On the way back, I'll pick up a stick of candied hawthorn for Xiao Wu.
As he passed the candied-hawthorn stall, Yu Yan reminded himself what he needed to do after leaving the Spirit Hall.
Back at the Spirit Hall, he asked the guards at the gate where to certify his Spirit Master Rank.
Once again Yu Yan headed to the far-right room on the first floor of the Spirit Hall—the same room used for both Spirit Awakening and Rank certification.
Each year it served as the Awakening chamber; once that season ended it doubled as the certification office—one room, many uses.
Pushing open the door, Yu Yan saw an elderly man with grizzled hair, dressed in Spirit Hall uniform, reading behind a desk.
"Senior, I'm here for my Spirit Master Rank certification."
Stepping up to the desk, Yu Yan stated his business.
"Present your martial soul awakening certificate, release your Spirit and spirit ring, then stand before the crystal ball to test your spirit power."
Setting down his book, the old man listed the required steps.
Yu Yan pulled the certificate from his backpack, handed it over, and summoned the Ice and Fire Twin Fish. A bright yellow spirit ring rose and drifted up and down around him.
"Hmm?"
"twin spirits?"
Seeing the two fish circling Yu Yan, the old man assumed it was twin spirits.
Used to the misunderstanding, Yu Yan smoothly explained the uniqueness of his Spirit, stressing that the Ice and Fire Twin Fish were not twin spirits.
Realizing his mistake, the elder muttered something about a peculiar Spirit and urged Yu Yan to test his spirit power.
At the crystal ball, Yu Yan noticed its color was richer than the one used during his Awakening.
He placed his hand on the sphere; his spirit power was drawn in and the crystal glowed.
"spirit power Rank 12. Looks like your first spirit ring's age isn't low."
Muttering to himself, the old man recorded the data, then produced a badge forged by the Spirit Hall: two entwined thorns on the front denoting Rank, Yu Yan's name engraved on the back.
"From this day forward you're a full-fledged Spirit Master. Welcome to our Ranks. Each month you may collect your stipend—one gold coin—here with this badge."
"Also, would you consider joining the Spirit Hall?"
The elder's tone was flat, showing no emotion; he waited for the inevitable refusal, clearly going through the motions.
His attitude made sense—this was Balak City, capital of the Balak Kingdom, and Yu Yan was a student of Balak Junior Soul Master Academy. A Genius like him had surely been courted already; the Spirit Hall was late to the game.
"Sorry, I have no plans to join any major power for now."
Without hesitation Yu Yan declined; he truly had no intention of tying himself to a faction.
A youth's future held endless possibilities, and Yu Yan didn't want to lock his in so soon.
"Understood."
"Come to the Spirit Hall at the start of each month to claim your gold coin. It's the third room down the left corridor in the main hall. You can collect this month's coin now."
With that, the old man returned to his book, no longer interested in conversation.
Taking the hint, Yu Yan slipped quietly out of the room.
The gold coin stipend was the result of compromise among the three great powers—Heaven Dou Empire, Star Luo Empire, and the Spirit Hall. The empires supplied the coins; the Spirit Hall distributed them.
The aim was to win favor with commoner Spirit Masters for future recruitment.
A fitting analogy:
Becoming a Spirit Master was like passing the graduate-school entrance exam.
Collecting the gold coin was like receiving the state's graduate stipend.
Noble Spirit Masters almost never came to collect.
First, they scorned the paltry sum—one gold coin meant nothing to them.
Second, if other nobles found out, it would be humiliating…
Candied hawthorn in hand, Yu Yan walked through the Balak Junior Soul Master Academy campus toward the library.
Not finding Xiao Wu in the dorm, he stood by the window, thought for a moment, and headed for the library.
In a familiar spot he spotted her reading—the travelogue of a Spirit King.
When he'd left last time, she'd been less than halfway through.
Now only the last few pages remained.
She must have spent every spare moment here—so diligent!
He tapped her shoulder, sat opposite her under her gaze, and held out the candied hawthorn.
"I passed a stall on the way back. It smelled great, and you said you like these, so I bought one. Want it?"
"Yes, absolutely."
Smiling, Xiao Wu took the treat and began devouring it.
"How is it? Good?"
After she finished the last hawthorn, Yu Yan asked if it had tasted nice.
Looking at the empty stick and Yu Yan's expectant face, Xiao Wu recalled lines from the travelogue.
'In the Extreme North Land I saw the breathtaking, once-in-a-century Snow Lotus. Words fail me.'
'At that moment I wished my beloved could see such beauty.'
'Yes, I missed her again, longed to share what I felt and saw—it was time to return.'
'Encasing the lotus in ice, I raced home and shared that unearthly bloom with her.'
'She gasped, eyes curving, lips lifting, pupils fixed on the flower. I saw every nuance as she gently stroked it…'
'I can describe it so clearly because this time I never looked away.'
'Later I asked if she loved the lotus, if she loved the gift.'
'She said the lotus was lovely, but she loved the thought behind it—any gift that carried longing delighted her.'
Thinking of this, and suddenly missing Yu Yan herself, Xiao Wu found the candied hawthorn even sweeter.
"Mm—it's sweet, really good."
That was her answer.