The carriage wheels rolled along the official road, speeding all the way.
After several days of travel, as the carriage passed through the eastern city gate of the Heavenly Dou Empire, Lin Chen lifted the curtain and was immediately struck by the sight of the city before him—Heavenly Dou City, the heart of the Heavenly Dou Empire, was more magnificent than he had ever imagined.
The towering city walls, constructed entirely of white jade, are adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, bearing the royal totems of the Heaven Dou Empire and the emblems of Soul Masters. Dozens of heavily armored Soul Master guards stand watch, their presence imposing. Outside the walls lies a wide moat, its clear waters stretching for miles, with only three massive stone bridges for passage.
Upon entering the city, the streets were wide and smooth, the bluestone slabs polished to a spotless shine. Shops lined both sides, offering everything from soul tool stores to rare medicinal herb shops and soul beast ingredient restaurants. The passersby were all richly dressed, more than half of them soul masters, their bodies shrouded in faint fluctuations of soul power. Children played with soul tool toys, and noblewomen rode in gilded carriages—a scene of bustling prosperity. In the distance, soul masters occasionally soared across the sky on flying soul beasts, leaving streaks of light, showcasing the grandeur and wealth of Heaven Dou City.
"How magnificent!" Lin Chen exclaimed sincerely, tapping the carriage curtain with his fingertips, firmly imprinting this breathtaking scene in his heart.
However, he did not linger too long, because the Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy was not located in the center of Heaven Dou City, but on a hilly area on the outskirts of the city. The carriage drove out of the city and traveled along the winding official road for half an hour, and a vast and magnificent academy came into view.
The gate of the Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy is magnificent, flanked by two white jade pillars tens of meters high. The pillars are carved with reliefs of the martial spirits of outstanding soul masters from past generations, and atop them are the griffin totem of the Heaven Dou Empire and the academy's martial spirit tower emblem. A gilded plaque hangs in the center of the gate, bearing the powerful and vigorous characters "Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy," exuding royal majesty. Inside the gate lies a cluster of buildings with green tiles and red walls, pavilions and towers arranged in a harmonious and orderly fashion. In the distance, a towering martial spirit tower pierces the clouds, its tip shrouded in faint seven-colored soul power, clearly the core and most important area of the academy.
Lin Chen followed Qin Ming into the academy. Along the way, they could see large training grounds where dozens of students were sweating and training hard. There were also buildings such as martial spirit laboratories, soul beast research rooms, and libraries around the academy. Each place was exquisite and luxurious, which was completely different from the simplicity of ordinary academies.
As they walked to the front of the college's administration building, Qin Ming stopped and said to Lin Chen behind him, "Young friend Lin Yuan, the three education committee members are already waiting in the hall. Please follow me."
Lin Chen nodded and followed Qin Ming into the administration hall.
Three figures sat upright in the hall; they were the three academic committee members of the Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy—Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhilin.
Chief Education Commissioner Meng Shenji was an elderly man dressed in a moon-white robe. His hair and beard were all white, yet he was vigorous and refined, with a profound sense of vicissitude in his eyes. His gaze was exceptionally clear, as if he could see into people's hearts. A faint spiritual energy fluctuation surrounded his body, which was the pressure of a Spirit-type Soul Douluo. It seemed gentle, but it was actually unfathomable.
The second-in-command, Bai Baoshan, was a burly man, nearly two meters tall, with a healthy bronze complexion. He wore a black, close-fitting outfit, his muscles were bulging, his arms were thick and powerful, and his face carried a rugged and bold air. His gaze was piercing, revealing the strength of a defensive-type Soul Master, and the powerful fluctuations of his Soul Power gave people a sense of oppression like a mountain.
Zhilin, the Third Seat of the Education Committee, was a young middle-aged man, around thirty years old. He wore a light blue brocade robe, had a handsome face, gentle features, and held a bamboo scroll in his hand, exuding a refined and modest demeanor. His aura was relatively gentle, yet equally composed, clearly indicating that he was a meticulous control-type Soul Douluo in charge of the academy's teaching and assessments.
All three were powerful figures at the Title Douluo level, and their gazes were all fixed on Lin Chen, their eyes filled with inquiry and admiration.
Qin Ming stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Three members of the Education Committee, this is my young friend Lin Yuan. He single-handedly crushed the Heaven Dou Royal Team and has mastered the ultimate Thunder Martial Soul. He has come here to apply for admission."
Meng Shenji spoke first, his voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Young friend Lin Yuan, we have learned of your deeds from Qin Ming, and they are truly astonishing. The appearance of an ultimate martial soul is a once-in-a-century event on the continent! Hearing that you wish to join our academy, the Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy warmly welcomes you!"
Bai Baoshan replied in a deep, hearty voice, "That's right! With you joining us, our Tiandou team's chances of winning the All-Continent High-Level Soul Master Elite Tournament have increased even more! The academy has reserved your spot for the competition!"
Zhi Lin nodded gently and added, "Young friend Lin Yuan, please rest assured, the academy will provide you with the best resources and fully support your preparations for the competition."
Lin Chen cupped his hands in thanks, his tone calm: "Thank you for your kindness, three members of the Education Commission. Lin Yuan is deeply grateful."
Meng Shenji waved his hand, looked at Qin Ming, and instructed, "Qin Ming, take young friend Lin Yuan to the VIP accommodation area of the academy and let him rest well and familiarize himself with the academy environment."
"Yes, Education Commission." Qin Ming responded, then turned and led Lin Chen away from the administration building.
Walking through the garden paths of the academy, the two arrived at a secluded courtyard.
