Ma Xiunuo's Speculation

Seeing this, Ma Xiunuo could not help but speak sternly.

"Enough. This has nothing to do with you anymore. Leave this place at once."

Tang San said nothing. He merely gave Ye Xinyu a meaningful look before turning and leaving.

"I'll be going first, then." With that, Xiao Wu hurried after him.

Ye Xinyu nodded without saying much. Although she had no intention of joining Spirit Hall, she did not explain herself either.

If he wanted to hold a grudge, then so be it. Just because someone from Spirit Hall had mistreated him did not mean he had to hate everyone in Spirit Hall.

If he held it against her over something like that, then perhaps they were simply destined to stand on opposing sides.

She had no cultivation technique or powerful Golden Finger.

But having gone through nine years of compulsory education, she still understood a little knowledge that Tang San did not.

Tang San definitely did not understand the power of technology.

Only after the two had completely left the room did Ma Xiunuo speak.

"Now that they're gone, ask whatever you want to ask."

Ye Xinyu nodded slightly, then spoke.

"I can join Spirit Hall, but only after I graduate from here."

Her talent should count as exceptionally good. If the rumors were true—that those who refused to join would be killed—then would she not die a terribly unjust death?

Ma Xiunuo was stunned when he heard that.

"Why? With your current talent, you are already worthy of Spirit Hall's attention. Why wait another six years? Besides, you will receive no proper training at this academy—no resources, no high-ranking Soul Masters. How much will you lose over these six years? Do you understand?"

Ye Xinyu replied helplessly, "To tell you the truth, my mother is from Spirit Hall. She was the one who sent me here, and she said I could only go back to find her after graduating from this place."

Ma Xiunuo froze on the spot upon hearing Ye Xinyu's words.

There was actually someone like that? As a member of Spirit Hall, enjoying Spirit Hall's resources, yet sending her daughter—who possessed such monstrous talent—away to some place outside.

Wasn't that clearly a traitor to Spirit Hall?

Taking a deep breath, Ma Xiunuo asked solemnly, "Are you sure your mother is from Spirit Hall?"

Ye Xinyu shrugged.

"Is there any reason for me to lie to you?"

If it had not been her mother's forced demand, she would have run off long ago. With her talent, she could enter practically any famous academy on the continent.

And her martial soul seemed to possess a trace of fire attribute as well. Strictly speaking, she could even join Blazing Fire Academy of the Five Elements Academy.

But her mother had insisted on sending her to this godforsaken place. It was infuriating.

On top of that, she had no idea which two idiots from Spirit Hall had dared force God King Tang to absorb a ten-year soul ring. If he found out that she could be considered half a member of Spirit Hall too, wouldn't she be in trouble?

"Tell me, what is your mother's name?" Ma Xiunuo slowly exhaled the stale breath in his chest. He had to report someone like this to Spirit Hall and have the Pope punish her severely.

Ye Xinyu could not help feeling awkward.

"Well... if I said I don't know her name, would you believe me?"

"You tell me whether I'd believe that." Ma Xiunuo glared at her irritably.

"How could anyone not know their own mother's name?"

Ye Xinyu was equally helpless. The key was that her mother seemed to have no friends, and no one ever came by. Ye Xinyu had asked before, but her mother had merely told her to guess. Wasn't it normal that she did not know?

With a sigh, she raised her hand, and a token made of some strange material appeared in her palm.

"Here. This is my mother's token."

"This is... a fourth-rank Spirit Hall token, one that only bishops can possess!"

Ma Xiunuo was completely stunned. This was a token that only Soul Douluo-level experts, or Soul Sages with special merits, could possess.

Seeing Ma Xiunuo's reaction, Ye Xinyu blinked.

"Well, if you can make my mother change her mind, then I can come to Spirit Hall right now. If you can't, then forget it. It doesn't matter to me where I go."

That was right—she had done it on purpose. Ma Xiunuo definitely did not have that ability, but if he reported this matter to those above him, her mother would likely be forced by pressure from Spirit Hall to change her mind.

At the same time, her mother would not take her anger out on Ye Xinyu. It was simply perfect.

Although Spirit Hall was eighty percent likely to be destroyed in the future, that was still better than feeling like she had thorns at her back every day at the academy.

It was not that she had never considered going back on her own, but she was only six years old and had merely a dozen or so levels of Soul Power. She could not possibly travel thousands of miles alone.

Seeing that Ma Xiunuo remained silent for a long while, Ye Xinyu asked, "If there's nothing else, I'll head back to the academy. If my mother agrees on this side, I don't care where I go."

"Fine, go back first." Ma Xiunuo sighed. Thankfully, he had discovered her. Otherwise, a genius like this would have remained out in the world, which would have been an enormous loss for Spirit Hall.

Low-level Soul Masters would be difficult to locate, but since her mother possessed a fourth-rank token, the possible candidates had been narrowed down considerably. Even Spirit Hall did not have many experts above the Soul Douluo level.

"Wait a moment." After thinking for a moment, Ma Xiunuo suddenly produced a bag from his hand.

"Child, there are 100 Gold Soul Coins in here. Consider it your subsidy for this month. As for the Soul Martial Certificate, I won't give that to you for now."

"So much?" Ye Xinyu had not expected such an unexpected windfall. Holding the heavy bag in her hand, her face was full of surprise.

Ma Xiunuo merely shook his head slightly and said with a warm smile.

"It's not much at all. If you joined Spirit Hall now, I could guarantee that the cultivation resources you received each month would far exceed your imagination."

But Ye Xinyu shook her head at that.

"We'll talk about it later. Anyway, I only listen to my mother."

"Alright, stay at the academy for now. If you don't have enough money, come here again. Grandpa will give you some." It was allocated from Spirit Hall anyway, so he did not feel the slightest bit distressed. He could even use this opportunity to establish a connection with one of Spirit Hall's higher-ups.

"One more thing, let Grandpa confirm this. When you use your martial soul or release soul skills, are you sure there's nothing wrong with your body?"

"A feeling? I didn't feel anything. My Soul Power consumption was a little high—does that count?" At that moment, she could not help recalling how she had only lasted ten seconds before exhausting all her Soul Power.

Hearing this, Ma Xiunuo also let out a sigh of relief. A thirteenth-level Soul Master using a thousand-year soul skill naturally had high consumption.

"There's nothing else. Go back first."

Faced with this inexplicable question, Ye Xinyu did not think much of it. She put the Gold Soul Coins into her Storage Soul Tool and headed toward the door.

After she left, Bishop Ma Xiunuo immediately wrote down the information. Hearing a coquettish voice from the room next door, he could not help frowning.

"Yuntao, come over here."

Right afterward, rustling sounds came from next door.

In less than a minute, Su Yuntao hurried out in a panic.

"Master Ma Xiunuo, were you looking for me?"

"Go. Deliver this letter to the main hall in Heaven Dou City."

It was not that he did not want to send it directly to Spirit City, but Spirit Hall had a strict hierarchy. This area fell under Heaven Dou City's jurisdiction, so any important intelligence had to be reported to Heaven Dou City first. Then the bishop there would decide whether it needed to be reported further up.

After taking the envelope, Su Yuntao could not help complaining.

"Heaven Dou City? That's so far away. What major matter could possibly happen here that needs to be reported there?"

"Just go when I tell you to. Stop talking so much."