Useless Martial Soul, Innate Exceeding Soul Power

"Fine." Testing his Soul Power would not take much time. As he spoke, he handed the blue crystal ball to Tang San.

Following the method Su Yuntao had taught earlier, Tang San controlled his Blue Silver Grass and withdrew it into his body. He found it was not difficult. As long as he drew back his power the same way he controlled the Mysterious Heaven Skill, he could do it. At the same time, he noticed that when the Blue Silver Grass appeared, it seemed as though his Mysterious Heaven Skill was surging forth, as if the little blue grass had condensed from it.

The moment his palm touched the blue crystal ball, Tang San's body trembled violently. To his surprise, the beautiful-looking blue crystal ball possessed a tremendous suction force. His inner strength seemed to have found an outlet and poured out in a torrent. He tried to pull away, but he could not escape that overwhelming pull.

Su Yuntao was equally shocked. Just when he thought this final Soul Power test in Holy Soul Village was merely a formality, the blue crystal ball in his hand suddenly lit up. Dazzling blue light spread instantly from a single point. In the blink of an eye, the crystal ball gleamed like a brilliant gem. A faint blue halo radiated from it, indescribably beautiful.

According to the traditional test, as long as the crystal ball showed even the slightest reaction, even a thread of light, it proved that the person being tested possessed Soul Power. Yet the blue crystal ball before him was shining with such dazzling brilliance. There was only one explanation.

"Heavens, it's actually Innate Full Soul Power." Green light burst from Su Yuntao once more. The crystal ball repelled Tang San's hand, and the way Su Yuntao looked at the boy had completely changed. It was as if he were looking at a monster.

Tang San had naturally noticed that his test differed from the other children's. He asked in confusion, "Uncle, what is Innate Full Soul Power?"

Su Yuntao stared at him blankly and explained unconsciously, "When everyone undergoes Spirit Awakening, aside from the form of their martial soul determining whether it is powerful, the amount of Soul Power is also crucial. Most people have no Soul Power when their martial souls awaken, like those children earlier. They are destined never to become Soul Masters. But as long as Soul Power appears, even if it is only a trace, they can cultivate through meditation. The amount of Soul Power at Spirit Awakening is extremely important, as it determines a Soul Master's starting point in cultivation. The higher one's innate Soul Power, the faster one cultivates afterward. And with a higher starting point, one naturally stays ahead of others. So-called Innate Full Soul Power is the highest level of Soul Power one can naturally attain during Spirit Awakening."

"The highest Soul Power?" Tang San looked at Su Yuntao, his thoughts racing. He did not know what his Soul Power was like, but he was certain that the blue crystal ball responsible for the test was drawing upon the inner strength of his Mysterious Heaven Skill. Could it be that his inner strength had become Soul Power in this world?

Perhaps Tang San's Innate Full Soul Power had greatly shocked Su Yuntao, because he patiently continued, "Our martial soul ranks work like this: every ten levels earn a title. Once someone undergoes Spirit Awakening, they can automatically be called a Soul Scholar. Of course, only a Level One Soul Scholar. Ranks are divided according to the strength of one's Soul Spirit Power. Innate Full Soul Power means that after awakening, one's Soul Power can reach the innate maximum of Level Ten. I have never encountered anyone with Innate Full Soul Power. When I awakened, I only had Level Two Soul Power."

Tang San had recovered by then. Having finally found a true Soul Master, he naturally would not let the chance pass. He quickly asked the question troubling him most. "Can Soul Spirit Power only reach Level Ten innately? Can it not be higher?"

The green light around Su Yuntao receded as he withdrew his Martial Soul Possession. "Of course not. A Soul Master's strength is not so easily increased. To advance past each title, not only must your Soul Spirit Power reach the peak of the previous title, you must also obtain a Soul Ring. Without a Soul Ring, no matter how hard you cultivate, you cannot enter the next title. Take you, for example. Since you have already reached Innate Full Soul Power, if you wish to continue increasing your Soul Power, meditation alone will not be enough. You must first obtain a Soul Ring. Only after entering the next level can you continue cultivating."

Tang San suddenly understood. "Soul Rings, are they the halos that appeared on your body just now? You are Level Twenty-Six, so you have two Soul Rings."

Su Yuntao nodded. "Exactly. Your situation is very unusual. Innate Full Soul Power makes you a genius seen only once in a century. What a pity, truly such a pity. Your martial soul is actually a useless martial soul. Even if your martial soul were merely a farming tool, it would still be far better than the useless Blue Silver Grass. If that were the case, I could also..."

