Return

After several more days of travel, they returned from the Soul Hunting Forest to Nuoding City.

"Ah! This is what it feels like to return to the world of the living. So good!" Zhao Xuan shouted at the gates of Nuoding City as if he had lost his mind.

"Is it really that dramatic?" Tang San covered his face. The looks from the people around them made his face burn. They had only spent a few days in the forest. Was it really necessary to act like this?

Master merely smiled freely and said to the two of them, "By the way, now that you've become Soul Masters, you can make a trip to the Spirit Hall in the center of the city."

"What for? I just want to go back and sleep." Zhao Xuan rested both hands behind his head and tilted his head as he asked.

"First, you can test your Soul Power. Second, after registering, you can receive a subsidy of two Gold Soul Coins every month. That will be very useful to you."

Zhao Xuan was stunned. "Spirit Hall is that generous? They have that much money?"

The smile vanished from Master's face. He said gravely, "How could they be that generous? Those are benefits the Empire gives to Soul Masters. They merely distribute them on its behalf."

"Tsk, the Empire really is stupid. It does all the work, but Spirit Hall gets all the credit." Zhao Xuan curled his lip. The Empire paid the money, while Spirit Hall gained all the reputation.

Perhaps some people knew that the money came from the Empire, but what they knew even more clearly was that they collected it from Spirit Hall every month.

"Who could deny that?" Master said meaningfully. Tang San could clearly see a trace of mockery in his expression.

He fell into thought. It seemed that his teacher had quite a few objections to Spirit Hall.

Still, no matter what, they had to take the money. After all, it was a subsidy issued by the Empire—two Gold Soul Coins!

One Gold Soul Coin could keep an ordinary family fed and clothed for several months, let alone two Gold Soul Coins a month. It would not allow for a luxurious life, but a comfortable one was more than possible.

"Hehe, Dad only earns one Gold Soul Coin a month, but I get two the moment I become a Soul Master. Being a Soul Master really isn't bad."

Zhao Xuan grinned smugly. He thought about sending one coin home every month in the future so his father could see it. That expression would probably be quite something.

Tang San was also tempted. Because of martial souls, blacksmiths lived rather difficult lives in this world. Combined with Tang Hao's depression, their family only earned twenty or thirty Silver Soul Coins a month. Not to mention that Tang Hao drank every day, making their situation even worse.

Once I receive the subsidy, I'll send it all back to Father. The money I earn working at the academy will be enough to support myself.

(PS: The exchange rate for Soul Coins in Third Young Master's book seemed to be directly stated as ten, but I felt that was unreasonable, so this book uses one hundred.)

On Douluo Continent, whether in the Heaven Dou Empire or the Star Luo Empire, the Spirit Hall in any city was always one of that city's landmark buildings. The two of them merely asked a passerby and quickly found the Spirit Hall.

After entering Spirit Hall, Zhao Xuan suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure. "Who's that?! Isn't that Master Su Yuntao?"

Zhao Xuan did not lower his voice. Su Yuntao, who had originally had his back to them, turned around. Surprise was obvious between his brows. "Eh? It's you two little fellows."

Su Yuntao walked over to them. Having awakened martial souls for many years, these two little fellows were the only ones who had left such a deep impression on him.

After returning, he had searched through countless records yet found nothing. Only then had he realized that this might be the first case since the dawn of time—Blue Silver Grass with Innate Full Soul Power! And an unknown new martial soul!

"What are you two little fellows doing here?" Su Yuntao asked curiously. He had not expected to meet them here; this place was quite far from Sacred Soul Village.

"Teacher told us to come here and test our Soul Power," Tang San answered.

"Test your Soul Power? Isn't the Soul Power of those with Innate Full Soul Power all level ten?" Su Yuntao found it strange, then his eyes widened.

"Don't tell me you've already obtained your First Soul Ring?" he asked in astonishment.

"Mm." The two nodded.

Su Yuntao froze. Only after a long while did he say, "Come with me. To test your Soul Power, you need to find Master Ma Xiuno."

He could not help sighing. Innate Full Soul Power? It really was terrifying. How many years had it taken him to break through to become a Soul Master back then? Five years, or six?

Is this really a church? It's practically a capitalist tumor. As he followed Su Yuntao deeper into Spirit Hall, Zhao Xuan could not help mocking it inwardly.

