Chương 21: [DD]: 21
It must be said, that to have reached the rank of Platinum Bishop, Salas indeed possesses significant capability.
Within just a matter of minutes, a detailed topographical map and a dossier marking all the influential forces within Heaven Dou City were laid out before the master and apprentice. In addition, there was a compiled set of portraits of key figures, neatly presented together.
Moreover, the intelligence-laden city map was freshly completed—something that Salas, who has always lived in Heaven Dou City, wouldn't need for himself.
Guang Ling and Han Li examined the materials closely. Besides the information they had requested, Salas had proactively added many details that directly corresponded to the portraits, making the information extremely comprehensive.
"Well done."
Even though Guang Ling didn't like the man's character, he had to admit that Salas's efficiency was top-notch.
"You flatter me, Honored Worship. I've also given instructions regarding your other matters. If any further intelligence comes in, I'll notify you immediately."
Salas bowed respectfully, though he couldn't suppress a slight smile. He didn't mind Guang Ling's attitude towards him; as long as there were tasks for him to handle, that was enough.
Having obtained the materials, the master and apprentice had no interest in further conversation with Salas and once again declined his lunch invitation before heading back to their room.
"Xiao Li, why not have Sebastian accompany you for a walk?" Guang Ling suggested proactively. His appearance was quite distinctive, and he didn't particularly enjoy shopping. However, Han Li often stayed cooped up in his room, which wasn't a good habit. Children should see more of the world.
Han Li was momentarily stunned but then nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll look through the intelligence first and then find Sebastian."
He hadn't planned on spending the whole day indoors anyway. They had just received the materials and he hadn't had a chance to go through them yet; otherwise, he would have gone out earlier.
During their journey, they visited several cities, disembarking for rest, but mostly moving on quickly.
Now that they were in Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, Han Li wanted to explore. Guang Ling's suggestion was timely, and he had no objections.
After roughly reviewing the intelligence and maps, and noting down essential points, Han Li realized it was already noon.
He decided to have lunch brought to the room, took a short rest, and then called Sebastian to head into the city.
In terms of prosperity, Heaven Dou City surpassed Wuhun City by a margin. However, the atmosphere was somewhat lacking. Most residents here were not soul masters, and the social hierarchy was quite pronounced, reminding Han Li of Nuoding City.
Naturally, they had changed their clothes before going out. Their original attire bore distinct Martial Soul Hall insignias, custom-made as well. While the relationship between the Heaven Dou Empire and Martial Soul Hall wasn't particularly tense, flaunting such attire in the imperial capital was inappropriate.
As they walked through the city, perhaps due to their luxurious clothing, and with Sebastian trailing closely behind Han Li in a clear protective role, most people instinctively stepped aside, avoiding direct eye contact. Conversely, those similarly well-dressed often nodded and smiled at them, regardless of acquaintance.
They must think I'm a noble, Han Li thought to himself.
Then it struck him—he was a noble of Heaven Dou. He still had a noble title certification issued by Heaven Dou in his wristband, though he had never paid much attention to it.
After all, a noble without a fief is of little use. He might be able to impress people in small places, but he wasn't planning to develop in that direction.
As for the possibility of being conscripted by the Heaven Dou Empire, he didn't concern himself with it. If Xue Ye had the guts to forcibly conscript him, Guang Ling would probably storm into the palace to show him what face-slapping means.
Casually strolling down the street and buying some snacks, Han Li and Sebastian headed to a few places he was interested in. He wanted to scout them out first.
Sebastian had not seen the map and didn't know what this young master was planning, but he understood clearly that his responsibility was to protect him, so he didn't interfere and just followed silently behind.
When they passed by an imposing pavilion with the sign "Moon Pavilion," Han Li stopped but did not approach recklessly.
From a distance, he could see many young noble boys and girls entering in pairs, and ornate carriages were parked all around. The faint music coming from inside indicated that this was indeed the noble etiquette school run by Tang Yuehua.
Seeing the number of guards around Moon Pavilion, almost comparable to an entire commercial street, Han Li shook his head, said nothing, and continued walking towards a nearby residential area.
Afterward, he casually passed by the residences marked "Dugu Mansion" and "Ye Mansion." By sensing conversations among the servants, he confirmed that the owners were not home and then returned to the main street without any hesitation.
