Registration!

Ma Xiunuo was slightly taken aback when he saw Yu Xiaogang walk in.

"Master Yu?" He stood up, his tone tinged with a hint of courtesy, "What brings you here today?"

"I've brought two students to register." Yu Xiaogang stepped aside, revealing Tang San and Huang Fei behind him. "Both of them have obtained their first soul rings and are now official one-ring soul masters."

Ma Xiunuo's gaze fell upon the two children. He looked at Tang San first, then at Huang Fei, his eyes carrying a seasoned, scrutinizing look.

"Two of them?" he repeated. "Obtaining a first soul ring at such a young age? Are you students from Notting Academy?"

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

Ma Xiunuo's eyes widened slightly. Work-study students meant they had no family background, no resource support, and relied entirely on themselves. To break through level ten at such a young age and successfully obtain a first soul ring—and to do so under the guidance of that "Fart Master" Yu Xiaogang from Notting Academy—was unexpected.

He glanced at Yu Xiaogang, his expression becoming somewhat subtle.

"Let's test your Soul Power Level first." Ma Xiunuo didn't say much more; he turned around, took a crystal ball from the cabinet, and placed it on the reception desk.

The crystal ball was the size of a fist, completely transparent and clear, with something vaguely flowing inside. This was a tool specifically used by Martial Soul Hall to test soul power; the higher the soul power, the brighter the light emitted by the crystal ball.

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

He channeled the Mysterious Heaven Skill within his body, and the pale blue soul power surged through his meridians into his palms, injecting into the crystal ball. It was as if a lamp had been lit inside; it began to glow from the very center, the light spreading outward, growing brighter and brighter until it finally stabilized at a remarkably brilliant level.

Ma Xiunuo's eyes widened abruptly.

"Thir... thirteen?" His voice trembled. He looked down at the number in the record book, then back up at the crystal ball, confirming he hadn't misread it. "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. Obtaining a first soul ring yesterday and testing at level thirteen today meant that after the child broke through level ten, his soul power growth hadn't stopped but had instead surged by another three levels. For a child who had just obtained his first soul ring, this growth rate was simply inconceivable.

"Good, good, good." Ma Xiunuo said the word "good" three times, his smile blooming like a flower. In a small place like Nuoding City, encountering such a genius was a first in his twenty years as a deacon. He was already calculating in his mind how to report this to his superiors.

Huang Fei watched quietly from behind, his face expressionless.

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 a point more, not a point less. If he channeled his power fully, to what extent would this crystal ball light up? It would probably blind Ma Xiunuo on the spot.

Of course, he wouldn't do that.

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

He carefully controlled the output of his soul power, suppressing his strength within a safe range. Not too high, not too low—just bright enough, but not to the point of raising suspicion.

The crystal ball lit up.

The light spread from the center, the brightness slightly weaker than Tang San's earlier, but still well within the normal range.

Ma Xiunuo looked down.

"Level eleven." He read the number, his tone calm, lacking the excited tremor from before.

Huang Fei withdrew his hand, his expression as natural as if nothing had happened. Tang San stood to the side and glanced at him, a moment of doubt crossing his mind—level eleven? Wasn't Huang Fei an Innate Full Soul Power just like him? After absorbing a 120-year soul ring, his soul power only rose from level ten to level eleven? This growth rate was indeed very slow, but upon further thought, it seemed reasonable; after all, the soul ring's age was too low, the energy obtained was limited, and slow growth was normal. It wouldn't affect their relationship, either. He believed Huang Fei would eventually 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—before stamping the final column with the official seal of Martial Soul Hall. He wrote stroke by stroke, very seriously, as if completing a solemn ceremony.

"From now on, you are officially registered soul masters of Martial Soul Hall." Ma Xiunuo handed the two certificates to Tang San and Huang Fei respectively. "You can come to Martial Soul Hall every month to receive a subsidy of one Gold Soul Coin; this is a benefit provided by Martial Soul Hall to soul masters. Furthermore—"

He paused, looking at Tang San and then at Huang Fei, as if he had made a difficult decision.

"Both of you possess Innate Full Soul Power and outstanding talent. Although your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, I must still represent Martial Soul Hall in formally inviting you to join us. Martial Soul Hall can provide you with better cultivation resources, a more systematic training system, and a broader platform for development. Would you like to consider it?"

Tang San and Huang Fei shook their heads almost simultaneously.

Ma Xiunuo was stunned.

Tang San spoke first, his tone sincere and calm: "Deacon Ma, thank you for your kindness. Both Huang Fei and I have the Blue Silver Grass martial soul. Innate Full Soul Power certainly gave us a good starting point, but the quality of the martial soul is what it is. Joining Martial Soul Hall with our martial souls, we wouldn't receive priority training and would instead be bound by various rules."

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

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

Ma Xiunuo opened his mouth, wanting to say something to refute, but the words died in his throat. He knew that what Tang San said was the truth. With a Blue Silver Grass martial soul, even with Innate Full Soul Power, one wouldn't receive much attention in a place like Martial Soul Hall. Rather than being an outsider there, it was better to cultivate freely on the outside.

"Since you have already decided, I will not force you." Ma Xiunuo sighed, his tone carrying a hint of regret. "However, the doors of Martial Soul Hall will always be open to you. If you change your minds in the future, you can come find me at any time."

Huang Fei smiled silently to himself.

Change his mind? Not in this lifetime.

Stepping out of Martial Soul Hall, the sun was just right. The streets were bustling with people; a hawker selling candied haws was shouting at the top of his lungs, and the steamer at the bun shop was emitting billows of white, hot steam.

Yu Xiaogang came up from behind, walking side-by-side with Tang San in the lead, speaking in a low voice about the basics of soul ring matching and the application of soul skills. Tang San listened very intently, nodding and asking questions from time to time.

Huang Fei trailed ten steps behind, his hands tucked into his sleeves, following at a leisurely pace. The sunlight spilled onto him, warm and cozy, making him want to find a tree to lean against and take a nap.

He touched his waist—or more accurately, he touched the spot where that soul ring had merged into his body.

Eight hundred and sixty years.

Level eleven?

He chuckled softly in his heart. When he eventually revealed his strength, he might pretend that his soul power had finally started to "catch up," letting others believe he just had a slow start and would gradually improve. Although he wouldn't catch up to Tang San, he wouldn't fall too far behind either, maintaining a space for a reasonable explanation.

Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four... steadily rising in tandem with Tang San's upgrades.

Not fast, not slow, just right.

Always ten levels higher.