Spirit Hall's Judgment: Could a Panda Only Take a Beating?

"He cheated!"

The shattered blue crystal was still rolling across the floor when Zhao Hu pointed at Dong Jian and shouted.

"How could level six Soul Power shatter the crystal?"

"He must have secretly done something!"

Zhao Hu shouted loudly, but his body was tucked behind Su Yuntao, and he didn't dare go anywhere near the awakening array.

The black-and-white light beneath Dong Jian's feet was gradually fading.

The emerald dragon silhouette coiled behind the panda Martial Soul had also vanished back into the void.

But the pressure that had erupted moments ago still lingered in the ancestral hall.

Although Su Yuntao had already ended his Lone Wolf Martial Soul Possession, his body remained tense.

As a level twenty-six Soul Grandmaster, he naturally understood that bloodline suppression existed between Martial Souls.

But Dong Jian was only a child who had just awakened his Martial Soul.

He didn't even have his First Soul Ring.

No matter how powerful his Martial Soul's bloodline was, it shouldn't have made Su Yuntao's Lone Wolf Martial Soul so visibly afraid.

"Shut up."

Su Yuntao shot Zhao Hu a cold glance.

"All testing crystals are manufactured by Spirit Hall to the same standard."

"How could a child who doesn't even have a Soul Skill cheat?"

Zhao Hu opened his mouth.

"But his Soul Power was clearly only level six..."

"His Soul Power Level and the testing crystal shattering are two separate matters."

Su Yuntao crouched down and picked up a crystal fragment.

A trace of black-and-white light still lingered inside it.

The two kinds of power did not repel each other.

Instead, they seemed to join head to tail, forming a small, constantly spinning ring.

Su Yuntao had never seen Soul Power like this.

A normal Soul Master's Soul Power was affected by the attributes of their Martial Soul.

The Soul Power of a flame Martial Soul was scorching, that of an ice Martial Soul was freezing, while a Beast Martial Soul usually carried a distinct bloodline presence.

But Dong Jian's Soul Power was very strange.

The two forces, one black and one white, seemed to represent two completely opposite attributes.

Yet somehow, they remained in balance.

"Dong Jian."

Su Yuntao stood up.

"Do you feel unwell anywhere right now?"

"My body feels a little heavy."

Dong Jian moved his arm.

He had already withdrawn the panda Martial Soul into his body, but the feeling of having suddenly gained weight hadn't completely disappeared.

His bones and muscles seemed to have been strengthened somewhat.

With every breath, he could feel an additional heavy force inside his body.

But he couldn't control it.

During Martial Soul Possession just now, his own weight had nearly forced him to his knees.

Su Yuntao reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

A stream of Soul Power flowed through his palm into Dong Jian's body.

Dong Jian instinctively tensed up.

But he soon relaxed.

Given the gap between their current strengths, even if Su Yuntao really wanted to do something, Dong Jian had no ability to resist.

The Soul Power made a circuit through Dong Jian's meridians.

Su Yuntao's frown deepened.

"Your meridians aren't injured."

"And your body is indeed somewhat stronger than an ordinary child's."

"As for your actual Innate Soul Power..."

He glanced at the crystal fragments on the floor.

"There's no way to determine it for now."

The testing crystal had shown level six just now.

But before it shattered, there had clearly been another force inside Dong Jian that hadn't been fully drawn out.

Su Yuntao could only be certain that Dong Jian's Innate Soul Power was definitely no lower than level six.

As for whether it was higher, they would have to wait until they reached the Spirit Hall Branch in Nuoding City and use a more advanced Soul Power testing device to find out.

"Your Martial Soul is very unusual."

Su Yuntao said:

"Among Spirit Hall's existing records, there has never been an identical bear-type Martial Soul."

"I'll report what happened today to the Spirit Hall Branch in Nuoding City."

"You'd better come back with me for further examination."

Outside the ancestral hall, Dong Shan's expression changed.

He dragged his injured left leg into the hall and stepped in front of Dong Jian.

"Lord Soul Master."

"The child only awakened his Martial Soul today."

"Could we put off going to Nuoding City for a while?"

Su Yuntao looked at Dong Shan.

"You're a Soul Master too?"

"I used to be."

Dong Shan nodded.

"A level twenty-seven Soul Grandmaster."

"Later, I was injured while hunting for a Soul Ring, and my Soul Power never improved again."

Su Yuntao's gaze fell on his left leg, which was clearly impaired.

"Since you were a Soul Master, you should understand what an unknown Martial Soul means."

"If he's trained in the wrong direction, at best his talent will be wasted. At worst, it could ruin his entire life."

"Spirit Hall has the most comprehensive Martial Soul records on the continent."

