Recruiting the First Legal Villager, the Miraculous Red Soil Land

The morning in Holy Soul Village was utterly still, without even the slightest breeze.

"You still want to become a Soul Master? Take a look at what Martial Soul you have! If you had even a shred of Soul Power, I wouldn't stop you from becoming a Soul Master!"

"Dad! Our village produced a Soul Sage! Maybe I can become the village's second Soul Sage! Just let me try. I'm begging you!"

Slap

"You don't have even a bit of Soul Power. There's no hope of becoming a Soul Master. Besides, your Martial Soul is the same as mine—a hoe. It's a useless Martial Soul. Even if you had Soul Power, what could you do with it? Stop talking nonsense. After your birthday this year, you'll come into the city with me to sell vegetables! Think things over properly at home!"

As Ning Qiu walked along a small path in Holy Soul Village, the sound of a parent scolding his child came from one of the houses.

Bang

The door slammed shut, and a middle-aged man emerged from the wooden house.

"Ah... Gou Dan, don't blame your father for being cruel. Is becoming a Soul Master really that easy? When I was young, I wanted to become a Soul Master too. But my father had no good Martial Soul to pass down to me, and I have no good Martial Soul to pass down to you either."

The middle-aged man held out his hand. Floating above his palm was his Martial Soul—a hoe. He muttered to himself helplessly.

"Morning, Uncle Skinny Monkey!"

Ning Qiu greeted the middle-aged man.

People in the countryside believed that humble names were easier to raise. Regardless of age or gender, most villagers had a humble nickname.

"Mm, morning, Little Village Chief."

The middle-aged man named Skinny Monkey stepped outside, lightly patted Ning Qiu on the shoulder, and asked, "Here to see Gou Dan?"

Ning Qiu nodded.

"Little Village Chief, you're a sensible child. When you have the chance, help your uncle talk some sense into Gou Dan. Becoming a Soul Master isn't the only path in life." Skinny Monkey lightly patted Ning Qiu's shoulder.

"Mm, I will." Ning Qiu nodded.

"Little Village Chief, I still need to go to Suotuo City to sell vegetables. I received an order last night and have to deliver it before noon. Go play with Gou Dan yourself!" Skinny Monkey climbed onto the horse-drawn cart loaded with vegetables and vanished from Ning Qiu's sight.

Once Ning Qiu saw the man walk away, he pushed open the door and entered the wooden house.

In a corner of the house, a six-year-old boy stood there sobbing. His eyes were filled with stubbornness, while one hand rubbed his burning cheek.

"Gou Dan, did your dad do that?" Ning Qiu asked concernedly.

"Ning Qiu, tell me... can I really never become a Soul Master?" Gou Dan asked Ning Qiu, still unwilling to give up.

Every boy had a dream of becoming a hero.

As a child of Holy Soul Village, Gou Dan was no exception, having grown up listening to Old Jack's favorite sayings.

Whenever Gou Dan heard Old Jack tell stories about Soul Masters, his heart filled with longing. He hoped that one day, he could right wrongs and punish evil, living freely and settling grudges as he pleased.

"If I remember correctly, your Martial Soul is a hoe, right?" Ning Qiu asked.

"Does having the Hoe Martial Soul mean I'm destined to never become a Soul Master?" Gou Dan retorted.

"You know Su Yuntao said that if you want to become a Soul Master, your Martial Soul is secondary. The first requirement is having Soul Power," Ning Qiu replied.

"Soul Power?" The moment Gou Dan heard those words, he wilted like an eggplant struck by frost. With a sigh, he said, "You're right. I... don't have Soul Power. I'm destined to be unable to become a Soul Master. I should listen to my dad and sell vegetables with him."

Slap

Ning Qiu raised his hand and slapped Gou Dan across the face without hesitation.

"Why did you hit me?" Gou Dan looked at Ning Qiu with confusion and anger in his eyes.

"No perseverance, no determination. And you still want to become a Soul Master?" Ning Qiu scolded Gou Dan like an adult.

"I don't have Soul Power. What else can I do? And you just slapped me for no reason." Gou Dan glared angrily at Ning Qiu.