Pushing open the courtyard gate, one is greeted by an extremely luxurious VIP dormitory:
The dormitory is a two-story exquisite attic, with exterior walls covered in lustrous white jade bricks and a roof of glazed tiles, reflecting the sunlight with dazzling brilliance. The first floor is a spacious living room furnished with rosewood tables and chairs, white jade teacups, and a delicate soul-guided bookshelf in the corner, filled with rare soul master texts; a separate kitchen and bathroom are also provided, with the bathroom even having an automatic water supply soul-guided device. The second floor has two bedrooms, one a bright and spacious master bedroom furnished with a soft cloud silk bed, and the other a small training room with soul-gathering tiles on the floor, surrounded by soul crystals that amplify soul power, and a small martial soul support tower floating in the center.
The courtyard is planted with exotic flowers and plants, and there is a small pond in the center with several koi fish. Stone tables and benches are placed around it, creating a quiet and elegant environment.
Lin Chen walked into the dormitory and couldn't help but sigh again, "As expected of the Royal Academy, the treatment here is truly luxurious."
He casually sat on a rosewood chair in the living room, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, thinking to himself, "It's a pity I won't be staying here long."
As soon as he finished speaking, he calmed his mind, sat cross-legged on the Soul Gathering floor tiles of the cultivation room, and began to immerse himself in cultivation as the purple-gold lightning slowly circulated within his body.
Meanwhile, after returning to the academy, Dugu Yan didn't say much to Lin Chen, only giving him a few simple instructions before hurriedly leaving the Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy.
Lin Chen sensed her soul power heading towards the dense forest outside the city, and a knowing smile appeared on his lips.
"It seems that Dugu Bo should be arriving soon."
Lin Chen cultivated until late at night. The purple-gold lightning around his body slowly subsided. He stretched, his bones making a crisp, light sound. He rubbed his empty stomach and muttered to himself, "After a busy day, I should go to the cafeteria to fill my stomach."
He rose and left his luxurious dormitory, walking briskly along the academy's cobblestone path toward the cafeteria. Just as he reached a quiet bamboo grove, Lin Chen suddenly stopped, a faint smile playing on his lips. He addressed the empty air, saying loudly, "Senior, since you're here, why hide? Wouldn't it be better to show yourself and chat face-to-face?"
As soon as the words fell, a hoarse yet arrogant old man's laugh echoed through the air, instantly enveloping the entire bamboo forest in a chilling aura: "You brat, you're quite perceptive. You dare to say that I'm poisoned and won't live much longer? Do you think I'm easy to bully and are deliberately trying to humiliate me?"
Following the sound, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the bamboo forest.
It was an old man with disheveled, graying hair, a withered face, and eyes as sinister as a venomous snake. He wore a dark green robe, the hem embroidered with ferocious emerald snake patterns, and a faint, pale green poisonous mist swirled around him. Wherever the mist passed, the grass on the ground withered and turned black instantly. The old man was thin, yet he exuded a chilling aura of a Title Douluo, but within that aura lay an undeniable decay and weakness—a sign that the poison was eroding his very essence.
Lin Chen recognized him at a glance and understood what was going on, but he pretended to be respectful and cupped his hands slightly: "Junior Lin Yuan greets Senior Poison Douluo. Junior does not mean to humiliate, but only to tell the truth. Senior's body is already poisoned by the Azure Phosphorus Poison, which has been eroding the heart meridian. If it were not for junior's intervention, Senior would die from the poison within three years and his soul would be scattered."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's withered hand clenched tightly, and the dark green poisonous mist suddenly surged, his killing intent palpable, yet he forcefully suppressed it. He stared at Lin Chen, his anger turning into a mocking laugh: "What a sharp-tongued brat! I said you were poisoned, and you're poisoned? You really think I wouldn't dare kill you?"
Lin Chen raised his eyes, the phantom of Thor's Hammer flickering slightly in his palm. His tone was calm and unwavering: "If you wanted to kill me, you would have done so already. Why bother showing yourself? Besides, you can't kill me. I guess you wanted to knock me unconscious, take me to your secret place, and force me to cure your poison, right?"
A flicker of shock crossed Dugu Bo's eyes, clearly Lin Chen had guessed his thoughts. He paused for a moment, then snorted coldly, saying arrogantly, "Such a young age, yet so shrewd. Since you've already guessed it, then choose a path—will you obediently follow me, or will I take you away myself?"
Lin Chen shook his head and said seriously, "I will definitely leave, but not now. I have been cultivating all day and haven't had dinner yet. Please wait a moment, senior. I will go to the cafeteria to eat, go back to the dormitory to take a nap, and then leave with you early tomorrow morning. How about that? After all, in my opinion, food is the most important thing in the world."
"Insolence!" Dugu Bo's face darkened, and the poisonous mist around him grew even colder. "I don't have time to wait for you! Now, come with me immediately!"
Seeing Dugu Bo's firm stance, Lin Chen refused to back down. A surge of purple-gold lightning erupted from his palm, and the Thunder God Hammer materialized, its surface crackling with lightning patterns. The domineering pressure of the ultimate lightning instantly dispelled the surrounding poisonous mist. Holding the Thunder God Hammer, his gaze resolute, he said, "If you can defeat me, senior, I will let you take me without question. But if I am fortunate enough to win, then you must grant my request: let me eat and get a good night's sleep before I go with you tomorrow."
The ultimate thunderous power of Thor's hammer clashed with the poisonous power of Dugu Bo's Azure Phosphorus in the air, producing a hissing sound that distorted the air in the entire bamboo forest.
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