As Wang Teng walked, he casually surveyed the scenery ahead.
Most of the houses along the road were ordinary farmsteads, simple and quiet.
At the first house on the western end of the village stood a particularly rundown structure.
A wooden sign hung at its entrance, bearing the words “Blacksmith Shop.”
The sign looked quite aged—the wood had cracked, and the edges were worn smooth.
“That must be Tang San’s place,” Wang Teng thought, a trace of curiosity and faint excitement stirring within him.
The two stepped into Holy Soul Village.
“Clang!
Clang!
Clang!”
As they passed the blacksmith shop, the rhythmic sound of hammering came from within—steady and dense.
Wang Teng couldn’t help but glance inside.
By the furnace in the yard, a small figure was swinging a hammer, striking it down repeatedly on a glowing red piece of iron, sending sparks flying.
Beside him stood a tall, unkempt man with his arms crossed, occasionally offering a word of guidance.
“That’s Tang Hao.”
Wang Teng’s heart skipped a beat.
Though the man appeared to be nothing more than a down-and-out blacksmith, Wang Teng knew exactly who he truly was.
Without lingering on the sight, he quickly averted his gaze, pretending nothing was amiss as he followed Old Martin’s steps, quietly steadying his breathing.
Inside the shop, Tang Hao seemed to sense something and glanced toward the gate.
“Dad, what’s wrong?”
Tang San paused, wiping the sweat from his forehead, following his father’s gaze.
“Looks like the village chief from the neighboring village,” Tang Hao said flatly.
“Heading toward Old Jack’s place by the look of it.”
“Not your concern.
Keep practicing.”
“The technique I just taught you needs to be mastered thoroughly.”
Soon, the clanging of the hammer resumed, echoing through the small yard.
Wang Teng followed Old Martin and, after a short walk, arrived at the home of Holy Soul Village’s chief, Old Jack.
The two village chiefs had been friends for years.
Old Martin didn’t stand on ceremony—he pushed open the courtyard gate and strode in, calling out in a drawn-out voice, “Jack!
Are you home?”
“I’m telling you, our village’s work-study slot isn’t enough this year, so I came specially to see if you could spare one of yours.”
“You have no idea—Tiger King Village has produced another child with innate soul power this year!”
“And not just any—a child with innate soul power level five!”
“Hahahaha!”
Old Martin stood in the yard, his voice booming, his words dripping with barely concealed pride, as if he absolutely had to share this good news with his old friend.
“Martin, you old devil!
Hahahaha!”
A hearty laugh came from inside the house, and then an elderly man emerged from the central door.
He appeared to be in his sixties, tall and lean but vigorous, dressed neatly with his hair perfectly combed.
This was Old Jack, the village chief of Holy Soul Village.
“Look at you, grinning like that.
Did you hear what I said?”
“Our village has produced a soul master seedling with innate soul power level five!”
Old Martin frowned slightly when the other man just laughed without acknowledging it, and repeated himself.
“I heard, I heard.”
Old Jack walked over to Old Martin and patted his old friend’s shoulder with a smile.
“But what a coincidence—this year, Holy Soul Village has also produced a soul master.”
“And what’s more, it’s innate full soul power.”
“Sorry, Martin.
Looks like you came all this way for nothing!”
“Hahahaha—”
After speaking, Old Jack burst into loud laughter beside his old companion.
“What?
Innate full soul power?
That…
that’s impossible!”
Old Martin froze, his eyes widening.
“Hmph, why impossible?
Go ask Master Su Yuntao from the Spirit Hall if you don’t believe me.”
“He performed the awakening in your village first this morning, then came to ours.”
“When he saw the innate full soul power, his expression was absolutely priceless.”
Old Jack puffed out his chest, his face filled with pride.
“Wait…
innate full soul power?”
Old Martin came back to his senses, sizing up his old friend with a skeptical look.
“A genius like that—wouldn’t the Spirit Hall snatch him up immediately?
Why would he still be using a work-study slot?”
“You old devil, you’re not making this up to fool me, are you?”
“Ah, well…”
Old Jack’s momentum faltered slightly, his tone becoming somewhat evasive.
“Although that child has innate full soul power, his martial soul is Blue Silver Grass.”
“So…
Master Su Yuntao didn’t press him to join the Spirit Hall.”
“And so, the child became a work-study student at Notting City Academy.”
“Blue Silver Grass?
Isn’t that a useless martial soul?”
