Thinking of this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel fortunate for having opened up his Eight Extraordinary Meridians back then.
Had he not done so, if he had started cultivating even a bit later, his meridians might have solidified.
He would've had to follow the Xuan Tian Gong cultivation method step-by-step, and at best, would only have reached the first level by now.
"I really have to thank that old dog Tang Hao. If it weren't for his looming threat, I wouldn't have been so desperate to cultivate for survival, and my progress wouldn't have been this smooth."
Xiao Yan chuckled, then turned and walked out of the Spirit Hall.
He had gathered quite a lot of information today—he needed time to digest it.
He wondered just how powerful top-level Soul Masters in this world could get.
The so-called Grand Soul Master rank was really too weak.
Still, Xiao Yan did not underestimate Soul Masters.
Having read a few cultivation novels, he knew that when one reaches a certain stage in cultivation, a qualitative transformation could occur.
Perhaps, once Soul Masters reached a certain level, they would become truly formidable.
Su Yuntao was weak simply because he hadn't cultivated far enough—it didn't mean all Soul Masters were pushovers.
By now, Su Yuntao and the other children had already left. Xiao Yan walked up to Old Jack and said,"Grandpa Jack, that master has already gone far. Let's head back too."
Pulled from his thoughts by Su Yuntao's earlier words, Old Jack turned to Xiao Yan, a bit somber, and asked,"Is that you, Little San? What martial spirit did you awaken?"
Xiao Yan replied,"Blue Silver Grass. I heard it's a useless martial spirit. But that master said I have innate full soul power—apparently, I'm quite talented."
"Little San, you're the child the master said had innate full soul power and a Blue Silver Grass martial spirit?"Old Jack looked at him in surprise.
"That's me."Xiao Yan nodded.
"Little San, I didn't expect you to be so gifted! It's a shame you have that kind of father and couldn't inherit a better martial spirit. If you had, maybe you really could've become the second Soul Saint in our village."
Xiao Yan just smiled. Martial spirits were indeed passed down through bloodlines. But he didn't just have Blue Silver Grass—he seemed to have another martial spirit as well.
Old Jack asked,"Little San, tell Grandpa—would you be willing to go to a specialized school to learn how to cultivate like a Soul Master? Only there can you gain the most accurate knowledge about martial spirits."
Xiao Yan said,"Grandpa Jack, I do want to go to school, but my family might not agree. What benefits are there to being a Soul Master?"
Old Jack replied,"Soul Masters are the noblest profession. Once you have that title, the state will give you a monthly subsidy. Your family's life would improve a lot."
Xiao Yan lowered his head, thinking. He hadn't realized that being a Soul Master came with such perks. It seemed there weren't too many of them. Considering how martial spirits were tied to bloodlines, the top-tier cultivation on Douluo Continent was likely limited to a small elite group.
Old Jack sighed.Why was he saying so much to a child anyway?
Though Tang Hao seemed like a useless man, he was still an adult. This matter required his approval.
"Let's go, Little San. Grandpa will take you home."Old Jack took Xiao Yan back to the blacksmith shop.
It was Tang Hao's usual nap time in the morning, so the shop was quiet.
Old Jack didn't care whether Tang Hao was dreaming of spring or autumn. As soon as they reached the door, he shouted,"Tang Hao! Tang Hao!"
"Who's yelling out there?"An irritated voice responded. The inner curtain was pulled aside, and Tang Hao stumbled out.
He glanced at Xiao Yan, then turned to Old Jack,"What do you want?"
Knowing the two didn't get along and that a fight was inevitable, Xiao Yan quickly stepped in,"Today was the martial spirit awakening ceremony. I awakened with innate full soul power. Grandpa Jack wants me to attend a Soul Master academy."
To Su Yuntao, Blue Silver Grass was a useless martial spirit. As a Spirit Hall deacon, his knowledge was solid, so most people probably thought it was trash too.
But he valued the innate full soul power highly.
So naturally, Xiao Yan emphasized the good part first.
"Innate full soul power!"A glint of light suddenly appeared in Tang Hao's clouded eyes.
Innate full soul power was extremely rare in the Soul Master world. Even among the top three sects, fewer than twenty had appeared in the past century.
Tang Hao quickly asked,"What's your martial spirit?"
For once, Old Jack smiled at Tang Hao,"Innate full soul power is an incredibly rare talent. This year's work-study student spot will go to Little San. He'll study at the Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy, and the village will cover the travel costs."
Tang Hao had always disliked Old Jack. He lowered his head, thinking—if Little San truly had innate full soul power, then he must have awakened the Hao Tian Hammer martial spirit. That would be dangerous; once he left Holy Soul Village, his identity would be exposed.
"No!"Tang Hao raised his head and said firmly.
Xiao Yan's heart skipped a beat. This old dog Tang Hao really was his nemesis. Even with such rare talent, he wouldn't allow him to go to the academy—clearly afraid he'd grow strong and seek revenge later.
"Tang Hao—!"Old Jack suddenly raised his voice,"Even if you gave Little San the useless Blue Silver Grass martial spirit, he still has innate full soul power!"
"Blue Silver Grass martial spirit?"Tang Hao looked up at Xiao Yan in surprise,"Your martial spirit is really Blue Silver Grass?"
Xiao Yan raised his hand and released his martial spirit,"It is indeed Blue Silver Grass."
Old Jack's earlier shout had triggered a violent coughing fit.
After catching his breath, he continued,"As long as Little San gets even the lowest-quality soul ring, he can immediately become a Soul Master. A Soul Master, you know? Our village hasn't had one in years!"
"That last part is probably your real goal, huh?"Tang Hao sneered,"What can someone with a trash martial spirit like Blue Silver Grass even cultivate?"
Xiao Yan responded,"A person's path is their own choice. Whether a martial spirit is strong or weak depends on how you cultivate it."
"And you think a trash spirit like Blue Silver Grass can be cultivated into anything useful?"Tang Hao scoffed.
Xiao Yan didn't respond. People in this world were stubborn—words wouldn't help much.
He pinched a Blue Silver Grass leaf between two fingers, held his breath, and flicked it toward a ceramic bottle on the table.
In the eyes of both Tang Hao and Old Jack, that thin blade of grass shot forward like a shard of steel—buzz—and embedded itself into the bottle.
"Little San, you..."Old Jack was stunned.
That level of accuracy and force—most true Soul Masters couldn't pull that off, especially not with a Blue Silver Grass leaf.
Even Tang Hao was taken aback. In all his years roaming the Soul Master world, this was the first time he'd seen someone use Blue Silver Grass with such power.
Little San was only at level ten soul power now—if his power grew any further, he might one day slice through stone and metal.
(End of Chapter)