Holy Son Candidates: Chu Jin Recognizes Only Merit in Battle

Three days after the five-versus-five training ended.

The Papal Hall and Worship Hall issued notices at the same time.

A joint meeting was to be held.

Participants included Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu, several Worship Hall priests, Papal Hall elders, and Spirit Academy leadership.

The meeting's contents were not disclosed to ordinary soul masters.

However, Chu Jin had been notified in advance that he needed to enter the hall and state his thoughts.

Inside the Papal Hall.

Bibi Dong sat upright upon the Papal Throne.

Dressed in a luxurious robe and holding a scepter, her violet eyes calmly swept across everyone in the hall.

Qian Daoliu sat at the head of the Worship Hall's side.

Golden Crocodile, Guang Ling, and the others took their seats in turn.

Yue Guan and Gui Mei stood below Bibi Dong.

The Spirit Academy headmaster and several elders sat in the middle.

Bibi Dong spoke first.

"Chu Jin entered Spirit City one year ago."

"He is currently level twenty and has yet to obtain his second soul ring."

"He possesses two martial souls: the Twelve-Winged Holy Dragon Hatchling and Double Pupils."

"His first soul ring is eight hundred and eighty years old. His First Soul Skill possesses mental intimidation, dragon might, and light suppression."

"In individual combat, he has defeated a level-twenty-six Agility Attack System Soul Grandmaster and the level-twenty-seven Yan."

"In team operations, he commanded eleven people on the Bluestone Town mountain road to defeat over thirty bandits. In River Valley Town, he commanded over a hundred low-level soul masters and civilians in an evacuation, and also participated in killing the level-fifty-four Blood Butcher."

"In the academy's temporary team battle, he led four students with an average level of sixteen to defeat Xie Yue and Hu Liena's team."

Her voice echoed through the hall.

Every one of those accomplishments would have been remarkable on its own.

All of them concentrated upon a seven-year-old child could no longer be judged by talent alone.

"I propose."

"That Chu Jin be named a Holy Son candidate of Spirit Hall."

No objections immediately arose within the hall.

The Spirit Hall Holy Son represented the highest status among the younger generation.

Under normal circumstances, one needed to reach the Soul Ancestor or even Soul King realm, then pass numerous missions and internal assessments before being confirmed.

Chu Jin was too young, and his level was too low.

What Bibi Dong proposed was candidacy.

It was not an immediate bestowal of the Holy Son title.

Golden Crocodile spoke first.

"Candidacy is acceptable."

"But the matter of who is responsible for his training must be made clear."

A Papal Hall elder frowned.

"Chu Jin is a Spirit Hall disciple."

"The Holy Son also represents all of Spirit Hall. What training affiliation is there to discuss?"

"He has lived in the Worship Hall this past year and trained in the Heavy Halberd under me."

Golden Crocodile's tone was heavy.

"The candidate for his first soul ring was also selected by the Worship Hall."

"Now the Papal Hall wants to take him away with a single declaration of Holy Son candidacy?"

Yue Guan lightly coughed.

"I was responsible for researching Xiao Jin's growth path."

"Strictly speaking, the Papal Hall has also contributed quite a bit."

Guang Ling leaned back in his chair.

"That was only because you kept running to the Worship Hall yourself."

"When I taught him combat judgment, you were nowhere to be seen."

Yue Guan's eye twitched faintly.

"Who do you think organized all the martial soul material lists?"

"The Materials Repository belongs to the Worship Hall."

"The Soul Beast Illustrated Handbook came from the Papal Hall library."

The dispute between the two sides quickly shifted from Holy Son candidacy to their respective contributions to Chu Jin's training over the past year.

Qian Daoliu never spoke.

Bibi Dong did not stop them either.

She understood very well that the Worship Hall was not opposed to Chu Jin becoming a Holy Son candidate.

Golden Crocodile and the others merely feared that the Papal Hall would use the Holy Son title to pull Chu Jin completely into Bibi Dong's faction.

Spirit Hall already had two separate systems: the Papal Hall and the Worship Hall.

It was precisely because both sides recognized Chu Jin's potential that they were fighting over him.

The Spirit Academy headmaster spoke. "Your Holiness, esteemed priests."

"Even after becoming a Holy Son candidate, Chu Jin can continue living in the Worship Hall."

"He can also attend academy courses and participate in Papal Hall missions as usual."

"There is no need to immediately divide his training affiliation."

One elder said, "The issue is his age."

"Spirit Hall has never had a seven-year-old Holy Son candidate."

"Once this matter is made public, the other young disciples will certainly refuse to accept it."

"Yan, Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and the geniuses sent by the major subordinate sects all possess higher Soul Power Levels than Chu Jin."

Golden Crocodile looked at the elder who had spoken.

"Does higher Soul Power Level mean greater strength?"

The elder's expression changed slightly.

"This old man merely believes it is too early to confirm his candidacy now."

"It would not be too late to wait until Chu Jin breaks through to Soul Elder and completes several official missions."

Another elder nodded.

"The resources and status granted to a Holy Son candidate far exceed those of ordinary core disciples."

"Would deciding it based solely on potential and a few battles make the other disciples feel that the opportunity was unfair?"

The debate in the hall gradually focused on a single question.

Was Chu Jin qualified?

