Spirit Hall

The black glow around Lu Mingfei lasted for roughly ten breaths.

Then it slowly receded, finally condensing in his palm and transforming into a thumb-sized tattoo of a black dragon.

It coiled around the back of his right hand, lifelike enough to seem as though it might come alive at any moment.

Su Yuntao suddenly snapped back to his senses and practically lunged at Lu Mingfei. He shoved the crystal ball in front of him, his voice turning shrill and piercing with excessive excitement. "Quick! Test your soul power!"

Lu Mingfei looked at the blue crystal ball before him, hesitated for a moment, then pressed both hands against it.

The instant his palms touched the crystal ball, he felt that surging power within him roil again, as though a sleeping giant dragon had awakened in his veins.

He did not deliberately urge it on, merely allowing the power to flow naturally into the crystal ball.

Blue light lit up.

It was not Tang San's all-encompassing azure, but a deep sea-blue so dark it was nearly black, like an undercurrent in the ten-thousand-meter depths.

The crystal ball shook violently as cracks spread across its surface.

The light grew brighter and brighter until, at last, a crisp crack rang out.

The spirit stone used to test soul power could not withstand the impact of that power and exploded directly into fragments.

Shards flew everywhere, but Su Yuntao seemed unable to feel any pain.

His entire body had frozen in place. His eyes stared fixedly at the shattered crystal ball on the ground, his pupils trembling violently.

"The crystal ball shattered..." Su Yuntao muttered.

"This isn't soul power overflowing. His soul power exceeded the crystal ball's testing limit..."

Su Yuntao abruptly looked up at Lu Mingfei with an almost crazed gaze, his voice rising several pitches.

"Level twenty! At least innate level-twenty soul power—no, perhaps even higher. You were born at the level of a Great Soul Master!"

Su Yuntao was trembling all over. He had overseen awakening ceremonies for six whole years, and the best talent he had ever seen was merely innate level-two soul power paired with a barely usable beast martial soul.

Yet today, he had first encountered Tang San, who possessed innate full soul power. Though his martial soul was rather disappointing, it had still been enough to astonish him.

But he had never imagined that Lu Mingfei, who appeared last, would give him an even more explosive answer.

Innate level-twenty soul power. A Black Dragon martial soul.

What kind of concept was that?

It meant that Lu Mingfei had possessed level-twenty soul power from the moment he left his mother's womb. He did not need any cultivation at all and could begin attaching soul rings immediately.

Throughout the history of the entire Douluo Continent, those whose soul power reached level ten or above upon awakening were already exceptionally rare geniuses.

And those who reached level twenty...

Su Yuntao could not even remember any precedent for it in Spirit Hall's records.

Not to mention that it came paired with a top-tier dragon-type martial soul.

Lu Mingfei lowered his head and looked at the black dragon tattoo on the back of his right hand, his feelings a tangled mess.

Before transmigrating, he had read Douluo Continent. He knew this world's rules, and he knew what this setup of his meant.

Innate level-twenty soul power, a Black Dragon King martial soul—those were protagonist stats in any webnovel.

But he was no protagonist. He was just Lu Mingfei, a worthless student who only knew how to play games.

A loser who had nothing but cowardice.

Lu Mingfei raised his head and met Su Yuntao's bloodshot eyes.

Su Yuntao's expression had completely changed. He was no longer as careless as before, but bore an almost fanatical solemnity.

He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself, but he could not suppress the tremor in his voice.

"Lu Mingfei," Su Yuntao said slowly, enunciating every word. "Do you know what this means?"

Lu Mingfei thought about it, then gave the unsurprising answer. "It means I'm pretty awesome?"

"Awesome?"

Su Yuntao opened his mouth in astonishment. "This is not merely a matter of you being pretty awesome! Innate level-twenty soul power, a Black Dragon martial soul—your talent, in all of Spirit Hall—

No, in the entire Douluo Continent, is among the very best!

Do you know the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?

Even their most outstanding disciples only awaken with around level-nine soul power. Their martial souls are Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragons, a type of lesser dragon, at least a tier below your Black Dragon martial soul!

Do you know what this means?

It means your talent surpasses everyone in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's history!"

Lu Mingfei blinked, fell silent for a while, then asked a question that nearly made Su Yuntao cough up blood.

"Then... can it make money?"

Su Yuntao: "..."

Old Jack stamped his feet anxiously at the side.

"Mingfei! Don't talk nonsense! Lord Su Yuntao, the child doesn't know any better. Please don't take it to heart!"

Su Yuntao rubbed his temples hard and let out a long breath. Then he crouched down, meeting Lu Mingfei's eyes at the same level, and spoke in an unprecedentedly solemn tone.

"Lu Mingfei, I am Su Yuntao, a deacon of Spirit Hall.

Spirit Hall is the strongest force on the Douluo Continent, without question.

The Seven Great Clans must bow before us, and the two great empires pay tribute to Spirit Hall every year.

Spirit Hall possesses the most complete soul master training system on the continent, from junior soul master academies to advanced soul master academies.

From ordinary deacons to red-clad bishops, and then to the Pope.

The resources Spirit Hall can give you are beyond anything any clan or academy can match."

He paused, his burning gaze fixed on Lu Mingfei. "Moreover, Spirit Hall values top-tier talent far more than you can imagine.

His Holiness the Pope especially prizes gifted young people. With talent as astonishing as yours, Spirit Hall will certainly devote every resource to nurturing you.

I can tell you right now: as long as you join Spirit Hall, all your food, clothing, and living expenses will be covered by Spirit Hall.

You will enter Spirit Hall's best academy and receive guidance from the finest mentors.

If you need soul rings, Spirit Hall will send people to hunt the most suitable soul beasts for you.

If you need resources, Spirit Hall will provide them without limit.

You will not need to worry about anything. You only need to do one thing... become stronger."

Lu Mingfei fell silent.

He was not hesitating over whether to join Spirit Hall.

In truth, the instant Su Yuntao began speaking, he had already made his decision.

He had read Douluo Continent and knew that Spirit Hall was the villainous faction in the original story, destined to be destroyed by the protagonist Tang San.

But so what?

He, Lu Mingfei, was not Tang San. He had no prejudice against Spirit Hall.

In his eyes, Spirit Hall in this world had only one label... the strongest force on the Douluo Continent.

And his current goal was simple: become stronger as quickly as possible, strong enough to find Hui Liyi.

To become stronger, he needed resources.

To obtain resources, he needed a backer.

And Spirit Hall was the strongest backer on the Douluo Continent.