Join the Skeleton Mercenary Group?

Nuoding City, Spirit Hall branch.

This was a massive domed building covering several hundred square meters, divided into three floors. The emblem above its doors featured only a gleaming longsword, indicating that it was the lowest rank of branch hall.

Though it was Spirit Hall's lowest-ranking branch, it still had a Soul Ancestor above level 40 stationed there, responsible for awakening martial souls, assessing levels, and distributing allowances to children in the surrounding districts.

Stepping into the enormous building, Lin Yue tilted his head slightly upward and saw that the dome was covered in golden murals of martial souls. The vast branch hall had huge crystal windows all around, refracting light into different colors and lending the place an ancient, elegant air.

"No wonder this is a place where the Angel God spreads her teachings. Even Spirit Hall branches are built like churches."

Although this was not his first visit to the Spirit Hall branch, Lin Yue still could not help inwardly marveling at the solemnity and holiness of its architectural style when he entered again.

"Hm? Little Lin, is that you? Have you changed your mind lately? Are you willing to join Spirit Hall now?"

Upon seeing the little boy whose martial soul he had once awakened, Su Yuntao hurried over at once, his face full of expectation.

"No, Master Su. I'm here to collect my Soul Hunting Permit."

He awkwardly raised a hand in greeting. Lin Yue could clearly see Su Yuntao's expression fall in an instant, revealing faint disappointment and resentment.

"Tell me, with talent as good as yours, why won't you join Spirit Hall?"

Only in Spirit Hall could he receive the best resources. It was safe, too, and he would not need to offend anyone else.

Every time he saw this child, Su Yuntao became like a resentful housewife, lamenting how such an enormous achievement had slipped away right before his eyes.

"Sorry, Master Su Yuntao."

He spoke to comfort the dejected working man. Seeing a staff member hand over his permit, Lin Yue waved goodbye.

"I'll come see you again next time I collect my Gold Soul Coins."

"Ah, this brat."

His recruitment attempt had failed again. Su Yuntao helplessly looked up, planning to ask Sisi out on a date to ease the disappointment in his heart.

Meanwhile, Lin Yue clutched the permit and hurried toward the Beast Soul Forest in small, quick steps.

In just one month, his Soul Power naturally had not reached level 20, so he was not yet able to hunt for his Second Spirit Ring.

However, after seeing Dugu Xin and his wife off yesterday, Lin Yue had reviewed what he had gained over the past month and unexpectedly worked out some of the system's basic operating principles.

It seemed that ordinary people's commissions did not yield many good things.

Other than the decent reward given by that fat Ning from the Seven Treasure Merchant Association last time, he had obtained virtually no valuable items over the past month, only some ordinary points.

Clearly, only commissions from clients powerful enough, or with sufficient potential, brought generous rewards.

For commissions from different people, the rewards given by the system often depended on how desperately the client desired something, as well as the strength or wealth they possessed.

Although those who came to the clinic were usually sincerely seeking treatment, because they were ordinary people, the system generally only gave rewards of two or three hundred points.

Over the past month, Lin Yue had collected nearly twenty thousand points in total, yet he had not received a single system-type item.

[Ding. Enhance technique: Mysterious Heaven Skill?]

[Warning. Enhancing the Mysterious Heaven Skill requires a 5,000-point handling fee. Success rate: 30%.]

Pinching the book in his hand, which recorded every key detail of the Mysterious Heaven Skill's circulation, Lin Yue sighed softly.

"Confirm."

[Ding. Enhancement failed. Remaining points: 6,000.]

"Ha, just as expected."

Lin Yue sighed quietly as he watched the book in his hand turn into ashes and vanish between heaven and earth under the frenzied power of enhancement, leaving him somewhat irritated.

The more than ten thousand points he had saved over the past month had been used to enhance two hand-copied Mysterious Heaven Skill manuals. Yet the 30% success rate was simply too low, wasting ten thousand points for nothing. Now, only this little remained.

He knew the 30% success rate was low, but without special items, he could only smash through it with points.

"Forget it. I'll treat it as groundwork. It'll succeed eventually."

Points were relatively easy to obtain. As long as he stayed at the clinic, he could always earn around ten thousand each month.

And that was precisely why Lin Yue had collected a Soul Hunting Permit.

The clinic could only earn him points. If he wanted enhancement items or amplification items, merely working at the clinic would not be enough.

