Fake Spirit Hall Certificate

"Holy Soul Village? I think it would be better called the Nonsensical Village!"

The gatekeeper stood with his hands on his hips, utterly arrogant.

Yang Ming and the other two were furious!

No matter how well-mannered Yang Ming was, at that moment, he had the urge to tear that foul mouth apart!

Just then, a somewhat hoarse voice rang out, stopping the gatekeeper from taking things further.

"Enough. Stop."

The gatekeeper froze for a moment, then reacted. Once he saw who had arrived, he changed expressions like a chameleon. A moment ago, he had looked down on country people like some superior city dweller; the next, his face turned fawning as he bowed and scraped before the newcomer.

"Master, you're back."

Yang Ming looked closely and saw that the newcomer was a middle-aged man.

He was of average height and rather thin, with an ordinary face that had nothing remarkable about it. He looked somewhere between forty and fifty, with short black hair. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his relaxed manner carried a hint of laziness and dejection, giving him the air of an old shut-in.

Master glanced sideways at the gatekeeper and ignored his blatant flattery. He beckoned to Old Jack.

"Sir, could you let me see the Spirit Hall certificate?"

Old Jack was delighted. With his experience, he could naturally tell that this Master was no ordinary person and likely held considerable influence at the academy. He immediately handed over the certificate in his hand.

Master glanced at the certificate, and surprise appeared on his face.

Tang San, Martial Soul awakened: Blue Silver Grass. Innate Full Soul Power.

Yang Ming, Martial Soul awakened: Mysterious Sword. Innate Full Soul Power.

Even with Master's vast knowledge and experience, the fact that two geniuses had appeared at once in Holy Soul Village, such a remote village, truly made his eyes light up.

But...

Master carefully examined Yang Ming's certificate, and his surprise gradually turned strange.

The two certificates looked identical, but it was like examining counterfeit banknotes: one of them felt noticeably different to the touch. Ordinary people would find it difficult to notice, but Master was well-read and knowledgeable, so he naturally understood the trick behind it.

Yang Ming had been watching the changes in Master's expression. When he saw that strange look on his face, his heart suddenly tightened.

"Master, is something wrong? Is there a problem with this certificate?"

Yang Ming had not forgotten the conflict he had had with Cao Mengyun three months ago.

Cao Mengyun not making a move in public back then did not mean he had not left behind some underhanded scheme.

Master did not answer immediately. Instead, he carefully sized Yang Ming up. Seeing his sharply defined features, thick brows, and bright eyes, and that he did not look like some villain who committed crimes, he pondered briefly before speaking.

"It seems someone at Spirit Hall made an error. This certificate is fake."

Yang Ming's heart sank. He had never expected Cao Mengyun to resort to such a filthy method and forge the certificate!

It was like applying to university. If the person in charge gave you a fake acceptance letter, once the fraud was exposed, you would lose face and lose your chance to attend university as well!

That was exactly the awkward predicament Yang Ming found himself in now.

"Haha, what did I say? I told you long ago that your certificate was fake!" The gatekeeper sneered smugly. "Country bumpkins will always be country bumpkins. You actually used such shady methods just to enter our Junior Soul Master Academy. Why don't you piss in a puddle and look at yourself? Look at what you are, bah!"

As he spoke, the gatekeeper spat at Yang Ming.

A cold gleam flashed through Yang Ming's eyes. Using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he dodged the incoming spit and appeared in front of the gatekeeper. The fury he had been suppressing erupted.

"I've tolerated you for a long time. Now, I don't need to anymore!"

One punch, then another, every blow landing solidly!

His fierce, unstoppable fists smashed into the gatekeeper's mouth, knocking it crooked and shattering every one of his teeth.

Blood filled his mouth! Yang Ming had deliberately held back his strength. Otherwise, the gatekeeper would already have been crippled.

"Wuwu!"

The gatekeeper wanted to say something, but blood sprayed from his mouth the instant he opened it. His toothless, ruined mouth looked utterly ridiculous. He could only look pleadingly toward Master, hoping he would uphold justice for him.

Master did not even spare that petty man a glance. Instead, he looked at Yang Ming with great interest.

"Little fellow, there must be some misunderstanding here. Why don't you show me your Martial Soul and let me have a look?"

After venting some of his anger, Yang Ming immediately felt a flicker of hope at Master's words that he might still be able to attend the academy.

He spread open his right palm, and golden light gathered into a weapon. It was neither quite a blade nor quite a sword. Since he had already killed dozens of bandits, the blood of each one had made the Mysterious Sword a little sharper. Cold light shimmered along its blade, making it look exceptionally impressive. It already possessed some of the bearing of a famed sword.

Master stepped closer and carefully observed Yang Ming's Martial Soul.

With his years of research, he could tell at once that this Martial Soul was anything but simple!

"Hmm..."

After pondering for a moment, Master nodded.

"The Martial Soul is real. The Innate Full Soul Power is real as well. The fake part is the Spirit Hall certificate. Now this is interesting."

Originally, Master had merely happened to pass by and lent a hand. He had not expected to encounter something so interesting.

Yes, what ordinary people would avoid like the plague was merely something interesting in Master's strange way of thinking.

"How about this?" Master rubbed Yang Ming's head and made his decision. "If you want to seek justice, I can serve as your guide and take you to the Spirit Hall branch in the city to demand an explanation from the person in charge. What do you say?"

Seeing the situation take such a turn and a chance for a breakthrough appear, Yang Ming naturally did not refuse.

Although Notting City was a remote little city, the Spirit Hall there was still the tallest building in the city. It was built with extraordinary grandeur, and even the City Lord's residence was far inferior.

The two guards at the entrance both looked to be around twenty years old. The fluctuations of soul power on their bodies were not obvious, and it seemed they had not even reached the level of Spirit Masters.

Notting City truly was remote. One could tell how important a city was to the Heaven Dou Empire simply by looking at the rank of its Spirit Hall.

When the guards first saw Old Jack, Yang Ming, Tang San, and the others, they wanted to stop them. After all, not just anyone could enter Spirit Hall.

However, with Master looking after them, and judging by the fact that he seemed to have some reputation in Notting City, the two guards let Yang Ming and the other two pass out of respect for him.

Upon entering Spirit Hall, the twenty-meter-high dome, magnificent supporting pillars, and exquisitely detailed carvings all displayed the power of Spirit Hall to the visitors.

Master led the way, bringing them to the reception hall on the first floor to find Great Spirit Master Ma Xiunuo and have their soul power ranks assessed.

If nothing unexpected happened, once they proved that Yang Ming's Innate Full Soul Power was not fake, a new certificate would soon be issued.

Of course, all of that depended on nothing unexpected happening...

(Thanks to Chong for the 200 book coin reward, Zai for the 100 book coin reward, and Ye for the 1,000 book coin reward. Only one name is taken from each reader, because I can't copy your names. ︿(￣︶￣)︿)

(In principle, there will be an extra chapter for every accumulated 1,000 book coins in rewards, but the book has not received a recommendation yet. I'll add chapters for everyone after it gets recommended, mwah.)

(Detailed rules for extra chapters will also be released during the recommendation period. That's all. →_→)