Ma Xiunuo's Regret, Failed Search for a High-End Restaurant

"Something's not right, Bai Ge. Your Spirit Ring came from a Blood Pattern Black Thorn Vine with over four hundred years of cultivation. Although the Blood Pattern Black Thorn Vine is a plant-type Spirit Beast, it shouldn't have been so easy to hunt. Which Nuoding Academy teacher took you to hunt it?"

Suddenly, Ma Xiunuo seemed to have spotted a problem and could not help asking.

"Our teacher isn't a teacher from Nuoding Academy. He's only a guest instructor there. We don't know his exact name, but everyone calls him Grandmaster."

After thinking for a moment, Bai Ge answered.

"Grandmaster?"

Ma Xiunuo was greatly shocked upon hearing Bai Ge's words.

"If it was Grandmaster, then I can understand. A Blood Pattern Black Thorn Vine with more than four hundred years of cultivation—even the Dean of Nuoding Academy would have to act personally, or no teacher should be capable of hunting it. But if it was Grandmaster, then with his wisdom, it shouldn't have been a problem. After all, the inability of plant-type Spirit Beasts to move is simply too fatal a weakness."

Ma Xiunuo muttered to himself.

"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, do you know our teacher?"

Hearing Ma Xiunuo's words, Tang San could not help asking.

"Grandmaster? Of course I know Grandmaster. He is a renowned figure in the Soul Master world, a Martial Soul theory master famous throughout the entire Douluo Continent. Since your teacher is Grandmaster, it makes sense that your Martial Souls could undergo such enormous changes."

Ma Xiunuo stroked his long beard and sighed.

"I originally wanted to invite you to join our Spirit Hall, but now it seems that won't be possible. I just never expected Grandmaster to be in Nuoding City..."

"Join Spirit Hall? We came to Spirit Hall to register as Soul Masters. Doesn't that count as joining Spirit Hall?"

Tang San asked somewhat doubtfully upon hearing Ma Xiunuo's words.

"That doesn't count as joining Spirit Hall. If everyone thought as you did, then perhaps every Soul Master on the continent would be part of Spirit Hall."

Ma Xiunuo smiled and shook his head.

"Registration at Spirit Hall is something most Soul Masters do, because it allows them to receive Soul Master subsidies issued by the state. But joining Spirit Hall means becoming a Soul Master exclusively affiliated with Spirit Hall from then on. In the future, a Soul Master's cultivation must also continue at schools established by Spirit Hall."

"However, since you have already joined Nuoding Academy and become Grandmaster's students, even Spirit Hall has absolutely no reason to forcibly poach people from another academy."

Ma Xiunuo sighed.

"But remember this well: don't casually tell others that you are Grandmaster's students in the future. Grandmaster once joined our Spirit Hall, but after publishing the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul theory, he was expelled from Spirit Hall and came to be regarded as Spirit Hall's disgrace. Many Soul Masters in Spirit Hall aren't very friendly toward Grandmaster. If they find out that you became Grandmaster's disciples, it may be detrimental to you."

As though recalling something, Ma Xiunuo could not help warning them again.

"Ah? Teacher used to be part of Spirit Hall?"

Bai Ge and Tang San were both shocked upon hearing Ma Xiunuo's words.

Tang San was shocked because he knew absolutely nothing about it, while Bai Ge was shocked because he knew that Grandmaster was from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, but did not remember Grandmaster ever having joined Spirit Hall.

"Alright, you're next, child. What is your name?"

Having finished testing Bai Ge's Spirit Ring and Soul Power Level, it was now Tang San's turn. Looking at Tang San, Ma Xiunuo asked.

"My name is Tang San, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo."

Tang San answered.

"You are also Grandmaster's disciple, right?"

Ma Xiunuo asked as he looked at Tang San.

"Yes. Like Bai Ge, I am also Teacher's disciple."

Tang San answered.

"Mm, summon your Martial Soul and let me see your Spirit Ring. After seeing the changes in little Bai Ge's Martial Soul, I'm rather looking forward to seeing the changes in yours."