"Letting him be examined isn't a bad thing."

Dong Shan didn't answer.

Spirit Hall did possess vast resources that ordinary Soul Masters couldn't access.

But once Dong Jian's Martial Soul was identified as a top-tier Beast Martial Soul, Spirit Hall would never stop at a simple examination.

A commoner child with no background and no sect to protect him had no standing to negotiate terms with Spirit Hall.

"I'm not going for now."

Dong Jian suddenly spoke up.

Su Yuntao looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because I don't even know what my own Martial Soul really is."

Dong Jian said calmly:

"If I go to the Spirit Hall Branch now, all I can do is listen to others tell me how I should cultivate."

"But what if their judgment is wrong?"

Su Yuntao's expression darkened slightly.

"Spirit Hall has studied Martial Souls for hundreds of years."

"Do you think your own judgment will be more accurate than Spirit Hall's?"

"I didn't say that."

Dong Jian shook his head.

"I just think no theory can be guaranteed to always be correct."

The children in the ancestral hall only half understood what they were hearing.

Dong Shan, however, glanced at his son in surprise.

Su Yuntao was silent for a moment.

To Dong Jian's surprise, he didn't get angry.

As a deacon who had spent years conducting awakenings at the local level, Su Yuntao had seen far too many commoner Soul Masters.

Some of them had originally possessed decent talent, but because they chose the wrong First Soul Ring, they ended up spending their entire lives as low-level Soul Masters.

No matter how comprehensive Spirit Hall's records were, they couldn't possibly document every Mutated Martial Soul on the continent.

"You can stay here for now."

Su Yuntao took a form out from inside his robes.

"But I must report what happened today truthfully."

"Once you enter Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy, the academy will test your Soul Power again."

He picked up a pen and wrote several lines on the form.

Name: Dong Jian.

Martial Soul: unknown Black and White Bear-type Beast Martial Soul.

Innate Soul Power: level six, test showed abnormalities.

Recommended development path: Defense System.

When he reached the last line, Dong Jian suddenly asked:

"Why the Defense System?"

Su Yuntao paused.

"After Martial Soul Possession, your weight and physical strength increase."

"Your limbs are relatively short, you aren't fast, and you don't have any obvious elemental abilities."

"The Defense System is the safest choice."

"What about the Power Attack System?"

Dong Jian asked.

Zhao Hu, who stood nearby, immediately burst out laughing.

"That fat bear of yours wants to follow the Power Attack System?"

"I'm afraid you won't even be able to catch up to an enemy!"

Su Yuntao didn't mock him as Zhao Hu had. He simply shook his head.

"Bear-type Martial Souls do usually have considerable strength."

"But your Martial Soul is too bulky."

"If your First Soul Ring further increases your strength and weight, you might not even be able to move normally afterward."

"A Power Attack System Soul Master who can't reach his enemy is of no use at all."

Dong Jian didn't argue any further.

Su Yuntao's analysis wasn't without reason.

At least by the standards of the traditional Soul Master system, his panda Martial Soul was indeed better suited to defense.

But Dong Jian knew that strength wasn't just about how much weight his arms could lift.

Center of gravity, exertion, distance, and rhythm could likewise determine the outcome of a fight.

As long as he could control the weight gained after Martial Soul Possession, that so-called bulk might yet become an advantage.

Of course, there was no point in saying any of that now.

An untested theory was just empty talk.

"This is your Martial Soul certificate."

Su Yuntao handed the completed form to Dong Jian.

"With level six Innate Soul Power, you can study at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy."

"Iron Bamboo Village should have one work-study student slot."

"We do!"

The old village chief immediately squeezed in from outside.

"This year's work-study slot goes to Dong Jian!"

The smug look on Zhao Hu's face froze.

"Grandpa village chief, what about me?"

"I have Soul Power too!"

The old village chief looked troubled.

Iron Bamboo Village had only one work-study slot this year.

Zhao Hu had level one Innate Soul Power and was indeed qualified to become a Soul Master as well.

But between level one and level six, there was no need to think about the choice.

"Zhao Hu."

"Your family is well-off. You can pay the tuition yourself."

"The village's slot should go to a more talented child."

"Why?"

Zhao Hu's face flushed red with agitation.

"My dad gives the village so much grain every year!"

"Dong Jian's dad is just a lame blacksmith!"

The instant those words left his mouth, Dong Jian's gaze turned cold.

Still unaware of the danger, Zhao Hu continued shouting:

"His Martial Soul is just a fat bear!"

"He was the one who broke the testing crystal, too!"

"Maybe his level-six Soul Power is fake!"

Smack!

The crisp slap rang through the ancestral hall.