He did not continue, but Tang San vaguely understood what he meant. The veil clouding his heart seemed to have been lifted.

Tang San had always been a person good at thinking. That had been true in his previous life, and it remained true in this one. According to Su Yuntao, if Soul Power truly connected with his inner strength, then the inner strength he cultivated after coming to this world had become Soul Power. The reason his Mysterious Heaven Skill could not enter its second stage was because of those so-called Soul Rings. In other words, if he wanted to improve further, he had to obtain Soul Rings like a Soul Master. But what exactly were Soul Rings?

Just as Tang San was about to continue asking, Su Yuntao said, "Next."

Lan Xue had already stepped forward and stood within the circle of six black stones.

As Su Yuntao injected six streams of Soul Power once more, the pale golden light lit up again.

Warmth was Lan Xue's first sensation. Her whole body seemed to be wrapped in an icy world, refreshingly cool beyond description.

The cold aura seeped into her body. Lan Xue clearly sensed something within her faintly stir. Then, guided by that icy energy, something seemed to shatter, and all the cold aura rushed toward her palm in an instant.

Su Yuntao's eyes suddenly brightened, because this time, the golden light within the golden barrier was so dense that only a top-tier martial soul could produce this much. He vaguely felt that an exceptionally powerful martial soul was about to appear. His excitement rivaled what he had felt upon seeing Tang San's light.

For Spirit Hall deacons like them, who were responsible for awakening martial souls among ordinary people, awakening a child with extraordinary potential and recruiting them into Spirit Hall would bring considerable benefits in their evaluations and greatly aid their promotion.

But Su Yuntao was soon disappointed, completely and utterly disappointed.

However, Lan Xue was extremely satisfied when she saw her martial soul, because what appeared in her hand was the Ice Jade Orchid Empress. In Su Yuntao's eyes, it was nothing more than an ordinary orchid, but Tang San sensed an oppressive aura from a plant. "Another useless martial soul. Sigh."

"Come, test your Soul Power."

The moment Lan Xue placed her hand on it, a powerful suction force drew the Soul Power from her body. Lan Xue thought, No wonder Tang San trembled. So that was why.

Crack. A fissure appeared on the crystal ball.

Crack. Another one.

Crack. The crystal ball completely turned into a pile of powder.

"How is that possible?" Su Yuntao was so shocked that he could not close his mouth.

"Old Jack."

The door opened, and Old Jack hurried forward with a tense expression. "Master, how did it go? Do any of the children in our village have a chance of becoming Soul Masters this year?"

Su Yuntao looked at him and sighed. "There are two, but what a pity."

A look of uncertain surprise appeared in Jack's eyes. He asked tentatively, "Master, then what exactly is it?"

Su Yuntao said, "Among these nine children, only two possess Soul Power, and both have Innate Full Soul Power. Unfortunately, one's martial soul is Blue Silver Grass. The other girl's Soul Power is so high that I cannot measure it. She has Innate Exceeding Soul Power, but her martial soul is an orchid. Do you understand?"

"Blue Silver Grass, orchid, Innate Exceeding Soul Power, Innate Full Soul Power... Heavens." The disappointment on Jack's face was even greater than Su Yuntao's. He had been village chief for many years and naturally understood what Innate Full Soul Power and Innate Exceeding Soul Power signified. But for Innate Full Soul Power and Innate Exceeding Soul Power to appear with Blue Silver Grass and an orchid as martial souls, that truly was...

"Master, is there really no way for Blue Silver Grass and orchids to cultivate?" Jack asked with a frown.

Su Yuntao could sense Old Jack's feelings, and he was no longer as arrogant as before. He patted Old Jack on the shoulder. "It is not that they cannot cultivate at all. But what do you think Blue Silver Grass and an orchid could evolve into as their martial souls improved? A useless martial soul is ultimately a useless martial soul. Even if they become Soul Masters, they will probably be useless Soul Masters. Such a waste of Innate Full Soul Power and Innate Exceeding Soul Power. All right, I must leave now. I still have to go to the next village."

Su Yuntao ultimately left the village before Tang San could ask any more questions. With Su Yuntao gone, Tang San could only run over to Jack and ask what he most urgently wanted to know. "Grandpa Jack, what are Soul Rings? How can one obtain Soul Rings?" Old Jack seemed to still be pondering Su Yuntao's words. He answered absentmindedly, "I do not know what Soul Rings are either. To obtain Soul Rings, it seems one must hunt Soul Beasts. That is very dangerous. Only Soul Masters would do such a thing."