenue.
At the end of the road, two enormous iron gates stood open. A heavy wooden plaque hung beside them, engraved with bold, forceful characters-Nuoding Academy.
A small gatehouse stood beside the gates.
The academy's grandeur was far beyond that of the dilapidated Spirit Hall Branch in Holy Soul Village. Though only a junior Soul Master academy, it had high walls and spacious grounds, with tall classroom buildings and a broad sports field faintly visible within, all in peaceful surroundings.
Ling Feng walked up to the gatehouse window and tapped on the glass.
Inside, a gatekeeper wearing a gray uniform and a crooked cap was yawning lazily. At the sound, he cast a sidelong glance over. Seeing Ling Feng's shabby clothes, his face immediately filled with impatience.
"What do you want? If you've got no business here, stop loitering outside the academy!" His tone was nasty, plainly meant to drive him away.
Ling Feng's expression did not change. He took the Spirit Hall certificate from inside his clothes and passed it through the window.
"New student enrollment." Brief and to the point.
The gatekeeper took the certificate carelessly, still muttering, "Another work-study student from some poverty-stricken backwater... tsk..."
His gaze fell on the certificate. When he saw the two fields marked "Martial Soul: hammer" and "Innate Soul Power: exceptional," his muttering stopped abruptly.
His eyes widened.
The hand holding the certificate trembled.
He looked up in disbelief, studied Ling Feng carefully, then looked down at the certificate again. The impatience and contempt vanished from his face in an instant, replaced by shock and a trace of fear.
"Ex... exceptional Innate Soul Power?!" His voice changed pitch as he stammered, "Y-young student, p-please wait a moment! I-I'll notify the director of studies right away!"
He scrambled to grab the soul-tool communicator beside him and began reporting respectfully, sneaking awed glances at Ling Feng as he spoke.
Exceptional Innate Soul Power! A genius like this might not appear once in decades! He was bound to become an incredible figure someday! And I nearly offended him just now!
Soon, a neatly dressed, stern-faced middle-aged male teacher strode out of the academy.
He took the certificate the gatekeeper handed him and examined it carefully, then looked Ling Feng up and down with a piercing gaze, as though trying to discern something about him.
"Ling Feng?" the director of studies began, his tone businesslike but countless times more courteous than the gatekeeper's. "The certificate is in order. I'm the academy's director of studies, surnamed Su. Your circumstances are special. Under the rules, those with exceptional Innate Soul Power are exempt from all tuition fees and entitled to a private dorm room."
A private room? Ling Feng stirred inwardly. That was considerably better than the treatment work-study students received.
But he immediately recalled the master plan-"Enter Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy and check in at locations such as the academy gates, Grandmaster's study, and Dorm Seven."
Dorm Seven was an important check-in location, as well as a key place for meeting Tang San and Xiao Wu.
If he went to a better-appointed private room, he might instead miss out on the plot and rewards.
As thoughts flashed through his mind, Ling Feng made his decision.
He spoke calmly. "Thank you for your kindness, Director Su. But I'm used to peace and quiet, and I'd like more time to cultivate. A shared work-study dorm will do."
Director Su visibly froze, tremendous surprise and confusion flashing through his eyes.
Was there really a genius who would willingly give up such favorable conditions to sleep in the crude communal quarters of work-study students?
He studied Ling Feng carefully once more. The boy's eyes were clear and firm; he did not seem to be joking or putting on a show of humility.
"Are you sure?" Director Su asked to confirm. "Conditions for work-study students are rather difficult, and you'll also have to do some work cleaning the campus."
"Yes," Ling Feng answered without the slightest hesitation.
Though puzzled, Director Su could hardly force him. He nodded. "In that case, we'll do as you wish. Gatekeeper, take him to work-study Dorm Seven to get settled in."
"Yes, yes, of course!" The gatekeeper's attitude had now taken a complete turn. He came out nodding and bowing to lead the way. "Student Ling Feng, please follow me."
He was as respectful as though attending to a young nobleman.
Ling Feng nodded slightly and followed the gatekeeper into Nuoding Academy.
The academy was larger inside than it looked from outside, with shady green trees and tidy paths. Occasionally, students in uniform passed by, casting curious glances his way.
The work-study dormitory area occupied a relatively secluded corner of the academy, a row of old, single-story buildings that looked quite weathered.
The gatekeeper led Ling Feng to one of the doors, whose plaque bore a simple "Seven."
"Student Ling Feng, this is Dorm Seven. Y-you can just go inside yourself. There should be people in there." The gatekeeper smiled ingratiatingly.
Ling Feng waved him away. As though granted a grand pardon, the gatekeeper hurried off.
He stood outside Dorm Seven.
The door was ajar, and the sounds of several boys talking and roughhousing drifted out.
Ling Feng's gaze sharpened slightly.
This was the place.
