A Special Ability Comparable to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda

"Looks like anyone capable of becoming a city lord is no simple man."

No wonder Xiao Chenyu had shown some sense in the original story. He hadn't stubbornly fought Tang San to the bitter end, nor had the "path to death" come to fruition. With a clever father to learn from, he naturally knew who could be offended and who could not.

Xu Qianqian lay quietly on the bed in her bedroom.

Her perception range of five hundred meters allowed her to clearly hear the conversation between Xiao Chenyu and Xiao Yuanshan.

Xiao Chenyu had most likely come looking for her of his own accord. That nominal adoptive father of hers had discovered Xiao Chenyu's actions but had not stopped him, instead observing in secret.

"Is he assessing the value of me, his adopted daughter?" Xu Qianqian gently shook her head. "Perhaps I'm overthinking it."

What value could a soul master incapable of cultivation possibly have?

At most, her fallen Soul King father made her useful as an investment in a promising talent.

Using her domain to duel Xiao Chenyu this time had raised her worth somewhat. Being useful to others was, in a sense, proof of one's value.

"A theoretical master at level 29 from Notting Academy... I wonder if he's that person."

At present, Xu Qianqian did not hold much ill will toward Yu Xiaogang or Tang San.

At the end of the day, they were unrelated strangers. Going out of her way to flaunt her presence before them and stomp on them the moment she transmigrated, acting bitter, resentful, and reckless regardless of the consequences—that would be the strange thing, wouldn't it?

Without any conflict of interest, Tang San couldn't possibly see everyone as being on the "path to death."

As for what might happen ten thousand years later, that was far too distant...

She did not even dare dream of becoming a Titled Douluo, let alone worry about ten thousand years from now. By then, her bones might have turned to dust.

With innate soul power at level zero, a martial soul that might not be entirely useless, and cultivation speed that was utterly pathetic, becoming a Titled Douluo—or even a god—was no different from a daydream.

"You have to eat one bite at a time and take one step at a time."

If you took too big a step, sometimes you could pull something!

Several days later.

In the principal's office at Notting Academy.

"Innate soul power level four and innate soul power level zero." Looking at the letters of recommendation sent over by the City Lord's Manor, Xiao Li, Xiao Yuanshan's younger brother, fell into thought.

Xiao Li, as the principal of Notting Academy, knew that Xiao Yuanshan had adopted a daughter, but it had not seemed like a major matter.

Yet from the contents of the recommendation letter, his elder brother's attitude toward this adopted daughter before him was far more than simply adding an extra pair of chopsticks and a bowl. He truly valued her greatly.

An innate domain...

Perhaps that was the reason?

"Xu Qianqian, I've read your adoptive father's letter." Xiao Li set the letter down, interlacing his fingers on the desk before him.

"Theoretically, a soul master without soul power cannot enter Notting Academy. However, since your martial soul comes with a domain, making an exception to admit you would be somewhat troublesome, but it can be arranged."

"However, I don't think Notting Academy has the ability to make you into a soul master." Xiao Li had already put it very tactfully, saying that Notting Academy lacked the ability rather than bluntly pointing out the issue.

Xiao Li was quite curious about the importance his elder brother placed on his adopted daughter between the lines of the letter, but he truly did not believe that a martial soul without soul power could break through to become a soul master, no matter how special that martial soul was.

"Could you let me see your domain?"

Feeling that the atmosphere had become somewhat heavy, Xiao Li changed the subject.

"Third Uncle, Sister's domain should be mental in nature." Xiao Chenyu, standing beside Xu Qianqian, spoke before she could. "It might even affect ordinary soul masters."

Xiao Li was surprised by the young master's drastic change in behavior.

When his elder brother had previously intended to adopt a daughter, hadn't this young master made a huge fuss over it?

Had he changed his temperament now?

Xiao Li did not dwell on it and turned his gaze back to Xu Qianqian.

"Using my domain places a great burden on me, but another one of my abilities may make my admission much smoother."

Xu Qianqian declined the suggestion to display her domain. She did not particularly want to use it before outsiders. Since even Xiao Yuanshan had been vague about it in his letter, there was no need for her to reveal too much.

"Oh?" Xiao Li was surprised. "What ability might that be?"

"I can appraise soul beasts I encounter. The upper limit of the appraisal is unknown for now, but hundred-year soul beasts are not a problem. The appraisal includes their cultivation age, skills, and weaknesses."

"What?!"

Xiao Li rose to his feet in shock.

Could this be an ability similar to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul's ability to appraise treasures?

"You... are you sure?"

Both Xiao Li and Xiao Chenyu were so stunned that they stood there dumbfounded.

Neither of them had known that Xu Qianqian's martial soul could appraise soul beasts. Xiao Li even looked over the letter Xiao Yuanshan had sent several more times, but found no mention of it.

"Yes, this is an ability of my martial soul."

After receiving Xu Qianqian's confirmation once more, Xiao Li's eyes immediately blazed with excitement.

Appraisal—this was the appraisal of soul beasts!

Why was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect the richest in the land? Because their ability to appraise treasures was simply too strong. They might even uncover an invaluable treasure in some remote mountain nook.

Appraising a soul beast's cultivation could exponentially reduce the danger students faced when absorbing soul rings.

For a soul master academy, this was no different from help arriving in the nick of time.

"Good, good! Excellent!" Xiao Li exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "Xu Qianqian, I approve your application for admission. You previously mentioned wanting to be a librarian. Is that related to this ability as well?"

"Yes. The more I know about soul beasts, the less mental energy I consume during appraisal."

"I don't know whether I'll be able to become a soul master in the future, but I hope to make up for that in this area." Xu Qianqian voiced her ambition. Her purpose in coming here was to read.

"I approve. From now on, you will be the librarian of Notting Academy's main library, as well as an honorary instructor of Notting Academy."

The ability to appraise soul beasts was extremely important to soul masters. Even if she could not become a soul master, even if she could only appraise those below the thousand-year level, it was still enough for her to be a teacher at Notting Academy.

After all, people could only roughly judge a soul beast's age, and they might still make mistakes.

But if she could see through it all at a glance, that would be a remarkable advantage.

It was equivalent to saving the lives of soul masters absorbing soul rings.

If he still refused, then Xiao Li's brain must have been kicked by a donkey.

After Xu Qianqian and Xiao Chenyu left, Xiao Li sat quietly, recalling how Xu Qianqian had deftly handled his questions earlier.

"She really is just as Big Brother said—not like a child at all."

"She may still be hiding something." Xiao Li picked up Xu Qianqian's letter of introduction. It was written entirely in his elder brother Xiao Yuanshan's hand: "Do not investigate. Give her as much freedom as possible."

"Is it out of guilt toward that girl's father, or for some other reason?"

"How intriguing!"

"Big Sis, can you really appraise the cultivation age of soul beasts?" Xiao Chenyu could not help asking as they walked back. After several days of waking up in the middle of the night, plagued by nightmares of being chased down by hungry wolves, the young master had become much more obedient.

"I can. It's an ability bestowed by my martial soul, but I need a better understanding of soul beast information. That's why I had my adoptive father write a letter of recommendation for me."

Silence. After a long silence, Xiao Chenyu asked again:

"How confident are you that you can break through and become a soul master?"

Without soul power, one could not become a soul master. That was an iron law of the Douluo Continent.

If one could not even meditate, how could one become a soul master?

"Who knows?" Xu Qianqian smiled softly and changed the subject. "Don't overthink it. The headmaster told us to visit Master Yu. Do you know where he lives?"