Recalling the Cloud-Soaring Vine he had just seen from Bai Ge, Ma Xiunuo said expectantly.

"I won't disappoint you, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo."

Tang San was very confident in response to Ma Xiunuo's words.

"Phew~"

After calming his mind through breathing, Tang San slowly extended his right hand.

As a burst of blue light emerged, a clump of Blue Silver Grass appeared. It was deep blue in color, its blades almost as thick as vines, and covered in black patterns. At Tang San's command, the Blue Silver Grass rapidly grew and split apart, spreading to Tang San's feet in the blink of an eye.

"What do you think, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo?"

Holding up the evolved Blue Silver Grass in his right hand, Tang San looked at Ma Xiunuo and asked with a smile.

"Very good, very impressive. It no longer looks anything like Blue Silver Grass. What Spirit Beast's Spirit Ring did you absorb to undergo such a huge change?"

Looking at the Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's hand, which had already begun to take the shape of vines, Ma Xiunuo sighed in admiration and asked curiously.

"A Mandala Snake. Teacher had me absorb the Spirit Ring of a Mandala Snake whose cultivation was close to four hundred years, which is why my Blue Silver Grass changed so much."

Tang San answered with a smile.

"A Mandala Snake? I never expected a Plant System Spirit to be able to absorb an animal Spirit Ring. This is truly unbelievable. As expected of Grandmaster."

Hearing Tang San's words, Ma Xiunuo sighed again.

"Alright, Xiao San, Bai Ge, your Soul Master advancement assessment is complete. From this moment onward, you are honored Soul Masters of the Heaven Dou Empire. Welcome to the ranks of Soul Masters!"

"In a moment, I'll issue each of you an exclusive badge. Starting today, you can use this badge to collect a subsidy from Spirit Hall every month. A Soul Master's subsidy is one Gold Soul Coin per month. Once you become Soul Grand Masters, the subsidy will rise to ten Gold Soul Coins. Keep working hard—I hope to see you again soon!"

Ma Xiunuo smiled encouragingly.

"Alright, let's go. Come back to my office with me—I'll get your exclusive Soul Master badges."

Following Ma Xiunuo, Bai Ge and Tang San returned to the office from before.

After receiving their exclusive Spirit Hall Soul Master badges from Ma Xiunuo, Bai Ge and Tang San left the Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch together.

However, after leaving the Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch, Bai Ge and Tang San did not immediately return to Nuoding Academy. Instead, they went their separate ways.

Tang San wanted to find a Blacksmith Shop in Nuoding City where he could work, while Bai Ge wanted to find a suitable High-End Restaurant.

With Bai Ge's Grandmaster Culinary Skill, as long as he could display it, becoming the head chef of any restaurant would be no problem. But Bai Ge's goal was not simply to be a cook.

Bai Ge possessed Grandmaster Culinary Skill and was proficient in the cuisines of all regions of Huaxia, as well as the Cooking Methods for all manner of famous delicacies.

Therefore, Bai Ge could absolutely buy shares in a large restaurant with his culinary skills and food-making methods. Through that restaurant, he could spread the name of Huaxia cuisine and use it to attract high-end customers.

Once he had attracted high-end customers, he could use word of mouth to spread the fame of Huaxia cuisine throughout the entire Douluo Continent. After that, Bai Ge wanted the restaurant to open branches everywhere, spreading them across the whole Douluo Continent. That was the proper way to make money—the way to make big money!

But if he wanted to do that, then a High-End Restaurant that was already relatively well-known would undoubtedly be easier to work with from the start.

However, Bai Ge was still far too unfamiliar with Nuoding City. After leaving the Spirit Hall Branch, he wandered around Nuoding City for quite a while without finding a High-End Restaurant that caught his eye.

Seeing that classes at Nuoding Academy were about to begin, Bai Ge could only casually buy a few steamed buns in the city for lunch, then prepare to eat as he made his way back to Nuoding Academy.