Entangled in Empty Fame, Soul Power Test

Elemental City of Heaven Dou, Plant Academy.

The academy paths, paved with blue bricks, were clean and tidy, with all manner of century-old spirit plants growing along both sides.

A gentle breeze swept past, carrying a faint spiritual aura of grass and wood.

Compared to the humble Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, this advanced academy possessed profound foundations; the two were simply incomparable.

With a senior student leading the way, Lin Mo followed behind her, slowly passing through courtyard after courtyard.

The senior student smiled as she introduced the academy's instructional buildings and divisions, explaining everything in detail.

As they went deeper inside, Lin Mo arrived beside a tranquil lakeshore.

A row of standalone cultivation courtyards stood along the lake.

Using the address and key given to him by the registration teacher, Lin Mo successfully found his own small standalone villa.

"This is actually a privileged area. The academy uses it to reward outstanding upperclassmen. You only have the right to use it, and there is a time limit."

"Others are forbidden from disturbing Quiet West Garden. Supplies and miscellaneous necessities will be delivered regularly by designated staff, so you can cultivate in peace. The freshman class-placement competition will begin in three days, and someone will notify you then." Su Yue smiled as she explained.

"Thank you, Senior Su." Lin Mo gave a slight nod.

"No need to be so polite. If you run into any trouble at the academy, you can come find me." Su Yue smiled.

Lin Mo nodded and watched her leave.

The independent wooden house was elegant and secluded, spacious and bright inside. It truly was an excellent place for cultivation.

Once the door shut, it completely blocked out the noise of the outside world.

Lin Mo sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his mind settling into stillness.

In this standalone courtyard, no one would spy on him, and no one would disturb him.

Over the next few days, he could properly consolidate his foundations and improve his cultivation.

Once he became familiar with this place, he would find somewhere secluded to activate the Weather skill and bring down a Thunderstorm to speed up his cultivation progress.

Plant Academy's academic affairs office.

Several high-ranking officials were gathered in discussion, their topic centered on the newly admitted specially recruited student—Lin Mo.

"The records have been thoroughly checked. His background is completely clean. There are no registration records under any family or sect."

The Dean studied the dossier in his hands with a deeply furrowed brow, his tone filled with confusion.

"Lin Mo, born in Nuoding City. No father, no mother. Martial Soul: Thunder-Clap Grass. Innate Soul Power: Level Three. Ordinary aptitude."

"A month ago, he was still an unremarkable work-study student at Nuoding Soul Master Academy, with nothing outstanding about him."

"But this ordinary person is completely different from the one who came here to enroll. It is practically as if he has become someone else," the vice principal said grimly.

"Could he be an impostor? Could the person who came to our academy not be the real Lin Mo?" the Dean speculated.

"That possibility cannot be ruled out." The vice principal took a deep breath.

"If he were truly an ordinary person, Spirit Hall could not possibly have issued him a recommendation letter. That letter should be genuine, but verifying the details will take time."

"Then could he be Lin Mo himself, except that perhaps his Martial Soul is not as simple as it appears?" someone suggested.

"That possibility is very low. If he really is Lin Mo, where did he get such a large sum of money? Besides, a person's bearing is difficult to change in such a short time."

"The most likely answer at present is—he is an impostor!"

This answer made all the higher-ups wary.

There were only two possible explanations.

Either Spirit Hall had secretly made contact, and this person was an outer disciple covertly cultivated by Spirit Hall, deliberately concealing his identity while gaining experience.

Or the current "Lin Mo" was someone else entirely, someone using Lin Mo's identity to lie low within Plant Academy.

The more they failed to investigate or understand him, the more wary they became.

An ordinary commoner could never evade the background checks of all the major powers.

"There is no need to investigate further, nor is there any need to deliberately probe him." The principal finally set the tone, his voice steady.

"No matter which possibility it is, he is not someone our academy can afford to provoke."

"Proceed with the class-placement competition in three days according to the usual rules. Do not give him special treatment, but absolutely do not make things difficult for him either. Keep your distance throughout and wait to see what happens."

The higher-ups all nodded.