"Sebastian, please find a carriage. I want to visit the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy," Han Li said, turning his head.
"Young Master, we do not have a noble certificate for Heaven Dou. If you want to enter the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, we need to return to Spirit Hall and have Bishop Salas assist us," Sebastian replied after a moment of thought.
"No need for that trouble. I am a noble of Heaven Dou myself."
Han Li smiled slightly, and a gold-edged viscount certificate appeared in his hand.
Sebastian was momentarily stunned, then nodded and went to find a carriage on the roadside without further comment.
Soon, they were in a carriage heading out of the city, towards the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
Half an hour later, the carriage stopped at the foot of a mountain.
"Gentlemen, carriages are not allowed beyond this point. I can only take you this far," the coachman said, pointing to the academy gate visible in the distance.
"Alright, we'll stop here then. By the way, we'll need to return to Heaven Dou City later, so please wait for us here. Here's the fare."
Han Li got off the carriage first, flicking a gold soul coin into the coachman's hand.
"Sure thing, don't worry. I'll wait for you."
The coachman clutched the gold soul coin tightly, bowing repeatedly. This was a big catch for him; this single trip was worth three months of his usual earnings. Naturally, he was happy to wait, hoping for more rewards if the young master was pleased.
Han Li didn't pay much attention to the coachman's attitude, knowing well that he might be muttering all sorts of things about him in his mind. But since he was paying for a service, he didn't care much.
After a few minutes of walking, Han Li and Sebastian arrived at the academy gate, where they were stopped by the guards.
He handed over his noble certificate and said, "Hello, I'd like to tour your academy. I plan to enroll when the new semester starts."
After carefully inspecting his proof, the guard respectfully returned it. Although it was just a viscount title from an obscure place, it was still nobility, not someone the guard could afford to offend.
The guard handed over a document with both hands and explained, "Many young noble lords like yourself prefer to visit before the term starts. This is your temporary pass. Once inside, show this document, and someone will guide you through some of the public facilities."
As he spoke, he glanced at Sebastian, who was standing behind Han Li and continued, "However, this pass is only for one person. But rest assured, the academy guarantees your safety. You will need to return the pass when you leave. Is this acceptable to you?"
"Sure, no problem."
Han Li nodded to the guard and then turned to Sebastian. "You wait for me in the carriage. I'll go in for the tour."
Sebastian initially wanted to remind Han Li that it might not be very safe, but seeing Han Li flash his noble certificate, he swallowed his words, nodded, saluted, and then walked back to the carriage.
Han Li put away his noble certificate and looked at the guard with a smile. "Alright, can I go in now?"
"Of course, please."
The guard welcomed him in.
Since he followed the proper procedures, Han Li encountered no obstacles when entering the academy.
Listening to the introductions from the staff member walking beside him, Han Li's understanding of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy began to replace the textual descriptions in his memory with the vivid scenes before his eyes.
Han Li was no stranger to touring academies. Not only had he freely wandered in and out of Nuoding Academy before, but he had also visited both the primary and advanced divisions of the Spirit Hall Academy in Wuhun City. In terms of environment alone, none of them could compare to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
Rather than calling it an academy, it would be more accurate to describe it as a vast garden, one that could rival even a scenic tourist spot. Compared to the Spirit Hall Academy, where every facility was laid out to maximize efficiency, this place was entirely different and far superior.
Han Li's visit did not attract much attention. Visitors like him were a common sight, with one or two appearing every month. Eventually, the academy's students would discover that these visitors had become their classmates. As students of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, they were well accustomed to this.
Most students who noticed this scene might simply remark that yet another handsome and poised individual had joined the academy, but that was the extent of their interest.
Naturally, Han Li thought the same, although he might disappoint some of the young ladies.
During his first visit, he didn't immediately ask the staff to take him to meet anyone. That would have been too direct.
At the end of the tour, a small pouch of gold soul coins discreetly appeared in his hand and then "accidentally" ended up in the staff member's hand.
With a somewhat embarrassed expression, Han Li expressed his desire to witness the academy's geniuses in action, asking if he could observe from a distance without disturbing anyone or spreading any word about it.
