Light of Hope

Matthew Nuo stood in the center of the hall, watching Tang Ling's figure disappear through the doorway. He waited for another dozen breaths, and only after confirming that the lord had truly left did he finally let out a long sigh of relief.

His back was already drenched in cold sweat, and his legs still felt weak.

As the bishop of Spirit Hall's Notting City branch, he had held this position for over a decade and met many important figures. Yet none of them had ever given him such a sense of oppression—a tremor born from the depths of his soul, like the instinctive terror of an ant facing its natural predator.

"Lord Bishop..." Su Yuntao cautiously approached, keeping his voice extremely low. "Who... exactly was that?"

Matthew Nuo waved a hand without answering. He had Su Yuntao gather everyone who had undergone awakening. After quite some time, he straightened his robes and returned to the center of the hall.

"Everyone." His voice was several degrees deeper than before, though it remained commanding. "As it happens, there is a new policy to announce today."

All the parents and children looked toward him. No one dared make a sound.

"From this day onward, all six-year-old children must receive basic cultural education after undergoing martial soul awakening. Spirit Hall will establish free schools in every city-state, teaching foundational subjects such as history, morality, law, arithmetic, and literacy." Matthew Nuo swept his gaze across the room, his tone leaving no room for dispute. "Only those who pass the assessment will be eligible to receive Spirit Master subsidies."

The hall fell silent for a moment before erupting into hushed discussion.

"Free schools? Spirit Hall is paying for them?"

"History, law, arithmetic... what does any of that have to do with anything? Shouldn't Spirit Masters be learning how to fight?"

"No subsidies if we don't study? Isn't that forcing us to go to school?"

Matthew Nuo ignored the chatter. In truth, when the order from the Papal Hall had first reached him, he too had found it utterly baffling. But the Pope's tone had been absolute, leaving no room for discussion, so he could only comply.

"There is one more matter." Matthew Nuo raised a hand, signaling for silence. "For children who possess no soul power and cannot cultivate through the Spirit Master system, Spirit Hall now offers an entirely new cultivation system. Naturally, those with soul power may cultivate it as well if they wish."

The instant those words left his mouth, the noise in the hall vanished.

The children who had previously been tested and found to possess useless martial souls and zero innate soul power all lifted their heads, hope rekindling in their eyes.

"This cultivation system does not rely on martial soul talent, nor does it use soul rings as its means of advancement. Anyone can cultivate it." Matthew Nuo's voice echoed through the hall. "It can be cultivated directly to the peak of Qi Refinement, equivalent to the peak of a Spirit Master."

Boom—

The hall exploded into an uproar.

"It doesn't rely on martial soul talent? Does that mean even useless martial souls can cultivate?"

"The peak of Qi Refinement is equivalent to the peak of a Spirit Master? Is that true?"

"Anyone can cultivate it? Even ordinary people with no soul power?"

The eyes of those children previously judged to have "no talent for becoming Spirit Masters" shone with an unprecedented brilliance. Their parents trembled with excitement, and some even reddened around the eyes on the spot.

For countless years, because they lacked good martial souls or innate soul power, they had been sentenced to death by fate. They could only farm, forge iron, or labor at the lowest level for the rest of their lives, never given a chance to rise.

And now, Spirit Hall was telling them that there was another path.

Watching their excited reactions, Matthew Nuo sighed inwardly. When he had first seen this cultivation system, his reaction had been even more intense than theirs.

If this cultivation method was real, it would be nothing less than an earthshaking revolution for the entirety of Soul Land.

But he had not forgotten the Pope's warning.

"This is only the basic cultivation method. Spirit Hall can provide it for free." Matthew Nuo took a jade slip from his robes.

"To obtain the subsequent cultivation methods, you must formally join Spirit Hall, sign a contract, and exchange contribution points for them. Contribution points may be earned through, but are not limited to, completing missions, teaching, research, and years of service. The specific rules will be announced by each branch hall in due course."

He did not conceal any of the conditions. These were rules set by Tang Ling, and Pope Bibi Dong had not dared alter a single word.

"Now." Matthew Nuo put away the jade slip, then took out a fist-sized crystal sphere from his robes and placed it on the table. "All children who wish to cultivate this system must first have their spiritual root aptitude tested."

This crystal sphere was entirely different from the one used to test soul power earlier. It was completely transparent, with a cloud of pale golden mist floating within. The mist slowly swirled under the light, emitting an energy fluctuation wholly unlike soul power. It was faint, yet exceptionally pure, as though it contained the most fundamental laws of heaven and earth.

This was the tool Tang Ling had given Spirit Hall: the Spirit Root Testing Pearl.

"From highest to lowest, spiritual roots are classified as heavenly spiritual roots, top-grade spiritual roots, upper, middle, and lower spiritual roots, false spiritual roots, and no spiritual roots." Matthew Nuo pointed to the crystal sphere as he spoke.

"Those with spiritual roots may cultivate immortal path techniques or martial path techniques. Those without spiritual roots may only cultivate martial path techniques. Both paths can lead to the pinnacle. When the time comes, you may choose according to your own circumstances."

He paused, then pushed the crystal sphere to the edge of the table.

"Now, anyone who wishes to be tested, come forward one at a time."

The children looked at one another, all somewhat hesitant. The crushing drop from hope to disappointment during the soul power test was still fresh in their minds. No one wanted to go through that again.

In the end, it was the boy who had awakened the sickle martial soul who stepped forward first and placed his hand on the crystal sphere.

The pale golden mist began to spin. A moment later, a faint light appeared inside the sphere, like the dying flame of a candle in the wind, swaying as though it might go out at any moment.

"Lower spiritual root. You have a spiritual root and may cultivate the immortal path." Matthew Nuo nodded, his tone far gentler than it had been during the soul power test.

The boy froze. Then his eyes suddenly reddened.

During the soul power test, he had tested at level zero. When Su Yuntao had expressionlessly pronounced "zero," he had thought his life was over.

But now, this bishop was telling him that he could cultivate.

"Next."

The children stepped forward one after another. Most had no spiritual roots. A tiny number possessed lower spiritual roots, and the occasional middle spiritual root earned a nod of praise from Matthew Nuo.

Though no aptitude above an upper spiritual root appeared, the atmosphere in the hall grew more and more fervent.

Every time the words "has a spiritual root" were announced, another child broke into a smile. It was the smile of someone condemned to death by fate, only to suddenly be told, "You may keep living."

After the last child finished testing, Matthew Nuo closed the register and declared the day's awakening ceremony officially concluded.

Yet his gaze drifted involuntarily toward the doorway.

Holy Soul Village.

That Lord Tang San's adopted son.

What kind of aptitude would he have?

Matthew Nuo shook his head, casting the thought from his mind.

That lord's affairs were not his concern.