He had to accept commissions from those with greater strength or wealth.

"Perfect. Today's hunting permit has been issued as well. I'll go work as a mercenary in the Soul Hunting Forest and help hunt a few Spirit Rings. Maybe I can get an amplification item to enhance the Mysterious Heaven Skill."

At the thought of the qualitative change brought by amplification, perhaps raising his cultivation speed another notch, Lin Yue's heart stirred. His steps toward the Soul Hunting Forest quickened.

Now that his Soul Power had reached level 15, and with Whale Rubber body tempering plus a perfect First Spirit Ring, Lin Yue was quite confident in his combat ability.

In a place like Nuoding City, taking on an ordinary Soul Grandmaster would be no problem! He could even fight an ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Beast!

Besides, it was time to earn some Gold Soul Coins to make his second round of Whale Rubber body tempering more convenient.

'Assisted Spirit Ring hunting. Ten-year Spirit Rings: one hundred Gold Soul Coins. Hundred-Year Spirit Rings: one thousand Gold Soul Coins. Safety guaranteed. If we fail, the remaining payment will be refunded.'

Upon arriving outside the Soul Hunting Forest and seeing the signs raised by the many mercenary groups, Lin Yue's eyes lit up.

Making money from ordinary people really was nowhere near as fast as hunting Spirit Rings.

A single Hundred-Year Spirit Ring earned over a thousand Gold Soul Coins. Where else could he find work that paid so quickly?

Tiny Nuoding City did not even have a Great Soul Arena. If he wanted to hone his combat skills while earning combat rewards, he could only assist mercenary groups with Spirit Ring hunts.

"Hm? Little fellow, do you need to hunt a Spirit Ring? Today, our group is helping hunt ten-year Soul Beasts for just fifty Gold Soul Coins."

Lin Yue had barely walked among the various mercenary groups for long when he heard a soft call by his ear.

"No, I'm not here to hunt Spirit Rings. I'm here to join a mercenary group and help out."

"What? You want to join a mercenary group? Little fellow, what kind of strength do you even have?"

Seeing such a scrawny child claim that he could help, the mercenary group leader from before burst into laughter. His companions behind him also began making a racket, looking as though they were enjoying a show.

"I'm currently a one-ring Battle Soul Master..."

Before Lin Yue could finish, the other party interrupted him.

"That's enough, little one. You're still too young. Train a little more before coming back. The Soul Hunting Forest is dangerous. It's not a place for playing house."

Without waiting for Lin Yue to finish speaking, the burly man at the front patted his shoulder, signaling for him to head home soon.

However, just as he was being turned down, a doubtful voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Wait. You said you're a one-ring Battle Soul Master. Are you Agility Attack Type or Strength Attack Type?"

"Hm?"

Lin Yue turned slightly and saw a tall, thin man staring at him.

The man was gaunt, with sunken eye sockets and a slightly dark complexion. His entire body exuded an unsettling aura.

He pulled his lips into a somewhat stiff smile. The fingers on both his hands were strangely long, likely because of his martial soul.

"We're the Skeleton Mercenary Group. We've taken on a job to hunt a Hundred-Year Spirit Ring, but we're still short one member. Are you interested in joining us?"

As he spoke, the tall, thin man pointed at a child in their group who was not much older than Lin Yue.

When the other child saw Lin Yue looking over, his eyes revealed traces of jealousy and hostility. Still, he stretched out his hand and displayed his martial soul.

It was a wooden stick that looked rather like a rolling pin. It did not yet have a Spirit Ring, so he was presumably here to hunt his First Spirit Ring.

"Our Skeleton Mercenary Group has five people. With you included, that makes exactly one more. If this hunt succeeds, how about we give you one hundred Gold Soul Coins?"

Seeing that Lin Yue's expression seemed somewhat strange, the leader of the Skeleton Mercenary Group smiled faintly.

"Don't worry. I'm a level 31 Battle Soul Elder, and every other member is at least a Soul Grandmaster. Safety is absolutely guaranteed. We won't ruin our reputation."

"Alright."

Lin Yue nodded and did not refuse.

But when he looked at the people in the group, a faint sense of unease grew in his heart.

For some reason, he felt that joining them had gone a little too smoothly, and the way these people looked at him seemed somewhat off.

But what was the reason behind all these strange signs?