Chapter Thirty-Two: The Rabble

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Because Dugu Yan was the true cause of the whole incident, by the time Chen Ming left the mimicry cultivation field that evening, the noble youths outside—who clearly had all sorts of schemes in mind—had already vanished without a trace.

Niu Dali lay sprawled on the grass, chewing on a stalk of Blue Silver Grass while staring blankly at the sky. When he heard Chen Ming’s footsteps, he said nothing and merely waved a hand.

Seeing how exhausted he looked, Chen Ming roughly understood why Niu Dali had seemed that way when Chen Ming and Qin Ming arrived that morning.

After all, who could stand being harassed every day by a bunch of insufferable idiots? Even the little free time one managed to scrape together was disturbed by others. Anyone would lose their temper under those circumstances.

Chen Ming waved goodbye to Niu Dali, then followed the route Qin Ming had given him toward the cafeteria. At one of the windows, he bought some food and stored it in his storage soul tool. Just as he was about to leave, he paused, thought for a moment, then returned to buy some fried chicken and watermelon as well.

When Chen Ming returned to the entrance of the mimicry cultivation field, Niu Dali was still lying on the grass. The moment Chen Ming took out the fried chicken and watermelon from his storage soul tool, Niu Dali sat upright as though he had caught the scent of some rare delicacy. His eyes lit up, and he stared fixedly at Chen Ming.

“Teacher Niu, you’ve worked hard. I’m a new student who just enrolled, and I’ll probably have to trouble you with things from time to time. It’s only a small gift, but I hope you’ll accept it as a token of my appreciation.”

“Good. This is exactly the kind of thing I like.” Niu Dali did not refuse. He stood up at once, accepted the fried chicken and watermelon, and patted Chen Ming on the shoulder.

After exchanging a few simple words, Chen Ming stopped disturbing Niu Dali and headed back toward his own courtyard nearby.

Just before he reached it, Chen Ming discovered that a group of people had gathered outside his small courtyard, waiting for him.

Qin Ming had told Chen Ming that no one had lived in the courtyard before him and that he was its only resident. If other students were ever to move in, Chen Ming would be notified in advance.

Clearly, then, these people were not his roommates or anything of the sort.

Although it was already late, Chen Ming circulated his soul power into his eyes and examined the crowd carefully. Among the people blocking his doorway, he recognized several faces he had seen that morning.

He could have figured out their purpose with his toes: they had come to drag him along to find Dugu Yan.

As Chen Ming observed them, several students who looked like lackeys spotted him as well and immediately began shouting among the crowd.

Before long, the mass of people outside Chen Ming’s door surged toward him. Chen Ming neither dodged nor avoided them. He simply walked straight ahead, completely ignoring the rabble.

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“Hello, junior student. I’m from the Yun family—”

“I’m from the Zhang family—”

“The Tang family—”

A rabble was still a rabble. Although these people had gathered together to block Chen Ming’s courtyard, that did not mean they were acting as one. Upon seeing Chen Ming, they shoved one another, each trying to speak while preventing the others from getting a word in. In the end, not one of them managed to finish a complete sentence.

“Please move aside. I’m going back to cultivate. Whatever it is can wait until later.”

Chen Ming could not be bothered to deal with this rabble. He continued forward, circulating his soul power slightly. His body became like an iron tower as he forced aside the noble youths blocking his path. Without even looking back, he left them with one sentence before heading into the courtyard.

Seeing Chen Ming’s “arrogant” attitude, several people who considered themselves nobility could not hold back and began hurling insults at him.

“What do you think you are? A petty noble from the frontier coming to cause trouble in Heaven Dou City? You dare ignore this young master when I’m speaking? I am—”

Smack! Smack!

For someone who refused to speak like a civilized human being, Chen Ming showed no mercy. He stopped and slapped the man twice across the face, leaving him dizzy and swaying on his feet.

“In the soul master world, strength is supreme. I’m a Grand Soul Master. If any of you can defeat me on the arena stage, then come make demands of me. Otherwise, stop buzzing in front of me like flies. Wouldn’t it be better to spend this time cultivating?”

“How dare you hit me—”

Smack! Smack! Smack!

For someone practically begging to be beaten, Chen Ming turned around and gave him three more slaps, knocking him directly to the ground.

Seeing the student lying unconscious after being beaten without so much as a word, the gang of spoiled young nobles who had been clamoring nearby fell silent. None of them had expected Chen Ming to act so decisively.

A few hotheaded youths instinctively tried to speak, but the people beside them quickly pulled them back.

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“I came to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy to study. Whatever foolish business you have among yourselves, don’t involve me in it. If any Grand Soul Master among you can defeat me, I’ll do whatever you ask. Otherwise, stop wasting my time.”

Casually pushing aside several people blocking his path, Chen Ming unlocked the courtyard gate with his key. He then shut the door without mercy, leaving the group outside still at a loss for what to do.

At that moment, one fellow who considered himself fairly capable finally came to his senses. From the other side of the wooden door, he shouted at Chen Ming.

“Hey! You said you wanted to fight, so come out and spar with us in the arena! What kind of hero runs straight home? You dare say it but not do it?”

“First, go to the Education Committee and sign a life-and-death contract. Have them approve my use of poison within the academy. Once they give their consent, I’ll be happy to go to the arena with all of you. It would merely mean killing a few more people.”

Chen Ming’s voice came through the wooden door. It did not sound particularly cold, yet several of the men who had been eager to challenge him could not help shivering.

Chen Ming had only just enrolled, and they knew little about him. They only knew that he was a Grand Soul Master from some small place and that his family was a hereditary count’s household. They had not yet obtained the rest of his details. None of them could tell whether Chen Ming’s words were the arrogance of a braggart or proof of genuine ability.

The thing was…

If they followed the rules of noble society, these students, who had received a proper aristocratic education, believed they could handle the situation with ease. But Chen Ming’s response was anything but aristocratic. It was practically savage, and it left them completely unsure of what to do.

They looked at one another, unable to think of anything to say. After lingering outside the door for a short while, they had no choice but to leave, each of them beginning to investigate Chen Ming’s background.

Only a few hotheaded youths, convinced that they possessed various advantages, still harbored their own plans. They intended to defeat Chen Ming and thereby force him to help them pursue Dugu Yan.

But none of that had anything to do with Chen Ming anymore. After returning to his room, he drew some water from the well in the rear courtyard and simmered the medicinal decoction his family had sent him in the kitchen. Then he found a wooden tub in the quiet chamber and began his medicinal bath.