Recruitment by Spirit Hall

The next day, at noon.

Zhou Qiubai sat cross-legged against a tree, holding a pile of sunflower seeds as he watched ahead. Three girls from Skywater Academy were locked in battle with a hundred-year Water Baboon.

This had been Shui Bing'er's deliberate arrangement. She said it was to give the lower-year students practical combat experience; Zhou Qiubai only needed to stay nearby and make sure nothing went wrong.

Being able to slack off was naturally a good thing, so Zhou Qiubai immediately agreed to watch from the sidelines.

It had to be said that Skywater Academy was indeed impressive. They even danced while fighting, calling it tactical coordination. As for that coordination, it couldn't be said that there was none—only that nothing whatsoever could be seen.

Besides, their opponent was a baboon!

It wasn't a Soul Master. Those bewildering movements of theirs had no effect at all.

"Water Curtain!"

"Ice Cone!"

"Water Stream!"

The girls' cries rang out one after another as all manner of water-element soul skills blossomed across the clearing.

The Water Baboon charged left and right, taking several attacks head-on before finally collapsing unwillingly beneath the relentless barrage.

Watching the battle that had lasted nearly a quarter of an hour, Zhou Qiubai secretly shook his head.

If it had been him, he could have taken its life within three moves. But these academy-trained Soul Masters placed greater importance on displaying and coordinating their soul skills. There was nothing wrong with that—at least it looked good, didn't it?

Shui Bing'er walked over from the side, her light-blue hair fluttering in the wind. "Mr. Zhou, thank you for your hard work. This should be the last Spirit Beast we need to hunt."

Zhou Qiubai nodded. "Our luck was good. We originally expected this soul-hunting trip to take two days, but we finished it in a day and a half. I should be the one thanking you."

That was not mere flattery.

Water-element Spirit Beasts were already scarce in the outer region of Star Dou Forest. Finding suitable spirit beasts for these students so smoothly was indeed rare.

"What are your plans next?" Zhou Qiubai asked.

After thinking for a moment, Shui Bing'er replied, "First, we'll escort the junior students back to town and get them settled. Then the two of us will head to the middle region and return as quickly as possible to obtain my third soul ring."

"Fine." Zhou Qiubai readily agreed. "In that case, we'll set out once they've absorbed their soul rings. If we move quickly, we should make it back to the city before dark."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Mr. Zhou."

After confirming the arrangements, Shui Bing'er turned to organize the students' absorption of their soul rings.

Zhou Qiubai leaned back against the tree trunk and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing. Roughly two hours later, all the students had finished absorbing their soul rings. The group packed up and headed toward the town outside the forest.

As the sun sank westward, the outline of the town finally came faintly into view through the trees.

However, just as they were about to reach the city gate, a group clad in white-and-gold uniforms blocked their path.

At the head stood a stern middle-aged man in his forties, wearing the badge of a Spirit Hall deacon on his chest. Eight Soul Masters in identical white uniforms stood behind him.

Shui Bing'er frowned slightly and instinctively stepped forward, shielding the younger students behind her.

"Don't worry," Zhou Qiubai explained. "If nothing unexpected happens, they should be here for me."

Zhou Qiubai turned to Shui Bing'er. "Miss Shui, take everyone back to the inn first. I'll wait for you at the entrance to Star Dou Forest tomorrow morning."

After the Skywater Academy group left, Zhou Qiubai slowly walked toward the people from Spirit Hall. "May I ask why you have come looking for me?"

The middle-aged deacon looked Zhou Qiubai up and down, a trace of surprise flashing through his eyes. "Zhou Qiubai, correct? Please come with us to the branch hall for a talk."

Though his words sounded like an invitation, the meaning behind them was obvious. Zhou Qiubai did not refuse and simply followed them.

Spirit Hall branch hall, meeting room.

Zhou Qiubai and the middle-aged deacon sat facing each other across a long table.

The deacon waved away the others, leaving only the two of them in the room.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Luo Sen, a deacon of the Spirit Hall branch in Suolunke City." The middle-aged man spoke first, his voice low. "I invited you here today to confirm something. I heard that you have condensed Soul Power?"

The moment he finished speaking, Zhou Qiubai understood. Most likely, the group he had let go had passed the information to Spirit Hall.

But this was just as well. He could use the opportunity to prove his identity.

Zhou Qiubai explained, "Indeed. Over the years, I was fortunate enough to figure out a few methods and managed to condense a small amount of Soul Power. It is merely extremely difficult to cultivate, and my progress has been slow."

Luo Sen stared into Zhou Qiubai's eyes. "May I examine you? After all, it was our Spirit Hall that awakened your Martial Soul back then. If we truly overlooked something, we should give you an explanation and make up the Soul Master allowance owed to you over the years."

"Of course." Zhou Qiubai calmly extended his left hand.

Luo Sen extended his right hand as well, and their palms met.

A stream of Soul Power flowed from Luo Sen's arm into Zhou Qiubai's body, circulating along his meridians.

Zhou Qiubai's heart stirred. Spirit Hall had come to investigate him without a word, so there was naturally no reason for him to make things easy for them.

Zhou Qiubai directly activated his cultivation method and greedily absorbed the Soul Power Luo Sen poured into him. Luo Sen, meanwhile, assumed Zhou Qiubai's talent was too poor and his meridians clogged, so he gradually increased the output of his Soul Power.

After a while, Luo Sen's face gradually turned pale, and fine beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead.

"How is it?" Zhou Qiubai asked with concern. "Is there some problem?"

"No, no problem." Luo Sen forced out a smile. "You have indeed condensed Soul Power. There must have been some error during your awakening back then, and it was not detected in time. Later, I'll have someone complete your Soul Master certification, and the allowances owed over the years will be issued together."

"There's no rush for that." Zhou Qiubai quickly waved his hand.

Luo Sen nodded and continued, "Yes, yes. Although you started late, your talent is still decent. Would you be interested in joining Spirit Hall?"

"Thank you, Deacon Luo, but I have grown accustomed to being unrestrained. I would be more comfortable remaining a free Soul Master in the forest."

Seeing Zhou Qiubai's firm attitude, Luo Sen did not press further. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he sent him out of the branch hall.

Once Zhou Qiubai's figure disappeared around the street corner, a subordinate emerged from the shadows. "Sir, what about the sky-blue soul ring?"

The gentle smile on Luo Sen's face instantly vanished. "It was not a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. That information was probably fabricated as well. A useless Martial Soul that can barely cultivate is not worth Spirit Hall making such a fuss over. Approve his allowance, make a record, and report it. Let the important people worry about important matters."

Meanwhile, inside Star Forest Tavern.

Huang Tianzong had an arm around each of two subordinates as he raised a wooden cup and poured wine into his mouth, his face flushed red.

"Hahaha! That brat is dead this time!" Huang Tianzong shouted loudly, spittle flying everywhere. "A sky-blue soul ring? Pah! Let's see how he explains that!"

"Big Brother is wise! Once Spirit Hall takes action, that brat definitely won't be able to handle it!"

"Exactly! That brat didn't even ask around about our reputation!"

Suddenly, all the flattering voices stopped abruptly.

Huang Tianzong's drunken eyes were hazy as he unhappily shoved the subordinate beside him, who had suddenly gone rigid. "Drink! Why did you stop drinking?"

At that moment, a calm voice came from behind him. Zhou Qiubai sat down beside Huang Tianzong and said, "How about I have a few drinks with you?"