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Bibi Dong's statement was undoubtedly an endorsement of the Truth Pavilion established by Tian Xing Academy.
This move also significantly boosted Bibi Dong's reputation among both the Spirit Hall and the common people. After all, a neutral force like Tian Xing Academy could never be an enemy of the Spirit Hall—such a friendly gesture was perfectly appropriate.
Moreover, Ye Wen had now earned a more prestigious title than "Master"—the title of Sage.
Of course, no one would dare to call him that to his face just yet.
At this time, in the distant Barak Kingdom, two suspicious-looking young men stood at the entrance of the Truth Bookstore, gazing at the announcement. One appeared utterly bored, while the other's eyes flickered with uncertainty.
These two were none other than the once-famous Golden Duo, renowned for their externalized Fusion Technique, the Golden Holy Dragon, which left their peers in the dust.
Yes, these two were Yu Xiaogang and Flender.
Thanks to their Fusion Technique, their cultivation speed had increased significantly when training together. By now, both had reached the rank of Soul King, and their Fusion Technique even allowed them to rival Soul Sages.
Yu Yuanzhen had long since located the two, given their immense fame.
However, seeing that Yu Xiaogang and Flender's cultivation progress wasn't any slower than it would have been within the family, he decided to let them roam freely in the soul master world. After all, the rumors circulating within the family made even Yu Yuanzhen uncomfortable. Achieving fame in the soul master community could help restore some dignity to the family.
Still, Yu Yuanzhen was a doting father. Before returning to the family, he helped Yu Xiaogang secure a dragon-blooded, light-element spirit beast as his fifth soul ring.
However, due to Ye Wen's interference, the original Golden Triangle was never formed.
Living together as two men inevitably led to a certain level of sloppiness.
Flender looked much like his manga counterpart—a scruffy beard covering his face, making him appear far older than his mid-thirties. Oscar probably modeled himself after him.
Yu Xiaogang wasn't much better, though his stubble wasn't as thick as Flender's.
Since Yu Xiaogang had run away from home, he no longer had the financial support of his family. Moreover, both of them had surpassed level 40, meaning they no longer received subsidies from the Spirit Hall. Their only means of earning a living was hunting spirit beasts.
Life was tough.
But Yu Xiaogang still enjoyed his current lifestyle. Thanks to their growing fame, the disdainful looks he once received had turned into admiration, fueling his vanity.
"Xiaogang, do you really know your own limits? Are you seriously considering traveling all the way to Tian Xing Academy to take the assessment?"
Flender's complaining voice snapped Yu Xiaogang out of his thoughts.
Annoyed, Yu Xiaogang retorted, "What do you mean by 'my limits'? Every time we hunt spirit beasts, it's my knowledge that guides us. Otherwise, how much money could you make hunting ordinary spirit beasts?"
Flender thought about it and realized that Yu Xiaogang did indeed possess extensive knowledge about spirit beasts, qualifying him for the lowest academic title of Scholar. He carefully studied the announcement on the wall again.
"It's not worth traveling so far just for ten gold spirit coins. Besides, the notice says you have to join to receive the stipend. Forget it, Xiaogang. Instead of wasting time, we should hunt more spirit beasts to earn money—it's more practical."
Yu Xiaogang felt underestimated and pointed at the notice. "Who are you looking down on? I'm confident I can achieve the title of Bachelor!"
Flender pondered again. Yu Xiaogang, being the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's leader, likely knew methods to cultivate up to the Soul Sage level—it wasn't surprising. But still, a mere 100 gold spirit coins didn't justify such a long journey.
"But it's only 100 gold spirit coins! Why bother traveling so far? It's a waste of time."
"You!"
Yu Xiaogang pointed at Flender in frustration. Did he really think he cared about the money? Hadn't he seen gold spirit coins before?
What truly mattered to him was the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.
The further he progressed in cultivation, the more aware he became of his limited talent. Even with Flender's assistance, his ultimate potential was likely capped at the Soul Sage or Soul Douluo level. To achieve true fame across the continent was far beyond his reach.
Ever since he began cultivating normally, Yu Xiaogang's ambitions had grown exponentially.
As someone with advanced bloodline heritage, he refused to fade into obscurity, lost in the tides of time. He wanted to leave behind a name that would be revered by future generations.
Thinking about this, Yu Xiaogang's face flushed with excitement.
"Flender, your vision is too narrow.
Gold spirit coins can be earned again, but opportunities to gain continental fame are rare.
Come with me to Tian Xing Academy. I'm taking the assessment. I want my name to echo across the continent."
After years of traveling together, Flender knew there was no point arguing with Yu Xiaogang when he was this fired up. With a resigned sigh, he agreed to accompany him on the journey to Tian Xing Academy.
After over a decade of development, what was once a remote wilderness surrounding Tian Xing Academy had transformed into a massive town.
Ye Wen had named this town Tian Xing Town.
It could have been called Tian Xing City, given its vast size, but Ye Wen felt the term "city" carried national implications and decided against it.
The streets bustled with activity, teeming with life.
After all, this place attracted countless talented soul masters and noble children seeking enrollment—a high-spending demographic that naturally contributed to the prosperity of Tian Xing Academy.
However, Ye Wen had never built walls around the academy.
Jokes aside, even if a beast tide were to occur, the academy's numerous Soul Sages, Soul Douluos, and Title Douluo-level teachers would leave the spirit beasts questioning their existence—and what it meant to be "extra food."
Though Yu Xiaogang and Flender had visited many large cities, including the capitals of the two empires, this was the first time they had seen a city as clean and orderly as Spirit City.
Flender seemed to recall something, his eyes filled with envy as he said,
"This Tian Xing Territory seems to belong to the legendary Master Ye Wen.
With so many houses and merchants doing business here, how much rent does he collect annually? Wouldn't that be enough to live on for a lifetime?"
At this moment, the teahouse owner where the two were resting came over with tea and snacks, smiling warmly.
"That's right, but Master Ye Wen is kind-hearted—rent here is much cheaper than elsewhere.
And you don't have to worry about officials or soldiers extorting you. Not even wars reach here. I consider myself lucky to have arrived early. Now, housing prices here are sky-high, and it's nearly impossible to find a place."
Flender and Yu Xiaogang reflected on the unique status of Tian Xing Territory and nodded in agreement. Neutral forces weren't unheard of on the Douluo Continent, but none had achieved what Tian Xing Academy had.
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