Rejecting Spirit Hall

After entering Spirit Hall, Gu You went up to the second floor, turned left and right through the corridors, and arrived before an ornate door. He knocked on it hard, then pushed it open and walked in without waiting for anyone inside to respond.

An old man sat behind a large desk, listening to a youth report on his work. Both of them happened to look toward the door and saw Gu You enter, with Tang San following behind him.

"Good afternoon, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, Brother Tao." Seeing the two people in the room, Gu You greeted them naturally.

Hearing Gu You's words, Tang San realized that the person before him was Su Yuntao, who had awakened his Martial Soul. The other unfamiliar elder had to be the Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo whom Gu You often mentioned.

Tang San immediately greeted them as well. "Hello, Grandmaster Ma. I'm Tang San from Holy Soul Village, and I'm also Gu You's friend. Brother Tao, long time no see."

Looking at the two of them, Su Yuntao said in surprise, "Xiao You, Xiao San, why are you here? Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, this is Tang San, the talented youth from the same village as Xiao You whom I mentioned. He has Innate Full Soul Power, and his Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass."

After hearing Su Yuntao's words, Ma Xiunuo came out from behind the desk. He first greeted Gu You, then said to Tang San, "So you're Tang San, the one Xiao You often talks about. I'm Ma Xiunuo, the master of this Spirit Hall. Since you're Xiao You's friend, you can call me Grandpa Ma Xiunuo too, just like he does."

After speaking to Tang San, Ma Xiunuo turned to Gu You and asked, "Why have you come here? Yun Tao said he invited you and your friend Xiao San to join Spirit Hall, but you said you needed to think about it. Have you made up your mind now?"

Gu You nodded. "Yes, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo. After discussing it, Xiao San and I have decided not to join Spirit Hall for the time being."

"Why?" Ma Xiunuo and Su Yuntao were both stunned. They had never expected anyone to refuse an invitation from Spirit Hall. "With your talent, you would certainly receive extensive training after joining Spirit Hall. You might even receive an audience with the Pope, and it wouldn't be impossible for a Title Douluo to take you as disciples."

Gu You shook his head. "Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, I know that Xiao San and I would definitely receive extensive training because of our talent, but I don't want to go to Spirit City yet. I don't want teachers assigned to me, forcing me to learn Martial Soul knowledge that hasn't changed for hundreds of years."

Gu You looked Ma Xiunuo straight in the eye. "I want to research Martial Souls without being influenced by important figures. I want to explore entirely new possibilities for Martial Souls. I want to use my own strength to change the world of Soul Masters and change what are now considered common facts about Martial Souls."

"I believe I can do it. Brother Tao's second Soul Ring was obtained on my recommendation, and time has proven that the Soul Ring and Soul Skill I suggested suit Brother Tao very well."

Tang San's eyes widened as he looked at Gu You. He had never expected Gu You, who was the same age as him, to have relied on his studies to recommend a Soul Ring for a genuine Soul Master before even awakening his own Martial Soul. Gu You had even successfully convinced the other party, and Su Yuntao seemed very satisfied with that Soul Ring.

Although he had already learned on the way into the city that Gu You was a true genius, being able to accomplish such things still far exceeded Tang San's imagination.

Now that he knew Gu You's ideas about Martial Souls and Soul Rings had been proven feasible, and that the person involved was satisfied with the Soul Skill he had gained, the final trace of concern in Tang San's heart, one he had not even noticed himself, vanished.

Looking into Gu You's eyes, Ma Xiunuo recalled the first time he had met him. Gu You had been three years old then, pestering Old Jack to bring him over so he could read the books in Spirit Hall.

Ma Xiunuo had worked in Spirit Hall for nearly half his life. Although most of Spirit Hall's books were freely available to the public, the people he saw most often were those searching for information on Soul Beasts before hunting Soul Rings. Even he himself had never read the other books.

