Although Lu Fei did not understand what "official Soul Master" meant, he understood that his brother apparently would not be able to go to the Spirit Hall's library. His face fell.
Lu Yu's expression remained calm, however, and he continued to plead his case. "Grandmaster Su, my brother and I are both newly registered Soul Masters. We are wholly devoted to cultivation and have no ulterior thoughts whatsoever.
"We only ask to read the basic texts and learn orthodox cultivation knowledge. We won't touch any confidential materials or damage any books in the hall. Please make an exception for us, Grandmaster Su."
Lu Yu's manner was sincere and his gaze open, without the slightest trace of impatience or self-interest.
Su Yuntao pondered for a moment, looking at the composed and sensible Lu Yu before him, then at Lu Fei, whose eyes were full of anticipation. After some thought, he nodded slightly.
"Let's do this. You two come in with me first. I'll report the matter to the hall master. If he agrees, I'll take you there. If he doesn't, there's nothing I can do."
Hearing this, Lu Yu grumbled inwardly, Su Yuntao looks so honest and upright, with those thick brows and big eyes. Who would have thought he had so many tricks up his sleeve? You're a deacon of the Spirit Hall Branch, after all. Surely you have the authority to decide something like this? Yet you just had to drag the hall master into it.
But his face showed great apprehension. "Sorry for the trouble, Grandmaster Su."
Su Yuntao waved a hand, motioning for the two to follow.
Knock, knock, knock...
Standing outside the hall master's office, Su Yuntao raised a hand and knocked lightly on the solid wooden door.
A moment later, a steady, resonant elderly voice came from inside. "Enter."
With a soft click, Su Yuntao turned the handle and pushed the door open. Seated upright behind a large solid-wood desk was none other than Ma Xiunuo, hall master of the Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch.
Ma Xiunuo raised his eyes and glanced over, his expression indifferent. "It's you, Xiao Tao. Did something go wrong with the recent Martial Soul Awakening work?"
The Spirit Hall was currently awakening Martial Souls for commoner children, and there was a great deal to attend to, so it was only natural for Ma Xiunuo to ask.
Su Yuntao walked slowly forward, his expression tinged with regret and dejection. "Hall Master Ma, do you remember the child with innate level five Soul Power I mentioned to you yesterday? He came today."
Ma Xiunuo narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Su Yuntao in puzzlement. "Of course I remember. Judging by your expression, does the child not want to join the Spirit Hall?"
Su Yuntao nodded gently, tacitly confirming it.
Seeing this, Ma Xiunuo sighed helplessly. "Since the child has no intention of joining our Spirit Hall, what brings you here today?"
Innate level five Soul Power was already the aptitude of a top genius in little Nuoding City. Even so, Ma Xiunuo had never considered forcing him to join.
Ma Xiunuo himself was only a four-ring Soul Elder. His cultivation had long since reached its limit, with no possibility of further advancement in this lifetime. In Ma Xiunuo's estimation, as long as Lu Fei devoted himself to diligent cultivation, he was certain to grow into a powerful Soul King in the future.
Ma Xiunuo was advanced in years. His cultivation would go no further in this life, and he had no chance to climb higher. Thus, there was no need to go against Lu Fei's wishes and force him to join the Spirit Hall.
If he used his position to force Lu Fei to join today, and Lu Fei's cultivation far surpassed his own in the future, Lu Fei might remember being forced, harbor resentment, and take it out on him or his descendants. That would truly be more loss than gain.
Su Yuntao pursed his lips and brooded for a while before speaking. "Hall Master Ma, the child wants to read at the Spirit Hall's library. But as you know, he doesn't want to join the Spirit Hall, so what do you think...?"
Ma Xiunuo was slightly taken aback. Then he laughed twice. "Xiao Tao, Xiao Tao, you're still young. You can't look only at what's in front of you. You need to think more about the future."
"Our Spirit Hall has always treated commoner Soul Masters equally. If we were to turn a commoner Soul Master away just because he hadn't joined the Spirit Hall, why would we go to such great lengths every year to awaken Martial Souls for commoners' children?"
Su Yuntao's eyes lit up at Ma Xiunuo's words. Hadn't he joined the Spirit Hall precisely because he valued the way it treated commoner Soul Masters like him?
"Hall Master Ma, I understand."
Ma Xiunuo stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction as he watched Su Yuntao leave the office. As Su Yuntao closed the door, Ma Xiunuo spoke, seemingly both reflecting aloud and offering a reminder.
"Innate level five Soul Power... I wonder how far this child will go in the future!"
"Brother, do you think the hall master will let us into the library?" Lu Fei asked Lu Yu anxiously as they sat in the Spirit Hall's main hall waiting for Su Yuntao.
Lu Yu smiled and patted the back of Lu Fei's hand. "It's all right. If he doesn't agree, we'll think of another way."
"Ahem!"
While the brothers were talking, Su Yuntao returned and cleared his throat twice, drawing their attention to him.
Seeing Su Yuntao return with a smile, Lu Yu's heart stirred. It seemed Ma Xiunuo had agreed, which gave Lu Yu a slightly better impression of the Spirit Hall. Still, he put on an apprehensive expression and asked,
"Grandmaster Su, how did it go? Did Hall Master Ma agree?"
"Come with me. I'll take you to the library." Su Yuntao nodded and waved for them to follow.
"Hooray!" Before Lu Yu could speak, Lu Fei jumped off his stool, his earlier unease completely gone, his face full of joy.
Looking at the delighted Lu Fei, Su Yuntao recalled the last words Ma Xiunuo had spoken as he left the office.
"Innate level five Soul Power... I wonder how far this child will go in the future."
What sort of person was Su Yuntao? He had dragged Ma Xiunuo into something he could have decided himself. How could he fail to understand Ma Xiunuo's hint?
Lu Fei was still young, at an age when his nature was simple and innocent. Building a good relationship with him now would mean having another powerful friend in the future.
After winding through the Spirit Hall Branch, Su Yuntao brought Lu Yu and Lu Fei to a secluded building. Unlike the other buildings, which were magnificent and imposing, this one was very simple and old-fashioned.
"This is the Spirit Hall's library. Remember, you two haven't officially become Soul Masters yet, so you can only stay on the first floor. Once you become true Soul Masters, you can go to the second floor."
Su Yuntao pointed at the building before them as he introduced it to Lu Yu and his brother.
It was not as though he had never wondered whether the two could read. After all, when the brothers first arrived yesterday, they had hardly looked like people who knew how. But on second thought, would anyone who took the initiative to ask to read at the library be unable to read?
"Thank you, Grandmaster Su!" Lu Yu bowed slightly in thanks once more. Lu Fei copied him, bowing and saying thank you in a proper manner.
"All right, go on in!" Su Yuntao waved a hand, then turned and left.
"Come on, Xiao Fei. I'll take you to read." Lu Yu swept his arm out, full of lofty ambition.
"But, Brother, I can't read! How am I supposed to?" Lu Fei was not nearly as enthusiastic. Instead, he timidly drew in his neck.
He had been happy just now because Lu Yu could go to the library to read. Once that excitement passed, he remembered that he could not read at all.
"It's all right. You can't read, but I can. I'll teach you little by little." Lu Yu smiled faintly and rubbed Lu Fei's head as he comforted him.