Maple Leaf City

Three days of seclusion passed in the blink of an eye.

The door to the Qinghui Hall cultivation room slowly opened, and Ling Xiao stepped out at an unhurried pace.

After three days of secluded cultivation, he had stabilized his Soul Power at level twenty-two and gained complete control over his second Soul Skill, Coiling Dragon.

Deep within his mental sea, the Demon Fruit Tree had grown ever more lush, its branches thick and vigorous.

"Boss, you're out!"

Ling Xi, who had been waiting outside, hurried forward at once and bowed to Ling Xiao.

She held a booklet in her hands: the list of children's Awakenings that she had painstakingly compiled over the past three days.

"Mm."

Ling Xiao nodded slightly, took the booklet, and turned to enter the study.

Ling Xi followed right behind him and stood beside the desk.

"As you requested, I screened the children in Spirit City and six surrounding towns who Awakened this year. There are ten with Innate Soul Power above level five and either an ordinary Martial Soul or a Trash Martial Soul."

"Five are from Spirit City itself, and five are from the surrounding towns. Their backgrounds, family circumstances, Martial Soul attributes, and Innate Soul Power levels have all been recorded in detail."

"Very well done."

Ling Xiao opened the booklet and lowered his gaze to the pages.

It was exceptionally thorough. In addition to basic Awakening information, Ling Xi had even sent people to investigate each child's family background, their parents' occupations, and their daily circumstances. It was clear how much thought she had put into this.

At the top of the list was the child with the highest Innate Soul Power among those from Spirit City.

The boy, Zhou Heng, had Innate Soul Power at level eight and an ordinary Martial Soul: an iron pitchfork.

His father was an external affairs officer in Spirit Hall. The family was well-off, and they even had a modest reputation in Spirit City.

Ling Xiao glanced at the entry, then shook his head and turned the page.

The boy came from a wealthy family and a Spirit Hall background. Even with a mediocre Martial Soul, he could rely on his father's influence to secure a comfortable position in the Hall someday.

He knew neither the desperation of someone with their back against the wall nor the single-minded resolve to stake everything on gaining power. The Azure Dragon Fruit wasn't right for him.

Ling Xiao continued reading.

Of the remaining four children from Spirit City, some had decent family circumstances and no resolve to burn their boats. Others were unruly, spoiled, and lazy—not what he was looking for.

He rejected them one by one.

When he reached the latter half of the list, Ling Xiao's gaze stopped on one of the entries for the surrounding towns.

Bai Wei, female, six years old, from Maple Leaf City.

Innate Soul Power: level seven.

Martial Soul: white down feathers, with no attack, defense, or support attributes. Classified as a Trash Martial Soul.

Family background: a commoner family in Maple Leaf City. Her parents made a living by running a street stall and had three children—two sons and one daughter. Bai Wei was the eldest.

The family had no possessions to speak of. Her parents were deeply entrenched in the belief that sons were worth more than daughters. Since she had Awakened a Trash Martial Soul and could not change her lot in life by becoming a Soul Master, she was treated coldly and harshly at home.

Innate Soul Power at level seven was a talent worthy of a genius.

And yet she had Awakened a down-feather Martial Soul, utterly useless.

Her future had already been decided: a lifetime trapped in a tiny corner of the world, with no light in sight.

Her circumstances were so much like Ling Xi's back when she was in the orphanage.

Give her even the faintest glimmer of hope, and she would seize it with all her might, offering her loyalty wholeheartedly.

Ling Xiao gently tapped the two characters of Bai Wei's name with his fingertip.

It would be her!

Ling Xi stood nearby, following Ling Xiao's gaze to Bai Wei's file. Her eyes reddened slightly.

"Boss... This girl is so much like I was back then."

"Mm."

Ling Xiao nodded slightly, closed the booklet, and looked at Ling Xi.

"I've decided to go to Maple Leaf City and meet Bai Wei in person. If she's suitable, she'll be the one."

Ling Xi's eyes lit up, and she immediately said:

"Don't worry, Boss! I'll get ready right away!"

"No rush. We'll leave in two days."

Ling Xiao waved a hand and spoke calmly.

"Before we leave, I need to go to Pope Palace and inform my master."

Even though Maple Leaf City was not far from Spirit City, as the Pope's personal disciple, he had to inform Bibi Dong.