Zhao Hu staggered several steps to the side from the blow.

He clutched his cheek and stared at Dong Jian in disbelief.

"You dare hit me?"

Dong Jian stood before him.

"You can insult me."

"But if you dare insult my dad again, I'll knock out more than just your teeth."

"Dong Jian."

Dong Shan frowned.

Dong Jian turned around, expecting his father to scold him.

But Dong Shan said seriously:

"Don't use your hand next time."

"Hands are for working iron."

"Kick him."

Zhao Hu froze on the spot.

The corner of Su Yuntao's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, but in the end, he did not intervene.

It was just a quarrel between ordinary children.

They had not used their Martial Souls or caused any serious injuries, so he had no interest in interfering.

The awakening ceremony ended there.

Before leaving, Su Yuntao reminded Dong Jian once more:

"Don't choose your First Soul Ring on your own."

"The wrong Soul Ring is enough to ruin a Soul Master's future."

"If anything unusual happens with your Martial Soul again, go to the Spirit Hall Branch immediately."

Dong Jian put the certificate away.

"Thank you for the warning."

The black carriage soon departed Iron Bamboo Village.

The villagers who had gathered to watch, however, did not disperse.

They crowded around Dong Shan and Dong Jian, asking again and again what kind of Martial Soul the Black and White Bear was.

After spending a long time dealing with them, father and son finally returned to the blacksmith shop on the east side of the village.

The moment the courtyard gate closed, the smile vanished from Dong Shan's face.

"Bring out your Martial Soul."

Dong Jian concentrated.

The Black and White Panda appeared behind him once more.

As soon as it appeared, it plopped down on its bottom, hugged its belly, and looked around.

Dong Shan circled it several times.

"It looks like a bear."

"But it doesn't look like any common bear-type Soul Beast."

He reached out, and his hand passed through the panda's spectral form.

Just then, the panda raised its head and glanced at Dong Shan.

A trace of displeasure clearly flashed beneath its black eye patches.

Dong Shan's hand stopped at once.

"It has a consciousness?"

"It seems to have a little."

Dong Jian nodded.

"During the awakening today, it even moved on its own."

Dong Shan's expression turned completely serious.

"Don't tell anyone about this."

"A Martial Soul with an independent consciousness is definitely not an ordinary Beast Martial Soul."

"If the Spirit Hall finds out, they may not necessarily harm you."

"But they will certainly find a way to make you join them."

Dong Jian nodded.

"I understand."

Dong Shan's gaze fell on his chest.

"Where's the jade pendant your mother left you?"

"It fused into my Martial Soul."

Dong Shan's body jolted.

"Just as I thought..."

Dong Jian immediately pressed him:

"Dad, do you know something?"

Dong Shan was silent for a long time.

He walked over to a stone stool and sat down, holding an unlit pipe.

"That jade pendant belonged to your mother's family."

"Before she left, she said that if the pendant ever changed, it would mean you had awakened the power of her bloodline."

"Where exactly did my mother come from?"

"I don't know."

Dong Shan slowly shook his head.

"She never told me."

"All I know is that she came from a place far away."

"Once you become a Soul Grandmaster, I'll tell you everything I know."

Dong Jian wanted to ask more.

But Dong Shan had already risen to his feet.

"Knowing too much now won't do you any good."

"The most important thing for you right now is to learn to control your Martial Soul first."

"During Martial Soul Possession today, you were nearly crushed under your own body's weight."

"If someone had attacked you then, you would have died."

Dong Jian had nothing to say.

The power the panda Martial Soul granted him was indeed formidable.

But if he could not even stand steadily, no amount of power would mean anything.

"Go back to your room and rest."

"Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you the basics of Soul Power cultivation."

Dong Jian returned to his room and closed the door.

He sat cross-legged on the bed and closed his eyes.

Ever since the awakening ended, the mountain shrouded in clouds and mist had remained deep within his consciousness.

With just a little concentration, he could clearly sense the ancient palace atop the mountain.

And the summons that came unceasingly from within it.

Dong Jian's consciousness slowly sank.

The heavy sound of a door opening rang in his ears.

Rumble-

A path opened through the clouds and mist.

The ancient stone stele bearing the words "Divine Dragon Secret Realm" appeared before him once more.

Behind the stele, the gates of the first palace stood fully open.

A line of golden text slowly emerged above the sea of clouds.

First trial: Unmoving as a Mountain.

Use Martial Soul Possession and stand firm for three shichen.

Dong Jian watched the nine wooden stakes slowly rise inside the palace, his gaze growing serious.

If he wanted to prove that the panda Martial Soul could do more than just take a beating-

He first had to learn to stand firm.