Spirit Pagoda, Mental Power Testing Room.
The Spirit Master, Mu Chen, and Mu Xi stared wide-eyed at the rapidly jumping numbers on the screen, disbelief filling their eyes.
"20... 40... 80... 120..."
In merely a few blinks of an eye,
Xu Yue's mental power had soared from the dozens that represented the Spirit Origin Realm to the Spirit Connection Realm.
The speed at which the numbers climbed completely exceeded everyone's imagination.
"How... how is this possible..."
At that moment, the Spirit Master's pupils contracted sharply. His hands gripping the instrument's edges bulged with veins.
He had worked at the Spirit Pagoda for many years and tested no fewer than eight thousand, if not ten thousand, children. Yet this was the first time he had seen such a high value appear on a child who had only just awakened their Martial Soul.
"Hiss..."
Even Mu Chen, one of the Skysea Alliance's foremost powerhouses, was stunned by the value Xu Yue had tested.
As for Mu Xi, she looked from the flashing numbers to Xu Yue and back again, pride and joy blooming in her beautiful eyes.
Only when the final value settled at 256 did astonished cries erupt throughout the room.
"Unbelievable! It's truly unimaginable!" the Spirit Master exclaimed. "His mental power reached 256 on his very first test! This is already the level of the Intermediate Spirit Connection Realm!"
One was the beginning, the Spirit Origin Realm.
For the vast majority of Soul Masters on the continent, their mental power might never surpass this level in their entire lives.
Yet today, a child who had just awakened his Martial Soul possessed mental power at a level many Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors did not have.
How utterly incredible was that!
"Excuse me... is my test over?"
Sensing the silence in the air, Xu Yue broke the atmosphere and asked.
"Y-Yes, it is."
"I'll take a picture first. Your talent will definitely draw the higher-ups' attention..."
The Spirit Master nodded repeatedly. As he spoke, he tremblingly took out his communicator and snapped a photo.
A genius like this would certainly earn the Pagoda Master's favor. Proper records absolutely could not be omitted.
Perhaps this would be his chance to turn his life around.
"Your mental power is as high as 256, a level that many Soul Ancestors do not possess. Absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Spirit will not be a problem."
"Please wait in the lounge for a moment. I'll bring the Earth Element Soul Spirit over shortly."
The Spirit Master wore a smile, but he moved with remarkable speed, as though a Soul Beast were chasing him from behind.
"Alright."
Xu Yue silently remembered his words as he headed to the lounge with Mu Chen and Mu Xi.
Still, he was not particularly surprised that his mental power had tested above two hundred.
He had lived two lives, so having stronger mental power was only natural. On top of that, he had been nourished by Ah Yin's origin power during his awakening, as well as strengthened by the authority of the Herrscher of Reason.
A value this high was nothing strange. In fact, he even felt it was somewhat low.
Even if he had been placed twenty thousand years in the past, he would have had more than enough ability to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring at his first ring.
However, in his hazy memories, it seemed that Gu Yue, the Silver Dragon King's other half, had only possessed mental power in the low hundreds at the beginning.
"Legend of the Dragon King? The era when the Golden and Silver Dragon Kings roared?"
Xu Yue's amber eyes flickered slightly as thoughts raced through his mind. Then, will this Dual-Core Herrscher have the honor of witnessing it?!
Let's see whether the Golden Dragon King, inheritor of the Dragon God's power, has higher numbers, or whether the Herrscher of Rock, representing Star Power, possesses greater gravitational force?
Will the Silver Dragon King, bearer of the Dragon God's wisdom, be smarter, or will the Herrscher of Reason, representing the Light of Civilization, be more knowledgeable!
As Xu Yue was lost in thought, he sensed the blazing gaze of the girl beside him and turned to look at her curiously.
"What's wrong, Sister Mu Xi? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Mu Xi blinked her beautiful eyes, pursed her red lips, and reached out with both fair hands to knead Xu Yue's cheeks. "I'm looking at my A-Yue. How can you be such a genius? That's Spirit Connection Realm mental power!"
"I'm already a Soul Grandmaster, and even my mental power isn't as high as yours!"
"Don't tell me Sister Mu Xi is jealous?"
Feeling the soft touch of her hands and looking at her slightly puffed cheeks, Xu Yue poked them with a finger as well.
"Pop!"
Like a soap bubble landing on a table, it burst at a single poke.
"How could I be?" Mu Xi immediately denied it.
She truly was somewhat astonished by Xu Yue's talent, and she even felt a little inferior, but jealousy was out of the question.
Though there was a slight age gap between them, they could still be called childhood sweethearts, innocent companions who had grown up together.
She was too happy for Xu Yue's peerless talent to feel jealous.
"But A-Yue, your talent is so good that you'll definitely become an unparalleled powerhouse in the future. Remember to protect your sister, alright?"
"Of course!" Xu Yue's smile faded slightly as he nodded seriously. "I'll definitely protect Sister Mu Xi."
"Those who break their word shall suffer the Punishment of Rock Eating!!"
"I know!" Mu Xi looked at Xu Yue's serious expression and patted him with amusement. "I was just saying it. Why did you take it so seriously, A-Yue?!"
Mu Chen stood nearby with a smile, watching the two children.
It was best to let children develop their relationships freely. There was no need for adults to force their own ideas upon them.
Trying to impose things by force might even have the opposite effect.
A few minutes later.
When the Spirit Master returned, he was holding something resembling an energy sphere, which he handed to Xu Yue.
Through its semi-transparent protective shell, a dragon-shaped creature could be seen inside with its eyes tightly closed.
Its body was primarily dark brown, speckled with faint golden hues. Most eye-catching were the two small gilded horns protruding from the top of its head.
It was clearly an elemental creation, yet it possessed a dragon's form. Quite unusual!
"Just swipe the card."
Seeing that the Soul Spirit had arrived, Mu Chen's expression did not change much. He took out a card and handed it to the Spirit Master.
"Ah, alright..." After quickly swiping the card, the Spirit Master glanced around as he handed over the Soul Spirit.
He then leaned slightly toward Mu Chen.
"Sir, this Soul Spirit is actually rated quite highly within our Spirit Pagoda."
"If not for that flaw, it should have been rated as three-star quality, making it one of the finest among Thousand-Year Soul Spirits."
"Although that flaw is difficult to remedy, its Soul Skill should still be quite good."
After hearing this, Mu Chen gave the Spirit Master a surprised glance.
"Thank you for telling me!"
Once the exchange was complete, the three had no intention of lingering. They wanted to return and witness Xu Yue absorb it.
"We welcome your next visit!"
Watching the three figures disappear into the Spirit Pagoda's main hall, the Spirit Master immediately took out his communicator without hesitation.
"Hello! I have important information to report..."
Very quickly, the person in charge of the Eastsea City Spirit Pagoda received Xu Yue's detailed information.
"Xu Yue, Innate Full Soul Power, first mental power test at 256! Purchased a Thousand-Year Soul Spirit... Hiss..."
As the man calmly read the report, he sucked in a breath of cold air. Forget the Spirit Master—even he had been frightened by such a genius.
Without hesitation, he immediately dialed his communicator and reported the matter to headquarters thousands of kilometers away.
"Hello? Pagoda Master! A genius has appeared in Eastsea..."
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