Soul Emperor Awakening

After they finished pouring out their feelings, night had fallen. They had endless things to talk about, but their conversation was dominated by anger. They had never imagined the Lan Family would enslave members of the Tu Family in their mines. The Lan Family actually owned more than one mine, and although Tuo Yunhai’s parents had searched, they couldn’t find him.

They had even been to the very mine where Tuo Yunhai had been held, but his name wasn’t on the roster. Normally, the slaves’ real names would be recorded, making it easier for family to find them when they came to pay the ransom. The price was a flat one million Primordial Stones for anyone, which was a very profitable sum.

According to Tuo Yunhai, he had given his real name, but it simply wasn’t on the roster. His name had clearly been changed. The Lan Family had deliberately ordered the guards to alter the records so that no real names would appear, which was why Tuo Yunhai’s parents had been unable to find him.

Tuo Yunhai probably wasn’t the only victim of this trick. Many other members of the Tu Family had surely fallen into the same trap. It was a blatant move against the Tu Family, but what could they do? Since almost no one ever made it out alive, the secret was naturally safe.

Once inside those mines, the only way out was to be like that Long Ba—have someone else gather a million Primordial Stones for your release—or wait for family to pay your ransom. Otherwise, you were on your own. Without an Essence Pill Stage Cultivation, you couldn’t even dream of getting out alive. The mining was exhausting enough to kill a man, and with no time to rest, how could anyone survive?

Regardless, all they could do was seethe with anger, unable to seek revenge.

Tuo Yunhai’s family was relatively well-off, and his parents’ cultivation levels were decent. Both were at the second or Third Layer of the Essence Pill Stage. But since their power wasn’t overwhelming, revenge was out of the question.

In the time Lin Xuan had spent in the Demon Cloud Sea, he’d learned that an Essence Pill Stage Cultivation was quite common. This was primarily due to the harsh environment of the region; people’s bodies were extremely tough, and most cultivators broke through via Body Refining.

That wasn’t to say they were on every street corner, but the proportion was certainly much higher than back in the Soaring Dragon Empire. In reality, every powerful family in the Demon Cloud Sea was equivalent to an Empire. Without a host of powerful experts, they wouldn’t be taken seriously. This was especially true for the number one family in the Demon Cloud Sea; if they lacked such strength, how could they show their face? They wouldn’t be called the number one family in the first place.

"You must be the one who brought my son back, Lin Xiaoyou. Thank you so much. We have no way to truly repay your kindness, so we can only offer you some Primordial Stones as a reward." Tuo Yunhai’s father took out a Storage Ring and offered it to Lin Xuan. It was all they could afford to give; a more extravagant reward was beyond their means.

"That won’t be necessary. I already consider Yunhai a younger brother, so please, don’t treat me like a stranger." Lin Xuan wasn’t lying; he genuinely liked Tuo Yunhai’s personality. Besides, he knew without even looking that the amount of Primordial Stones wasn’t large. His current net worth was astronomical, so he really didn’t need to worry about such a small amount.

"Very well, then we won’t insist. Yunhai is very lucky to have received your help." Tuo Yunhai’s parents smiled, and the way they looked at Lin Xuan had changed slightly.

’He’s so young, yet his cultivation is so high. He must be a disciple from a major family. For our son to form a connection with him is truly a great stroke of luck.’

If they knew the Lan Family had put a price on his head, one wonders what they would think. If anyone else found out, they would surely try to capture him. How could they not be tempted by such a lucrative reward?

"It’s my good fortune as well," Lin Xuan said with a faint smile. His words left them a bit puzzled, but he didn’t elaborate.

Lin Xuan stayed for a few more days, during which he taught Tuo Yunhai some Martial Arts. To his surprise, Tuo Yunhai grasped everything with minimal instruction and learned with incredible speed. Lin Xuan was astounded. ’This level of comprehension is simply incredible!’

But happy times are always fleeting, and it was soon time for Lin Xuan to depart. He had been away for a long time now; if he stayed gone any longer, the people back at Qingcheng Mansion would begin to worry.

In reality, both the Core Hall and the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion were in an uproar, constantly sending people into the Demon Cloud Sea to search for him.

"Brother Lin, are you leaving?" Tuo Yunhai asked, reluctant to see him go.

"I am. I’ll come visit you again when I have the chance. I hope you’ll have mastered everything I taught you by then. If I come to check and see that you haven’t been practicing your cultivation properly, I’ll pretend I don’t even know you," Lin Xuan said with a smile.

"I definitely won’t disappoint you, Brother Lin!" Tuo Yunhai declared, patting his chest. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he said, "Brother Lin, the family is holding a talent assessment ceremony in a little while. Could you stay and watch it before you leave?"

’This talent assessment ceremony was a simple affair; almost every family held one. He had been assessed long ago when he was with the Lin Family, and the result had been a Third-class Talent—a very ordinary talent, a world away from Lin Xue’s Sixth-class Talent.’

’Those with high talent would be highly sought after during this ceremony. The distinction between high and low status began here. The talented were nurtured with great effort, while the untalented were cast aside. Reality was just that cruel.’

"Alright, I’ll go with you and watch." The subject struck a chord with him. He also wanted to see what class of talent Tuo Yunhai possessed. Considering his situation, the boy was already somewhat behind schedule.

He should have participated in this assessment a few years ago, only now getting the chance to do so.

Lin Xuan accompanied Tuo Yunhai to the assessment grounds, where a large crowd had already gathered. Any member of the Tu Family who had reached the appropriate age was eligible to participate. Every family wanted to grow stronger, so they needed to find and nurture many talented disciples. Thus, the assessment was open to all members of the Tu Family.

The assessment had already begun by the time they arrived. There were many participants, so testing was done on a first-come, first-served basis. Since the test was simple, the line moved quickly, and it was soon Tuo Yunhai’s turn. Everyone felt nervous their first time on the stage; after all, this was a turning point in life. This single moment would determine if they became a dragon or remained a worm.

’But in Lin Xuan’s opinion, it was far too absolute to decide a person’s entire destiny based on this one thing. Some people might lack innate talent, but through their own hard work, they could still reach an extremely high level!’

Tuo Yunhai had just stepped onto the stage when the people around him began to discuss his story.

"I heard he was captured and taken as a slave. What a pity. He was gone for so long and only just came back. Even if his talent is good, it’ll be difficult to catch up, won’t it? He’s so much older now..."

"That’s right. If his talent isn’t high, there’s really no value in training him. Poor kid."

"If his talent is poor and he’s already that old, the Tu Family certainly won’t invest in him. He’ll be almost no different from a good-for-nothing."

...

While no one was being sarcastic, their words were filled with pity, and they all seemed to agree that Tuo Yunhai had no future. It was these very words that made Tuo Yunhai, who was about to press his hand onto the Testing Stele, shrink back in fear, not daring to go through with the test!

He was afraid. Afraid that he would be relegated to the ranks of the worthless, a disappointment to his parents!

"Just surviving what you went through proves you aren’t weak. You’ve already surpassed most people. You can do this. Be brave. Believe in yourself!" Suddenly, a voice boomed over the entire crowd, echoing throughout the area.

Tuo Yunhai turned to look and saw Lin Xuan’s encouraging gaze. In that instant, his heart filled with confidence!