Soul Master Appraisal (Damn, Why Didn't This Chapter Get Posted?)

After leaving Master's room, Tang San was preparing to head to Spirit Hall in Nuoding City to collect his Soul Master Subsidy when he happened to run into Cheng Xiao and Xiao Wu, who were leaving the back mountain of Nuoding Academy.

"Cheng Xiao, Xiao Wu, where are you two headed?" Tang San could not help asking as he looked at Xiao Wu following behind Cheng Xiao.

"I'm planning to go to Spirit Hall to collect my Soul Master Subsidy." Cheng Xiao glanced at Tang San and replied calmly.

"Tang San, are you going to collect your Soul Master Subsidy too?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

Tang San nodded. "Yes. Teacher asked me to undergo a Soul Master Appraisal. First, to test what level my Soul Power has reached, and second, to collect Spirit Hall's Soul Master Subsidy. That way, I won't need to be a work-study student anymore. That's one Gold Soul Coin."

"Spirit Hall is pretty nice." Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. "One Gold Soul Coin can buy so much delicious food!"

Seeing Xiao Wu's excited expression, Tang San sighed inwardly. Teacher said that the so-called Soul Master Subsidy is merely a means for Spirit Hall to win people over. Xiao Wu looks so innocent. I should warn her.

"Xiao Wu, you mustn't think Spirit Hall is some kind of good organization." Tang San frowned as he warned her. "Teacher said the money for the Soul Master Subsidy comes from the Two Great Empires. Spirit Hall merely distributes it on their behalf."

"Even if we are to be grateful, we should be grateful to the Two Great Empires. After all, the money for the Soul Master Subsidy is funded by the empires."

Hearing Tang San's words, Cheng Xiao could not help saying, "Tang San, since you think we should thank the Two Great Empires, then go collect your Soul Master Subsidy from the empires. I'll go collect mine from Spirit Hall first. You and Xiao Wu have a nice chat. I'm leaving now. Goodbye."

With that, Cheng Xiao walked out through Nuoding Academy's gates without looking back.

"..." Tang San's expression darkened. He had only meant to warn Xiao Wu that Spirit Hall harbored treasonous ambitions, lest her innocent nature lead her to be deceived. Yet he had not expected Cheng Xiao to say something like that, leaving him thoroughly embarrassed.

After all, he would be going to Spirit Hall shortly to undergo a Soul Master Appraisal and collect his subsidy as well.

"Hey, Cheng Xiao." Seeing Cheng Xiao leave without looking back, Xiao Wu stomped her foot angrily. Then she shot Tang San a glare and jogged after Cheng Xiao.

"Xiao Wu, I..." Tang San wanted to explain himself, but as he watched Xiao Wu run off without hesitation, he ultimately said nothing.

Spirit Hall in Nuoding City was an enormous domed structure. Its front alone spanned a hundred meters, while it stood twenty meters tall. From a distance, it looked like a sacred cathedral.

The entire building was brown, and above its gates was a winged longsword. That sword's original design was none other than the Qian Family's Angel Sacred Sword.

"Cheng Xiao, wait for me." At the entrance to Nuoding City's Spirit Hall, Xiao Wu panted as she looked at Cheng Xiao, who had stopped ahead of her. Somewhat annoyed, she said, "You walk so fast. If Sister Xiao Wu weren't so fit, I wouldn't have been able to catch you."

Cheng Xiao said, "You're just too slow. You can't blame me."

"You..." Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks in anger.

"Children, this is Spirit Hall. If you want to play around, please go somewhere else." Just then, a Spirit Hall guard approached them with a gentle smile.

"Hello, Uncle. I'm here at Spirit Hall to test my martial soul rank." Cheng Xiao took out his martial soul certificate and handed it to the guard.

The guard accepted Cheng Xiao's martial soul certificate with both hands and examined it carefully. A look of envy appeared in his eyes. "So you are a Lord Soul Master. Please come in. Master Ma Xiunuo happens to be here today."

"Thank you." Cheng Xiao responded, glanced at the wide-eyed Xiao Wu beside him, and strolled into Spirit Hall.

"Uncle, mine too." Seeing Cheng Xiao enter Spirit Hall, Xiao Wu immediately grew anxious and hurriedly took out her own martial soul certificate.

"Heavens!" the guard exclaimed. Looking at the certificate Xiao Wu handed him, he respectfully said, "Lord Soul Master, please enter."

"Thank you." Xiao Wu politely thanked the guard before quickly following after Cheng Xiao.

