Soul Master Assessment, Level Fifteen!

"Hm? Make Tang San doubt his own Martial Soul?"

Lin Qingchen immediately recalled how, during the Elite Soul Master Tournament in the original story, Shui Bing'er had used a Martial Soul Fusion Skill to shatter Tang San's composure, making him want to switch to cultivating the Clear Sky Hammer on the spot.

"Tsk, tsk..."

But on second thought, although Tang San had been an adult before he transmigrated, perhaps he was affected by his body. In any case, the way he thought now did tend to be a little childish. Seeing the enormous gap between the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and Lin Qingchen's Five Elements Qilin Martial Soul, it was indeed easy for his confidence to be shaken.

But no matter what, anything that could provide him with the Power of Fortune was a good thing.

Perhaps the shock had been too great, though, because Tang San remained rather quiet on the way back.

Seeing that he had nothing to say, Lin Qingchen couldn't be bothered to start a conversation himself and began cultivating on his own instead.

The next morning, the carriage returned to Nuoding City, but Lei Nuo didn't take them back to the academy. Instead, he stopped at the city gates.

Tang San stepped forward and waited for him to speak.

Lin Qingchen moved closer as well.

Lei Nuo smiled. "You two both have your first Soul Rings now. Once you're in the city, go to the Spirit Hall Branch for your advancement assessment. After your Soul Power Levels are registered, you'll be able to collect a Soul Master subsidy every month. You're work-study students, and this subsidy will mean you no longer have to work for the academy, leaving you more time to cultivate. I have other business, so I won't be taking you in."

Tang San nodded. "All right, dean, I understand."

Lei Nuo waved a hand. "Go on. Return to the academy after you've registered."

With that, he drove the carriage away.

Tang San and Lin Qingchen entered the city together.

The Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch stood just off the main street and was almost the largest and most eye-catching building in the city.

The two stated their purpose directly. Seeing that they wore Nuoding Academy uniforms, the guards didn't dare stop them and immediately let them through.

They had just entered the main hall when they ran into a young deacon, though it wasn't Su Yuntao.

"Kids, what are you doing here? It's not time to awaken Martial Souls yet."

Lin Qingchen shook his head. "Deacon, we're here for our advancement assessments."

"Hm? You broke through level ten at such a young age?" The deacon's eyes went wide. Although he still didn't quite believe them, he led the way for them all the same.

"Come on, I'll take you to see Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo."

The three went up to the second floor and entered a large room at the end of the corridor.

"Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, these two are here for advancement assessments."

Ma Xiunuo looked up at them. "Such young children, here for advancement assessments?"

"Never mind. Release your Martial Souls and let me see them, then inject your Soul Power into this crystal ball."

Ma Xiunuo shook his head and motioned for the deacon to leave before taking out a crystal ball.

"Which of you will go first?"

Tang San stepped forward. "I'll go first."

With that, he released his Martial Soul, and a Yellow Soul Ring appeared along with it.

Ma Xiunuo frowned at the sight of the Yellow Soul Ring, but his brow quickly relaxed. "A Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul? And a Hundred-Year Soul Ring?"

"You're students at Nuoding Academy, aren't you?"

He had also noticed their Nuoding Academy uniforms by then.

They had spent so many days in the Soul Hunting Forest without changing their clothes much, so their uniforms were already very dirty.

"Yes. Dean Lei Nuo took us Soul Hunting this time."

"So you're Lei Nuo's students. No wonder." Understanding dawned on Ma Xiunuo, and he picked up the crystal ball. "Put your hand on the ball and inject your Soul Power."

Tang San pressed his hand against the ball, and Blue Silver Grass Soul Power slowly flowed into it.

The crystal ball lit up with a hazy gray glow. Ma Xiunuo took a look. "Level twelve? Judging by the usual hundred-year first ring, your Soul Ring's level must be quite high, right?"

Tang San said, "Dean Lei Nuo found me a Soul Ring of a relatively high age."

Ma Xiunuo shook his head and didn't pursue the matter. He picked up a pen and wrote a few things on a form.

"Name?"

"Tang San."

After filling out the form, Ma Xiunuo turned to Lin Qingchen. "And you, child? What is your Martial Soul?"

Lin Qingchen stepped up to the desk. "My name is Lin Qingchen, and my Martial Soul is the Five Elements Qilin."

Ma Xiunuo's pen paused. "Five Elements Qilin? I've never heard of such a Martial Soul. Could it be a Mutated Martial Soul? Release it and let me take a look."

Lin Qingchen used Martial Soul Possession with his Five Elements Qilin. Ma Xiunuo frowned and studied him for a long while, but couldn't discern anything. He only felt that the presence coming from him was much stronger than Tang San's.

"Never mind. Put your hand on the ball."

Lin Qingchen did as he was told.

The crystal ball instantly lit up with a brilliant radiance, and Ma Xiunuo's mouth fell open.

"Level fifteen? How is that possible?"

He hurriedly picked up the crystal ball, tapped it lightly, and injected some Soul Power into it himself.

"There's nothing wrong with it. But level fifteen? How is that possible?"

He thought it over for a long time without figuring it out, then decided to stop thinking about it. He set down the crystal ball and looked at Lin Qingchen with an almost fanatical gaze. "Lin Qingchen, would you be willing to join Spirit Hall? I believe that with your talent, there's no doubt you could become an elder."

Join Spirit Hall?

Of course Lin Qingchen wasn't willing. Leaving aside the fact that Tang Hao was very likely still watching, that madwoman Bibi Dong alone was enough to make him decline.

Staying around a lunatic like that could easily shave years off his life.

So he shook his head. "Sorry, Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo. I'd like to wait until I've finished my studies at Nuoding Academy before making a decision."

Ma Xiunuo badly wanted to say that, with his talent, staying at Nuoding Academy was a waste of his youth, but in the end he kept it to himself. He merely said, "Very well. If you don't want to, I won't force you. But Spirit Hall's doors will always be open to you."

"Thank you, Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo."

Ma Xiunuo recorded their information, then issued each of them a round Soul Master badge as proof of registration with Spirit Hall.

Ma Xiunuo said, "All right. From this moment on, you are both honorable Soul Masters. At the One-Ring Soul Master level, you can come to Spirit Hall to collect one Gold Soul Coin each month. At the Soul Grandmaster level, it's ten Gold Soul Coins a month."

As he spoke, he took out two Gold Soul Coins and held them in his hand.

Tang San reached out, just about to take one, but another hand moved so fast it left an afterimage, snatching away the Gold Soul Coin he had been reaching for.

Huh?

Tang San gave Lin Qingchen a puzzled look, but didn't pay it any mind and simply picked up the other Gold Soul Coin.

As far as he was concerned, they were both Gold Soul Coins, and there was no difference between them.

After taking the Gold Soul Coin, Lin Qingchen thanked Ma Xiunuo.

He really did have to thank him, because only Lin Qingchen could see that the Gold Soul Coin he now held tightly in his hand was giving off a soft glow.

It was actually another Wonder Seed!

"All right, you should head back. Oh, right, Lin Qingchen, if you want to join Spirit Hall, you can come find me at any time."

Ma Xiunuo still couldn't get Lin Qingchen out of his thoughts.

"I understand."