Soul Emperor Awakening

Lin Xuan circulated his energy and shouted, his voice overpowering the other comments that were affecting Tuo Yunhai. Perhaps they were right; Tuo Yunhai’s age meant he had missed many opportunities. If his talent were a little better, he could still make up for it. But if it was poor, the Tu Family wouldn’t waste their time cultivating him.

Reality was just that cruel. With so many members in the Tu Family, they didn’t have the resources to waste by investing heavily in someone with poor talent.

Tuo Yunhai’s Cultivation was especially low—he was only at the Second Layer of the Body Refining Stage. Others his age had long since reached the Third or Fourth Layer, and those were just the ones with relatively poor talent. The gap between him and the truly gifted ones was even wider; they were leagues ahead of him.

That was what others thought, but in Lin Xuan’s eyes, Tuo Yunhai hadn’t wasted the past few years at all. He had managed to survive for years in that brutal place. The willpower he had forged during that time alone was enough to utterly surpass countless others.

The path of Cultivation required more than just talent; it demanded an unyielding will! He dared to claim that if any of Tuo Yunhai’s other clansmen had been sent to that Slave Mine, they would have died long before he did.

Lin Xuan’s actions drew the dissatisfaction of many people, who complained about his shouting and how it was ruining the mood. They then turned their discussion toward Lin Xuan, wondering how a young man like him had gotten here. When they learned he was like a brother to Tuo Yunhai, their disdain only grew.

"Brother Lin, I believe in myself!" Tuo Yunhai recalled his suffering in the mine, and his heart stopped wavering. ’These rumors are nothing. So what if my talent is poor? I’ve endured so much for so many years. This is nothing in comparison!’

Lin Xuan smiled and nodded. If a person lost faith in themselves, they couldn’t accomplish anything.

"Thank you so much, Lin Xiaoyou. We are both very grateful to you..." Tuo Yunhai’s parents said, their eyes red. No parent wanted to hear such things said about their child, but they knew it was the harsh reality. Unable to refute it, they could only wait quietly for the result.

’So what if his talent is poor? Our own talent was never that great to begin with.’ They could only choose to endure it all in silence.

Finally, with no further hesitation, Tuo Yunhai gently placed his hand on the Testing Stele. The instant he made contact, the Testing Stele erupted with a blinding light. The light surged frantically upward, as if it had heard Tuo Yunhai’s silent pleas and was striving to respond.

The scene stunned everyone. The light was so brilliant they could barely keep their eyes open.

Soon, the light from the Testing Stele settled, locking in at an extremely high level—Eighth-class Talent!

A full Eighth-class Talent! It dwarfed everyone present, even most members of the Tu Family. Not even the Elders possessed an Eighth-class Talent! This was a talent that appeared in only one out of hundreds of millions. Eighth-class Talent! The entire crowd was shell-shocked.

The Cultivators who had been making snide remarks stood with their mouths agape, their eyes filled with utter shock. They wondered if their eyes were deceiving them. An Eighth-class Talent—a supreme talent, enough to look down on everyone here.

Lin Xuan was stunned for a moment before a faint smile graced his lips. ’I knew Tuo Yunhai’s talent wasn’t low, but I never expected it to be this high. With an Eighth-class Talent, he’d be made a Core Disciple immediately in Qingcheng Mansion, no assessment required. He’d enter the Core Hall directly.’

’The Tu Family is surely no exception. So what if Tuo Yunhai’s Cultivation is only at the First Layer? In a few months, he’ll be able to crush droves of people. How could he possibly have practiced his Cultivation in the Slave Mine? He could barely get enough to eat, let alone find time to cultivate.’

"Oh heavens, my son has an Eighth-class Talent..." Tuo Yunhai’s parents wept into their hands, unable to believe their son had achieved such a level—a talent far beyond their wildest dreams.

Tuo Yunhai’s parents themselves only had around Fourth-class talent. Logically, it would be difficult for their child to possess a much higher level of talent, but the reality was laid bare before them.

"Eighth-class Talent... I actually have an Eighth-class Talent..." Tuo Yunhai cried. No one wants to be talentless, and at this moment, he had proven he possessed true, undeniable talent.

Some people possess innate talent but lack self-confidence. If Tuo Yunhai had run away, he would have missed this opportunity.

"Eigh... Eighth-class Talent..." The Testing Elder standing nearby stammered after snapping out of his daze. "You don’t need to undergo any further assessment! You are now a Core Disciple!"

The onlookers were rendered speechless. Some even felt the urge to slap themselves. Barring any accidents, Tuo Yunhai was a future Elder Level figure, perhaps even the next Patriarch! The current Patriarch of the Tu Family also possessed an Eighth-class Talent.

"Furthermore, you will also receive one opportunity to enter the Martial God Tower. Since your Cultivation is too low, you can wait for it to improve before choosing to enter..." The Testing Elder had barely finished speaking when Tuo Yunhai cut him off.

"Elder, can I give this opportunity to enter the Martial God Tower to someone else?" Tuo Yunhai asked.

"Give it to someone else? That’s not out of the question. Who do you wish to give it to?" the Testing Elder inquired.

"To Brother Lin!" Tuo Yunhai pointed at Lin Xuan. In an instant, all eyes focused on him. No one had expected him to give it to an outsider, and one who wasn’t even from the Demon Cloud Sea at that!

Lin Xuan was taken aback. ’I don’t know what this Martial God Tower is, but it definitely isn’t anything simple.’ Even from a distance, he had been able to see a soaring tower that released a powerful, oppressive aura. It stood far taller than any other structure, impossible to miss.

Standing here, he could still see that tall tower—the Martial God Tower. ’I don’t know what’s inside, but it seems to be a place for training. Isn’t that similar to places like the Cloud Ascension Tower?’

"No! You can give it to a member of the Tu Family, but you cannot give it to an outsider!" the Testing Elder immediately refused.

"Elder, as I recall, there’s no rule stating it must be given to a member of the Tu Family, is there? Besides, Brother Lin is my sworn brother now. He’s not an outsider." Tuo Yunhai’s tone was firm, resolute in his decision to give the opportunity to Lin Xuan.

"This..." The Testing Elder hesitated. The rules didn’t explicitly forbid giving it to others, but with no precedent, he was in a difficult position.

"Seventh-class Talent. Unless they have a Seventh-class Talent or higher, no outsider is permitted to enter!" Suddenly, a voice cut through the crowd, and an old man slowly emerged.

"Gr-Grand Elder!" The Testing Elder was dumbfounded when he saw the newcomer.

The old man before them was none other than the Tu Family’s Grand Elder, Tuo Zhanhong. He possessed a Core Formation Stage Cultivation, and his authority was immense.

"Well? If you do not have a Seventh-class Talent, you may not enter. This is the absolute limit of our tolerance," Tuo Zhanhong said with a faint smile, looking at Lin Xuan as he awaited his answer.

’Seventh-class Talent?’ Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes. ’In a test a long time ago, my talent reached the Fifth-class level. It’s been too long since I was last tested. I wonder what my talent is now.’

’If I can’t reach Seventh-class Talent, then I’ll truly be wasting Tuo Yunhai’s kind gesture.’