Watching Cheng Xiao and Xiao Wu enter Spirit Hall, one of the two gate guards said enviously, "I really envy children these days. They can become Soul Masters at such a young age. If I had awakened Soul Power back then, I should be a Soul Master now too, right?"

"Haha, it's no big deal if you can't become a Soul Master. We're Spirit Hall guards now, and we earn quite a bit every month. Aren't we living pretty well?" the other guard said with a laugh.

When Cheng Xiao entered Spirit Hall's main hall, he immediately saw all kinds of murals hanging on the walls. There were even murals on the dome itself, not just the walls.

There were not many people inside Spirit Hall, only a few maids cleaning.

Seeing people enter Spirit Hall, one of the cleaning maids immediately came over. After learning what Cheng Xiao and Xiao Wu needed, she led them to an office and knocked on the door.

"Master Ma Xiunuo, two children wish to undergo a Soul Master Appraisal."

"Come in. The door isn't locked." An elderly voice came from within the office.

After hearing this, the maid gently pushed open the door and went back to her work.

After entering the office, Cheng Xiao gave the old man a slight bow and explained his purpose. "Hello, sir. My classmate and I are here to undergo a Soul Master Appraisal."

"A Soul Master Appraisal?" The old man looked Cheng Xiao and Xiao Wu up and down, then asked in confusion, "Children, are you sure you are not here to awaken your martial souls, but to undergo a Soul Master Appraisal?"

"That's right." Cheng Xiao answered calmly.

Under normal circumstances, children Cheng Xiao's age would at most have a few levels of Soul Power. Aside from those with Innate Full Soul Power and geniuses from major powers, very few children could reach level ten and obtain a Soul Ring at this age. Without a Soul Ring, how could they undergo a Soul Master Appraisal?

"Sir, I truly am here for a Soul Master Appraisal. I have Innate Full Soul Power." Seeing the old man's doubtful expression, Cheng Xiao explained.

"Innate Full Soul Power?" Hearing those words, the old man was immediately startled. Looking at the calm-faced Cheng Xiao, he seemed to recall something and asked, "Child, was the one who awakened your martial soul Master Su Yuntao?"

"Yes. Master Su Yuntao was the one who awakened my martial soul." Cheng Xiao smiled. "I've met you before, Master Ma Xiunuo. When my martial soul was awakened, you were the one who had Master Su Yuntao put it on record."

"So it was you, little fellow." Recognizing Cheng Xiao as the genius with Innate Full Soul Power from that day, Ma Xiunuo chuckled. "Then it's no surprise. Come, I'll take you to undergo your Soul Master Appraisal."

With that, Ma Xiunuo warmly took Cheng Xiao and Xiao Wu by the hand and led them toward Spirit Hall's Soul Master Appraisal room.

After entering the Soul Master Appraisal room, Ma Xiunuo took out a Yellow Crystal Ball and said to them, "Children, place your hands on this crystal ball, then release your martial souls."

"Thank you, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo," Cheng Xiao and Xiao Wu said at the same time.

Immediately afterward, Cheng Xiao placed his hand on the Yellow Crystal Ball. Following Ma Xiunuo's instructions, he guided the Soul Power within his body toward his palm.

The next moment, Cheng Xiao's eyes turned dark purple, and a dark purple Soul Ring emerged beneath his feet, pulsing up and down around his body. At the same time, the Shadow Monarch appeared behind him, and the entire appraisal room was instantly shrouded in black mist.

"Is this the top-tier beast martial soul that Su Yuntao said he had never seen before?" Ma Xiunuo froze when he saw Cheng Xiao's martial soul.

"What a genius." Ma Xiunuo suppressed the agitation in his heart and focused on the Soul Ring around Cheng Xiao. He exclaimed, "And it's even a Hundred Year Soul Ring!"

Yet the shock was not over.

As Cheng Xiao poured his Soul Power into the Yellow Crystal Ball beneath his palm, it instantly lit up with a radiant yellow glow. Though the glow was not especially intense, it was extremely clear.

"Th-thirteenth level Soul Power?"

"Heavens, what Soul Beast did you kill to obtain this? Your Soul Power actually rose three levels at once." Ma Xiunuo stared at Cheng Xiao as though he were a monster, so shocked that his mouth hung open.

"A four-hundred-year-old Wolf-type Soul Beast." Cheng Xiao casually made up an answer.

"Hehe, no wonder Su Yuntao said you had great ambitions. It seems he was right." Ma Xiunuo shook his head and said warmly, "I will not force you to join Spirit Hall. Even Spirit Hall has no reason to poach people by force. However, if you wish to join after graduation, you can come find me here, or find Su Yuntao."

"Thank you, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo." Cheng Xiao smiled slightly.