Su Yuntao gathered his things with practiced ease. After sealing the awakening crystal and packing his tools, he stepped out of the ancestral hall, his Spirit Hall robes rustling softly behind him.
Chief Jack was already waiting outside.
"Spirit Master Su!" he called, hurrying over with barely concealed urgency. "How was it? Did anyone awaken a Martial Spirit with soul power?"
Su Yuntao paused, then let out a quiet sigh.
"Only two," he replied. "The rest had no soul power."
Chief Jack blinked. "Two… that's…"
"Yes," Su Yuntao confirmed, his tone flat. "One awakened Blue Silver Grass. A plant-type spirit. Completely useless."
Jack opened his mouth in protest, but Su Yuntao raised a hand.
"The other... a support-type spirit. Rare, but unlikely to possess combat potential. It's respectable, I suppose."
His voice held no emotion. Just cool analysis.
Jack's shoulders dropped slightly. Still, two with soul power was far better than none.
Su Yuntao reached into his robes and pulled out two parchment slips, handing them to Tang San and Wu Lan, who had followed him out in silence.
"These are your Spirit Awakening Certificates. You'll need them if you intend to apply for a Soul Master Academy. They prove your qualifications."
Without another word, he turned and walked away. A ghostly flicker of his wolf spirit shimmered briefly behind him, then vanished. In moments, his figure disappeared down the dirt road that led out of Holy Spirit Village.
Chief Jack turned to the boys, expression softening.
"Well," he said, managing a smile, "you've both awakened soul power. That's something to be proud of. If you're willing, we can apply to Nuoding City's Soul Master Academy. They take in children with awakened power, and the empire supports them."
Wu Lan nodded right away. "Yes. I want to go."
Tang San hesitated. His brows drew slightly together.
"I'll need to ask my father."
Jack gave him a kind smile. "Of course. Let's go, I will speak with him."
The two headed off toward the east side of the village, walking together down a worn cobbled path. Wu Lan lingered for a moment, then turned and made his way home, alone.
As they walked in silence, Jack finally spoke.
"You know," he said, "awakening soul power is something most children can only dream of. Even if your Martial Spirit is Blue Silver Grass… you should be proud. You still have the potential to become a Soul Master."
Tang San nodded quietly. "Thank you, Village Chief."
They arrived at Tang San's home. A small, soot-darkened forge sat at the edge of the village, cold and silent. The tools scattered across the yard told stories of better days. The chimney no longer smoked. Ashes lay undisturbed.
Jack straightened his robes and paused at the door.
"Let me speak first," he said gently.
Tang San nodded again.
The door creaked open.
What followed was the famous scene: Chief Jack scolding Tang Hao in anger, his frustration boiling over before he stormed out. Tang San, calm and quiet after his departure, revealed his secret: twin spirits. And for the first time, Tang Hao's dead eyes seemed to flicker with hope.
Meanwhile, back in Wu Lan's courtyard, the world was still.
He sat cross-legged, gazing at his open palm.
The Sacred Orchid had vanished after the ceremony, but he could still feel it, rooted deep within his spirit sea. Quiet. Serene. Alive.
He closed his eyes.
And something stirred.
A whisper of ancient knowledge unfolded in his mind. Lines of understanding etched themselves into his thoughts, natural as breathing.
It wasn't like remembering.
It was like receiving.
Martial Spirit: Sacred Orchid
Type: Healing
Function: When healing others, there is a small chance to receive a "Payment" in return. These Payments may be accepted or declined at the moment of healing. Once accepted, the Payment is drawn gradually over time, though exceptions exist. The target may experience a faint stagnation or a slight regression in their progress, but never enough to raise suspicion, or truly lose what was taken. Again, with exceptions.
The process is subtle. Silent. Undetectable.
All Payments are stored in a unique internal space within the Martial Spirit. Their nature and quality are influenced by the target's luck. The higher the luck, the greater the chance of receiving a Payment, and the greater its potential value.
As the user gains soul rings, the Sacred Orchid blossoms further. Each ring refines the extraction process, increasing the likelihood and precision of acquiring Payments.
What is taken varies. It depends entirely on the target.
But it is always something they once valued.
Wu Lan's eyes shot open.
He sat there for a moment in stunned silence.
Then slowly, an expression twisted across his face.
"...What the"
He almost laughed. Almost shouted.
How could a transmigrator not have a system?!
He did have one.
It was his Martial Spirit.
No interface. No voice in his head. No flashy menus or pop-ups.
It was quiet. Mysterious. Unseen.
But it was his.
The Sacred Orchid wasn't just a healing spirit. It was something more, a hidden devourer cloaked in kindness. Every time he healed someone, it could draw something from them, rewards, traits, energy. Something valuable, stored without their knowledge.
If he didn't abuse it, no one would ever know.
He leaned back, exhaling slowly.
Calm down, Wu Lan. Calm down.
So… what now?
He went over the information again. No stats. No system shop. No mission board.
Just one rule:
Heal others. And if they're lucky… profit.
He didn't know exactly what these "payments" would be yet, but deep inside, he felt it. They would be things that helped him climb. Power. Growth. Advantage.
His lips curved into a quiet smile.
Harmless on the surface. But dangerous beneath. Possibly stronger than any beast spirit.
Then came the other factor.
Luck.
He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
He couldn't control it. But in this world...
Wu Lan's eyes narrowed.
Tang San.
The protagonist.
The Son of Destiny.
And not just Tang San. Xiao Wu. Dai Mubai. Oscar. Ning Rongrong. Zhu Zhuqing. Ma Hongjun.
One after another, walking bundles of fortune. Each with absurd luck, plot armor thicker than steel.
If he stayed near them, if he healed them, then every moment of care could be a silent transaction. Every kindness, an investment.
No one would suspect a thing.
That was it.
No brute force. No dominance. Just timing, patience, and subtle absorption.
Wu Lan looked out the window. The morning breeze carried the scent of earth and leaves into his quiet room.
Follow Tang San.
Be the good brother. The reliable teammate. The healer they can't do without.
And every time he helped them...
They'd repay him, whether they knew it or not.
And if one day they did realize
He smiled faintly.
As a brother, surely Tang San wouldn't mind a tiny service fee. After all, that's what brothers are for, helping each other out... generously, unknowingly, and maybe just a little one-sided.
Right?