The unknown was the greatest cause for wariness.

The other party's identity was shrouded in mystery, and he seemed to have Spirit Hall behind him.

The best course was to keep a respectful distance and wait to see what happened.

--

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Morning light spilled down, blanketing the vast academy square.

Lin Mo arrived at the training grounds on time. Several hundred of Plant Academy's new students for the year had gathered there.

Today was the freshman class-placement competition, which would determine everyone's future cultivation resources and teacher treatment.

The gap between Classes A, B, and C was immense, enough to determine their paths of cultivation at the academy for years to come.

The class-placement competition consisted of two rounds: first, Soul Power aptitude testing; then, drawn-lot combat matches.

At the center of the square stood a gleaming white Soul Power testing stele. It was a Soul Power detector specially prepared by the academy for its students, and its readings were precise and accurate.

"I heard the quality of our cohort is excellent. There are several Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters!"

"Some were specially recruited. One freshman even gets absurd treatment—he lives alone in an inner academy cultivation courtyard. I wonder if his strength is really worthy of that treatment!"

"A standalone courtyard? Seriously? Even Class A only has double rooms."

"I saw it with my own eyes. He went straight to Quiet West Garden, and that senior student treated him incredibly well."

"Maybe he's just some useless guy who got in through connections. I'm waiting for him to make a fool of himself today!"

Quite a few local freshmen harbored resentment.

Everyone had entered the academy based on their own strength, while these people relied on connections and backdoor deals to enjoy unique special treatment. Naturally, this attracted endless envy and suspicion.

If Lin Mo knew they were spreading such nonsense, he would probably smash their faces with a bag of money.

He had paid for that standalone residence. What privilege was there to speak of?

--

At this moment, an academy instructor loudly announced the rules:

"Everyone will step forward in turn to test your Soul Power Level and record the foundation of your cultivation! Your aptitude data will be included in the class-placement evaluation. Your final class assignment will be determined in combination with your combat victories! Class A has only twenty spots, and the best will be admitted!"

The freshmen lined up and stepped forward one by one for testing.

Most of the freshmen were in their teens. Their Soul Power generally remained at Levels Eleven or Twelve, barely reaching the threshold of a One-Ring Soul Master, while the quality of their Martial Souls was generally quite good.

The occasional particularly gifted student possessed Level Twelve Soul Power, already placing them among the best in the crowd.

The most eye-catching group among them were the children of Soul Master families from Heaven Dou City.

"Zhou Hang!" the instructor called.

The youth in blue stepped forward slowly and placed his palm against the testing stele.

Buzz—

A pale blue glow rose up, and the stele's reading steadily settled at Level Twenty-One.

"Level Twenty-One! Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster!" the academy instructor announced loudly.

Lin Mo looked at the figure on the platform. Zhou Hang seemed to be staring at him with hostility.

Lin Mo was somewhat surprised. He had only just entered the academy; it was unlikely he had offended someone so quickly.

Then the other guy was probably just sick in the head and disliked everyone he saw.

"As expected of a genius from the Heaven Dou Zhou Family. Breaking through to two rings at twelve years old—his foundation is incredible!"

"One of the strongest freshmen this year. He is guaranteed to enter Class A!"

The entire crowd erupted in astonishment.

Those who knew the inside information had already begun boasting, looking toward that small group.

They were all children from prominent Soul Master families, their expressions proud and arrogant.

At that age, with that level of cultivation, they were already unquestionably among the top echelon of freshmen.

Several more children from prominent families stepped forward for testing in succession. They were basically all Two-Ring Soul Masters above Level Twenty.

They carried themselves with overbearing airs, exchanging looks and clustering together, faintly forming a privileged circle among the academy's freshmen.

"Next, Lin Mo!"

When it was Lin Mo's turn, all eyes instinctively focused on him.

That was because he was the most unusual person in this year's cohort—he had no family background, yet he alone enjoyed a standalone inner academy cultivation courtyard and had been personally received by Senior Su as a specially recruited student.

Countless envious, skeptical, and probing gazes locked firmly onto him. Everyone wanted to expose the truth behind this "connection hire."