"I hit you to wake you up. To become a Soul Master, you must possess a spirit of persistence and unwavering determination. Only sincerity can move mountains. How can you speak of giving up at the first setback?" Ning Qiu reprimanded him.

"Do you have a way to help me gain Soul Power?" Gou Dan seemed to understand Ning Qiu's words and looked at him expectantly.

"Of course." Ning Qiu nodded heavily.

"Really? You're not lying to me, are you?" Gou Dan asked skeptically.

"How could I lie to you about something like this? But if you want to gain Soul Power, you must make a promise—a promise you can never break for the rest of your life." Ning Qiu spoke solemnly.

"What promise?" Gou Dan asked.

"Become a permanent resident of Holy Soul Village. You must not disobey my orders, and you must never betray the village for the rest of your life," Ning Qiu replied.

"But I'm already a resident of Holy Soul Village!" Gou Dan asked in confusion.

"That's different. In any case, do you agree or not?" Ning Qiu asked again.

"Fine. As long as you can help me gain Soul Power, I'd even give you all my spending money." Gou Dan answered without a moment's hesitation.

Ding!

Congratulations, you have recruited your first permanent resident. Reward: 10 points of Soul Power.

Perhaps Gou Dan's status was too lowly. He was merely an ordinary resident of Holy Soul Village, and he did not possess any Soul Power. Thus, Ning Qiu only received ten points of Soul Power as a reward.

However, Ning Qiu did not care much about it. After all, what he had his eye on was Gou Dan's Hoe Martial Soul.

"Welcome to becoming a legal resident of Holy Soul Village. This is your Identity Certificate." With a thought, Ning Qiu retrieved a Crystal Card from the system inventory and handed it to Gou Dan.

"Identity Certificate?" Gou Dan took the item from Ning Qiu's hand and exclaimed, "Huh, strange. It has not only a name, but even a portrait. Also, where did you take this thing out from just now?"

"Let's go!"

Clearly unwilling to answer Gou Dan's question, Ning Qiu glanced at the bag of carrot seeds on the table, casually grabbed some, and led Gou Dan to the Red Soil Land halfway up the mountain.

"Huh? Why is there such a beautiful house here? How did I not know about it?"

Gou Dan stared wide-eyed at the two-story villa before him, exclaiming in amazement.

"Quit talking nonsense. Hurry up and till the land, then plant the carrots!" Ning Qiu handed the carrot seeds to Gou Dan.

"What?"

"Till the land?"

"Plant carrots? You've got to be kidding, right? Didn't you bring me here to obtain Soul Power? Why are you making me farm?"

Gou Dan bombarded Ning Qiu with questions, his eyes wide.

"If you want Soul Power, then farm for me," Ning Qiu ordered.

"After I finish farming, you'll tell me how I can obtain Soul Power?" Gou Dan asked.

"More or less." Ning Qiu nodded.

"Fine. I'll trust you this once."

Half-convinced and half-doubtful, Gou Dan picked up a hoe and actually began farming.

Gou Dan was only six years old, and his farming skills were truly hard to praise. He basically just dug a hole and dropped the seeds into it. It took him about an hour to finish planting the one mu of Red Soil Land.

"Now you can tell me, right?" Sweat poured down Gou Dan's face as he looked at Ning Qiu.

"Are you tired?" Ning Qiu asked.

"Not tired," Gou Dan answered honestly.

"After doing so much farm work, how could you not be tired?" Ning Qiu asked.

"That's right, I did so much farm work. Why don't I feel tired at all?" After Ning Qiu pointed it out, Gou Dan suddenly realized it himself.

Gou Dan had sweated profusely, but aside from that, he did not feel the slightest bit fatigued.

"That's not right. Why am I not tired after working? And I feel warm all over, like I'm filled with strength." Gou Dan asked in confusion.

"That's because my land is special. Farming can also allow people to obtain Soul Power," Ning Qiu answered.

"What? Farming can also grant Soul Power?" Gou Dan looked at Ning Qiu in disbelief, but the unprecedented warmth within his body made it impossible for him to doubt Ning Qiu's words.

Farming could actually grant Soul Power!