C3 The Young Miss with Seven Souls and Nine Spirits

Ye Wuya watched in silence. Upon seeing the eight white shadows, a look of regret crossed his face. Clearly, Ye Ming possessed the four souls and eight spirits, as the white shadows were none other than the eight spirits themselves. There was no escaping that fact. After the eight spirits emerged from Ye Ming's body, there was a long pause with no further activity. Then, with a flicker, the eight spirits returned to his body; yet the buzzing sound continued, indicating that the Soul Seed test was still underway. The eight white shadows that had emerged with the aid of the Wraithsense Stone were indeed the eight spirits. Once the eight spirits were back in place, a low-frequency buzz accompanied the emergence of four black figures from Ye Ming's body, one by one.

The light in the hall steadied, and the buzzing sound had vanished without notice. Ye Ming's eyes were now open, his gaze hazy as if he had just awakened from a vivid dream.

"Hmm, Ye Ming's Soul Seed is four souls and eight spirits. Next," Ye Wuya said in an even tone.

And so it went. Sixteen children had come to the hall to have their Soul Seeds tested, from early morning until nearly noon. Once all sixteen had been tested, it was found that fourteen had ordinary Soul Seeds with four souls and eight spirits, while the remaining two had ordinary high-level Soul Seeds with five souls and nine spirits. This delighted Ye Wuya, but Ye Hua was overjoyed, especially since one of the latter was his own son, Ye Chen.

"Hahaha... I, Ye Chen, actually have such a high Soul Seed. I never imagined it in my wildest dreams. What was that dream I had last night?" By now, all the tests were complete. Apart from Ye Mo, who stood there looking bewildered, the other children were brimming with excitement. Naturally, the child who had earlier spoken in a frenzied tone was the most dramatic. The atmosphere was festive, everyone basking in happiness.

Amidst the joy, Ye Mo felt like an outsider. Although he was happy for the others, he couldn't muster a smile. Instead, he was overwhelmed with a sense of loss, silently shedding tears in his heart.

"Mo, would you like to give it a try?" Ye Wuya, seated at the head of the hall, pondered inwardly. He longed to invite Ye Mo to come forward and fulfill his wish, but he hesitated to voice the offer, knowing it might only add to his discomfort. So, he kept his thoughts to himself.

Crack!

Amidst the laughter and conversation, the long-neglected grand doors were suddenly flung open with great force.

"Hey... it looks like everyone's doing pretty well on their tests. I overslept today, so I thought I'd come and liven things up a bit."

The hall fell silent as the doors swung open, and all eyes, including those of Ye Wuya, were drawn to the figure framed in the doorway, bathed in sunlight.

Oh dear, why did she have to show up?

There was no need for introductions; that crisp voice had already told everyone who was arriving.

The doors stood wide open, and in walked a young girl, around eleven or twelve, dressed in a long purple gown. Her skin was pale, her features delicate, and with a pout on her lips, she strode in with an air of feigned profundity.

As this headstrong girl entered the hall, Ye Qing'er slightly twisted her mouth in disdain, and Ye Mo remained stoically indifferent, while even her father, Ye Wuya, could only offer a resigned smile. The other children, her peers, were visibly frightened, like mice in the presence of a cat.

"Miss, what brings you here?" Ye Wuya asked, descending from the dais to approach the girl in the purple dress, his tone laced with resignation.

"The whole of Strihgan City is my family's domain. I go where I please," she declared, her words leaving an undeniable impression, yet no one dared to challenge her.

Ye Qing'er turned away with a pout, refusing to look at her. Ye Mo, visibly annoyed, glanced at the girl only to catch her gaze. Their eyes locked...

"What are you staring at, punk? Got a problem with that?" she snapped at Ye Mo, her cheeks flushing before she launched into a sharp rebuke.

Ye Mo simply furrowed his brow and looked away. Despite her youth, this girl was treated like royalty within the Ye family, and no one dared provoke her. Ye Mo was well aware of her background; he had known even before she arrived...

It was a month ago when Ye Wuya, beaming with joy, had gathered the Ye family to announce that Nangong Xiaoyun, the daughter of the Wind Pavilion's master, was coming to train among them. He had cautioned that she was somewhat headstrong and that they must all indulge her whims. Everyone in Strihgan knew that the Wind Pavilion was like a small kingdom within the city, and who didn't know of its young princess, Nangong Xiaoyun? She was more than just a little headstrong. Three days after the announcement, she arrived, and everything that unfolded since then was as expected. Sometimes, Ye Mo wondered why his father had ever agreed to let her come here.

"Muttering under your breath, are you gossiping about me again?" Nangong Xiaoyun caught Ye Mo turning away and mumbling to himself. Without a second thought, she made a beeline for him.

"My dear lady, why must you always pick on me? You'll be leaving in a few days; can't you part with a good impression of me?" Ye Mo's face was contorted as if he'd bitten into a bitter melon, a picture of pure grievance. But then again, a child is still a child at heart.

