Nuoding City.
The carriage stopped near the gates of Nuoding City. Wang Zongchang poked his head out of the carriage and looked at Lin Mo. "Are you really not coming back to the academy with me? Going straight to Spirit Hall?"
"Yes." Lin Mo nodded, jumped down from the carriage, and said,
"Since I've already obtained my first soul ring and become an official Soul Master, I might as well register my rank at Spirit Hall and collect my subsidy."
"If I get it done early, I won't have to make a special trip later."
Hearing this, Headmaster Wang Zongchang pointed Lin Mo in a direction and said,
"All right. You know where Spirit Hall is, don't you? It's east of the central square in the city, the most conspicuous building there. It's easy to find."
"Thank you, Headmaster," Lin Mo replied.
"All right, off you go. Be careful on the way." Headmaster Wang Zongchang offered one last reminder, then signaled the driver to move on. The carriage headed toward Nuoding Academy.
Lin Mo stood where he was and watched the carriage leave. Only after it disappeared around a street corner did he turn and head toward Spirit Hall.
He had not visited Nuoding City many times, but he still remembered the main streets.
The central square was a bustling part of the city, and Spirit Hall stood there, exceptionally conspicuous.
Before long, after he passed through a few streets, a spacious square appeared before him.
The emblem bore only the image of a single sword, signifying that Nuoding City's Spirit Hall was of the lowest rank.
This is the place.
Lin Mo thought to himself, his steps unconsciously quickening.
As he reached Spirit Hall's imposing entrance, two spear-wielding guards immediately noticed him.
One of the guards stepped forward and blocked his way. "Little fellow, this is Spirit Hall. What brings you here?"
Lin Mo stopped and looked up at the guard. "Hello, uncles. I'm here for a Soul Master rank assessment."
"A Soul Master rank assessment?" A trace of surprise appeared on the guard's face as he looked Lin Mo up and down. "Are you sure? Judging by your age, you only awakened your martial soul recently, didn't you?"
"Yes." Lin Mo nodded, fumbled inside his clothes, and took out the Spirit Hall certificate he had carefully kept safe, handing it over.
"This is my Spirit Hall certificate. Master Su Yuntao, who helped awaken my martial soul, issued it."
The guard took the paper and examined it carefully, then compared it with Lin Mo's appearance. The surprise on his face deepened.
"Soul Emperor Village, Lin Mo, martial soul... egg? Innate soul power, rank six?"
He read the information on the certificate under his breath, then looked at Lin Mo again. "All right, the certificate is genuine.
Go inside. Turn left once you're in and find Master Ma Xiunuo in the reception room. He handles these matters."
"Thank you, Uncle." Lin Mo thanked him, took back the certificate the guard handed him, and carefully put it away before walking through Spirit Hall's entrance.
There were few people in the main hall, leaving it rather quiet.
Before long, Lin Mo spotted a room with a reception room sign. He raised his hand and knocked, only pushing the door open after hearing a response from inside.
The reception room held only an elderly man who looked to be in his sixties, dressed in Spirit Hall attire. He sat behind a desk, looking down at a document.
Hearing footsteps, the old man raised his head, adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, and looked at Lin Mo with a kindly smile. "Little fellow, what can I do for you?"
"Hello, are you Soul Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo?" Lin Mo asked politely.
"That's right, I'm Ma Xiunuo." The old man nodded. "You're here for...?"
"Hello, Master Ma Xiunuo. My name is Lin Mo, and I'm here for a Soul Master rank assessment." As he spoke, Lin Mo took out his Spirit Hall certificate again and offered it with both hands.
Ma Xiunuo took the certificate, adjusted his glasses, and began reading it carefully.
He examined the Spirit Hall certificate Lin Mo had handed over. Although what Su Yuntao had recorded on it surprised him somewhat, he remained calm.
Yet when he raised his head and his gaze happened to sweep over Lin Mo, clearly sensing the soul power fluctuations Lin Mo deliberately let show, disbelief still appeared on his face.
"You... your name is Lin Mo, correct?"
Even Ma Xiunuo's voice carried a tremor. He lowered his head to check the date on the certificate again and asked for confirmation,
"It's only been around nine months since your martial soul awakening, even counting generously, hasn't it?"
"Yes, Master Ma Xiunuo," Lin Mo answered calmly.
"Nine months... You cultivated from innate rank-six soul power to the rank-ten bottleneck? And..." Ma Xiunuo paused, his tone now filled with shock,
"Judging by these soul power fluctuations coming from you, you've clearly already obtained your first soul ring! You're already a Soul Master?"
He could hardly help being surprised. Across the continent, innate rank-six soul power might not count among the very highest talents, but in this little Nuoding City, it was already quite rare.
Yet compared with the talent and martial soul recorded in the document, what shocked Ma Xiunuo even more was Lin Mo's cultivation speed.
In just nine months, he had cultivated from rank six to the rank-ten bottleneck and successfully obtained his first soul ring.
That cultivation speed was truly staggering.
Not to mention that the martial soul Lin Mo had registered in the document was a trash martial soul-an egg whose purpose was unknown...
"Yes, Master Ma Xiunuo. I have indeed obtained my first soul ring," Lin Mo said firmly.
Ma Xiunuo took a deep breath, trying hard to settle himself, and said, "Good, good child. The younger generation truly is to be reckoned with.
Now, following procedure, please release your martial soul so I can confirm it."
"All right." Lin Mo stirred his thoughts slightly.
The next moment, a red light flashed, and Charmander appeared beside his feet, orange-yellow all over, with a bright flame burning on his tail.
At the same time, a bright yellow soul ring slowly rose from beneath Charmander's feet, revolving rhythmically around his body and giving off the power fluctuations of a hundred-year soul ring.
"A hun... hundred-year soul ring?!"
Ma Xiunuo shot up from his chair, his eyes wide as he stared fixedly at the yellow soul ring around Charmander. His voice even changed pitch from his overwhelming excitement.
He had originally thought it would already be remarkable for Lin Mo to obtain a decent ten-year soul ring. He had never expected it to be a relatively rare hundred-year soul ring.
Yet after the shock passed, he looked at the lively, spirited Charmander beside Lin Mo's feet, and a fresh trace of confusion appeared on his face.
He picked up the certificate from the desk, then looked at Charmander again. His gaze moved back and forth between the document and Charmander as he asked uncertainly,
"Wait, child, this martial soul of yours... something isn't right! Wasn't the martial soul registered on your certificate an egg?
"This... what's going on with him? And this hundred-year soul ring..."