He drew a deep breath and said silently, System, scan my current location. Can I check in?
[Ding! Host detected at the important plot location "Nuoding Academy work-study Dorm Seven." Check-in conditions met. Check in?]
Here it was!
Ling Feng's mind settled. Check in!
[Ding! Check-in successful! Reward: Soul Power increased by 1 level!]
A warm current, far purer and richer than the one from checking in on the country road, instantly surged into his body. Like streams flowing into a river, it merged naturally and smoothly with his existing level-twenty Soul Power.
No bottleneck, no obstruction.
The water flowed, and the channel formed.
His total Soul Power rose noticeably, and his physical strength and perception increased along with it.
[Current Soul Power Level: 21!]
Although he was still in a state of "no Soul Rings," the increase in Soul Power Level was real, laying a firmer foundation for absorbing older Soul Rings in the future.
These check-in rewards really were generous!
An almost imperceptible smile curved Ling Feng's lips.
He pushed open the door to Dorm Seven.
Creak-
The old wooden door made a noise, interrupting the clamor inside.
Dorm Seven was even more spartan than he had imagined: one large shared room furnished with more than a dozen hard plank beds. The bedding was old, but reasonably tidy.
Seven or eight boys around Ling Feng's age were in the room, all wearing plain clothes. They were clearly work-study students.
They had been gathered together talking. At the sound of the door opening, they all looked over.
Their eyes held curiosity, appraisal, and a trace of the wariness toward outsiders peculiar to work-study students.
A taller boy who looked rather mature stood up. He was the group's apparent leader, and his name was Wang Sheng.
He looked Ling Feng over and asked, "New here? A work-study student too?"
Ling Feng nodded, his gaze quickly sweeping the entire dormitory. He did not see that familiar figure (Tang San) yet. It seemed he had arrived a little early, or Tang San had not reached the dormitory yet.
"My name is Ling Feng," he introduced himself simply.
"Ling Feng? Never heard of you." Wang Sheng scratched his head. "What village are you from? What's your Martial Soul? What level's your Soul Power? We have a rule in Dorm Seven: newcomers have to show their strength so we can rank... uh, so everyone can get acquainted."
He had meant to say "rank everyone," but seeing Ling Feng's extraordinary bearing, he changed his words at the last moment.
The other work-study students gathered around curiously as well.
"Show my strength?" Ling Feng raised an eyebrow slightly. So this was Dorm Seven's tradition-strength reigned supreme?
He did not want to draw too much attention, but neither did he want to be underestimated and invite trouble later.
As it happened, he could test the effects of his newly increased level-twenty-one Soul Power.
His gaze passed over a slightly loose blue brick on the ground by the entrance, used to prop the door.
With a thought, the vast Soul Power within him instantly gathered at the tip of his right foot, and he gave the blue brick a seemingly casual, light kick.
The movement was effortless and understated, barely even making a sound.
But the next second!
Crack!
As though struck by an invisible heavy hammer, the thick blue brick instantly snapped through the middle! It shattered into several pieces!
Brick dust sifted down from the broken edges.
All of Dorm Seven fell utterly silent in an instant.
Every work-study student stared wide-eyed at the shattered blue brick, then abruptly looked up at Ling Feng's calm face as though they had seen a ghost.
He hadn't used his Martial Soul!
They hadn't even seen him exert himself!
Just a casual kick!
And he had shattered a brick that thick?!
How terrifyingly strong did he have to be?! How powerful was his Soul Power?!
Wang Sheng's throat bobbed as he swallowed with difficulty. His expression shifted from curiosity to shock, then to profound awe.
His little notion of "comparing strength to determine the pecking order" had long since flown beyond the ninth heaven.
With strength like that, what the hell was there to compare?!
He hurriedly spoke, respect entering his tone. "B-Big Brother Ling Feng! From... from now on, you're the boss of Dorm Seven!"
The other work-study students came to their senses as well, nodding along, their gazes filled with admiration and a trace of fear as they looked at Ling Feng.
Ling Feng: "..."
He was just about to say there was no need for all this; he had no interest in being some dormitory boss.
Just then.
A clear, lovely girl's voice, carrying a hint of innocent sweetness and curiosity, suddenly came from the doorway, breaking the somewhat frozen atmosphere in the dormitory.
"Is this Dorm Seven?"
"Which of you... is the boss?"
Like drops of clear spring water, the voice instantly drew everyone's gaze.
Ling Feng looked toward the sound too.
A girl stood in the doorway. She looked a little younger than all of them and was slightly shorter, but she was rosy and adorable, with large, glossy black eyes full of lively sparkle. A long scorpion braid hung past her hips, adding a few more touches of playfulness.
She was tilting her head curiously, surveying the dormitory. Her gaze finally settled on Ling Feng, who stood loosely surrounded by the others and had the most distinctive bearing.
Xiao Wu!