Ambition

"Little Tian'en, tell Grandpa, what did you see?"

As the longest-serving cardinal of Spirit Hall's Vast Sea City main hall, Old Master Xiunuo had turned his attention to nurturing the younger generation after exhausting his own potential.

Old Master Xiunuo had not only sent quite a few geniuses with exceptionally high Innate Soul Power to the central Spirit Hall, but had also personally trained multiple Soul Saints.

In a sense, when it came to teaching and gathering information, he was even more worthy of being called a Grandmaster than some fellows who called themselves education experts.

That was precisely why, when Mu Tian'en said that he lost weight while circulating his cultivation method, the old man had instinctively picked up on the information he wanted.

Mu Tian'en looked at Grandpa Xiunuo's serious face and swallowed.

His eyes darted about as he tucked his little hands behind his back.

Twisting his little fingers together, Mu Tian'en took a deep breath. "Gran-Grandpa Xiunuo, after I understood the Basic Soul Power Cultivation Method, I circulated the Soul Power cultivation method, and then..."

"Then I saw my Martial Soul."

Mu Tian'en pointed to his lower abdomen. "It's right here."

"But he told me it was a little small in there, and there wasn't enough water, so he couldn't swim around."

"Then he started teaching me how to make more water."

"But the more I cultivated, the hungrier I got."

"Grandpa Xiunuo, please don't send me away. I, I'll eat less from now on, and I won't let myself get fat."

Mu Tian'en hung his head, not daring to look at Bishop Xiunuo.

He had only spent eleven days with enough to eat and a good night's sleep, and he was afraid that eating so much would make Grandpa Xiunuo, who had finally agreed to let him live here, send him away.

"Grandpa Xiunuo, I don't eat much."

"If there isn't enough food, I can go fishing."

As Mu Tian'en spoke, his eyes began to redden.

But there was no answer.

Tears were already welling up in Mu Tian'en's eyes.

But Mu Tian'en did not ask the old man for another chance.

He would treat these past days as a beautiful dream.

But just as Mu Tian'en was about to turn and leave the hall, a large hand came to rest on his head.

Warmth spread down from the top of Mu Tian'en's head.

Mu Tian'en could no longer hold back his tears.

But when he finally raised his head, he found that Grandpa Xiunuo, who usually wore a stern face and was feared by all the children in the main hall, was smiling gently.

Old Master Xiunuo's beard trembled.

His eyes had narrowed to slits.

His mouth had stretched into a grin from ear to ear.

"Little Tian'en, how could Grandpa possibly send you away just because you eat a lot?"

"Little Tian'en is a good boy!"

Old Master Xiunuo knew that Little Tian'en would not understand what he wanted to say at this stage, so he did not intend to tell him. Instead, he made Mu Tian'en a gentle promise.

"As long as Little Tian'en doesn't waste food, Grandpa can promise that you'll have enough to eat every day. Grandpa can swear it on his Martial Soul."

Immediately afterward, Bishop Xiunuo saw the smile he wanted to see on Mu Tian'en's face, which was covered in tears.

"Qiansha, take the little fellow to get something to eat. Remember, Old Suolong, raise the little fellow's meal allowance to my level. Remember, my level."

"But remember to make sure the grade of the meat is suited to the little fellow's Soul Power Level."

Qiansha was stunned.

Staring at her grandfather's eyes, which had narrowed to slits, Qiansha shuddered. After bowing to him, she decisively picked up Mu Tian'en, who had yet to react, and headed for the dining hall.

"Little Tian'en, wipe your tears. Your Grandpa Xiunuo has promised to let you eat a feast!"

"Even Auntie hasn't eaten a feast more than a few times, and a little fellow like you gets the chance. I'm so jealous!"

Qiansha carried Mu Tian'en.

As she marveled at how much weight Mu Tian'en had lost and how he was not nearly as plump as before, she explained Old Master Xiunuo's words to him.

"Little fellow, Grandpa hasn't made a promise like that in a long time."

"You have no idea. You can count on one hand the people in the entire main hall who can have every meal made with the finest Soul Beast meat, and Grandpa's meal allowance is the highest of them all."

As she carried Mu Tian'en toward the dining hall, Qiansha raised one hand and made a pinching gesture in front of him.

"Just a little bit, and your tummy will be full."

"Now, let's go find Grandpa Suolong and have him make you something delicious. When it's ready, eat all you want."

As his granddaughter's laughter faded from the hall, Old Master Xiunuo's gentle smile slowly faded as well.

Solemn!

The old man knelt before the statue of the Angel God in the center of the main hall.

Light streamed through the glazed glass in the dome, spilling a rainbow of colors.

The Angel God's statue held a divine sword raised high, pointing almost imperceptibly in the direction Mu Tian'en had left.

"Angel God, was this your revelation to me?" Excitement filled the old man's eyes.

He, Qing Xiunuo, knew his talent was not particularly great. To have reached the level of Soul Saint was already a gift from heaven.

Of course, his own hard work and opportunities had also been indispensable.

But he had all but confirmed that he could not take another step upward.

With only the dozen or so Soul Saints he had trained, the most he could hope for was the title of honorary bishop when he stepped down and retired.

Platinum Bishop?

Impossible.

His strength would not permit it.

But now, his path to promotion had brightened.

He had originally only been able to go from a bishop with real authority to an honorary position with nothing to do, but now his path to advancement had taken a turn.

Perhaps he had a chance to make his way to the Martial Soul research laboratory in Spirit City.

When the time came, perhaps he could even climb a little higher and become an elder with a tiny bit of authority.

After all, the little fellow Mu Tian'en had awakened his own Soul Power cultivation method here under his care.

And his Martial Soul had even taken the initiative to tell him about it.

A glint flashed in Old Master Xiunuo's eyes.

Such a situation was extremely rare. In fact, even in Spirit Hall's previous records, it could be considered an isolated case.

But now, it was no longer the only one.

The little fellow's talent should even be ten, a hundred, or perhaps a thousand times that of that fellow.

He could use Martial Soul Possession and also allow his Martial Soul to move freely.

Old Master Xiunuo had already thought of countless ways the two could work together in battle.

His eyes held a hint of fervor beneath the light shining on the Angel God's sword.

But the next moment, he thought of something else and calmed down again.

The man who was both a Soul Saint and a cardinal slowly rose to his feet. With his presence bearing down on those around him, he took out the token he carried and issued a secret summons to the deacons still in the main hall.