Registering a Soul Master

Qian Renxue had just taken a sip of bitter tea when she heard this, causing her to spray it out immediately.

"?" The tea drinkers looked at this scene with strange expressions, wondering what was wrong with this person.

Qian Renxue gave a sheepish smile and quickly wiped the water from her lips, putting on a harmless appearance, which caused the other patrons to look away.

Qian Renxue let out a sigh of relief and pricked up her ears to continue listening.

"Don't mind him, he's a weirdo. Keep going."

"Where was I? Oh, right, the Crown Prince used a rod to beat the Fourth Prince in the palace yesterday! He was left battered and bruised."

"Whoa! Is that for real? Isn't the Crown Prince known for being the most benevolent and kind?"

"Benevolent? That was in the past! If you ask me, he's establishing his authority! Prince Xue Beng deserves it, too; he's always bullying the weak..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Discussing the princes like that, do you have a death wish?"

Qian Renxue's fingers tightened slightly around her teacup.

Ye Yang... or rather, the guy wearing the Crown Prince's identity, was he really being this brazen? Whipping a prince?

This was absolutely not her style of doing things! What on earth was he trying to do? Was he not afraid of provoking the fury and suspicion of Emperor Xue Ye?

She forced herself to stay calm and continued to listen.

The topic soon shifted to other matters, such as the new deacon at the Nuoding City Spirit Hall branch, the scandals of some minor noble family, and... Nuoding Junior Spirit Master Academy.

"...If we're talking about the most famous place in our Nuoding City, it has to be that Spirit Master Academy! Although it's only a junior one, everyone who gets in is a future Spirit Master!"

"Isn't that the truth! I heard that a couple of incredible work-study students arrived a few years ago. One is named Tang San, with a Blue Silver Grass spirit, and he had innate full spirit power! The other little girl is named Xiao Wu, with a rabbit spirit, and she also had innate full spirit power!"

"Blue Silver Grass? A trash spirit can have innate full spirit power? That's truly rare..."

Tang San? Xiao Wu? Qian Renxue's heart stirred.

As the Young Mistress of Spirit Hall, she paid attention to information regarding promising new-generation Spirit Masters across the continent.

Innate full spirit power Blue Silver Grass? That was truly unheard of. And that Xiao Wu... a rabbit spirit with innate full spirit power was also extremely rare.

"What are the Spirit Hall's awakening Spirit Masters doing? How could they not report something like innate full spirit power?" Qian Renxue frowned, feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

Even if the spirit was Blue Silver Grass, it was still innate full spirit power; there were very few such individuals on the entire continent.

Qian Renxue shook her head. It seemed that if she had the chance later, she would have to mention this to her grandfather. If they stopped reporting geniuses just because their spirits were low-tier, they would be losing out on so many talents.

She left a few copper spirit coins on the table and stood up to leave the teahouse.

It seemed that Nuoding Junior Spirit Master Academy was a place worth visiting.

Coincidentally, she could also see what these two geniuses with innate full spirit power were like now.

However, before that, she needed to go to another place first—the Nuoding City Spirit Hall branch.

With only a few silver spirit coins to her name, she needed to secure some funds. Every month, Spirit Hall provided a decent stipend to Spirit Masters registered within their organization.

One gold spirit coin for a Spirit Master, ten for a Great Spirit Master, and fifty for a Spirit Venerable; they provided no further support after that, as Spirit Venerable was the cap for Spirit Hall's subsidies.

After all, once one reached the level of a Spirit Ancestor, it was impossible to starve to death.

As for whether that hundred-thousand-year spirit ring would be exposed, she wasn't worried. Spirit Hall's criteria for judgment relied only on spirit power, not spirit rings; she just had to make sure not to release her spirit ring when the time came.

Qian Renxue carried her simple bundle and stood before the slightly aged yet still solemn gate of the Nuoding City Spirit Hall branch.

Compared to the magnificent Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City, this place appeared small and cramped.

She took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The light inside the hall was somewhat dim, permeated with the scent of old wood mixed with dust.

An administrative clerk wearing a standard grey robe sat behind a high counter, his expression carrying the numbness typical of small-town officials and a hint of imperceptible arrogance.

Qian Renxue walked up to an empty counter. The middle-aged clerk behind it was looking down at a yellowed register and, without even raising his head, asked in a perfunctory tone, "What is it?"

"Registering as a Spirit Master to collect the subsidy," Qian Renxue said softly. With no familiar people around, she didn't need to imagine the tone Ye Yang would use, and she felt somewhat relaxed.

Only then did the clerk lazily look up.

When he saw that the person standing before him was merely a shabby youth wearing washed-out, patched coarse clothing, a flash of contempt quickly crossed his eyes.

Registering at this age? His spirit was probably mediocre, and his spirit power had likely just broken through level ten.

"Name? Age? Spirit? Spirit power rank?" The clerk picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and spoke in a cold tone.

"Ye Yang. Age... eighteen." Qian Renxue paused slightly before reporting Ye Yang's age. "Spirit... Light Dragon. Spirit power... level thirty."

"What?!" The quill in the clerk's hand "clattered" onto the register, splashing a few ink stains.

He jerked his head up, his eyes wide as saucers, as if he had just heard a tall tale. "Level thirty? Eighteen years old? Kid, are you playing with me?!"

His voice rose sharply, filled with suspicion and reprimand.

Even though level thirty at eighteen was considered low compared to the geniuses in the original story, for a normal person, reaching level thirty by eighteen was already a sign of decent talent.

The villagers waiting nearby and several other clerks were also drawn by this exclamation, their gazes focusing collectively on Qian Renxue.

Level thirty? Eighteen? That was too impressive.

"I am not joking." Qian Renxue frowned slightly, and the majesty of a superior pressed down upon the clerk in that instant.

"Gulp." The clerk had never faced the pressure of a Crown Prince before. Confronted by Qian Renxue's soul-captivating gaze, he instinctively swallowed hard, cold sweat streaming down his face.

The commotion finally alerted a higher-ranking official within the branch hall.

An elderly man wearing white deacon robes with graying hair and a kind face walked quickly out of the inner hall upon hearing the noise.

He was none other than the deacon of the Nuoding City Spirit Hall branch, Ma Xiunuo.

"What is happening? Why all this clamor?"

Ma Xiunuo frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd who had fallen deathly silent, before finally landing on the young man standing at the counter—dressed in coarse cloth, yet standing tall with an extraordinary bearing.

"Ma... Master Ma Xiunuo!" The clerk, as if seeing a savior, hurriedly pointed at Qian Renxue, his voice still trembling.

"This... this Spirit Master says they want to register. Eighteen years old, th... thirty levels of spirit power! I... I was negligent for a moment and offended the master..."

"Eighteen years old? Thirty levels?!" Deacon Ma Xiunuo's cloudy old eyes instantly erupted with a startling brilliance.

He walked quickly to Qian Renxue and scrutinized her carefully.

Although the youth before him was shabbily dressed, her posture was as straight as a pine, her face handsome and resolute, and her eyes deep and calm. She looked nothing like a naive country boy; instead, she faintly exuded an indescribable nobility and composure.

At a glance, she was clearly no ordinary person.