The soft afternoon light filtered through the high windows of the hall, painting golden streaks across the polished stone floor. The air was still, tense with half-formed thoughts and unspoken questions.
Though calm on the outside, Qian Yu couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
Blind Douluo, they called him. And truly, the title fit better than Qian Yu had expected.
Despite having witnessed his strength firsthand, the elder still managed to spin a story so far-fetched it bordered on absurd. Yet, to be fair, Su Yuntao wasn't entirely wrong either. In the world of soul masters, soul rings could mutate. Qian Yu had seen it before—lifetimes ago, in different bodies, in forgotten corners of the world. Mutated rings, disguised rings… illusions layered upon truth.
He had even mastered a technique that allowed a soul ring to be disguised as any age or color. A useful trick—especially when questions were best left unanswered.
Across from him, the man named Ma Xiu Nuo furrowed his brows, gaze fixed on Qian Yu.
"Qian Yu," he asked carefully, "what's going on with your soul ring? Is it really… mutated?"
Qian Yu didn't deny it, nor did he confirm. He offered only a vague explanation, voice calm and unreadable.
"I don't know myself. I entered the Soul Hunting Forest... then a soul beast stumbled into my path. I defeated it. This ring is the result."
A quiet lie dressed in truth.
By keeping his story simple, he avoided drawing too much attention. It was better this way.
Ma Xiu Nuo took a breath, forcing composure. His voice steadied as he declared, "Regardless of the how, your soul power is measured at Level 30. That's not something our instruments can be wrong about."
He looked at Qian Yu with something like awe. "Innate thirtieth level... No matter what your martial soul is, you're a genius."
Then, a shift—his expression turned solemn, his eyes sharp with resolve. "Qian Yu, I must ask—would you consider officially joining the Spirit Hall?"
Qian Yu's lips curled into a light smile. "Didn't I just register with the Hall? Isn't that the same?"
Ma Xiu Nuo shook his head. "No, it's different. Every soul master registers with the Hall to receive the basic stipend. But joining the Hall means becoming one of us—our people. You'd receive direct training at one of our academies. It's not just affiliation. It's allegiance."
Join the Spirit Hall... again?
The thought was oddly nostalgic. After all, he was the founder—the origin of it all. The Spirit Hall was, in every way, his.
To now stand here and be invited in like a stranger... It was strangely poetic.
But then his gaze shifted to the girl standing quietly beside him.
Xiao Wu.
If he accepted the offer, he would be required to leave. And Xiao Wu... she wouldn't come with him. Not to the central academy. They would be separated.
He had just promised her—always together. A promise was not something he made lightly.
Qian Yu's tone was light, almost teasing. "I'm not opposed to joining... but I do have one condition."
Ma Xiu Nuo's eyes lit up. "Name it."
Qian Yu replied simply, "I've already enrolled in Nuoding Academy. I don't plan to transfer. So, I'll join the Spirit Hall, but I'll remain here to study."
Ma Xiu Nuo hesitated. "But your talent... staying in a small town like this is a waste. At our academy, your potential could reach its full height."
Qian Yu's smile deepened. Resources? He had soul bones far beyond what any academy could provide—hidden away in the vast interdimensional space he carried. He didn't need anyone's support. Power, he could always obtain for himself.
His reason for joining wasn't ambition. It was sentimental. It was a legacy.
"I'm content here," Qian Yu said, his voice gentle. "But yes... I'll serve as one of the Hall's soul masters."
Ma Xiu Nuo gave in with a sigh. "Very well. Then let's have you work under the Nuoding branch. You'll receive a monthly stipend to support your living expenses."
As branch master, Ma Xiu Nuo had that authority. It wasn't much, but it was a gesture.
Qian Yu nodded. "Thank you, Master Ma."
"If there's nothing else, we'll be on our way," he added politely.
"Of course. Safe travels."
With that, Qian Yu turned and walked out, Xiao Wu following quietly at his side.
Once outside, as the breeze stirred her hair, Xiao Wu looked up at him with subtle unease.
"Qian Yu-ge... you're really joining the Spirit Hall?"
He nodded.
She hesitated. "Is that... a good thing? I've heard the Spirit Hall is full of bad people."
Qian Yu's gaze softened. He knew what this was really about.
Her mother had died at the hands of Bibi Dong, the Hall's ruthless Pope. To Xiao Wu, the Spirit Hall was not just an organization—it was a shadow that had stolen everything.
Qian Yu knelt slightly, resting a hand gently on her head. "Then... does that make me a bad person too?"
Xiao Wu's eyes widened. "Of course not!"
"But I'm a part of the Spirit Hall now," he said.
She opened her mouth, then fell silent.
He continued, "Xiao Wu, good and evil… those don't belong to any one group. Even here, in this small town, there are people who do terrible things. And there are those who do good. It's the same everywhere."
His tone grew thoughtful. "If the Spirit Hall didn't exist, who would awaken the martial spirits of the people? Who would bring order to the chaos between soul masters?"
His eyes looked past her, as if seeing a distant, troubled future.
"If the world fell into war... without the Hall, without structure... ordinary people would suffer first. Entire kingdoms would burn."
He met her gaze again. "Do you still think the Spirit Hall is purely evil?"
Xiao Wu's eyes shimmered. No one had ever explained it like this. She'd grown up in the Star Dou Forest—a place ruled by the law of the jungle. There was no law. No guidance. Only strength.
"So... the Spirit Hall is a force for good?" she whispered.
Qian Yu nodded slowly. "The Spirit Hall exists to preserve balance. That's why... I chose to return to it."
And though he said no more, the hope in his voice lingered, like the warmth of sun through forest leaves—hoping, perhaps, to plant a new thought in her heart.
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