After a three-second internal struggle, the staff member agreed, stating that Han Li could only watch from a distance. Han Li nodded, and they reached a mutual understanding.
Guided by the staff, they made several turns and arrived at a building near the training grounds. Entering a room, the staff member pointed out a window.
"This is the place. You can see the training grounds from this window, but you can only stay for ten minutes. Is that alright?" the staff member asked Han Li, who was already standing at the window.
"Thank you. That's enough. I just want to see my future companions," Han Li replied calmly, a hint of arrogance flashing across his face.
"Alright, then. I won't disturb you," the staff member said, sitting down on a chair behind Han Li without further comment.
Yet another prideful youngster, the staff member thought to himself. He had seen many such arrogant youths before. No one ever thinks they are inferior, especially if they have some talent. He silently hoped that Han Li wouldn't be too disheartened after enrolling.
Unbeknownst to the staff member, Han Li's right eye had started to glow as he observed the people on the training grounds, who seemed to be either training or playing around.
To Han Li, those people appeared to be merely fooling around. Compared to his rigorous combat training, their activities seemed trivial, not even on par with Sister Xiu'er's standards.
He had already received portraits of the relevant individuals from Salas, so he had no trouble identifying who was who. Moreover, the people he wanted to observe had quite distinct features.
Well, it seemed he wasn't too late. That purple-haired girl seemed quite uninterested in the dragon guy. Watching the scene, Han Li silently mused to himself.
The girl veiled in black had a nice presence. Hmm, so this is the Nine Heart Flowering Apple's healing ability. It's a bit stronger than his personal healing soul master. Very good, he liked it.
Han Li observed for a while longer before turning to the relaxed staff member and saying, "Alright, let's go. They are qualified to be my teammates."
The staff member looked at his calm expression and couldn't tell if this guy was boasting or genuinely confident.
"Time's not up yet, are you sure? Just to be clear, there are no refunds. You're the one choosing to end early," the staff member emphasized the word "choosing."
"Yes, let's go. This is enough," Han Li confirmed with a nod.
"Good, I hope to see you on the training grounds in the future."
The staff member breathed a sigh of relief and, in light of the gold soul coins, offered his blessing.
"I will," Han Li replied earnestly, though he added mentally, "Fat chance."
The staff member smiled and said no more, leading the way out of the room and escorting Han Li toward the academy gates.
On the way to the gate, the staff member resumed his professional demeanor, continuing to talk about Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Han Li could tell that when discussing these topics, the staff member took genuine pride in being part of the academy, something that couldn't be faked.
Of course, the way he had swiftly pocketed the money earlier wasn't fake either, which made Han Li want to laugh.
The return trip was much faster since they had already toured most of the grounds.
As the academy gates came into view and Han Li thought the day's events would conclude smoothly, a group of people appeared at the entrance. Leading them was a young man holding a girl's hand, followed by four or five attendants, making quite a grand entrance.
"You're in luck to encounter His Highness the Crown Prince, and the person beside him is the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Remember their faces well and never offend them," the staff member, perhaps out of consideration for the gold soul coins, advised Han Li, pulling him aside and waiting instead of approaching immediately.
"Thank you for the reminder. I understand," Han Li nodded and began observing the two leading figures.
The Heaven Dou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe—Salas had also provided an image of him, likely for safety reasons.
Han Li scrutinized him and found that he indeed matched the unremarkable description in the portrait.
His appearance was rather plain and somewhat androgynous. However, his demeanor was quite refined and elegant, more like a scholar than a prince of a nation.
This matched the description in his memory. Han Li noted that Qian Renxue's disguise was pretty good, as it aligned with Xue Qinghe's original personality.
Next, he turned his gaze to the girl. She had short brown hair and fair skin, dressed in a light green dress that made her look very cute. Even while being held by Xue Qinghe, her eyes were restless, discreetly assessing her surroundings and the people, as if plotting something.
Hmm, she looks quite adorable, with a mischievous vibe. Considering her age, Ning Fengzhi probably hasn't forced her to learn all those tedious noble etiquettes yet. Or perhaps she's in her domain and feels no need to disguise herself? Han Li speculated silently.
Just as he withdrew his gaze and stood quietly with the staff member, the group passed through the academy gates.
And almost simultaneously, everyone's eyes fell on him.
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