When Xiao Yan walked into the Spirit Hall lobby, he discovered that its entire vaulted ceiling was covered in all manner of murals.
One mural was titled "The Angel Subdues Evil." It depicted an incomparably beautiful angel with six wings sprouting from her back. Like a valkyrie, she held a flaming longsword and suppressed the hideous, bloodthirsty, and savage Soul Masters beneath her.
There were few people inside Spirit Hall, only several maids cleaning the place.
Guided by one of the maids, Xiao Yan arrived at the door of an office, then knocked gently.
Knock, knock!
"Who is it? The door isn't locked. Come right in." A somewhat aged voice came from inside the office.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan gently pushed the door open and entered. The office was brightly lit, and an elderly man in splendid clothing sat inside. A three-sword insignia on his clothes marked him as a Soul Grandmaster.
"Hello, sir. I'm here for a Soul Master assessment." Xiao Yan closed the door behind him, bowed slightly, and stated his purpose directly.
"A Soul Master assessment?" The elderly man looked Xiao Yan up and down. A moment later, he could not help rising from his seat and asking doubtfully, "Child, are you sure you're not here to awaken your Martial Soul, but for a Soul Master assessment?"
"Yes." Xiao Yan nodded slightly.
Under normal circumstances, a child Xiao Yan's age would have only a few levels of soul power at most. Without reaching level ten, they could not obtain a Soul Ring and become a Soul Master, so how could they possibly undergo a Soul Master assessment?
"Master, I really am here for a Soul Master assessment. Please believe me." Seeing that the elderly man remained doubtful, Xiao Yan reaffirmed his words.
"Oh? All right." Still looking at Xiao Yan with some disbelief, the elderly man smiled and said, "Child, please stop calling me master. I wouldn't dare claim that title. My name is Ma Xiunuo, and I'm eighty-one this year. You can call me Grandpa Ma Xiunuo."
"All right, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo." Xiao Yan scratched his head with a smile.
Looks like only that shameless bastard Yu Xiaogang enjoys having people call him Grandmaster, Xiao Yan thought to himself.
"Come along, child. I'll take you for your Soul Master assessment." As he spoke, Ma Xiunuo took Xiao Yan's hand as though leading his own grandson and headed toward Spirit Hall's Soul Master assessment room.
After entering the Soul Master assessment room, Xiao Yan felt something unusual. The soul power within his body seemed to pulse faintly.
Ma Xiunuo took out a blue crystal ball and said to Xiao Yan, "Child, place your hand on this crystal ball, then release your Martial Soul."
"All right, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo."
Xiao Yan answered and walked up to Ma Xiunuo. Raising his right hand, he placed it on the blue crystal ball and focused his mind, calming his breathing as his soul power and heavenly flames slowly flowed toward his palm.
The next second, a bright Yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath Xiao Yan's feet, pulsing up and down around his body.
Just as the green lotus core flame in his palm was about to surge forth, Xiao Yan hurriedly moved his hand away from the blue crystal ball. A wisp of green flame appeared in his palm, and the temperature throughout the assessment room abruptly rose.
"Th-this... what Martial Soul is this? Green flames?" Ma Xiunuo had still been wearing a gentle smile, but the moment he saw the green flames in Xiao Yan's hand, his expression turned to astonishment.
"And a Hundred-Year Soul Ring?" Ma Xiunuo shifted his attention to Xiao Yan and rubbed his eyes hard, making sure he was not seeing things.
Ma Xiunuo picked up a yellow crystal ball, then walked over to Xiao Yan and said, "Child, pour your soul power into this. Let me see what level you've reached."
Xiao Yan nodded and withdrew the green lotus core flame. He raised his hand and gently placed it on the yellow crystal ball. As he poured his soul power into it, the crystal ball instantly shone with a brilliant yellow glow.
Though the glow was not particularly strong, it was extremely distinct.
"L-level fourteen soul power?"
The age of a Soul Ring obtained through heavenly flame Ring Fusion was determined by the maximum strain Xiao Yan's body could currently withstand. It was somewhat similar to the God-Given Soul Rings that appeared later on.
The greater his physical strength, spiritual power, and bodily tolerance, the greater the age of the Soul Ring obtained through heavenly flame Ring Fusion.
The Soul Ring Xiao Yan had obtained was roughly five hundred years old. In the original story, Tang San's four-hundred-plus-year Mandala Snake Soul Ring had raised his soul power by three levels. Since the Soul Ring obtained through heavenly flame Ring Fusion was around five hundred years old, an increase of four levels was reasonable.
"Heavens, how is this possible?" Ma Xiunuo looked at Xiao Yan as though he were a monster and pressed, "Child, what Soul Beast did you hunt to obtain this Soul Ring? Even with innate full soul power, you shouldn't have jumped four levels at once."
"Uh... a fire-attribute Soul Beast over four hundred years old." Xiao Yan did not answer truthfully, casually making something up instead before handing over his Martial Soul certificate.
After all, a person's heart lay hidden behind their ribs; you could know their face without knowing their heart.
If the people of this world learned that he could form Soul Rings by devouring heavenly flames, given his current strength, there was still a chance he would be captured and studied.
Ma Xiunuo was greatly surprised. Glancing at Xiao Yan's Martial Soul certificate, he said, "You absorbed the Soul Ring of a fire-attribute Soul Beast over four hundred years old, and you also possess the rare gift of innate full soul power. No wonder your soul power increased by so many levels."
"Child, would you be willing to join Spirit Hall?" Ma Xiunuo looked at Xiao Yan with burning enthusiasm and asked excitedly.
The child before him was so outstanding. A genius like this ought to join their Spirit Hall. Having devoted most of his life's blood and sweat to Spirit Hall, the elderly man sincerely hoped it would grow ever stronger.
And young Soul Masters with potential like Xiao Yan's were Spirit Hall's future.
"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, what benefits are there to joining Spirit Hall?" Xiao Yan asked.
Seeing that Xiao Yan seemed interested in joining Spirit Hall, Ma Xiunuo's heart immediately leaped with joy. He hurried to strike while the iron was hot. "First, joining Spirit Hall will give you access to more cultivation resources. We place great importance on nurturing young Soul Masters and can ensure that your soul power level rises quickly."
"Then there's the matter of Soul Rings. Once you join Spirit Hall, whenever your soul power reaches the point where you need a Soul Ring to advance, we'll send people to help you hunt Soul Beasts and obtain a suitable Soul Ring."
"A Soul Master with innate full soul power like you may even have the opportunity to go to Spirit Hall's holy city, Spirit City, and become one of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, representing us in the Soul Master Elite Tournament. In the future, women, fame, fortune, money, and power-all the things men dream of-will be playthings in the palm of your hand."
P.S. Please send monthly votes and recommendation votes.
There will be another chapter later. Everyone, please cast the monthly votes and recommendation votes you have on hand.
Before you continue