Yet he had never expected a three-year-old child to persist in reading every book in Nuoding Spirit Hall. When Su Yuntao reached level twenty, Gu You had even offered advice on what Soul Beast and Soul Ring to obtain. Now, his advice had proven correct. Su Yuntao's combat strength had greatly increased, and he had faintly become the leader among the younger generation of Nuoding Spirit Hall. He had a chance to advance to a higher-ranking Spirit Hall.

Thinking of this, Ma Xiunuo sighed inwardly and said seriously to Gu You, "Since you have your own ideas, I won't try to persuade you further. But Soul Masters respect strength above all else. Don't waste your talent for cultivating Soul Power. Train diligently. I believe your name will one day resound throughout Douluo Continent."

After saying that, Ma Xiunuo paused. His stern expression relaxed, becoming kindly once more. He waved them off and said, "It's getting late. Hurry and report to the academy. Today is the last day, so don't be late."

Gu You and Tang San bowed to Ma Xiunuo at the same time, then nodded to Su Yuntao before turning and leaving the room.

After the two left and Su Yuntao closed the door, he asked Ma Xiunuo, "Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, why didn't you try to persuade Xiao You further? Xiao San's Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, so it may not have much potential, but Xiao You's Martial Soul is definitely a top-tier Beast Martial Soul. If he joined us, he would receive the best training. Becoming a Title Douluo wouldn't be impossible."

Ma Xiunuo sighed. "Yun Tao, seeing you like this makes it hard for me to feel at ease about sending you to a Spirit Hall in a big city. Didn't you see Xiao You's eyes? They were the eyes of someone who would carry out his will no matter what."

"Even if we forcibly sent him to Spirit City, he would never obey the arrangements of the teachers there. Rather than force him to listen to us, it would be better to let him decide his own path. With his talent, even if he neglected his Soul Power cultivation, he could at least reach Soul Saint. But with his persistence and his unconstrained ideas, he might surpass the most famous Martial Soul research experts of today."

"That so-called Grandmaster?" Su Yuntao's tone carried a trace of something strange. "Is that Grandmaster really a Martial Soul research expert? When I was in my teens, he already had twenty-ninth-level Soul Power, but now I've reached the twenties myself, and he still only has twenty-ninth-level Soul Power. Can someone who hasn't broken through a single level of Soul Power in more than ten years really be talented?"

Ma Xiunuo shook his head. "Whether he truly has talent or not has nothing to do with us. We only need to know that Xiao You's talent far surpasses his. Also, did you tell the academy people about the matter I asked you to handle?"

Su Yuntao nodded. "I already informed the academy headmaster. I told him that if a Gu You from Holy Soul Village came to report to the academy, he should be told that Holy Soul Village had one additional Work-Study Student slot this year, so both of them could attend the academy."

"But why did we have to go about it in such a roundabout way? We could have simply told Gu You that Spirit Hall was willing to cover the cost, or I could pay it myself."

"Because he's a smart, good child." Ma Xiunuo stood by the window with his hands behind his back, just in time to see Gu You and Tang San run out the door. "During these years he has come here to read, whenever he visits, he always does whatever work he can manage. He simply doesn't want to take advantage of us. Even though the books are open to the public for free, he believes knowledge has value, so he repays that value."

"The moment he hears about the Work-Study Student matter, he'll know it was our doing. But he won't spread it around, because his family circumstances mean he cannot afford the money. He will owe Spirit Hall a favor, and perhaps that favor will cause Gu You to join us in the future."

"Also, from now on, all Soul Beast records in Nuoding Spirit Hall will be open to Gu You. As long as he asks us to help him hunt a Soul Ring, help him obtain it according to his wishes."

After hearing Ma Xiunuo's explanation, Su Yuntao clasped his fists and bowed. "I've learned much."

"Have all the children who awakened their Martial Souls this year been counted? I'll write a letter and submit it to the Pope along with the report."

"Yes."

I truly can't understand why Spirit Hall would leave geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power like Tang San and Xiao Wu in a small place like Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy for training. They clearly issued certificates, so it's impossible that they wouldn't report the results. Then why didn't they take them away? It really makes no sense. Please continue to support with votes and bookmarks.