After finding a successful way to use his Soul Division Martial Soul, Xiao Yan devoted himself in the days that followed to studying the Dou Techniques the Xiao Yan from the Battle Through the Heavens World had taught him.
The other Xiao Yan, however, was still only a child.
He had only had the chance to obtain a Yellow Tier Dou Technique like Stone Shattering Palm because of the formidable talent he had displayed and his exceptional standing in his clan.
So far, Xiao Yan had learned only three Yellow Tier Dou Techniques from him: Stone Shattering Palm, Sky-Rending Claw, and Swift Step.
After spending half a month mastering Stone Shattering Palm, Xiao Yan turned his attention to the other two Dou Techniques.
Like Stone Shattering Palm, Sky-Rending Claw was an offensive Dou Technique of the Yellow Tier Low Grade.
Since he had already mastered Stone Shattering Palm, Xiao Yan felt no great urgency to learn Sky-Rending Claw and turned his attention to Swift Step instead.
Swift Step was a Yellow Tier Intermediate Grade movement Dou Technique.
Just as he had when learning Stone Shattering Palm, Xiao Yan summoned his Soul Division Martial Soul and fused it into his body. All his senses sharpened severalfold.
Soul Power gathered in his legs, and the familiar sensation of blockage returned. But with his Soul Division Martial Soul fused with him, and with his previous successful experience to draw on,
Xiao Yan made rapid progress.
In just two days, he opened all the meridians needed for the circulation of Soul Power for Swift Step.
Opening the meridians was simply a matter of following the steps, but putting the technique to use was another matter.
With Soul Power flowing into his legs, he felt them grow unbearably heavy. Even walking normally was difficult, let alone controlling the release of Soul Power and executing Swift Step.
"Whew!"
Xiao Yan dispersed the Soul Power in his body and lay on the hilltop, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. "This is too hard..."
When channeling Soul Power into his body, he not only had to control its passage through his meridians and endure the pain in his flesh, but also had to regulate its release to control Swift Step.
But when he thought of that faint trace of killing intent hidden in the dark,
Xiao Yan rested only briefly before resuming his training on the hill. He went from stumbling along to gradually adapting to the flow of Soul Power through his body.
It took Xiao Yan a full five days.
Once he had perfect control over the flow of Soul Power within him, Xiao Yan began moving about the hill.
The hill's rough, uneven paths became the perfect training ground for Xiao Yan to grow accustomed to the Dou Technique Swift Step.
During this time, Xiao Yan also happened to notice that Tang San often headed in another direction to train on a different hilltop.
The chance discovery made Xiao Yan admire Tang San all the more for being so disciplined at only six years old.
Throughout the holiday before school began, Xiao Yan continued practicing the Dou Techniques he had obtained from Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan had fully mastered all three Yellow Tier Dou Techniques: Stone Shattering Palm, Sky-Rending Claw, and Swift Step.
After exhausting his Soul Power time and again, Xiao Yan's control over it was now stronger than ever. He could even begin channeling it into his Bone Spirit Cold Flame Heavenly Flame Martial Soul,
forming a faint trace of icy cold.
As the start of school drew closer, Old Jack summoned Xiao Yan and Tang San to him once again.
"Little Yanzi, Little San, these are the certificates of your talents I asked a lord from Spirit Hall to issue for you."
Old Jack looked at Xiao Yan with some regret. He did not know why Xiao Yan had chosen not to join Spirit Hall, but Xiao Yan had been sensible since he was little.
So although Old Jack was curious, he still chose to respect his decision.
Xiao Yan and Tang San took the certificates from Old Jack. Their Martial Souls and Soul Power Levels were clearly recorded on them, and they were important credentials for their admission to Notting Junior Academy.
"Thank you, Grandpa Jack."
Xiao Yan thanked Old Jack gratefully, and the two boys followed him toward Nuoding City.
Over the past month or so, Xiao Yan and Tang San had run into each other several times. After all, just as Xiao Yan could see Tang San training, Tang San could see him too.
But both had their own training schedules, so they had not deliberately sought each other out.
Seeing Tang San again now, Xiao Yan felt that he was noticeably different from when his Martial Soul had awakened.
