Tian Dou City.
On Star Dou Avenue, the crowds surged. As the capital of the Tian Dou Empire, the bustling scene here far surpassed that of the small city of Notting. As far as the eye could see, it was almost entirely filled with people; moving even a meter required squeezing through a crack.
"Make way! Make way! Hurry up!"
Suddenly, a stern and gruff shout came from the end of the avenue, followed by the rapid sound of hooves.
Immediately, the crowd began to stir, rushing frantically to both sides. Some people were still confused, but swept along by the flow of people, they could only follow and make way for the side of the street.
A dozen or so riders galloped past on the street, completely ignoring the civilians who hadn't yet moved aside. If anyone was slow to move, the rider would lash them with his whip. In an instant, the wide avenue became a scene of chaos.
"Are you blind? You want to die? I'll grant your wish! Get out of my way!" The knight, dressed in the uniform of the Royal Guard, exuded a terrifying aura.
A dozen knights led the way, surrounding a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties.
The young man was richly dressed, arrogant, and disdainfully glanced at the commoners who were making way for him, his expression filled with disgust and contempt.
To him, these commoners were no different from ants; he could take their lives with a single, casual remark.
"Who is this? How annoying! This person is so crowded!"
A girl, pushed and shoved by the crowd, pouted, expressing her dissatisfaction.
"Ouch!"
The person in front of her took another step back. She couldn't dodge in time, and her toe was stepped on. She jerked her foot away, but the person in front suddenly released their grip. She lost her footing, stepping on the foot behind her, her slender ankle twisting. She tripped and fell backward, crashing into a young man's arms.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," the girl quickly steadied herself and apologized to the young man behind her.
"It's nothing." The young man was very amiable, shaking his head with a smile, and explained to the girl, "You must have just arrived in Tiandou City, right? That person is Xue Beng, the fourth prince of the Tiandou Empire. He's usually quite arrogant and domineering, and most people wouldn't dare to provoke him."
The girl blinked, sizing up the young man. She noticed that he had delicate features, and beneath his tousled hair were a pair of deep, starry eyes. He wore a magnificent silk robe with gold trim, suggesting he was of extraordinary status.
"Thank you." The girl stepped back from the young man's embrace, a blush rising to her cheeks. The warmth of his embrace still lingered on her waist. Her eyes darted away slightly, avoiding his deep gaze.
"Hehe, young man, it seems you're quite familiar with Tiandou City." The old man beside her stroked his beard, smiling as he looked at the young couple.
"No, not at all. I just arrived a few days early and have already learned most of what Heaven Dou City is like," the young man said with a smile, shaking his head at the old man. "When I first arrived in Heaven Dou City, nobles were as common as dogs, and Soul Masters were everywhere. Naturally, I needed to find out who I could mess with and who I couldn't, so I wouldn't offend any important person and cause trouble later." "
Nobles as common as dogs? Soul Masters everywhere?" The old man paused in stroking his beard,
then smiled. The girl beside him also chuckled.
It was the first time either of them had heard anyone refer to nobles and Soul Masters in such terms. These two were considered to be of high status throughout the continent, almost unattainable in the eyes of commoners, people who could only look up to them their entire lives.
Every commoner would instinctively bow down when facing them, not daring to offend them in the slightest. Let alone make fun of them verbally. To
openly compare nobles to dogs, and to subtly compare Soul Masters to... well, some kind of rampant animal. Such behavior would be considered extremely blasphemous by others.
From this statement, it's clear the young man didn't care about offending the so-called benefactor. Obviously, either the young man was of extraordinary status, or he was a Soul Master, possessing the confidence to face trouble.
Suddenly, the old man realized it was the start of the school year, and the young man before him might also be…
"Young man, you seem quite young. Are you here to study in Heaven Dou City?" The old man wasn't offended by the young man's words, but instead inquired kindly, "Perhaps you're from the Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
"No, I only have level one innate Soul Power and a mutated Martial Soul. The path of a Soul Master won't take me far," the young man cupped his hands in humility, "Therefore, my family sent me to Yuexuan to study etiquette." The
young man was none other than Cheng Xiao, sent to Yuexuan by his uncle!
His second Soul Ring was a thousand-year Soul Ring. Before finding a reliable force to rely on, it was best to conceal his strength for now. Otherwise, without roots or a foothold, everyone would want to take a bite out of him and uncover his secrets.
Although with the Shadow Soul Beasts he now controlled, he was no longer afraid of petty thieves, it was better to conceal his strength and avoid trouble than to waste energy dealing with those greedy people.
The old man sighed inwardly at this. The girl puffed out her cheeks, looking slightly disappointed; she had thought someone would be able to enroll with her.
"Grandpa, is your granddaughter preparing to enroll in the Heaven Dou Royal Academy?" Cheng Xiao gleaned some information from the old man's words.
"Yes, she's too lazy, but fortunately, she barely meets the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's admission requirements," the old man chuckled.
"Grandpa!" The girl stamped her foot playfully.
"Oh, then your granddaughter's talent is quite good," Cheng Xiao casually praised, not taking the laziness comment seriously at all.
That's how all elders are; they say their children aren't good enough, but if you actually believe them and agree, you'll probably upset them.
"However, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy isn't in the city, so why is that?" Cheng Xiao asked with slight doubt.
"I just arrived and am still unfamiliar with the place, so I've come to take a look around," the old man said. "It doesn't really bother me , and I'll also pay a visit to an old friend."
"Is there anything I can help you with? I've been here for quite a few days now and am somewhat familiar with Tian Dou City," Cheng Xiao asked.
Cheng Xiao wasn't exactly a warm-hearted person; he was the kind of guy who wouldn't do anything without a benefit.
Although they only exchanged a few words, Cheng Xiao was able to analyze quite a bit.
Tian Dou Royal Academy didn't just admit students based on grades; there were also certain requirements regarding social status. Don't be fooled by the fact that Shrek Academy welcomed everyone with open arms. In reality, for ordinary people, Tian Dou Royal Academy had an invisible and intangible threshold.
Moreover, Cheng Xiao could tell from the old man's demeanor that their status was definitely extraordinary. They didn't show the awkwardness that ordinary people often have when they first arrive in a new place, and after hearing Xue Beng's identity, their faces didn't show any envy or inferiority.
Clearly, the old man's usual circle of acquaintances was quite distinguished, so they didn't feel much about Xue Beng's identity.
Such a person was worth befriending.
"Hmm..." The old man stroked his beard, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sized up Cheng Xiao, seemingly trying to guess her purpose.
___________________________
You can read +100 advanced chapters in my patreon:
Patreon.com/Kakarot17