Early the next morning, Xiao Lin and Tang San were taken by Old Jack to Notting City.
On the borrowed carriage, Xiao Lin reassured Tang San.
Because Tang Hao had not left much money for Tang San, he felt a little embarrassed about enrolling in Notting City.
"Xiao San, don't worry. Although the village only has one free spot, you and Xiao Lin are the same," Old Jack said slowly, holding a horsewhip.
"Each of you takes half of the free quota, which means you only need to pay half the tuition fee."
"But I don't even have enough money for half the tuition," Tang San said. He was used to hardship and had no extra money. He had even forgotten that Xiao Lin once told him his father was the Clear Sky Douluo.
How could a Title Douluo possibly have no money?
"Xiao San, what are you afraid of? At worst, I'll lend it to you first," Xiao Lin said, shaking his head secretly. He hadn't expected that after his teaching, Tang San would actually be willing to pay for school.
...Wait, was there something wrong with that logic?
Paying for school was normal, right?
"Xiao San, don't talk nonsense. If you don't go to school, your father will ruin your future," Old Jack scolded.
"You've been poorly raised since childhood. Look how thin you are! You should grow up to look like Xiao Lin—much better looking!"
"Anyway, let's enroll first. I'll cover the tuition for now. When your father comes back, he can forge some extra iron to pay me back."
Old Jack truly treated Tang San equally. In his eyes, Tang San and Xiao Lin were both children of Holy Spirit Village and deserved an education.
"Yes, Grandpa," Tang San replied, touched. In the end, he agreed to enroll with Xiao Lin.
Two and a half hours later, the three finally arrived in Notting City. (The author expanded the original map—what originally took half a day now took two and a half hours by carriage, meaning the map was expanded by at least three times.)
Since Notting City was on the border of the Heaven Dou Empire, it wasn't very large, but its walls were thick and sturdy.
Seeing this, Tang San, who was entering the city for the first time, was quite amazed.
But when he remembered that even ordinary people in this world could awaken martial souls, he quickly understood.
After undergoing a routine inspection with other travelers, the three entered Notting City.
Following Xiao Lin's lead, they arrived at Notting Primary Soul Master Academy in the city's western district.
"Notting Academy!"
Tang San instinctively read out the name on the academy's iron gates, which were built from refined iron.
"Alright, this is it. Grandpa is just bringing Xiao San here to familiarize himself with the route and register," Old Jack said, looking at the academy with satisfaction.
The hope of their entire Holy Spirit Village would soon study in this grand academy.
However, just as they reached the academy gate, a young man blocked their way with a look of disdain.
"What do you think you're doing? Who let you in?"
The young gatekeeper looked down on Old Jack and Tang San. Their clothes were decent by Holy Spirit Village's standards, but in Notting City, they marked them as country folk.
Had it not been for Xiao Lin's stylish outfit and the fact that they arrived by carriage, the gatekeeper might have immediately driven them away.
Xiao Lin smirked, ready to summon his Qiu Long Staff to teach the gatekeeper a lesson, but Old Jack stopped him.
Stepping forward with a polite smile, Old Jack said, "Young man, we're from Holy Spirit Village. One of them has a work-study quota, and the other is enrolling as a paying student."
"Can you tell us what procedures we need to follow?"
"Hmph, can a phoenix really come from a chicken coop? If you have no talent, you'd best go home before you waste both your money and your time," the gatekeeper sneered.
He was an ordinary person who had been bullied by soul masters before. Now, seeing potential soul masters, he naturally wanted to bully them in return.
If he could discourage Xiao Lin and Tang San from becoming soul masters, it would make his whole year.
"Besides, it's been years since the academy had any work-study students. You sure you're not fakes?"
The gatekeeper was about to drive them away when Xiao Lin lost his patience.
In an instant, a silver-white Qiu Long Staff appeared in Xiao Lin's hand. The sheer weight of the weapon made the air around them seem to tremble.
"What?! What kind of martial soul is that?!"
Cold sweat poured from the gatekeeper's forehead as he stared at the Qiu Long Staff in shock.
"My martial soul is the Qiu Long Staff. What are you going to do about it?"
Xiao Lin looked at him coldly, extending the staff so that it pressed against the gatekeeper's throat.
"Qiu... Qiu Long Staff?"
The gatekeeper was dumbfounded.
Did this staff actually have a dragon inside it?
After a moment of stunned silence, the gatekeeper's expression changed to one of fawning submission. He bowed and nodded repeatedly, saying, "This way, esteemed genius soul master. Please enter!"
Tang San, watching from the side, could hardly believe what he was seeing.
What just happened?
"Hmph!"
Xiao Lin snorted and took the lead, guiding Old Jack and Tang San into Notting Academy.
"Tang San, listen. That guy is the type who bullies the weak and fears the strong. As long as you show your strength, he'll grovel at your feet," Xiao Lin explained.
"If he dared to act like that toward a real soul master outside the academy, he'd be dead a hundred times over by now."
"Absolutely shameless."
Xiao Lin despised such people and wanted Tang San to experience this firsthand.
After all, there was an even more shameless person waiting for them in this academy.
"Mm," Tang San nodded, accepting Xiao Lin's words.
He didn't find anything wrong with them. In fact, if he had acted himself, the gatekeeper might already be dead.
Not to mention, Xiao Lin and he were destined to become soul masters. For an ordinary person to treat future soul masters with such disrespect was a violation of the natural order.
Blocking their path to progress was a crime worthy of exterminating his entire family.
Besides, Old Jack was elderly. If something happened to him—if he fell and got injured—he might be bedridden for the rest of his life.
Tang San truly believed the gatekeeper deserved death.
Lin-ge was too kind.
In the future, if Lin-ge spared someone, Tang San decided he would do the killing instead.
He felt like he was always cleaning up after him.
Although Xiao Lin had taught him not to kill casually, his understanding of the concept of "deserving death" remained unchanged.
…
Before long, the three had completed their enrollment and paid their tuition fees. Two months later, when Notting Academy started, Xiao Lin and Tang San would officially become students.
After they left, Yu Xiaogang arrived at the principal's office.
As usual, he was searching for a genius who could prove his theories.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang's eyes locked onto a work-study enrollment list.
Two innate full soul power geniuses.
"This is it… My theory can finally be proven!"
His blood surged, his face turning red as he stared at the information.
"Xiao Lin, innate full soul power, martial soul: Qiu Long Staff. A top-tier weapon martial soul, possibly superior to the Clear Sky Hammer."
"Tang San, innate full soul power, martial soul: Blue Silver Grass. A super useless martial soul… He must be a twin martial soul wielder! A genius on par with Xiao Lin!"
"The heavens are helping me! The heavens are helping me!"
"Hahahaha!"
Laughter like that of a madman echoed through the Notting Academy principal's office.
(End of chapter)