Master, What's Your Surname?

The Holy Maiden casually picked Su Yan up and tucked him under her arm, then left the main hall of Spirit Hall.

Behind the main hall was the training ground. Both the Holy Maiden and the Pope had access to the highest-standard private training grounds.

Inside the spacious training ground, Su Yan was tossed onto the ground. The Holy Maiden stood beside him. "If you pass my test, you'll become my third disciple."

"Why me?" Su Yan asked.

The whole way there, Su Yan had been thinking about how Spirit Hall had only ever had one Holy Maiden: Hu Liena, who was blinded by love. But this domineering woman, who acted with such decisiveness, definitely wasn't her.

Eight pitch-black spider legs slowly sprouted from the Holy Maiden's back, all pointing at Su Yan.

"I have a Beast Martial Soul. I can't teach a Soul Master with an item-type Martial Soul."

"Besides, there's a little bastard with a plant-type Martial Soul."

--

"So the Holy Maiden didn't take me as her disciple because of that?" Tang Chi pressed his lips together, his clenched fists slowly loosening.

His Martial Soul was of better quality, and his Innate Soul Power was higher. Losing only because of the type of Martial Soul was something he could accept.

"Exactly. You dodged a bullet," Yue Guan said, casually arranging a table out of a sea of chrysanthemums and handing it to Su Yuntao.

"A bullet?" Tang Chi didn't understand what he meant.

Yue Guan only smiled and said nothing.

Little one, not just anyone can endure the Holy Maiden's training methods.

I hope Su Yan can hold on until the Palace Master arrives.

Good luck, Su Yan...

--

"Don't be afraid. Charge at the spider legs!"

Eight spider legs grew from the Holy Maiden's back. Their roots were as sharp as spikes, gleaming with a translucent green light as they jabbed viciously at Su Yan.

Su Yan leaped to the side. His roughspun clothes were already covered in scratches, and his body had gained plenty of bloody gashes.

None of those attacks had been for show. Every one had been a genuine attempt to kill him.

Su Yan had no doubt that if he hadn't dodged, those eight sharp spider legs would have pierced his small body.

"Don't be afraid!" The Holy Maiden glared at him, her eyes blazing, as the spider legs slowly closed in. "The first thing a Soul Master with a Beast Martial Soul has to overcome is the fear of facing danger."

Su Yan fell silent.

Holy Maiden, maybe take a look at the seven Soul Rings floating around you before you say that.

As she approached step by step, a palpable killing intent surrounded him. There was nowhere to escape.

"I don't care anymore. If I die, I die!" Su Yan roared, and flames burst from his whole body. "Fire Wolf, Possession!"

His body rapidly swelled, and the raging flames dispelled the gloom around him. He stomped hard and shot toward the Holy Maiden like an arrow.

"Good!" The Holy Maiden's blood-red eyes lit up. "Death Spider Emperor, Possession!"

Black bones covered her body, and everything below her waist transformed into a massive spider body. The eight spider legs that had emerged from her back grew even thicker, taking the place of her slender legs.

Two yellow, two purple, and three black Soul Rings rose into the air.

Su Yan could see all seven Soul Rings light up.

That's cheating!

She was using Soul Skills against a Soul Scholar without even a single Soul Ring—and she was using all seven of them!

Darkness enveloped the entire training ground. A sudden chill struck Su Yan from behind, and even his flames lost their usual warmth.

The aura of death surged toward him. On either side came the wails of tens of thousands of vengeful spirits, while behind him lay a world of birdsong and flowers, utterly out of place.

One step forward meant death.

One step left or right meant hell.

One step back meant the world of the living.

Su Yan instinctively wanted to retreat, but the three words the Holy Maiden had kept repeating suddenly flashed through his mind.

Don't be afraid.

He stopped and stared at the pitch-black path ahead.

"Don't be afraid." Su Yan took a deep breath and lifted his heavy foot, stepping forward.

The darkness shattered beneath that step, and light pierced through from every direction.

