Outside the door, John Brooks and William Brooks stood guard with utmost loyalty, but suddenly heard a series of crashing and shattering sounds from inside. The two exchanged glances: “What’s going on with the young master? What could have made him so angry that he’s smashing things?”

“Hurry, let’s slip away… or else we’ll end up as the young master’s punching bags.”

The two nodded in tacit agreement and tiptoed away along the base of the wall.

Inside the room, David Brooks’s ears twitched, and he shouted, “Where do you two think you’re going?”

The two immediately pulled long faces: What’s going on? When did the young master’s hearing get so sharp?

Chapter 004: Divine Demon Body (Part 2)

David Brooks resigned himself to fate. There was no way he could adapt to the explosive surge of power brought by “Dual-Polar Divine Demon Body” in such a short time. He kicked open the door and asked, “Where’s my father?”

“The master has already returned. We heard he’s very angry and has sent people to look for you several times, but since you seemed to be cultivating, they didn’t barge in.” The two lackeys looked at the young master with eyes full of admiration: “Young master, are you going to see the master with such momentum?”

Goodness, in the entire Chen family, who would dare kick open the door to see the master? And today, the young master has clearly gotten into trouble, yet he’s still so bold!

David Brooks immediately realized that his theft of the second-tier spirit jade from his father’s study had been discovered. He shrank his neck and cursed, “Like hell I am! Hurry and help me hide in the woodshed for the night.”

John Brooks and William Brooks: “……”

“What are you looking at? A real man knows when to bend and when to stand tall.” David Brooks insisted stubbornly. The two attendants came forward to support him on either side, but as soon as David Brooks pressed down with both hands, there were two cries of pain, and the two burly lackeys fell to the ground, clutching their arms and grimacing in agony.

“Young master, our arms are broken…” The two wailed. David Brooks was truly exasperated and cursed, “Useless fools!” He ignored them and slipped away himself, lest his father corner him. As he left the courtyard, he accidentally broke the door again.

He muttered a curse under his breath and fled, while behind him, John Brooks and William Brooks were left in shock!

“You saw nothing tonight, understand?” A cold voice came from the side. The two turned their heads to see James Brooks standing there with his hands behind his back, like an ancient deity, a trace of coldness hidden in his expression.

The two shivered, endured the pain, and knelt down to kowtow: “Master, we understand. Alive, we are people of the Chen family; dead, we are ghosts of the Chen family. The young master is our sky. We’ll take what happened tonight to our graves.”

James Brooks grunted in acknowledgment, his figure flickered, and he disappeared. The two attendants never even saw how he came or went.

No matter how tough David Brooks acted when competing with other rich heirs outside, he was just as quick to cower in front of his father. He didn’t feel the least bit ashamed; in David Brooks’s view, this was his way of showing filial piety.

He hid in the woodshed all night, and at dawn the next day, he quietly slipped out, not planning to return until his father’s anger had subsided.

A few workers in the kitchen didn’t see David Brooks, and just wondered, “Who was so kind as to chop all the firewood in the shed for us? But the workmanship isn’t great—some pieces are long, some are short…”

Fortunately, after a night of adjustment, David Brooks finally got used to this new strength. He hadn’t slept well the previous night, so he left early in the morning, his eyelids drooping. He spent the whole morning drinking tea at his usual teahouse, then had lunch, and, bored, wandered the streets.

He came to a place where a large crowd had gathered, and more young men and women about his age were joining in. David Brooks casually grabbed someone: “What’s going on?”

The person, looking anxious, replied offhandedly, “It’s time to sign up for the academy and the sects.” Then he tried to shake off David Brooks and move on, but no matter how hard he tried, David Brooks’s grip didn’t budge, and it was starting to hurt his hand.

David Brooks realized this, curled his lip, and let go. The person gave him a surprised look, muttered “weirdo,” and hurried off to register.

Up ahead was actually the largest inn in the county, but the entire place had been reserved. Four tables were set up in the main hall, each with a long line stretching all the way out to the street.

Behind the first table were people from the county academy, and behind the other three were representatives from the three largest sects in Qidong County: Zhenlei Hall, Yinhuo Sect, and Chuyun Gate.

The county academy was the most basic institution under the Imperial College of the Taiyan Dynasty, and the Imperial College was undoubtedly part of the academy system. The “court” power represented by the academy system in the mortal world had long been at odds with the “out-of-court” power represented by the sects, to the point where everyone knew about their rivalry.

This rivalry had developed to the extent that every year during recruitment, both sides would put on a show of one-upmanship. In Qidong County, the county academy and the three major sects even held their recruitment together, to see whose strength was greater and who could attract the most talented disciples; to see whose eye was sharper and could discover a hidden gem.

For ordinary folks, these rivalries meant nothing. But having the county academy and the three major sects hold registration in one place was a great convenience. Almost all the young men and women registering would first line up at the county academy, then, after signing up, move directly to the next queue for Zhenlei Hall, then Yinhuo Sect, and finally Chuyun Gate.