The supporters believed that his accomplishments over the past year already surpassed those of most young geniuses.

The opponents were not denying his talent.

They believed that the position of Holy Son was too important to be decided prematurely when he was only seven.

After hearing everyone's opinions, Bibi Dong turned her gaze toward the hall entrance.

"Let Chu Jin enter."

The hall doors slowly opened.

Dressed in black training clothes, with an eight-hundred-jin Dark Iron Heavy Halberd secured to his back, Chu Jin walked into the hall alone.

Xiao Jin was not perched on his shoulder.

It followed at Chu Jin's feet, its wings folded in, its steps far steadier than before.

Chu Jin reached the center of the hall.

"Greetings, Your Holiness, Grand Priest, esteemed priests, and elders."

Bibi Dong did not ask him to kneel.

"You heard the discussion outside the hall just now?"

"I heard part of it."

"Do you want to become Spirit Hall's Holy Son?"

"I do."

Chu Jin answered directly.

An elder asked, "Do you believe you are worthy of it now?"

"Not now."

Many people in the hall showed surprise.

Golden Crocodile frowned.

Bibi Dong continued asking, "Why?"

"The Holy Son represents Spirit Hall's younger generation."

Chu Jin looked around at everyone in the hall.

"I currently possess only one soul ring."

"I have only participated in one official mission, the one in River Valley Town."

"My personal record consists of only a few academy sparring matches."

"These achievements are enough to make me a core disciple, but not enough to convince all young soul masters."

The elder who had previously raised the issue of age relaxed slightly.

Chu Jin then said, "But I do not believe we need to wait until Soul Elder or Soul Ancestor."

"Level is only one of the standards for a Holy Son."

"Strength, military merit, team ability, and contribution to Spirit Hall should all be counted."

"I am not worthy now, but that does not mean others are."

Yan, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena were not attending the meeting.

Yet all the Papal Hall elders knew whom Chu Jin was referring to.

He did not give up competing for the Holy Son position simply because he was young.

Nor did he admit that the other young geniuses were already more suitable than him.

A faint curve appeared at the corner of Bibi Dong's lips.

"What do you mean?"

"Make it public."

Chu Jin said, "Hold a Holy Son Tournament in two years."

"Soul masters of eligible age from the Papal Hall, Worship Hall, Spirit Academy, and subordinate sects may all participate."

"Individual battles, team battles, missions, and military merit will all be counted together."

"The final winner will become the Holy Son."

The hall fell silent.

This proposal was simple.

And extremely direct.

No sole candidate would be determined in advance.

No position would be assigned based on identity or faction.

Two years was enough time for Chu Jin to absorb his second and third soul rings, and for the other young geniuses to continue growing as well.

Anyone dissatisfied could personally fight for it in the tournament.

Golden Crocodile was the first to laugh.

"Good."

"Fight for the position, so no one can claim later that the Worship Hall protected him."

Yue Guan nodded as well.

"The Papal Hall has no objections."

An elder said, "Two years from now, Chu Jin will only be around nine."

"His age is his own problem."

Guang Ling's tone was lazy.

"If the others cannot even defeat a nine-year-old child, what face do they have to become Holy Son?"

The Spirit Academy headmaster pondered for a moment.

"The Holy Son Tournament can strengthen competition within the academy."

"Assessing individual strength and team ability together is also more comprehensive than merely looking at Soul Power Level."

More and more voices rose in support.

Qian Daoliu finally spoke.

"I agree."

"Before the tournament begins, Chu Jin will be named the first Holy Son candidate."

"Anyone else who completes the corresponding military merit and academy assessments may also obtain candidate status."

Bibi Dong's scepter lightly struck the floor.

"Approved."

"The Holy Son Tournament will be held in two years."

"The specific rules will be jointly formulated by the Papal Hall, Worship Hall, and Spirit Academy."

"The news will be made public within Spirit Hall."

After the meeting ended, Chu Jin walked out of the Papal Hall.

Qian Renxue was waiting at the bottom of the long steps.

She had clearly already heard the final decision.

"First Holy Son candidate."

"How did that feel?"

"Just a candidate."

Chu Jin walked forward.

"You're not taking part?"

Qian Renxue fell into step beside him.

"The Six-Winged Angel has its own inheritance."

"Saintess, Young Mistress, or future Pope—they're all just titles to me."

She glanced at Chu Jin.

"The position of Holy Son is yours to take."

Chu Jin nodded.

"Fine."

As the two passed below Pope Mountain, Yue Guan caught up from behind.

He held a newly compiled list of soul beasts.

"Put the matter of the Holy Son aside for now."

"You're already level twenty. Your second soul ring can't be delayed any longer."

Yue Guan handed the list to Chu Jin.

"The Worship Hall and the Papal Hall jointly selected forty-two types of soul beasts."

"They've been ranked by growth potential, bloodline compatibility, and soul skill direction."

Chu Jin opened to the first page.

A dragon lizard, black all over with golden light sacs growing on its belly, appeared in the illustrated booklet.

[Light-Eating Dragon Lizard.]

[Estimated soul skill directions: energy devouring, Soul Power recovery, attribute counterattack.]

Xiao Jin poked its head out from behind Chu Jin.

It stared at the dragon lizard in the booklet for a moment, then pressed a claw onto the image.

Then it opened its mouth and bit down on the picture.