"Etiquette is often wielded as a mask, concealing one's unsightly nature while belittling others."
A man in his twenties stepped forward, his voice calm yet commanding. "I will now call you one by one," he said, a phantom wolf of deep violet floating behind him, flanked by two spirit ring, one white, one yellow hovering around him. His gaze swept over the children lined up before him.
The children shifted nervously, anticipation thick in the air. The boy at the front blinked out of his daze and stepped forward. Six awakening stones rose into the air, circling him as golden light burst forth. The radiance spun into a ring, lifting him a meter above the ground.
Su Yuntao regarded the boy with indifference. "No need to be nervous," he said flatly. Raising his hand, he shouted, "Awaken!"
The golden ring flared, blinding the boy's eyes. As the light faded, his hand stretched outward and a scissors materialized within his grasp.
Su Yuntao's expression hardened. He toss a blue orb the size of a basketball and scoffed. "Martial soul: scissors. Another trash spirit. Now, check your spirit level."
All eyes were fixed on the boy, except for one girl at the end of the line. Unlike the others, she stood out entirely: silver-white hair tinged faintly with blue, heterochromatic eyes gleaming with life, and a cheerful aura that contrasted sharply with the nervous children around her.
She rubbed her hands together excitedly as she gazed at the crystal orb only to see a cold 0 appear.
"Innate soul level: zero. Next." The voice was icy, indifferent, calling for the next child while ignoring her disappointment.
One by one, the children stepped forward:"Blue Silver Grass, no soul power. Next."
"Sickle, no soul power."
"Left shoe, no soul power. Next."
"TV remote, no soul power. Next."
"AC remote… ah, trash. Next."
Finally, her turn came. She strode confidently into the center of the ring. Su Yuntao glanced at the lively girl, his mood lifting slightly, though his face remained expressionless he had seen countless hopeful faces end in disappointment. Yet something about this girl felt different. 'Maybe she will awaken soul power…'
As the light faded,both of her hands trembled, but she steadied herself and raised her right hand. A sword of pale blue light emerged. Its design was exquisite: wave-like curves and translucent, water-glass textures. The blade was long, rounded, and elegant, tapering gracefully without sharp edges. The crossguard unfurled like flowing ribbons, curling outward like streams of water.
Su Yuntao's eyes widened. His hands trembled with excitement as he pushed the orb forward. "Quickly check your soul level!"
The girl placed her hand upon the orb. A warm aura spread around her fingers, and after a moment, the orb glowed brilliantly. The number 10 appeared, a crack forming across its surface.
Su Yuntao's voice shook with exhilaration. "Innate full soul power… full level!"
He looked at the girl with burning eyes. "Are you willing to join Spirit Hall? There, you can learn to become a powerful Soul Master."
The girl's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly masked it, adopting a frail demeanor that showcased her acting skills to the fullest. "I don't want to join," she said softly. "I've heard that many people look down on commoner students like us. They bully us, and we can't resist because of their family background. I'd rather go somewhere else."
Her performance worked. Su Yuntao fell into thought, realizing that the current Spirit Hall was not much different from a noble academy, its students were mostly children of high-ranking officials from spirit hall. For a commoner with no background, entering such a place might not nurture her talent, but instead waste her top tier talent.
"I understand," he replied at last. "I won't press you. But if you ever wish to join Spirit Hall as a worker, not a student, you will always be welcome."
With the ceremony concluded, everyone left the Spirit Hall branch hall. Outside, an old man was waiting for them.