Notting Junior Soul Master Academy returned to its usual rhythm by morning—classes, cultivation, whispered gossip. Yet beneath the surface calm, an invisible shadow had already descended.
Lin Chen felt it before anyone else.
Spirit Hall… efficient as always.
At the academy gate, a woman in white robes stepped inside unhurriedly. She appeared to be in her early twenties, her expression gentle, her aura warm and harmless. A silver Spirit Hall emblem rested openly on her chest.
To the guards, she was merely an inspector.
To Lin Chen, she was a blade wrapped in silk.
Level: Soul King.
Sent to observe children… interesting.
Her name, as she introduced herself to the teachers, was Bai Ling—a low-profile envoy dispatched to evaluate promising talents in Notting City.
"Routine assessment," she said with a soft smile. "Spirit Hall wishes to avoid… missing gems."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered with suspicion, but he said nothing.
Lin Chen sat calmly at his desk during class, appearing relaxed. Tang San focused on his notes, while Xiao Wu leaned back lazily, chair balanced on two legs.
Then—
Bai Ling's gaze landed on Lin Chen.
For the briefest instant, her pupils contracted.
No detectable fluctuations?Impossible.
She smiled wider.
"Student," she said gently, "what is your martial spirit?"
Lin Chen stood politely.
"I have three," he replied.
The classroom fell silent.
Xiao Wu nearly tipped her chair.
Tang San's grip tightened.
Bai Ling laughed lightly. "You're joking."
Lin Chen met her eyes—calm, unreadable.
"No."
The air shifted.
Not violently. Subtly.
Enough.
Bai Ling felt it—an ancient pressure brushing past her soul like a passing god. Her smile froze for a fraction of a second before she masked it perfectly.
Dragon… no—something higher.
"Interesting," she said smoothly. "Would you be willing to demonstrate? Privately."
Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth to object.
Lin Chen nodded. "Of course."
They stood in an empty training field behind the academy.
Bai Ling raised one hand, soul power flowing gently.
"Just a test," she said. "No need to strain yourself."
Lin Chen didn't summon a soul ring.
He didn't summon a spirit.
He simply looked at her.
The Void Dragon King stirred.
A whisper of authority slipped free.
Bai Ling's breath hitched.
Her knees bent involuntarily, as if gravity itself had increased tenfold. Cold sweat drenched her back.
This isn't pressure… this is judgment.
Lin Chen withdrew it instantly.
"I apologize," he said politely. "Did I fail?"
Bai Ling straightened with effort, her heart pounding.
"No," she said slowly. "You passed."
She bowed.
A Soul King… bowing to a child.
"I will report," she continued carefully, "that Notting Academy has… promising seedlings."
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
She left before dusk, her white robes disappearing beyond the city walls.
That night, in Spirit Hall's sealed archives, a new file was created.
Name: Lin ChenMartial Spirit: Unknown (Dragon-Type Authority)Threat Level: UndefinedDirective: Observe. Do Not Provoke.
Back in the dormitory, Xiao Wu stared at Lin Chen suspiciously.
"That woman was scary," she said. "But she was scared of you."
Lin Chen smiled faintly.
"She should be."
Far away, atop Spirit Hall's highest spire—
A woman with purple eyes traced the edge of a throne.
"Lin… Chen," Bibi Dong murmured softly.
And for the first time in years—
She smiled.