The guard respectfully completed the procedures for Lin Yun. As for "procedures," it was really just an Identity Token. One only needed to inject Elemental Power into it to learn Lin Yun’s name and identity—very convenient.

From the city guards, Lin Yun learned that mounts were not allowed inside the city. They had to be stabled at a designated location, which required a fee.

Lin Yun didn’t mind. Many cities had similar regulations.

After the soldier gave him directions, Lin Yun told Chen Xin and the other two to wait for him as he headed alone toward the stables.

It was close. Less than a thousand meters from the city gate, Lin Yun saw a wide wooden gate. This was the place where mounts were stabled.

Passing through the wooden gate, Lin Yun saw rows of stone chambers. Each one housed one or more mounts, including several Tier Three Demon Beasts.

’This really is a gathering place for the scions of Noble Families.’ With a soft sigh, Lin Yun had to admit that the young masters from the Capital City’s Noble Families were far superior to ordinary people. Even their mounts were Tier Three Demon Beasts.

Not wanting to waste time, Lin Yun went straight to the registration desk.

It was another soldier at the Qi Sea Realm, and at the Late Stage of the Qi Sea Realm at that. He glanced at the Black-striped Tiger and said flatly, "Tier Three Demon Beast. One hundred Low Grade Primordial Stones per day. Pay two thousand up front."

’Good heavens! One hundred Low Grade Primordial Stones a day for a single Tier Three Demon Beast.’ But there was nothing to be done; those were the rules. With a pained heart, Lin Yun took out two thousand Primordial Stones and handed them to the soldier.

After paying the Primordial Stones, Lin Yun was about to say a few words to his Black-striped Tiger when a mocking voice sounded from behind. "A Black-striped Tiger. Truly a mount fit for a brute."

At these words, Lin Yun’s brow twitched, and the Black-striped Tiger let out a low growl of displeasure. Man and beast turned to look. A lavishly dressed young man was riding a golden lion through the entrance.

The lion was pure gold in color and radiated an air of nobility. Just like its master, its gaze was filled with contempt as it looked at the Black-striped Tiger, like a nobleman staring down a beggar.

"A Golden Lion..." Lin Yun muttered. Though the young man’s words had irritated him, he had no intention of starting a fight over a single contemptuous remark.

Lin Yun had no intention of engaging with the youth. But unexpectedly, the young man rode his Golden Lion right up to him and the Black-striped Tiger. The disdain on his face was blatant as he said, "What an ugly tiger. The sight of it makes me want to puke."

As soon as he said that, Lin Yun fixed his eyes on the young man. ’I was going to let it slide, but this guy just doesn’t know when to quit. Give people like him an inch, and they’ll take a mile.’

In truth, the Black-striped Tiger was anything but ugly. It was powerful and sturdy, exuding an imposing aura. Among all Tier Three Demon Beasts, the Black-striped Tiger was certainly one of the most formidable.

"Get out of the way. You and your trash tiger are blocking this young master’s path," the youth snapped, unfazed by Lin Yun’s stare.

The youth had already sensed from Lin Yun’s aura that he was merely a Martial Artist at the Eighth Layer of the Opening Realm. In the youth’s opinion, someone with such a low Cultivation was nothing but a waste.

Despite being the same age as Lin Yun, the youth was already a Martial Artist at the Second Layer of the Qi Sea Realm.

Yet, in the face of the youth’s command, Lin Yun showed no sign of moving. Neither did the Black-striped Tiger, its eyes fixed intently on the Golden Lion beneath the youth.

Tension quickly mounted between the two men and their two beasts. Seeing this, the soldier on duty spoke up. "Fighting is forbidden within the Capital City. Anyone who starts a fight will be seen as provoking the authority of the Royal Family."

Hearing this, Lin Yun slowly retracted his aura. ’But letting this youth off the hook is out of the question. Who do you think I am? I’m not about to let myself be taken for a fool.’

’Thinking back, what real setbacks have I faced since leaving Iron Gate Pass? Any I did suffer were only because the power gap was too vast. But one day, I’ll settle every score.’

’This youth is just at the Second Layer of the Qi Sea Realm. I don’t even see him as a threat. If this weren’t the Capital City, I wouldn’t mind teaching him a brutal lesson—I could even kill him outright.’

Lin Yun stepped aside without a word. To the youth, this was a clear sign of surrender. As expected, he shot a contemptuous glance at Lin Yun and the Black-striped Tiger before swaggering past them with his nose in the air.

Ignoring the youth’s provocation, Lin Yun simply sent a mental message to the Black-striped Tiger. "Can you take care of that pansy lion?"

Hearing this, an incredibly human-like expression of contempt appeared on the Black-striped Tiger’s face. "Hmph. That neutered-looking thing? I could crush it with a single swipe of my paw."

"Good," Lin Yun replied. "Then I want you to give it a proper thrashing later. In fact, thrash it every single day you’re in here. Don’t worry about anything else."

Lin Yun didn’t leave or do anything else. He just stood to the side, quietly waiting for the youth to finish his registration. ’I already have a plan,’ he thought. ’As a disciple of the Academy’s Genius Class, it’s about time I put this status to use.’

Just like Lin Yun, the youth paid two thousand Primordial Stones, the same fee of one hundred Low Grade Primordial Stones per day.

When the youth finished his registration and saw Lin Yun was still there, he jeered again. "Country bumpkin, what are you staring at? Do you want to be my lackey? Let me tell you, not just anyone can be this young master’s lackey. The man’s an idiot, and his mount is even dumber. HAHA!"

The youth’s taunts were merciless, but Lin Yun paid him no mind. ’Talking to someone like him is a waste of breath. The simplest solution is force.’

’Humans can’t fight in here, but surely Demon Beasts can, right?’

Lin Yun walked up to the soldier and presented his Identity Token. The moment the soldier saw it, his expression changed instantly, becoming as respectful as the guards at the city gate had been.

Just to be safe, Lin Yun added, "I am a student of Zhong Lin."

Who was Zhong Lin? The Vice-Principal of Yanhuang Academy, an expert at the Late Stage of the Primordial Ocean Realm. Upon hearing this, the soldier grew even more deferential, snapping to attention as if he were in the presence of his own commander.

Lin Yun was very satisfied with the soldier’s reaction. A wicked grin spread across his face—a grin that had become his trademark. Whenever it appeared, it meant Lin Yun had cooked up some devilish scheme.

"I want you to put my tiger in the same chamber as his pansy lion," Lin Yun whispered to the soldier. "No matter how badly they fight, do not separate them. Understood?"

The soldier readily agreed. Putting the two Demon Beasts in the same enclosure was well within his power to arrange. Besides, there were no rules in the Capital City prohibiting Demon Beasts from fighting in the stables.

"Just don’t let it get killed," the soldier added, after nodding his assent.

With a small smile, Lin Yun nodded to show he understood. If his tiger actually killed that pansy lion, he’d likely have to pay a hefty compensation in Primordial Stones. Lin Yun never made deals that lost him money.