His once-slight frame now showed faint traces of muscle, and his bearing had grown much steadier.
Likewise, from Tang San's perspective, Xiao Yan gave him a faint sense of pressure, which struck Tang San as absurd.
I've cultivated the Mysterious Jade Skill and Purple Demon Eye, yet I feel pressure from someone my own age?
Tang San quietly activated his Purple Demon Eye and looked at Xiao Yan. But the instant he did,
a pitch-black human-shaped shadow suddenly appeared in his vision. Though he could not make out its features, it seemed to be staring straight back at him.
Tang San's heart tightened, and his Purple Demon Eye faded. Just then, he saw Xiao Yan turn his head and give him a faint smile.
Tang San smiled awkwardly, but a keen interest in Xiao Yan rose in his heart.
Xiao Yan had detected Tang San's scrutiny through his Soul Division Martial Soul. The unmistakable purple glint in Tang San's eyes told Xiao Yan that it was some kind of eye technique.
After this brief exchange of probes,
both began to take an interest in each other, each believing the other to be a true heaven's chosen of this other world.
Nuoding City was not far from Holy Soul Village, and the three of them soon reached the city under Old Jack's lead.
From a distance, Xiao Yan and Tang San spotted the gates of Nuoding Academy.
The enormous circular archway was over twenty meters wide and a full ten meters tall. It was carved entirely from massive blocks of stone resembling sword shadows, with "Nuoding Academy" written in the center.
Even a mere junior academy was so exquisitely built. Both boys suddenly understood that on the Douluo Continent, only Soul Masters could truly live splendid lives.
Old Jack led them to the closed gates of Nuoding Academy, but before they could enter, a young man darted out from the side and stopped them.
"Stop! This academy is an important place. No unauthorized persons allowed!"
A young man who looked to be in his twenties stepped in front of them, blocking their way as he looked the three of them up and down with disdain.
"This..."
A flash of embarrassment crossed Old Jack's face. He offered the young man the two certificates and explained,
"Respected Lord Soul Master, we're from Holy Soul Village. These are our village's work-study students for this year. May I ask what procedures we need to complete?"
"Work-study students?"
The young man took the two certificates and, without even looking at them, said sarcastically, "Can a phoenix really come out of a chicken coop? Someone from a little village like yours has Soul Power too? The academy hasn't had a work-study student in two years. These certificates of yours aren't fake, are they?"
"Oh?"
"Innate Full Soul Power? Blue Silver Grass? And Twin Martial Souls too? Also Innate Full Soul Power?"
A sneer appeared on the young man's face. He tossed the certificates back to Old Jack and said disdainfully,
"I've been at this academy for years, and I've never heard of anyone with Innate Full Soul Power. Yet you show up with two of them, and one has Blue Silver Grass while the other has Twin Martial Souls. These certificates are far too fake..."
"Get lost! I have things to do today, so I won't drag you to Spirit Hall and turn you in for a reward."
"You!" After being repeatedly belittled and insulted, Old Jack's long-suppressed anger finally erupted. He snatched the certificates back and said furiously,
"Fine! If you won't acknowledge them, I'll go ask a deacon from Spirit Hall to settle this. Little Yanzi, Little San, let's go!"
A flicker of unease crossed the young man's face as Old Jack turned and led Xiao Yan and Tang San away.
Certificates issued by Spirit Hall all bore a special seal and were never forged. The young man knew that too.
But the families of work-study students usually gave the gatekeepers a little something. That was simply how people dealt with one another.
He had not expected Old Jack to offer nothing at all, so he had deliberately made things difficult for them.
Though he worried about being reprimanded by Spirit Hall, he did not think one of its lords would make a special trip to the academy to hold him accountable for a few country folk. Even so, the confrontation made his mouth fouler:
"Hmph, I'll be waiting. Holy Soul Village, you say? I reckon Beggar Village would suit it better."
Holy Soul Village was a line Old Jack would not allow anyone to cross. Even when Tang Hao had once questioned it, Old Jack had turned on him and snapped back. Now that he heard this outsider insult Holy Soul Village, he was naturally even less able to tolerate it.
"What did you say!?"