"Hmm..." Nangong Xiaoyun crossed her arms and tapped her chin, eyeing Ye Mo with a peculiar look. She approached him, circled around, and questioned, "What brings you here? Don't tell me you possess the qualities of a Soul Cultivator!" The thought seemed to startle even her.

Ye Mo's expression immediately fell, and he hung his head in silence. Ye Wuya, overhearing the conversation, looked displeased. Just as Ye Qing'er was about to interject, Ye Mo beat her to it, "I... I can't. I'm just here for the excitement." He intended to follow up with a laugh, but found he couldn't muster it.

"Oh... Well, that's a relief. I thought I had made a mistake," Nangong Xiaoyun said with a smug grin, revealing her earlier concern.

Caw...

Ye Qing'er spun around, ready to lash out, but her father, Ye Wuya, intervened, suggesting she go back to the inner hall to brew some tea, effectively diverting her. Fuming, Ye Qing'er huffed and stomped her way to the inner hall.

"Hey, Patriarch Ye, what kind of impressive Soul Seeds have you discovered? Don't tell me there isn't a single noteworthy one?" Nangong Xiaoyun's sly smile emerged as she watched Ye Qing'er storm off. Her curiosity piqued, she inquired about the Ye family's findings.

"Oh... Haha, we've found two ordinary high-grade Soul Seeds, with five souls and nine spirits. It's quite the cause for celebration, haha..." Ye Wuya couldn't conceal his elation. But Nangong Xiaoyun quickly doused his spirits.

"Getting excited over five souls and nine spirits? Can't you aim a little higher? In that case, let me try my hand on your Wraithsense Stone and show you something impressive." Despite her youth, Nangong Xiaoyun's confidence was intimidating. She paid no heed to age or status, focusing solely on the disparity in strength, which explained her blunt demeanor.

Ye Wuya offered an awkward smile, reflecting on how he had grown accustomed to the past month's events.

As he finished speaking, Nangong Xiaoyun turned and shut the door firmly behind her. Without waiting for anyone's consent, she strode confidently toward the shadowy Wraithsense Stone.

"Miss, you're going to show us your Soul Seed... is that really okay?" Ye Hua asked this time.

"It's fine. I hold you all in high regard," Nangong Xiaoyun replied with a proud tone, turning to face them.

Ye Wuya and Ye Hua could only respond with a wry, helpless smile. It was somewhat odd to hear such bold words from a young girl.

Nangong Xiaoyun then placed her palm on the Wraithsense Stone, her gaze fixed intently upon it.

Everyone was aware that the Wind Pavilion's young princess was capricious and willful, yet her Soul Power, despite her tender age, put many seasoned Soul Cultivators to shame. However, her exact level of Soul Seed had never been disclosed. Given that her father was the master of the Wind Pavilion and the preeminent expert of the era, her inherited Soul Seed was bound to be formidable.

The hall suddenly filled with a familiar buzzing sound, signaling the start of Nangong Xiaoyun's Soul Seed test.

With a mix of curiosity and anticipation, all eyes were on the youthful figure of Nangong Xiaoyun.

Like those tested before her, Nangong Xiaoyun closed her eyes and tilted her head back, allowing nine ethereal white shadows to drift from her brow—her nine spirits. No one was surprised to see them; it was well known that anyone with five souls or more possessed nine spirits, a steadfast rule across Godfall Land. Now, the true measure of interest was the number of souls she possessed.

Everyone, including Ye Wuya, watched eagerly. After a few moments, the nine spirits gently returned to their places, and the buzzing persisted. To everyone's astonishment, a succession of black shadows began to emerge from within Nangong Xiaoyun.

"One, two... five..." Internally, everyone tallied the emerging shadows, each one a testament to the caliber of her Soul Seed. After all, the addition of each soul significantly enhanced the quality of a Soul Seed, in ways that were beyond imagination.

"Six!"

The souls emerged one by one, slowly, as if Nangong Xiaoyun was deliberately stirring the emotions of those around her. Some children even gasped in astonishment.

Ye Mo watched in silence, yet he felt a certain heat within him.

It appeared to be over, but the persistent humming continued. Ye Wuya and Ye Hua had their eyes wide with a mix of fear and anticipation.

"Seven souls!"

Following that, a seventh shadow stepped forth from Nangong Xiaoyun. Ye Wuya found his throat parched, while Ye Hua couldn't contain an exclamation.

The spectacle stunned everyone there. Ye Qing'er, who was carefully carrying a tea set, stopped in her tracks upon witnessing Nangong Xiaoyun's display of seven spirits and nine souls, nearly spilling the teapot she held.

The humming slowly ceased, and the seven spirits gradually returned to their host. The children present, though envious, hardly grasped the significance, merely voicing their amazement. Ye Wuya and the others were too astonished to speak. Ye Mo felt a deep envy, longing to try it himself, but the thought of his Spirit Vessel constitution quickly dampened his spirits.