Old Martin was first stunned, then sighed.
“Ah, what a wasted trip.”
“It seems I’ll have to check other villages.”
He turned to leave directly.
“Not staying for a while to rest your feet?”
Old Jack called after him.
“No rest—while the clouds are still covering the sun and it’s cool, I’ll hurry to other villages to ask.”
“Xiao Teng, let’s go!”
Old Martin waved behind him, called to Wang Teng, and led him out of the yard.
Leaving Holy Soul Village, the two went to the neighboring Willow Family Village.
This time, things went smoothly.
No one in Willow Family Village had awakened innate soul power this year, so the village chief readily gave up the slot.
With the matter settled, on the way back, Old Martin remained fixated on the fact that Holy Soul Village had produced an innate full soul power child, muttering incessantly.
“Xiao Teng, once you get to Notting City Academy, you must work hard and bring honor to Tiger King Village.”
“You have to surpass that soul master from Holy Soul Village—then see how Old Jack can still brag in front of me.”
Old Martin said earnestly.
“I understand, Grandpa Martin.”
“But after all, he has innate full soul power.
I can’t guarantee I’ll definitely surpass him.”
Wang Teng knew that was Tang San, so he responded cautiously.
“Don’t worry!
His martial soul is Blue Silver Grass—it has no future.”
“When I was young, I traveled across the continent, and I’ve never heard of a Blue Silver Grass soul master cultivating past two rings.”
“Although your innate soul power is a bit lower than his, as long as you put in the effort, you’ll definitely surpass him in the future.”
Old Martin’s tone was certain, both analytical and encouraging.
“Thank you, Grandpa Martin.
I’ll do my best.”
Wang Teng replied with a smile.
“Good boy!”
Old Martin patted his back approvingly.
The old man and the young boy chatted and laughed as they returned to Tiger King Village in the deepening dusk.
Night had grown deep, and Wang Teng lay in bed without much desire to sleep.
The method of obtaining Talent Points remained unclear, but regardless, raising his soul power to level ten as quickly as possible was the most urgent matter.
Wang Teng turned over and stopped overthinking.
Moonlight streamed through the cracks in the window, casting shallow patches of light on the floor.
The village was especially quiet at night.
An occasional dog bark from afar only emphasized the surrounding silence.
Wang Teng’s body and mind gradually relaxed, his breathing slowly evening out.
Tomorrow, he would set off for Notting Academy.
Just as he was drifting into the haze between waking and sleep, the ancient soul master academy of Notting City seemed to appear before his eyes.
The tranquil night passed quickly.
The next morning, the sky over Tiger King Village was just beginning to lighten.
“Cock-a-doodle-doo—”
Behind the Wang family house, the rooster stood proudly on its perch, stretching its neck and crowing with effort.
Hearing the crow, Wang Teng’s eyes snapped open.
After a full night’s rest, he was full of energy.
He quickly got up, dressed, washed, and ate.
After packing neatly, he picked up the bedding his father had prepared for him and pushed open the gate.
His father Wang Wu was already waiting at the entrance, driving the family’s somewhat aged ox-cart.
“Dad, didn’t you prepare anything for Big Brother?”
Wang Teng turned to look around the yard for the luggage meant for Wang Sheng.
“I put what I prepared for your brother in the cart a while ago.
Hurry up and get on.”
Wang Wu patted the cart and urged him on.
Wang Teng walked to the cart and placed his things in the back compartment.
He glanced inside and indeed saw another small bundle sitting there.
Then Wang Teng climbed aboard and sat firmly beside his father on the cart frame.
“Dad, we can go!”
Wang Teng reminded him.
“Giddyup—”
Wang Wu sat on the cart frame and called out to the yellow ox ahead.
“Crack—”
The whip snapped crisply above the ox’s head.
“Moo—”
The ox lowed, flicking its tail as it began to walk slowly along the dirt path at the village entrance.
“Creak—creak—”
“Clop—clop—clop—”
The wheels and hooves sounded in succession on the country road, blending into a steady rhythm.
After about the time it took to burn an incense stick, the ox-cart left the rural path and turned onto the main road leading to Notting City.
This was a gravel-paved official road.
Even sitting on the Wang family’s old cart, the ride was noticeably smoother.
The previous rattling and clattering vanished, leaving a quiet calm.
“Even the roads of a small town like this are paved with stone—no matter how many times I see it, it still feels extraordinary.”