It would be best to bring a guard on the trip to ensure nothing went wrong.

That afternoon, Ling Xiao went to Pope Palace alone.

Inside the towering main hall, Bibi Dong was leaning against her throne with her eyes closed, regulating her breathing.

When she heard that Ling Xiao had come to see her, she opened her phoenix eyes at once, a gentle smile appearing in them.

"Let him in."

Ling Xiao entered the hall and bowed. "Your disciple Ling Xiao pays his respects to Master."

"Rise."

Bibi Dong said with a smile. Her gaze settled on him, and she nodded in satisfaction.

"From the look of you, you gained quite a bit from three days in seclusion?"

"Master, it went quite well."

Ling Xiao answered respectfully, then explained why he had come.

"I came today to ask your permission for something. I'd like to visit Maple Leaf City. I hear the maple leaves there are beautiful."

"I thought I'd take a break and ease the fatigue from my recent cultivation."

He didn't mention Bai Wei. He didn't want to reveal her existence too early.

At his words, Bibi Dong simply smiled and nodded.

"It's a small matter. You can decide for yourself; there's no need to report it to me. But though Maple Leaf City isn't far from Spirit City, it's still outside the city. We can't be careless about safety."

As she spoke, she pressed a mechanism beside her throne and said calmly:

"Summon Shi Jian."

After the time it took half an incense stick to burn, a middle-aged man in dark armor strode into the hall.

He dropped to one knee and bowed to Bibi Dong, his voice deep and resonant, each word ringing clear.

"Your subordinate Shi Jian pays his respects to Your Holiness the Pope!"

Shi Jian was a level-seventy-three Soul Douluo with a Vajra Ape Martial Soul, and one of Bibi Dong's trusted followers.

Even when facing a Titled Douluo, he could withstand several blows. He was a renowned battle-hardened warrior within Spirit Hall.

"Shi Jian, from today onward, you will follow Ling Xiao's orders."

Bibi Dong's voice was cool, carrying the majesty of an empress.

"In two days, accompany Ling Xiao to Maple Leaf City and protect him throughout the journey. Not a single thing must go wrong!"

"Your subordinate obeys!"

Shi Jian answered immediately, then turned to Ling Xiao and bowed respectfully.

"Your subordinate Shi Jian greets Lord Ling Xiao! I swear to protect you with my life!"

Ling Xiao looked at Bibi Dong on her throne, felt his heart stir slightly, and bowed.

"Thank you for taking the trouble, Master."

He was only going to nearby Maple Leaf City, yet Bibi Dong had arranged for a Soul Douluo to guard him personally.

That was way too good!

"You're my disciple. Your safety naturally comes first."

"Go. Be careful on the road. If you encounter anything you can't handle, send word back to Spirit Hall at once."

"Yes, Master."

Ling Xiao bowed once more, then left Pope Palace with Shi Jian.

Two days later, dawn had barely broken.

Shi Jian stood by the carriage outside Qinghui Hall, dressed in fitted travel clothes, one hand on the reins. His posture was straight, his presence steady.

Ling Xi was busy packing their luggage, her pretty face brimming with excitement and anticipation.

"Is everything ready?"

Ling Xiao walked out of the hall and glanced at the two of them before asking calmly.

"Boss, everything's ready. We can leave whenever you say!"

Ling Xi answered at once.

"Lord Shi Jian, I'll be counting on you during the journey."

Ling Xiao turned to Shi Jian, his tone a little more courteous.

"You're too kind, Lord Ling Xiao. Protecting your safety is my duty!"

Shi Jian answered respectfully, not daring to presume.

The young man before him was the Pope's personal disciple. His future achievements were bound to be limitless.

Ling Xiao nodded and climbed into the carriage.

Ling Xi followed close behind.

Shi Jian took the driver's seat and flicked the reins. The carriage began to roll toward Spirit City's gates.

Inside the carriage, Ling Xi eagerly briefed Ling Xiao on the situation in Maple Leaf City.

Ling Xiao leaned back against the carriage wall, lightly tapping his knee with a fingertip.

The carriage sped southward toward Maple Leaf City.

The sun sank in the west, its orange afterglow spreading across the sky.

On the distant horizon, the outline of Maple Leaf City was already faintly visible.