Chapter 21: A Gifted Disciple Blessed by the Father of "Blind Douluo," Part I
On his return to Saint Soul Village, Ye Wen didn't take a carriage; instead, he opted to run the entire way home. With his current physical strength, the journey would take much less time on foot. Carriages were slow in comparison, and Ye Wen enjoyed the endurance challenge. Since there were no high speed transportation methods in this era and few travelers on the road, Ye Wen maintained a steady, brisk pace. Within half a month, he'd arrived back in Saint Soul Village, cutting twenty days off his journey time to the Far North.
The familiar scent of rural life greeted him as he approached the golden wheat fields of Gold Wheat Village. Ye Wen remembered passing by this village as a child with Ye Buyi, his grandfather. The village was well known for its fertile soil, which yielded high quality wheat.
Ye Wen hadn't intended to stop, but he noticed a middle aged man dressed in the attire of a Spirit Hall official talking to the village head. His curiosity piqued, Ye Wen held his breath and focused his ears, listening in from a distance. He quickly recognized the Spirit Hall official as Su Zhenhua, the father of Su Yuntao, better known as the "Blind Douluo" who had once helped him awaken his spirit.
"So, Sir Spirit Master, any children this year with awakened spirit power?" asked the village chief.
The official sighed. "There are two, but one has innate spirit power at only level one with a Blue Silver Grass spirit, and the other has a level five innate power, but their spirit is just…a heart. Both are useless for cultivation. Feel free to send them off as work study students if you like. I'll be on my way to the next village. Here's their awakening certificates; make sure to collect them."
The village chief accepted the certificates with a somber look. The hope of every rural village was to have children with awakened spirit power, but both of these cases were disappointments.
Ye Wen watched the scene quietly from the corner. "Wow, 'Blind Douluo' really is an apt name for Su Zhenhua. Sure, it's expected that the girl with Blue Silver Grass spirit would only have minimal spirit power, but calling a heart martial spirit useless? That's just too much. The concept of a Body Spirit may not have been popularized yet, but even the basics innate spirit power is linked to spirit potential. With innate level five, that's a talent that outshines anyone in the entirety of Nuoding City, yet Su Zhenhua just dismissed it as useless. Well, if they're leaving her behind, I'll gladly pick up the slack. A heart martial spirit! Considering the immense importance of the heart in the human body, it's no doubt a top tier Body Spirit."
At that moment, the two girls who had awakened their spirits came out. Despite their spirit power, both looked discouraged, clearly affected by Su Zhenhua's remarks. Ye Wen was slightly surprised; it was rare to see female spirit users, as there was a serious gender imbalance among spirit masters. Even in his own dorm, Ah Yin was the only girl.
Thinking the timing was right, Ye Wen stepped forward, waving to the elderly village chief.
"Long time no see, Grandpa Mike! How have you been?"
The chief was caught off guard but, upon noticing the well dressed, handsome young man, looked curiously at him.
Ye Wen smiled and said, "It's been five years, so it's no wonder you don't recognize me. I'm Ye Wen, the grandson of Ye Buyi, the chief of Saint Soul Village next door."
The old man's memory seemed to stir at this, and a smile broke across his face. "Oh! So you're Old Ye's grandson! It's been a while. I heard you were off studying at Nuoding Academy. You'll be a full fledged spirit master in no time!"
Ye Wen chuckled politely. "Thank you, Grandpa Mike. I've just been lucky."
Turning to the two girls, he added, "These two are the ones with newly awakened spirits, right? Your village is lucky. Since I awakened my spirit, there's been no one else in our village with spirit power."
Pride gleamed on the chief's face. Even with "wasted" spirits, children with spirit power were still a cause for celebration. Recalling that Ye Wen was a student at Nuoding Academy, he asked for his opinion.
"Ye Wen, what do you think of these two girls' futures as spirit masters? That Su master said their spirits are wasted, but I have a feeling Xiao Rui's heart spirit could prove worthwhile."
"That's exactly what I wanted to discuss with you, Grandpa Mike," Ye Wen replied. "But why don't we head indoors to talk? Standing here in the sun isn't great for the girls."
The girls' expressions brightened, and the four of them headed to the chief's modest wooden house. The girls followed eagerly, and once seated, each was handed a cup of water from Ye Wen's storage space.
"Big brother, my Blue Silver spirit…" The dark haired girl with a faint blue tint in her hair trailed off.
"My heart spirit…" The smaller, blond girl with tangled, straw like hair added, her tone equally hopeful.
Ye Wen poured water into each cup from his storage, giving them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, girls. Let's start with introductions, and then I'll explain what I can about your spirits."
The girl with dark, blue streaked hair spoke up shyly, "My name's Lanlan. My spirit is Blue Silver Grass, and I have a level one innate spirit power."
The blond girl with a frail frame and malnourished appearance followed suit. "I'm Huo Rui. My spirit is a heart, and my innate spirit power is level five."
Ye Wen nodded, taking a moment to process their introductions. "Alright, Lanlan and Huo Rui. I understand."
(End of Chapter)
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