Leaving Shrek, Joining Spirit Hall

As his martial soul manifested, two yellow spirit rings spiraled up from beneath his feet!

One yellow, one deep yellow!

At the same time, the aura of his level 22 Great Spirit Master rank swept outward without reservation!

Seeing this, Flender's body froze.

He was first startled; Su Ming, that brat, had actually absorbed a second spirit ring!

Immediately following, his rage soared to the heavens. "Putting the cart before the horse! You are simply putting the cart before the horse! A top-tier Fire Phoenix martial soul, and you've turned it into such a mess! You are utterly squandering a heaven-sent talent!"

Hearing this, Su Ming's brows furrowed slightly, his voice turning cold. "Does the strength I am displaying now not prove my point?"

"Prove what? That your choices are correct?"

Flender laughed in extreme anger, shouting sharply, "The fact that you've broken through to level 22 now isn't because of your bullshit evil-attribute theory, but because your innate talent is already there!"

"If you had listened to me these past three years and absorbed pure fire attributes, your explosive power would have already surpassed all your peers!"

"Look at you now—your martial soul is neither fire nor evil; it's a hodgepodge. Sooner or later, you'll bring disaster upon yourself!"

Seeing Flender so stubborn in his views, Su Ming lost his patience.

He had thought that by displaying his formidable strength, he could change Flender's perception, but clearly, Su Ming was wrong.

A person's perception is rigid; attempting to break it from the outside is only seen as a provocation.

"We walk different paths and cannot make plans together. Since that is the case, I am leaving." With that, Su Ming turned to leave.

At this, Ma Hongjun, standing to the side, rolled his eyes.

He immediately stepped forward and shouted at Su Ming, "Su Ming! How can you speak to the teacher like that? The teacher is doing this for your own future!"

Following this, Ma Hongjun feigned kindness. "Listen to a brother's advice—hurry up and apologize to the teacher! Give the teacher your word that you'll absorb fire attributes for your third spirit ring!"

Hearing Ma Hongjun's words, Su Ming couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge him.

"No need. If he wants to leave, let him leave!"

Flender, however, had no intention of giving Su Ming that chance.

Su Ming had challenged his authority time and again; he had long since run out of patience!

This was a wicked brat who, relying on a bit of talent, had no respect for his elders, was selfish and cold, and had his head in the clouds!

If he kept him around, he would inevitably bring a negative influence to Shrek in the future!

He flicked his sleeve violently, pointed toward the academy gate, and roared, "My Shrek Academy is a small temple; it cannot accommodate a 'true god' who refuses to be disciplined!"

"Su Ming, don't you despise this old man's theories? From today on, you are no longer a student of Shrek! Now, get out of Shrek Academy immediately!!"

With things said to this point, Su Ming couldn't be bothered with further nonsense. He turned and left immediately, not even bothering to pack his things.

As he turned, he suddenly encountered a golden-haired youth with double pupils. The two exchanged a glance and went their separate ways.

Once Su Ming's figure had completely disappeared, the golden-haired youth asked, "Who was that? How did he manage to anger the Dean so much?"

Ma Hongjun replied, "Oh, don't mind him. Just a self-righteous guy who's already been expelled."

Expelled?

The golden-haired youth looked toward the gate, recalling that brief exchange of glances, and then let out a soft chuckle.

Su Ming walked along the streets of Soto City.

Leaving Shrek Academy was not a setback for him, but a liberation.

Su Ming calculated his future path in his heart.

He was very clear that in this world of the Douluo Continent, talent was everything!

But talent alone was not enough.

He also needed a powerful background.

He had awakened a mutated, top-tier martial soul, but if he were to remain a rogue cultivator without backing, it would be difficult to achieve much.

At the very least, he would never be able to obtain Dugu Bo's immortal herbs.

Therefore, he had to leverage a sufficiently massive background to shelter him from the wind and rain.

Looking across the entire continent, the only place suitable for him was the Spirit Hall.

The Upper Three Sects were exclusionary, and other forces were too weak. Only the Spirit Hall cared not for one's origin, only for talent, and they possessed the most vast cultivation resources on the entire continent.

More importantly, with the Spirit Hall at his back, everything he did would be extremely convenient!

Having made his decision, Su Ming quickened his pace.

An hour later, he arrived at the Spirit Hall branch hall in Soto City.

Coincidentally, Su Ming once again encountered Green, the Spirit Master deacon who had helped him before.

Green was stunned when he saw Su Ming, then hurried over to greet him.

"Su Ming? Didn't you just return to Shrek Academy? Why are you back? Another mission?" Green asked in surprise.

Su Ming got straight to the point, "Deacon Green, I want to officially join Spirit Hall."

"What?!"

Green was taken aback for a moment, then erupted with wild joy!

The wish he had been hoping for just a second ago had been fulfilled the very next?

He had witnessed Su Ming's terrifying talent with his own eyes: a nine-year-old, level 22 Great Spirit Master!

More importantly, he had absorbed an 800-year-old Nine-Nether Demon-Faced Owl spirit ring while only at level 20, defying the ironclad laws of the world.

For such a peerless monster to voluntarily ask to join Spirit Hall—with him, Green, as the primary recommender—was an unimaginably massive contribution within the Spirit Hall hierarchy!

This was enough to promote his position by three whole ranks!

Suppressing his trembling hands, Green patted his chest and promised, "Good! Excellent! Wait here for a moment; I will report this information immediately and then take you to the main headquarters in Spirit City!"

"Leaving now?" Su Ming asked.

"Of course!" Green said excitedly. "With talent like yours, there is no need to go through the standard procedures; you can enter Spirit Hall directly! You might even be granted an audience with the Pope."

"Fine." Su Ming nodded.

Following Green's arrangements, about ten minutes later, a luxurious carriage pulled by four pure white steeds and emblazoned with the six symbols of Spirit Hall pulled up to the branch hall entrance.

"Su Ming, get in," Green said proudly.

"Mm." Su Ming boarded the carriage.

Immediately after, several elite Spirit Venerable and Spirit Ancestor guards flanked the sides, escorting the carriage at full speed toward Spirit City.

Several days later, the carriage smoothly entered the magnificent Spirit City and finally came to a stop at the foot of Pope Mountain.

Su Ming stepped off the carriage and, led personally by a red-robed cardinal, walked toward the building that symbolized the highest spirit master authority on the continent—the Pope Palace.

"Creak—"

The palace doors were slowly pushed open.

Su Ming stepped inside.

The interior of the hall was incredibly vast and grand, with two rows of solemn-looking spirit masters standing neatly on either side.

Their robes varied in color, ranging from red to gold.

Su Ming could feel the extremely powerful spirit power fluctuations radiating from these warriors; every single one of them possessed the terrifying strength of a Spirit Saint.

And on the throne at the very top of the hall sat a breathtakingly beautiful woman.