"Pass!" The Holy Maiden sprang out from the shadows. "Bi's Training Method, first method: Courage Training Method, complete!"

Under fear pushed to its limits, courage to face death was born.

Su Yan smiled with relief.

Deep in his subconscious, a voice had encouraged him to keep moving forward. It seemed that if he retreated even half a step, he would lose everything.

Good thing I won!

Suddenly, his vision went white. His Soul Power was completely spent, and Fire Wolf Possession ended. Su Yan pitched forward, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

As he fell, he landed in a cold, hard embrace. The delicate scent of mimosa drifted into his nose.

The Holy Maiden's expression softened. She gently soothed Su Yan's back. "The new Courage Training Method worked quite well."

Before long, Su Yan woke from his faint.

He hadn't passed out from fright. He'd fainted from "hunger"—from exhausting his Soul Power.

"You're awake." The Holy Maiden leaned closer, her flawless, delicate face filling Su Yan's vision. His cheeks flushed, and he moved away on his own.

"You did well. You're the first little one to try the Courage Training Method, and I'm very pleased with the results." She casually swept a hand across her waist, and another belt appeared out of nowhere. "Here, this belt is for you. Consider it a welcome gift. It's not too valuable. I'll prepare a proper disciple's gift for you at the auction tomorrow."

"Thank you, Holy Maiden." Su Yan took the belt, only to get a sharp flick on the head.

"Call me Master!"

"Master." Su Yan asked curiously, "Did my two senior disciples not go through the Courage Training Method?"

"Hmph, just thinking about it makes me mad." The Holy Maiden sat on the ground, arms crossed over her chest. "This training method was only added recently because your Senior Brother is too timid. As for your Second Senior Sister..."

The Holy Maiden sighed deeply. "That's a long story. I'll tell you later."

Su Yan understood. So the suffering he'd endured was all because of his Senior Brother. He'd have to find a chance to make him experience that despair for himself!

After resting for a little while longer, he fiddled with the belt his Master had given him.

The belt was made of silk and embroidered with Spirit Hall's crown emblem. Four red gemstones were evenly set into it, glittering beautifully.

Su Yan stood up and buckled on the belt. Such a lavish belt looked a little out of place on his half-naked body.

"Master, what is this?"

"This belt is a Soul Tool. Each red gemstone contains a cubic meter of space. You can use your Soul Power to freely store and retrieve things."

Su Yan's delight was plain to see. You call this not too valuable?

Spatial items had always been beloved treasures among transmigrators from all sorts of worlds—the ultimate essentials for traveling, adventuring, and cultivation.

The Holy Maiden eyed Su Yan's half-naked body and casually took out a brand-new Spirit Hall uniform. "This outfit is for you. It's the latest design from that group at the Elder Hall. It's stretchy enough to make sure it won't burst when you use Martial Soul Possession."

"Thank you, Master." Su Yan took the belt and clothes, ducked into a changing room, and quickly changed. Then he buckled on the belt.

As expected of new clothes: they were soft and comfortable, fitting perfectly against every inch of his skin without feeling stuffy at all.

"Fire Wolf, Possession!" Su Yan's body swelled dramatically, and his clothes expanded along with it. Though they stretched out of shape, they didn't tear at all.

He moved around freely, throwing punches and kicking without feeling the slightest restriction.

Great clothes!

He withdrew his Martial Soul and jogged over to the Holy Maiden.

Her eyes lit up as she looked at him, and she nodded in satisfaction.

As expected, clothes made the man. In his new outfit, Su Yan looked much more put-together, his face glowing with health.

"Next, I'll teach you the basics of cultivation for Soul Masters." The Holy Maiden pulled over a table and sat down beside it.

Su Yan hopped onto a stool and sat opposite her. "Wait, Master. I still don't know your name."

The Holy Maiden's red lips curled into a smile, and her beautiful eyes curved like crescent moons. "My name is Bibi Dong."

Su Yan sucked in a sharp breath.

It really is Bibi Dong—the future Pope, Bibi Dong!