Qian Daoliu Inspects the Spear

Lu Yuan followed the Golden-Robed Elder deeper into the Worship Hall.

The area for Youth Special Training already counted as the outskirts. Further in, there were actually fewer and fewer people.

After passing through two corridors, the old man stopped before a quiet grand hall.

"Go in."

Lu Yuan glanced at him.

"You're not going in?"

"I'm not the one who called for you."

The hall doors opened.

There was no group of elders inside, only a white-haired old man in white robes standing before a long table.

Lu Yuan recognized him at once.

The Grand Pontiff, Qian Daoliu.

"Lu Yuan?"

"Yes."

"The spear."

Qian Daoliu said only one word.

Lu Yuan held the Piercing Spear horizontally before him.

Qian Daoliu beckoned to him.

"Come here."

Several pages of records lay on the long table.

The one on top was Lu Yuan's Martial Soul awakening file.

[Lu Yuan]

[Six years old]

[Martial Soul: Dark Iron Spear]

[Innate Soul Power: Level Ten]

Beside it was the mission report that had just been sent back from Qingshi Valley.

Han Yue, Bai Li, and Qian Renxue's names were all on it.

Qian Daoliu extended a hand.

"Give it to me."

Lu Yuan handed him the Piercing Spear.

The instant the spear landed in Qian Daoliu's palm, his fingers paused.

His gaze traveled from the Dark Gold Patterns at the butt of the spear all the way to its tip.

"Did it have these when it awakened?"

"No."

"After obtaining the First Spirit Ring?"

"No."

"When did it change?"

"Today."

Qian Daoliu raised his eyes.

"After the Man Faced Demon Spider died?"

"There was a slight change after the battle ended. It only fully became like this later."

Qian Daoliu did not continue questioning him.

A faint layer of golden light emerged from his palm and slowly covered the spear's body.

There was no Spirit Ring and no powerful fluctuation of Soul Power.

Yet Lu Yuan still felt the Piercing Spear tremble lightly once.

A moment later, the golden light dispersed.

Qian Daoliu handed the spear back.

"It is not something attached from the outside, nor does it seem like someone forcibly altered the Martial Soul's form."

Lu Yuan caught the spear.

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know either."

Lu Yuan froze for a moment.

"Even the Grand Pontiff doesn't know?"

"The Spirit Hall has records of many Martial Souls. That does not mean it has answers for everything."

Qian Daoliu picked up his awakening record.

"The Dark Iron Spear was ordinary when it awakened, and the First Spirit Ring did not alter its form."

"Before Qingshi Valley, you were still using the original spear."

He looked at the Piercing Spear in Lu Yuan's hand.

"Yet after returning, it became a different spear."

"This spear does not exist in the Spirit Hall's current archives."

Lu Yuan gripped the spear without speaking.

He could not say any more about this.

Qian Daoliu did not press him either.

He opened the Qingshi Valley report.

"Discovered the beast pack fleeing the valley."

"Determined that the Dark-Patterned Shadow Leopard was not the cause of the Red-Armored Rhinoceros's death."

"Used the Spear Rope to save someone."

"Restrained the Man Faced Demon Spider and created an opportunity for Han Yue to attack."

He looked further down.

"And finally discovered the spider silk left in Xiao Xue's wound."

Lu Yuan could not help asking.

"The report was submitted that quickly?"

"The first thing Bai Li did after returning to the city was submit the report."

Qian Daoliu looked up.

"Six people went out, two were poisoned, and the original intelligence was absurdly wrong. If she had not written it, I would have gone looking for her."

Lu Yuan said nothing.

Qian Daoliu continued.

"The report also says Xiao Xue wanted to use Soul Power to suppress the poison, and you were the first to notice the poison lines accelerating."

"Yes."

"How did you notice?"

"I kept watching her arm."

"Why?"

"If anything happened to her again, then no one could truly say this trip ended safely."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Qian Daoliu suddenly smiled.

"Han Yue mentioned you as well."

"What did he say?"

"That your eyes never stay still."

Lu Yuan did not respond.

That did not sound like praise.

Qian Daoliu set down the report.

"The Man Faced Demon Spider in Qingshi Valley was killed through the combined efforts of Han Yue, Bai Li, and Xiao Xue. That credit will not be given to you."

"I didn't kill it in the first place."

"But what is yours will not be withheld."

Qian Daoliu tapped the tabletop.

"Starting today, your resource allocation for Youth Special Training will be raised by one level."

"You will receive one additional medicinal bath for cultivation every month."

"You may use the East Blade-Testing Ground alone."

"For information on Instrument Martial Souls and Spirit Beasts, you may directly consult the Elder Hall Outer Archive Room."

Lu Yuan listened carefully to the end.

"That's all?"

Qian Daoliu glanced at him.

"Too little?"

"No."

Lu Yuan lowered his head and looked at the Piercing Spear.

"I just think the Grand Pontiff did not summon me here merely to give me one extra medicinal bath."

The Golden-Robed Elder outside the door twitched an eyelid.

Qian Daoliu watched him for a moment, then gave a faint laugh.

"You do understand things clearly."

He took a small golden token from the edge of the table and tossed it to Lu Yuan.

The front bore the angel insignia of the Worship Hall, while the back contained only the character "Outer."

"Go to the Outer Treasury tomorrow."

Lu Yuan caught the token.

"To take something?"

"Look first."

"The Worship Hall has collected quite a few special metals, weapon fragments, and ore materials."

Qian Daoliu's gaze fell on the Piercing Spear.

"Since your Martial Soul can change on its own, let it come into contact with all of them and see whether it reacts."

Lu Yuan turned the token over in his hand.

"What if it really reacts?"

"Write it down."

"I can't take it?"

"Not yet."

Qian Daoliu's tone remained calm.

"Wait until you are qualified."

Lu Yuan tucked the token into his clothes.

Being allowed in to look was better than knowing nothing at all.

Qian Daoliu picked up his awakening record again.

"One more thing."

"From now on, come here once every other month."

"For what?"

"To inspect the spear."

Qian Daoliu looked at him.

"I want to see whether it will change again in the future."

Lu Yuan tightened his grip on the Piercing Spear.

"Alright."

"Go back."

Qian Daoliu waved a hand.

Lu Yuan left the grand hall.

The Golden-Robed Elder was still waiting outside.

When he saw the Outer Treasury token in Lu Yuan's hand, his gaze lingered on it for two extra breaths.

"Come with me. I'll take you back to the training area."

The two returned along the same route.

As they passed through a narrow stone corridor, Lu Yuan suddenly stopped.

Buzz.

The Piercing Spear trembled lightly.

Very lightly.

But he could not have been mistaken.

Lu Yuan turned his head.

On the right side of the stone corridor stood a completely sealed black Iron Door.

There was no name on it, only a Golden Lock Seal.

"What's inside?"

The Golden-Robed Elder followed his gaze, and his expression changed slightly.

"Don't ask."

"Why?"

"Because that isn't the Outer Treasury."

The old man reached out and gave him a push.

"You can't get in there yet, either."

Lu Yuan didn't move.

Buzz.

The Piercing Spear trembled again.

This time, even the Golden-Robed Elder heard it.

His gaze snapped to the spear.

"Your Martial Soul..."

Lu Yuan stared at the black iron door.

"What exactly is kept inside?"

The old man fell silent for a moment.

His voice dropped lower.

"Something the Worship Hall sealed away more than twenty years ago."

"Until you reach level thirty, you're not allowed to touch it."