Registration!

Ma Xiunuo saw Yu Xiaogang walk in and paused in surprise.

"Grandmaster Yu?" He stood up, his tone polite. "What brings you here today?"

"I brought two students to register." Yu Xiaogang stepped aside, revealing Tang San and Huang Fei behind him. "They've both obtained their First Soul Ring, so they're now officially One-Ring Soul Masters."

Ma Xiunuo's gaze fell on the two children. He looked at Tang San first, then Huang Fei, his eyes carrying the seasoned scrutiny of an old hand.

"Two?" he repeated. "They're this young and have already obtained their First Soul Ring? Are you students at Notting Academy?"

"Work-study students," Tang San replied politely.

Ma Xiunuo's eyes widened a little. Work-study students meant no family background and no resources to support them—they had to rely entirely on themselves. Yet at such a young age, they'd broken through level ten and successfully obtained their First Soul Ring—and from that "Fart Master," Yu Xiaogang of Notting Academy, no less.

He glanced at Yu Xiaogang, his expression turning somewhat peculiar.

"Let's test your Soul Power first." Ma Xiunuo didn't say anything more. He turned, took a crystal ball from a cabinet, and set it on the reception desk.

The crystal ball was about the size of a fist, perfectly transparent and clear, with something faintly swirling inside. It was a tool the Spirit Hall used specifically to test Soul Power. The higher the Soul Power, the brighter the crystal ball shone.

Tang San stepped forward and placed both hands on the crystal ball.

He circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill within him. Pale blue Soul Power flowed along his meridians into his palms, then poured into the crystal ball. It was as if a lamp had been lit inside: light appeared at the very center and spread outward, growing brighter and brighter until it settled at a fairly intense glow.

Ma Xiunuo's eyes flew wide open.

"Th-thirteen?" His voice trembled. He glanced down at the number in the ledger, then back at the crystal ball, making sure he hadn't read it wrong. "Six years old, one ring, level thirteen? How long ago did you obtain your First Soul Ring?"

"Yesterday," Tang San answered truthfully.

Ma Xiunuo's hand froze. Tang San had obtained his First Soul Ring yesterday, and today he'd tested at level thirteen. That meant after breaking through level ten, his Soul Power hadn't stopped growing but had shot up another three levels. For a child who had only just obtained his First Soul Ring, that rate of growth was almost unbelievable.

"Good, good, good." Ma Xiunuo said "good" three times in a row, his smile blossoming across his face. In a small place like Nuoding City, meeting a genius like this was a first in his twenty years as a deacon. He was already planning how to report the matter to his superiors.

Huang Fei watched quietly from behind, his expression unreadable.

His gaze swept over the crystal ball as he estimated his own Soul Power. Tang San was level thirteen; he was level twenty-three. Ten levels higher than Tang San, not one more, not one less. If he unleashed his full power, how brightly would the crystal ball shine? It would probably blind Ma Xiunuo on the spot.

Of course, he wouldn't do that.

Huang Fei stepped forward and placed both hands on the crystal ball.

He carefully controlled the flow of his Soul Power, keeping it within a safe range. Not too high, not too low—just bright enough, but not so bright that anyone would grow suspicious.

The crystal ball lit up.

Light spread from the center. It was dimmer than when Tang San had tested, but still within the normal range.

Ma Xiunuo glanced down.

"Level eleven," he read aloud, his tone calm. The excitement that had made his voice tremble earlier was gone.

Huang Fei took his hands away, his expression as natural as if nothing had happened. Tang San glanced at him from the side, a flicker of confusion crossing his mind. Level eleven? Wasn't Huang Fei also born with Innate Full Soul Power, just like him? He'd absorbed a 120-year Soul Ring, but his Soul Power had only risen from level ten to eleven—just one level? That was certainly slow, but thinking it over, it seemed reasonable. After all, the Soul Ring's age was too low, so it hadn't provided much energy. A slow increase was normal, and it wouldn't affect their relationship. He was sure Huang Fei would gradually catch up.

Ma Xiunuo took out two brand-new Soul Master certificates and filled in their basic information: name, age, Martial Soul, and Soul Power Level. Finally, he stamped each one with the Spirit Hall's seal. He wrote every character carefully, as if carrying out a solemn ceremony.

"From now on, you're officially registered Soul Masters of the Spirit Hall." Ma Xiunuo handed one certificate each to Tang San and Huang Fei. "You can come to the Spirit Hall every month to collect a subsidy of one Gold Soul Coin. That's a benefit the Spirit Hall provides to Soul Masters. Also—"

He paused and looked at Tang San, then Huang Fei, as though he'd made a difficult decision.

"You're both born with Innate Full Soul Power, and your talent is outstanding. Although your Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, I still want to officially invite you to join the Spirit Hall on its behalf. We can provide you with better cultivation resources, a more systematic training program, and a broader platform for your future. Will you consider it?"

Tang San and Huang Fei shook their heads almost simultaneously.

Ma Xiunuo froze for a moment.

Tang San spoke first, his tone sincere and calm. "Deacon Ma Xiunuo, thank you for the offer. Huang Fei and I both have the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. Being born with Innate Full Soul Power gave us a good starting point, but the quality of our Martial Soul speaks for itself. With our Martial Souls, we couldn't receive focused training in the Spirit Hall. We'd only be bound by all kinds of rules."

He paused and glanced at Huang Fei, who gave him a look that said, "Well said."

"We don't want to be bound," Tang San said.

Ma Xiunuo opened his mouth, as if to argue, but swallowed his words. He knew Tang San was right. Even with Innate Full Soul Power, Blue Silver Grass wouldn't earn much attention in a place like the Spirit Hall. Better to cultivate freely outside than to join and become an insignificant nobody.

"If you've made up your minds, I won't force you." Ma Xiunuo sighed, a note of regret in his voice. "But the Spirit Hall's doors will always be open to you. If you ever change your mind, you can come to me at any time."

Huang Fei laughed silently to himself.

Change his mind? Maybe in his next life.

The sun was bright as they left the Spirit Hall. The streets were full of people. A vendor selling candied hawthorns shouted at the top of his lungs, while clouds of white steam billowed from the bamboo baskets at a bun shop.

Yu Xiaogang came up from behind and walked ahead alongside Tang San, speaking in a low voice about the basics of Soul Ring combinations and using Soul Skills. Tang San listened intently, nodding and asking questions now and then.

Huang Fei trailed ten paces behind them, hands tucked into his sleeves as he ambled along. The sunlight fell warmly on him, making him want to find a tree to lean against and take a nap.

He touched his waist—or, more precisely, the spot where the Soul Ring that had merged into his body was.

Eight hundred and sixty years.

Level eleven?

He gave a quiet laugh to himself. When he showed his strength later, perhaps he'd pretend his Soul Power had finally begun to "catch up," and let people believe he'd simply gotten off to a slow start and would gradually make up the difference. He wouldn't catch up to Tang San, but he wouldn't fall too far behind either, leaving himself room for a plausible explanation.

Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four... steadily rising as Tang San leveled up.

Not too fast, not too slow. Just right.

Always ten levels higher.