Joining the Spirit Pagoda

As a politician's wife, Mother Xu naturally understood the meaning behind Leng Yaozhu's words. Although her invitation had been extended to all three of them, the only one she was truly interested in was Yun Chen.

In truth, Leng Yaozhu's interest in Yun Chen was no longer as great as it had been at the beginning. His performance against the Iron-Bristled Savage Bull had been far less outstanding than when he had first entered the Spirit Ascension Platform and faced the wolf pack's siege and the Spirit Beast blocking his path.

According to Leng Yaozhu's analysis, this was likely caused by a mistake Yun Chen had made when acquiring his soul skills. His first two soul skills were both enhancement-type skills, leaving him lacking in offensive methods. The technique he used to shape objects with Bloodline Power had been eye-catching, but Leng Yaozhu had discovered that the objects he condensed could not last for long, making that trait far less significant.

"Is your martial soul a Body Martial Soul?" Only after Mother Xu and Xu Xiaoyan had left did Leng Yaozhu invite Yun Chen to sit down. Her first question was about his martial soul.

In this day and age, Body Martial Souls were no longer as rare as they had once been. After the decline of the Body Sect, major factions had recruited quite a few geniuses with Body Martial Souls. Yet Yun Chen's martial soul struck Leng Yaozhu as somewhat strange. Although Spirit Masters with Body Martial Souls did indeed possess abundant Bloodline Power, for most Body Martial Souls, only the corresponding body part was especially vigorous. Those like Yun Chen, capable of mobilizing their Bloodline Power, were very rare.

Could this little fellow's Body Martial Soul be his heart? Leng Yaozhu had considered that possibility. Yet among the already small number of recorded Body Martial Souls, those based on the heart as an organ were rarer still. If it truly was a heart, then Leng Yaozhu felt Yun Chen was worth cultivating.

"My martial soul is indeed a Body Martial Soul, though it's a little special." Yun Chen did not hide it. Besides, before someone like Leng Yaozhu, how much could he conceal even if he wanted to?

As he spoke, Yun Chen activated his martial soul and condensed a tiny ball of blood in his palm.

"Blood!?" Leng Yaozhu froze.

Does blood count as an organ of the human body? Leng Yaozhu muttered inwardly.

Whether blood counted as an organ of the human body or not, this martial soul inevitably made Leng Yaozhu view it differently. That was, as an Evil Martial Soul.

In the Douluo I Era, a Spirit Master's good or evil was judged by their actions. However, after Spirit Hall was overthrown, Shrek Academy rose to prominence, and the Sun Moon Continent collided with the Douluo Continent, Spirit Masters began to be judged as good or evil based on their martial souls. From then on, martial souls with dark attributes or strange abilities were easily labeled as belonging to Evil Spirit Masters. For instance, the Scorpion Tiger Douluo of the Holy Spirit Cult during the Douluo II Era had been treated that way.

By the Douluo III Era, humanity's research into martial souls had grown more profound, and people no longer viewed martial souls with dark attributes or strange abilities through such prejudiced eyes. Yet prejudice in people's hearts was like a mountain. Once it rose, it inevitably left a deep impression on later generations.

The emotion in Leng Yaozhu's eyes did not escape Yun Chen's notice. However, he did not care much. He was neither related to Leng Yaozhu nor close to her, and he had no expectations of her. As for threats, he did not think much of those either. After all, views toward martial souls in the Douluo III Era were no longer as extreme as they had been in the Douluo II Era.

The silence lasted for a moment before Leng Yaozhu continued, "This martial soul is rather interesting. Do you have any interest in joining the Spirit Pagoda? I think highly of you. I can offer you the treatment of a core disciple."

The expectations that had fallen somewhat because of Yun Chen's performance rose again after she learned of his martial soul. She wanted to see how far someone with such a unique martial soul could grow. However, that bit of anticipation was nowhere near the amazement she had felt when she first saw Gu Yue's information, so she had no intention of accepting him as a personal disciple.

Upon hearing Leng Yaozhu's words, Yun Chen considered them for a moment. In the Douluo III Era, the major factions controlled the entire continent. Without joining any faction, it was simply too difficult to rise through one's own efforts alone.

After thinking it over, Yun Chen nodded. "I'm willing."

Hearing his answer, Leng Yaozhu revealed a somewhat formulaic smile. She had the staff bring over some documents for Yun Chen to fill out.

Just then, Mother Xu returned to the reception room with Xu Xiaoyan. When she learned that Yun Chen had joined the Spirit Pagoda as a core disciple, she was happy for him. Xu Xiaoyan, on the other hand, was somewhat unhappy. She felt as though someone had stolen her Brother Chen away.

Only after Yun Chen completed the procedures, took the resources Leng Yaozhu had given him, left the Spirit Pagoda, and got into the car to return to the Xu Family did Xu Xiaoyan's smile return.

In an office on the top floor of the Spirit Pagoda, Leng Yaozhu stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the soul guidance sedan gradually recede below. She slowly said, "Send this child's information to His Excellency Phantom Brain and see whether he is interested."

Although Leng Yaozhu had not personally accepted Yun Chen as a disciple, he was still a core disciple she had recruited. Naturally, she had to make some arrangements for him. As for what happened afterward, that would depend on whether Yun Chen worked hard enough.

When Phantom Brain Douluo Han Tianyi saw Yun Chen's information, he was stunned as well.

"Blood? Does blood count as an organ?" Han Tianyi muttered to himself. He searched through the Body Sect's research and records on Body Martial Souls from the past several thousand years, yet still could not reach a reasonable conclusion. What interested him more, however, was Leng Yaozhu's note on the report: "Abundant Bloodline Power, with a degree of special control over his own Bloodline Power."

It was precisely because of those words that Han Tianyi made a decision. He took out his soul guidance communicator, found a number he had not contacted in a long time, and dialed it.

"Martial Uncle?"

The moment the soul guidance communication connected, a surprised yet puzzled greeting came from the other side.

"The Spirit Pagoda found an interesting little fellow in East Sea. His martial soul is blood, and the people there cannot determine whether it counts as a Body Martial Soul. This child also has abundant Bloodline Power and some special abilities. I'll send you the information. Make a trip for me and sound out this child's true capabilities," Han Tianyi said.

"Ah... this." The person on the other end hesitated. "Martial Uncle, I have something going on here and can't get away. How about you..."

"Enough nonsense! Instead of wasting time on that Red-Grade Mecha of yours, put more effort into cultivating and breaking through to rank ninety-five! The dignified sect master of the Body Sect isn't even a Super Douluo. Aren't you ashamed?"

With that, Han Tianyi did not wait for an answer and directly ended the communication. He believed the other party would certainly make the trip for him. After all, his seniority was higher.