Hundred-Year Soul Spirit

The female Spirit Pagoda master's gaze roamed over Bai Lin's face, as though searching for some clue that could explain this astonishing talent.

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately could not help asking:

"Child, can you tell me..."

"What is your martial soul?"

There was a trace of barely perceptible anticipation in her voice. Perhaps...

It was some rare spiritual-type martial soul?

Bai Lin looked at her with clear eyes and answered calmly:

"Blue Silver Grass."

"Blue..."

"Blue Silver Grass?"

The female Spirit Pagoda master's expression instantly froze.

That last faint thought of recruiting or nurturing him, ignited by his spiritual power,

was like a basin of icy water being dumped over her head, extinguished completely with a soft "puff."

Overwhelming regret instantly replaced every other emotion, even more intense than her previous shock!

The light in her eyes rapidly dimmed. She shook her head and let out an almost inaudible sigh.

Blue Silver Grass...

No matter how high his spiritual power was, before this useless martial soul, it all seemed so pale and laughable.

Her expression completely returned to its previous formulaic blandness, even taking on a hint of disinterested coldness.

"Come with me."

She no longer looked at Bai Lin. Her voice became businesslike again as she turned and walked toward another room.

Behind that door lay the key to the beginning of Bai Lin's path as a Soul Master—random Soul Spirit selection.

The room was not large. In its center stood a strangely shaped Soul Guidance device, like a massive metal roulette wheel shimmering with a dim glow.

At the center of the wheel was a green button, connected to an output slot beside it.

"Stand in front of it and press the green button."

The female Spirit Pagoda master was concise, as though even one extra word was a waste.

Bai Lin took a deep breath and stepped forward.

He placed his small hand on the icy green button.

"Buzz!"

A low hum sounded from within the machine. A dark-blue glow instantly began to flow through it like a river of stars!

The points of light on the wheel flashed wildly, growing faster and faster until they became a blurred band of light!

A few seconds later, the light abruptly stopped!

"Ding!"

With a crisp notification sound, the output slot beneath the machine gently popped open.

A fist-sized sphere, radiating a soft white glow, quietly rolled out.

Its surface was smooth like the purest jade, and faint energy seemed to be circulating inside it.

Expressionless, the female Spirit Pagoda master picked up the white Soul Spirit sphere. It was icy cold in her hand.

She glanced at it, her eyes utterly without ripples, as though it were merely an ordinary object.

She handed the Soul Spirit sphere to Bai Lin. "Hold onto it. Release it outside."

Bai Lin carefully accepted the Soul Spirit sphere. It felt heavy in his hands and carried a strange aura of life.

He followed the female Spirit Pagoda master out of the selection room and back into the main hall.

Tang Ziran had long been unable to sit still in the waiting area. The moment he saw his son emerge, he sprang from his chair like a coiled spring and rushed over. Nervously gripping Bai Lin's shoulders, he looked him over from head to toe.

"Son! How was it?"

"Did you get one?"

"What is it?"

His voice carried uncontrollable anxiety and anticipation.

Bai Lin showed his father the white Soul Spirit sphere in his hand.

Tang Ziran looked at the pristine white sphere, and his heart sank—white usually represented a ten-year Soul Spirit, the most ordinary kind.

Though he had already prepared himself mentally, an overwhelming sense of loss still seized him in an instant.

"This is a random Soul Spirit sphere. You won't know its exact level and type until it's released."

The female Spirit Pagoda master gave a cold explanation from the side, then handed Bai Lin a palm-sized Soul Guidance device resembling a remote control. It had only one red button.

"Press this button to release the Soul Spirit inside."

Bai Lin nodded and gently placed the Soul Spirit sphere on the polished floor.

He glanced at his father's tense face, then sensed Hei Lin's cold, focused will within his sea of consciousness.

He took a deep breath, extended his index finger, and steadily pressed the red button!

"Buzz—!"

The white Soul Spirit sphere instantly burst with light!

Soft white radiance rippled outward like waves!

Then, as if fuel had been added to it, the white light rapidly deepened and brightened at a visible speed!

Milky white...

Bright white...

Brilliant yellow!

When the glow finally stabilized, it was a dazzling, pure—brilliant yellow!

"Brilliant yellow!"

"A hundred-year Soul Spirit!"

The female Spirit Pagoda master, who had remained expressionless all this time, finally could no longer stay calm!

She cried out in shock, and for the first time, undisguised astonishment and disbelief appeared on her face!

She stared incredulously at the Soul Spirit sphere on the floor radiating brilliant yellow light, then abruptly raised her head to look at Bai Lin, her gaze as though she were looking at some freak who had stepped in heaven-defying dog shit!

"A hundred..."

"A hundred-year Soul Spirit!"

Tang Ziran was even more thunderstruck!

An immense surprise instantly engulfed him like a tsunami!

He suddenly pulled Bai Lin tightly into his arms. His voice trembled violently with excitement, even catching with emotion.

"Son!"

"My good son!"

"A hundred-year Soul Spirit!"

"It's a hundred-year Soul Spirit! Your..."

"Your luck..."

"That's wonderful! Wonderful!"

He spun around with Bai Lin in his arms before setting down the boy, who had also been stunned senseless by the unexpected joy. Tang Ziran's face was glowing, all his previous depression and worry swept away, leaving behind only overwhelming ecstasy and high spirits!

"Congratulations."

The female Spirit Pagoda master barely suppressed the storm in her heart and forced out a somewhat stiff, professional smile at Bai Lin. Her tone even carried a rare trace of genuine politeness.

"The chance of drawing a hundred-year Soul Spirit from a random selection is extremely low."

"Your luck..."

"Really is exceptionally good."

Within the sea of consciousness, Hei Lin's cold will, which had been tightly wound all this time, loosened slightly.

Looking at the brilliant yellow light outside, he gave an extremely faint snort, carrying a trace of barely noticeable satisfaction.

"Hmph."

"It's..."

"Not bad."

The brilliant yellow glow gradually receded, shrinking back into the Soul Spirit sphere like a retreating tide.

Fine cracks began to appear across the sphere's surface, its shell flaking away piece by piece like an eggshell and dissolving into the air.

When the light and fragments had completely vanished, an unusual creature appeared before them, coiled on the floor.

Its entire body was covered in fine, lustrous golden scales that gleamed with a cold, metallic texture beneath the Spirit Pagoda's soft lighting.

It was only a little over a meter long, and though its body was not thick, it appeared extraordinarily flexible and powerful, its flowing lines brimming with strength.

Its triangular head was slightly raised. A pair of cold, vertical pupils, as if forged from pure gold, swept over the surroundings without the slightest emotion. Deep within those eyes, icy flames seemed to flicker.

A scarlet forked tongue flicked in and out from time to time, producing faint hissing sounds and carrying the dangerous aura unique to cold-blooded creatures.