Joining the Spirit Pagoda

The numbers on the soul guidance display soared, climbing without pause.

Thirty, forty, fifty, sixty... one hundred...

The numbers kept flickering, rising higher and higher.

"Innate Spirit Connection Realm! He really is a genius." Su Haitao stared at the scene before him in disbelief as the numbers on the soul guidance screen finally stopped changing.

"188!!!" Su Haitao stared at the number on the screen and read it aloud with a trembling voice.

"Little brother, what's your name?" He crouched down and grabbed Ziyang by the shoulders.

"Ziyang," the boy answered calmly.

"Ziyang. That's a lovely name. Are you interested in joining our Spirit Pagoda? You can get a Century Soul Spirit for free." Su Haitao excitedly grasped Ziyang's hand and looked into the boy's eyes as though he were looking at his year-end bonus.

A genius, an absolute genius!

Innate Full Soul Power! Innate Spirit Connection Realm!

He would be a sought-after genius anywhere.

As long as Su Haitao recruited him, his year-end bonus would be secured.

"Little Ziyang, what do you think? A soul spirit can save you a huge amount of money!" Su Haitao continued trying to recruit him without giving up. This was his bonus, his performance record—he absolutely could not let it get away.

Ziyang was somewhat overwhelmed by the attention and began recalling what the Spirit Pagoda had done in the original story.

The Qian Gu Family had cooperated with the Holy Spirit Cult and blown up Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect.

They could hardly be called good people. Then again, after blowing up Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect, they could not be all that bad.

He was an orphan, and for his future development, joining the Spirit Pagoda was undoubtedly the most suitable choice.

"I..." Ziyang was just about to speak when he thought of his friends still at the orphanage. "Master Su Haitao, if I join the Spirit Pagoda, can the Spirit Pagoda provide some support for our orphanage?"

"This..." Su Haitao froze. That condition was beyond his authority. "Wait, I'll contact the Pagoda Master for you."

As he spoke, he dialed the landline in the awakening room.

"The Pagoda Master will come down shortly. With your talent, he'll definitely agree." Su Haitao placed a hand over Ziyang's. "This is the first time I've heard such a request. Children your age usually only think about themselves. Sometimes, you should think more about yourself too. Children should act like children."

"But if I leave, their lives still won't get any better. This is the fastest way I can think of to improve their lives." Ziyang's voice was calm. He merely wanted to help the director as much as possible, so she would not have to work so hard.

"You're a good child." Su Haitao nodded and revealed a bitter smile.

The door to the awakening room suddenly opened, and heavy footsteps echoed across the metal floor.

A burly middle-aged man stepped into the room. His shoulders were as broad as an iron tower, and every step seemed to carry an invisible pressure. His gaze was sharp as an eagle's, landing directly on Ziyang.

"Xiaotao, is this the child you said has Innate Full Soul Power?" His voice was low and resonant, making the air tremble faintly.

Su Haitao immediately bent at the waist and hurried forward, his face filled with a fawning smile. "Yes, Pagoda Master Li, it's absolutely true!"

Pagoda Master Li did not spare him another glance and walked straight toward Ziyang. His towering frame cast a shadow over the boy, making Ziyang unconsciously tense his back.

"Little Ziyang, correct?" Pagoda Master Li leaned down slightly, an indistinct smile on his lips, though his eyes held scrutiny.

Ziyang swallowed, his fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of his clothes. "Hello, Pagoda Master. I would like to ask you to support our orphanage."

Pagoda Master Li raised a brow slightly. A trace of surprise flashed through his eyes before they returned to calm. "Support the East Sea Orphanage? Of course that can be arranged."

"As long as you join the Spirit Pagoda, none of this will be a problem."

To him, the money needed to support an orphanage was not even worth as much as a Century Soul Spirit.

Ziyang's eyes lit up, and he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Pagoda Master!"

Pagoda Master Li reached out and supported his shoulder, neither too lightly nor too heavily. "No need to be so polite." He paused, his voice softening. "Just call me Pagoda Master Li from now on."

With that, he turned and began walking, signaling for Ziyang to follow. "Come. I'll take you back to see your director."

In the lobby, Yao Shiyu paced back and forth, her gaze constantly sweeping toward the awakening room. Ziyang had been inside for so long that she was especially anxious.

"Why is it taking so long..." she murmured, her voice trembling. "Could the awakening have failed? Or did something go wrong with his martial soul?" Just then, footsteps sounded from the end of the corridor.

Yao Shiyu abruptly raised her head and saw an imposing middle-aged man walking over while holding Ziyang's hand. Behind them followed a strange soul beast covered in pitch-black, chilling scales.

Pagoda Master Li stopped before her, his gaze calm. "You must be the director of the East Sea Orphanage. I am Li Jing, the Pagoda Master of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda."

Almost instinctively, Yao Shiyu pulled Ziyang behind her as though a mother protecting her child. Her voice was taut. "You came here personally... Did Ziyang get into trouble?"

The corners of Li Jing's mouth lifted slightly as he shook his head. "Quite the opposite. The Spirit Pagoda has decided to support your orphanage." His gaze passed over Yao Shiyu and fell upon Ziyang. "And this child possesses outstanding talent. He has already officially joined the Spirit Pagoda."

Ziyang met her gaze and slowly nodded, his violet eyes as tranquil as a deep pool. "Director, it's true."

Yao Shiyu's eyes reddened slightly as she stroked Ziyang's head. "Ziyang, your talent must be very high..." The end of her sentence trembled almost imperceptibly. "You didn't have to do this. You should think more about yourself."

Ziyang noticed the fleeting loneliness in her eyes and calmly said, "Director, I'll have plenty of opportunities in the future."

Li Jing nodded lightly at his words. "That's right. The Spirit Pagoda is not such an unfeeling organization."

He paused, his gaze deep as an abyss. "Ziyang, go back for now. I will submit your information directly to headquarters. With your talent, I'll need to carefully choose a soul spirit for you."

The boy lowered his lashes and respectfully saluted him. "Thank you, Pagoda Master Li."

After thanking him again, Yao Shiyu led Ziyang and the other three toward the main entrance. The pitch-black little beast followed close behind, its scales glinting with a cold, eerie sheen beneath the lights.

"Pagoda Master, that child..." Su Haitao stepped forward and asked.

"With talent like that, I truly am not qualified to teach him." Li Jing had a clear understanding of his own limits. With such talent, perhaps only the great figures at headquarters could teach him.

"Report this information to headquarters as soon as possible. Some matters are better left to those great figures."

When Ziyang walked out of the Spirit Pagoda, Yao Shiyu unconsciously turned back to look at the towering building.

Ziyang noticed her movement but did not turn around, simply allowing her to lead him by the hand.

The little beast hurried after Ziyang. "Don't walk so fast! Wait for me, this lord!"