For twenty years at the Nodding Junior Spirit Master Academy, no apprentices had been accepted. The only explanation was: over these two decades, all the work-study students who entered the academy were simply children from ordinary civilian families.
Xiao Yan knew very clearly that his father was absolutely not just a blacksmith from a small village. Judging by the half-human, half-grass bloodline he carried, his origins had to be extraordinary.
To endure for twenty years, patiently waiting for a future opportunity like this — the middle-aged man before him must have an exceptionally strong character and surely was no stranger to cunning tactics.
In an instant, Xiao Yan's caution skyrocketed to an unprecedented level.
Xiao Yan stood up and smiled, saying, "Since you have such deep research on the Blue Silver Grass, everything will depend on you. I'll go back and rest first to gather my strength."
Just as he was about to leave, Master Yu Xiaogang got excited talking about his pride: "Don't rush, I haven't finished yet."
"After my careful study, the Blue Silver Grass spirit is best developed towards control-type abilities. Grass is soft and can be freely controlled into various forms. Using it as a rope to bind someone is its innate usage."
"Hmm, not bad." The man before him had a hidden agenda, but Xiao Yan didn't bother to correct him and simply agreed.
Seeing Xiao Yan's change of attitude, Yu Xiaogang was very pleased. His reputation as the number one Douluo Continent theory master was no joke.
After a talk like this, even the most stubborn person would be persuaded — let alone a child.
"I've already planned your development direction: poison and toughness are the soul ring attributes you need. The specific soul beasts you should seek will be decided when you get to the forest."
Yu Xiaogang took a big gulp of water: "For now, that's all. You should head back. Tomorrow morning, I'll come to your dorm to find you."
"Okay." Xiao Yan nodded and quickly left the room.
Glancing at the slowly setting sun, Xiao Yan didn't return to his dorm but instead briskly left the Nodding Junior Spirit Master Academy.
Tang Hao, the old dog, told him to find work in a blacksmith shop to earn living expenses. Ridiculous.
He had the skill to roast rabbits and make spicy rabbit heads—delicious stuff! Why bother working for someone else?
During dinner, he had already learned from Wang Sheng about the spirit master subsidies. Once registered at the Spirit Hall, he would receive one Gold Spirit Coin every month.
On Douluo Continent, whether in the Tiandou Empire or Xingluo Empire, every city's Spirit Hall was a landmark building.
Xiao Yan casually asked a passerby and successfully found the location of the Spirit Hall.
The Spirit Hall in Nodding City was a massive dome-shaped building, over a hundred meters wide at the front and twenty meters high, with three floors in total.
The entire building was brown, and the Spirit Hall emblem above the main entrance featured a longsword.
As soon as Xiao Yan arrived at the Spirit Hall, he was stopped by the guards at the gate.
"Kid, this is the Spirit Hall. You can't just wander in here."
The two guards looked about twenty years old. Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed, activating his Purple Extreme Demon Eye, and he realized their soul power fluctuations were not strong—actually weaker than Wang Sheng's.
They were stronger than ordinary people but still far from becoming true spirit masters.
It seemed that Nodding City was quite ordinary; even the Spirit Hall gatekeepers weren't spirit masters.
Xiao Yan pointed to his school uniform and said, "Uncles, I'm a student at Nodding Junior Spirit Master Academy, here for the Spirit power evaluation."
After carefully examining Xiao Yan's clothes, the two guards realized he was indeed a student from Nodding Spirit Master Academy.
The guard who spoke earlier looked at Xiao Yan with some envy and smiled, nodding: "I see. Then you can go in. Go to Master Matthew Nuo on the first floor reception; he will help you."
"Thank you." Xiao Yan replied and quickly entered the Spirit Hall.
The two guards kept their eyes on Xiao Yan as he entered, and one said, "If only I could've gotten into Nodding Academy, maybe I could be a spirit master now."
The other nodded in agreement.
Suddenly one said, "Nodding Academy has tools for testing soul power themselves. Only when advancing stages do students come here. Why is this kid coming to our Spirit Hall?"
"Who knows? Maybe his teacher sent him to deliver a message. That's not our concern." After Xiao Yan disappeared, the guards turned and resumed their posts.
The twenty-meter-high dome was magnificent. When Xiao Yan stepped into the Spirit Hall lobby, he momentarily felt like he was in some grand Western palace.
The entire hall's walls were covered with murals. Small squares depicted all kinds of spirit forms. The background was a shining golden color, giving a sense of dazzling grandeur yet retaining an ancient charm.
Huge crystal windows surrounded the hall, and sunlight refracted through the transparent crystals, shining brilliantly on the murals.
After asking a cleaning lady, Xiao Yan took the stairs to the second floor and knocked on a central room's door.
"So late and still someone coming? Come in." an aged voice called from inside.
Xiao Yan pushed open the door and entered a bright office. Behind a large desk sat an old man.
He wore a neat spirit master uniform, and the standard three-sword insignia showed he was a Grand Spirit Master.
Seeing the visitor clearly, Matthew Nuo stroked his white beard: "So, a Nodding Academy kid?"
"Child, what brings you here?" Matthew Nuo asked kindly.
Xiao Yan replied, "Hello, Master Matthew Nuo. I'm here for my advancement evaluation."
"I see. You must have just returned from the Hunting Soul Forest." Matthew Nuo smiled and stood to approach Xiao Yan.
"Child, no need to call me Master; I'm no great master. Just call me Grandpa Matthew Nuo. I'm eighty-one, so I should qualify as your grandfather, right?"
Compared to the grand masters at Nodding Academy, this old man was kind and humble. Xiao Yan nodded with recognition: "Okay, Grandpa Matthew Nuo."
Matthew Nuo smiled gently: "Follow me, I'll take you to the advancement evaluation."
Saying this, he took Xiao Yan's hand and walked out of the office, down the second-floor corridor toward the inner part of the Spirit Hall.
At the corridor's end, three tall arched doors appeared before Xiao Yan.
Matthew Nuo smiled: "This is where the Spirit Hall conducts advancement evaluations. Come on, child."
He pushed open the leftmost door and led Xiao Yan inside.
(End of Chapter)