Not only did Spirit Hall occupy a vast area, but its interior was also extravagantly furnished. Though it appeared ancient and simple, that simplicity could not conceal its splendor and luxury.

They arrived outside an office, and Su Yuntao knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

"Come in." An elderly voice came from within.

It was a bright office. An old man sat behind a large desk. His neat Soul Master uniform and the standard three-sword insignia on his body showed that he was a Battle Soul Master of the Soul Grandmaster rank.

"Yuntao, what are you doing here? Eh? Who are the two little fellows behind you?"

"Master Ma Xiuno, they are here for advancement appraisal and Soul Power Level testing."

"Hmm?" Master Ma Xiuno stopped writing and gave the two of them a surprised look. He seemed to think of something, and only after a long while did he sigh.

"These are the two village boys with Innate Full Soul Power you mentioned? The younger generation is truly formidable."

"Come with me. The tests must be conducted in the Spirit Laboratory." Master Ma Xiuno stood and led them toward the Spirit Laboratory.

The Spirit Laboratory was spacious and tall, covering a full two hundred square meters. A huge floor-to-ceiling window provided sufficient lighting for the room.

Master Ma Xiuno had Tang San stand on an array similar to the one used when awakening martial souls and release his martial soul.

Tang San walked to the center of the marked pattern on the floor and stood still. He raised his right hand, calmed his mind, and slowly released the inner force of the Mysterious Heaven Skill from his palm together with the warm current brought by his Blue Silver Grass martial soul.

Thick Blue Silver Grass leaves surged forth, drooping to the floor in an instant. The bright Hundred-Year Mandala Snake Soul Ring rose beneath Tang San's feet and moved up and down around his body.

Master Ma Xiunuo had originally worn a gentle smile, but when he saw the Blue Silver Grass emerging from Tang San's palm, his expression changed to stunned disbelief. "Th-this is Blue Silver Grass?"

Tang San's Soul Power test was full of unexpected twists. First, his martial soul was simply too unusual. Second, it was because of Master.

Only then did Tang San learn of the rift between Master and Spirit Hall, and his impression of Spirit Hall dropped considerably as well.

"What a pity, what a pity..." Master Ma Xiuno sighed repeatedly. It was impossible to tell whether he regretted Tang San's Blue Silver Grass martial soul or something else...

"Your turn, little fellow. Your martial soul is the one called a mobile phone, right?" Master Ma Xiuno looked at Zhao Xuan with a strange expression. Another Innate Full Soul Power? Were geniuses really so worthless nowadays?

Zhao Xuan stepped onto the soul array and summoned his martial soul—the mobile phone.

The Six-Hundred-Year Stone Turtle Soul Ring rose beneath his feet, shining like a golden band. It gleamed brilliantly as it moved up and down around his body.

At the same time, rings of strange dark-green electromagnetic waves flickered around him. Garbled characters, frequency fragments, and streams of data continuously sprang into view.

Strange. That was the most direct impression of everyone watching below, and even Zhao Xuan found it rather peculiar.

"Next, let's test your Soul Power Level." After confirming that Zhao Xuan possessed his First Soul Ring, Master Ma Xiuno handed him a yellow crystal ball.

Almost the instant he touched it, light began to shine within the crystal ball. It was even faster and brighter than Tang San's!

Master Ma Xiuno and Su Yuntao stared wide-eyed as the crystal ball gradually accumulated light until it was more than half full.

"L-level sixteen?!" Their jaws nearly dropped to the floor.

On the street outside Spirit Hall, Zhao Xuan wore a delighted expression. It was not because of his Soul Power or anything like that, but because of the extra weight in his pocket... namely, the weight of two Gold Soul Coins.

Why does Xiao San like blacksmithing so much? Thinking of how Tang San had been unable to pull himself away whenever he saw a blacksmith shop after coming out, Zhao Xuan felt rather depressed.

After returning to the academy alone, before he could report back to Master, Zhao Xuan heard several students discussing something.

"Those Work-Study Students really overestimate themselves. They actually want to challenge Boss Xiao from the sixth grade. I doubt anyone will see the Work-Study Students in class tomorrow."

"Hmm?!" Zhao Xuan's expression shifted. It sounded like someone was stirring up trouble.

His eyes lit up as he walked toward those students. Stirring up trouble? That was exactly what he liked...