After hearing him out, Ye Lingling still wore no expression. She merely nodded calmly and finished recording everything on the paper.
Then she set down her pen and turned her gaze toward a wall inside the room, concealed behind a red curtain. In a cool, clear voice, she said:
"My task is finished. Whether to take him on as an apprentice is now up to you."
Lin Mo was not particularly surprised by this sudden turn.
Ever since entering the room, he had vaguely sensed what seemed to be faint breathing behind that curtain. Whoever was there did not seem to be deliberately hiding.
He followed Ye Lingling's gaze.
The red curtain was pulled aside, and a spirited-looking old man with snow-white hair and beard slowly stepped out from behind it.
A gentle smile rested on the old man's face, and his gaze fell directly on Lin Mo.
"Little fellow, don't take offense," the old man said with a smile, his voice ringing like a bell.
"This is a little test our clinic uses when recruiting apprentices, mainly to see what sort of character the applicants have and whether they are honest.
"After all, the first requirement for studying medicine is an upright heart. If someone's heart is crooked, even the finest medical skills are worth nothing..."
Lin Mo stood and bowed to the old man. "I understand, Senior."
The old man, Ye Linyuan, was rather pleased by the composure Lin Mo displayed.
He walked over to the table, glanced at what Ye Lingling had recorded, then said to Lin Mo, "I heard all your answers.
"Neither arrogant nor impatient, and upright in your thinking. Very good." He changed tack. "However, according to the rules, I still need to verify your identity as a Soul Master.
"Could you take out your Soul Master booklet and let me have a look?"
"Of course." Lin Mo nodded, took the thin Soul Master booklet from inside his clothes, and offered it with both hands.
Ye Linyuan accepted the booklet, opened it, and read it carefully.
When he saw the entries "Age: seven," "Martial Soul: Charmander," and "Soul Power Level: sixteen,"
along with the information recorded earlier, a sharp gleam involuntarily flashed through his seemingly clouded old eyes.
After Lin Mo arrived in Heaven Dou City and collected his Soul Master stipend from the Spirit Hall there, the recent information in his Soul Master booklet had been updated again.
After all, Heaven Dou City and Nuoding City were extremely far apart.
Out of caution, the Spirit Hall staff had tested his Soul Power Level again and entered the new information.
"Innate level-six Soul Power... and your Martial Soul was an egg that could hatch?" Ye Linyuan raised his head with interest and looked at Lin Mo.
"I've practiced medicine for many years and seen thousands upon thousands of Martial Souls, but this is my first time seeing one so peculiar.
"Little fellow, would you release your Martial Soul and broaden this old man's horizons?"
At his words, Lin Mo feigned a trace of hesitation on his face, then nodded after a moment. "All right."
With a thought from him and a flash of red light, Charmander appeared beside his feet and affectionately rubbed his head against his trouser leg.
The sight of Charmander brought an unmistakable look of surprise to Ye Linyuan's face.
"A Beast Martial Soul in an external form? That is quite rare."
He carefully sensed Charmander's presence, examined the bright yellow Soul Ring beneath his feet, and nodded.
"A solid presence and stable Soul Power fluctuations. His strength definitely places him among the best of One-Ring Soul Masters.
"Little fellow, your Martial Soul is a fine seedling for the Power Attack System path!"
As he spoke, Ye Linyuan seemed like a hunter delighted by the sight of prey. He instinctively reached out to stroke Charmander's head.
Charmander clearly disliked being touched by strangers. When he saw Ye Linyuan's hand approaching, a low whine rose in his throat, followed by a threatening growl.
Seeing that his threat had no effect, he immediately opened his mouth without hesitation and sent a small burst of scorching flame whooshing straight at Ye Linyuan's palm.
Yet Ye Linyuan neither dodged nor evaded, the faint smile still on his face.
The flames, enough to send an ordinary Soul Master scrambling, seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force the moment they touched his palm.
They went out without a sound, not even raising a wisp of smoke.
His wrinkled hand settled firmly on Charmander's head, then lightly patted along his head, back, and tail several times.
Charmander bristled, low growls like those of a little beast rising from his throat. The flame on his tail burned a little more fiercely as well. He was clearly deeply indignant.
Lin Mo put on a somewhat helpless expression, then slowly soothed Charmander through their mental link.
Only then did he restrain himself from attacking again, merely puffing two streams of white vapor flecked with sparks from his nostrils to express his displeasure.
As Ye Linyuan patted him, he seemed to be sensing something. A moment later, he withdrew his hand, the appreciation in his eyes deepening.
"Good, very good indeed. The flames your Charmander Martial Soul commands are extremely hot, and their fire attribute is remarkably domineering and pure.
"Among One-Ring Soul Masters, the Martial Souls possessing flames of this quality definitely number no more than the fingers of one hand."
He paused, then looked at Charmander's lively eyes and clearly emotional reactions, and could not help smiling.
"What is even rarer is how full of spirit your Martial Soul is. His intelligence seems far beyond that of Soul Beasts with the same fighting strength.
"A truly rare and powerful Martial Soul!"
In all his years of experience, he had encountered External Beast Martial Souls in situations similar to Lin Mo's, but this was his first time seeing one with intelligence as high as Lin Mo's Charmander.
Had he not personally seen Lin Mo release him as a Soul Ring that only human Martial Souls could possess appeared beneath Charmander's feet, judging by appearances alone, he would almost have mistaken him for some highly intelligent Soul Beast.
Lin Mo stood to one side, his face as calm as ever. He merely nodded slightly at Ye Linyuan's praise and said nothing more.
Ye Linyuan lowered his gaze to Lin Mo and voiced his greatest puzzlement. "Child, with the aptitude and potential of your Charmander Martial Soul,
"you have every hope of relying on him to become a powerful Power Attack System Battle Soul Master in the future.
"With your talent, joining a great sect or seeking the backing of some major power in the future would be quite simple.
"Why choose to come here to study medicine under me, when so many Soul Masters consider it 'thankless toil'?"
Ye Linyuan's slightly clouded eyes looked into Lin Mo's, as though they could see straight into a person's heart.
To Ye Linyuan's surprise, Lin Mo met his gaze directly without the slightest fear.