"Forget it, I can't force you. Just be confident in your own choice."
Ma Xiunuo sighed and looked back at Zhou Qing, extending an invitation. "Your spirit weapon is the Heart. Honestly, I don't know exactly how such a spirit weapon is cultivated or what it can become. But I hope you truly consider joining the Spirit Hall. With your innate full spirit power talent, you will surely enter the sacred place revered by spirit masters across the continent Spirit City and study at the Spirit Hall Academy."
"Thank you, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, but I still want to think it over," Zhou Qing politely declined Ma Xiunuo's kind offer.
Join the Spirit Hall?
No way.
The three great powers on Douluo Continent — the Tian Dou Empire, the Xing Luo Empire, and the Spirit Hall — each had their problems:
Tian Dou Empire —
The royal family was deeply troubled. Qian Renxue's impersonation of Xue Qinghe — a classic case of "exchanging the prince like a cat and a leopard cub" — meant internal politics were bound to be extremely complicated. Getting involved before becoming strong would only make one a pawn.
When it came to scheming and political intrigue, Zhou Qing admitted he wasn't cut out for the cunning and ruthlessness of lifelong politicians. It was better not to waste his mind on such things...
Xing Luo Empire —
The succession battle for the throne was brutally harsh.
Though Davis was stronger than Dai Mubai in almost every aspect, someone who grew up in such a cutthroat environment wouldn't be as transparent or straightforward as Zhou Qing was with Tang San. Plus, Zhou Qing sensed that the empire's near-total military dominance bordered on something like a militaristic totalitarianism...
Spirit Hall —
Currently led by Bibi Dong — a woman whose madness Zhou Qing couldn't fully fathom. Without interference from the temple's devotees, besides Yu Xiaogang, this woman likely wouldn't listen to anyone weaker than herself.
Survival of the fittest was even more intense inside Spirit City than in the imperial capitals, since it was a city filled entirely with spirit masters — a society where power ruled above all.
If he joined the Spirit Hall with only one spirit ring, he wouldn't be able to change anything.
Unless he became a disciple of one of the elders and entered the true system of the Spirit Hall.
But then, it would be nearly impossible to avoid being influenced or changed by the Spirit Hall's system.
Moreover, the Spirit Hall was close to a religious institution...
Most importantly, Zhou Qing hadn't fully understood the actual situation of these three major powers in this real world. So before making a decision, it was better to remain a free spirit master for a while.
"A mature young man."
After a brief interaction, Ma Xiunuo had gained a simple understanding of Zhou Qing and did not press further.
Next, Tang San's spirit power was tested.
His spirit power level was 14, almost touching 15.
Ma Xiunuo's mouth formed an "O" again, astonished: "You two young ones from Sacred Spirit Village truly surprise me — another case of someone just breaking through to become a spirit master and instantly surging in spirit power... What kind of spirit beast's ring did you absorb?"
"Wolf Hair Grass, about three to four hundred years old," Tang San replied.
"Blue Silver Grass and Wolf Hair Grass? That's quite the matching pair."
Ma Xiunuo also invited Tang San, but he refused — he planned to rebuild the Tang Sect in this world, even surpass it!
How could he join another power?
Ma Xiunuo sighed, adding another layer of reproach toward Su Yuntao: "It's all that bastard's fault. He should have brought you back immediately."
Finally, it was Xiao Wu's turn to have her spirit power tested.
Her spirit power was lower, only level 13.
Compared to the brilliance of Zhou Qing and Tang San, Xiao Wu's raw potential seemed less striking. Ma Xiunuo simply stamped her spirit weapon certificate and handed it back.
"Hey, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, why didn't you invite me to join the Spirit Hall?" Xiao Wu was a little upset, feeling she was being treated differently, wondering if it was because her spirit power was lower.
"Well..."
Ma Xiunuo assumed Xiao Wu was with Zhou Qing and Tang San, so he mentally assumed she wouldn't agree either, so he never extended an invitation. But now...
"So, young lady, would you like to truly join the Spirit Hall? With your innate full spirit power, you could also enter the Spirit Hall Academy in Spirit City. Your teachers would at least be spirit kings, and occasionally titled Douluos from the Elders' Hall might come lecture at the academy."
"No, I won't."
Xiao Wu rejected the offer outright.
She never intended to join; she just wanted to confront Ma Xiunuo about the favoritism. And learning that titled Douluos would sometimes lecture at the academy only made her more reluctant.
She hadn't even reached her maturity phase yet. Learning in an academy where everyone was a spirit master — and where even titled Douluos casually visited — was a fate she wasn't eager to face.
Ma Xiunuo wasn't angry at all; he laughed warmly, "Such a lovely young lady!"
"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, I want to ask — does the Spirit Hall have a library?" Zhou Qing inquired.
"Yes."
Ma Xiunuo was surprised but answered, "On the second floor of the outer lounge — that's the library. But books aren't loaned out. Spirit masters not affiliated with the Spirit Hall who want to read must pay a fee five copper spirit coins per hour."
"That expensive?" Xiao Wu was doubtful. "The Notting Academy library is free for students."
"That's different."
Ma Xiunuo chuckled. "Most books in the Notting Academy library are commercially available. And who said the Notting library is free? You can use it because you've already paid your tuition. Student workers complete tasks assigned by the academy to earn rewards, part of which offsets your tuition."
Zhou Qing understood since they weren't Notting students, they couldn't access it freely.
Moreover, even the Notting Academy though a spirit master academy for beginners wasn't a charity. The cost was bundled in without students realizing it.
"Our Spirit Hall branch's library contains mostly cultivation-related texts. Since Notting City's founding, many spirit masters who left the city recorded their cultivation journeys and adventures and sent them back. The Spirit Hall collects and organizes these."
"There's even more about spirit beasts and spirit bones."
Ma Xiunuo's eyes briefly shone with a sharp light when mentioning spirit bones but quickly faded. "These records were written by spirit masters over their lifetimes. Five copper spirit coins an hour is already very reasonable. Yet, there are quite a few people like you who complain about the price..."
"Thank you, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, for letting us know. We'll come here often to read." Zhou Qing expressed his gratitude and also realized something — most ordinary spirit masters wouldn't spend copper spirit coins to visit the Spirit Hall library in normal times. Only when they needed to advance their spirit rings would a small number come searching for useful spirit beast information.
After all, spirit masters prized power more than knowledge. And those who wrote biographies mostly did so either out of genuine research interest or simply to leave a mark of their existence in the world.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/XenTronix