“It’s only in details like this that you can tell the Douluo Continent is fundamentally different from the ancient world before my reincarnation.”
Sitting side by side with his father on the cart, Wang Teng gazed at the passing scenery, a sense of ambition rising in his heart.
“Dad, what did you bring for Big Brother this time?”
After traveling on the main road for a while, Wang Teng felt a bit bored and turned to ask.
This time, his older brother Wang Sheng was studying at Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, so Wang Teng asked casually.
“Mm…
nothing special.
Just a new blanket for your brother.
Give it to him when you get there.”
Wang Wu replied offhandedly.
“Alright, got it.”
Wang Teng nodded.
“Also, I’ve prepared medicinal herbs for both you brothers.”
“Don’t forget to brew and drink them on time at the academy—they’re all for strengthening the body.”
“At the soul master academy, you’ll inevitably have to…
spar with others.
These herbs will help replenish your blood and qi.”
Wang Wu continued his instructions.
“These herbs were sourced according to the formula from Tang San, right?”
Wang Teng turned to peek into the cart, flipping through the medicine packages inside as he asked.
“Yes, the formula was the one you got from Tang San.
I filled the prescription exactly as written.”
“Also, I had the prescription checked by the best physician in Notting City.
He said it was fine—just a nourishing tonic, quite good, and suitable for long-term use to strengthen the body.”
Wang Wu explained.
“Mm, the herbs are correct.”
Wang Teng finished checking the large bundle of medicinal ingredients and nodded in confirmation.
“Oh, by the way, Dad, don’t mention the formula to anyone outside the family, especially not to Tang San’s father.
That was something Tang San specifically emphasized.”
Wang Teng suddenly remembered and quickly reminded his father.
“I understand.
But since this is a family heirloom formula after all, is it really appropriate for you to trade for it with Tang San like this?”
Though Wang Wu agreed, he still frowned slightly, his tone hesitant.
“It’s fine.
We didn’t get it for nothing.”
“Last time, didn’t you even get poisoned while gathering those toxic herbs Tang San wanted?
We’re trading fairly—no one’s taking advantage.”
Wang Teng said nonchalantly.
He was only reminding his father because of Tang San’s request anyway.
“That’s true.”
Wang Wu said no more and focused on driving the cart.
Father and son sat in silence on the ox-cart, moving forward.
After about half an hour of travel, they finally arrived at Notting City.
Wang Teng had been to the city before—he had accompanied his father several times to sell wild goods and furs.
But today was different.Looking at the not-so-tall city gate before him, Wang Teng’s emotions stirred slightly.
“I’ve finally become a soul master.”
“No matter what the future holds, at least now, I’ve crossed into a new class.”
Wang Teng thought to himself, turning to look at other families with children around the city gate.
Those children appeared to be about Wang Teng’s age—presumably young soul masters who had awakened innate soul power this year.
After being inspected by the city gate guards, father and son drove the ox-cart into Notting City.
“Giddyup!”
Father Wang Wu gave the old ox a light flick of the whip.
The ox, unperturbed, flicked its tail and continued its unhurried pace, slowly traversing the city streets.
Before long, they arrived at the gates of Notting Junior Soul Master Academy.
“Xiao Teng, go on in.”
“When this semester ends, you and your brother can come home together.”
“But it’ll be cold by then.
I might be out hunting in the mountains, so I may not have time to come pick you up.”
Wang Wu said, retrieving the luggage from the cart and giving Wang Teng his final instructions.
“I know, Dad.
Don’t worry.”
“Notting City isn’t far from the village.
Big Brother and I will travel back together.”
Wang Teng took the two bundles and replied softly.
With that, he turned and walked toward the towering archway ahead.
Though Notting City Soul Master Academy was only a junior academy, it was still the grandest and most magnificent building Wang Teng had ever seen.
Take the school gate before him, for instance—it was a massive archway over twenty meters wide and ten meters high.
At the center of the archway were carved the four characters: “Notting Academy.”
The entire gate was built from dark, blackish stone, with two heavy iron doors at its base.
Beside the iron door stood a young guard.
“Huh, I don’t see Tang San anywhere?”
Wang Teng looked around.
At the academy entrance, aside from him, his father, and the guard, there was no one else.
“Tang San probably hasn’t arrived yet.”
“Too bad—I missed that scene where Tang San clashes with the gatekeeper.
That’s a classic moment from the early Douluo Continent.”