Tang Zhan tipped his head downwards to nod at one of the incoming groups of people.
āHaha, itād be impossible for me not to come for something like thisā¦the Tang has gained one more Mid-stage Soul King I see, youāve my congratulationsā¦
The newcomer was an elderly man in gold robes and gray beard. His face was wrinkled, but the expression on it was of solemn dignity. At a glance, the elder looked very kind but also powerful with a strong amount of pressure radiating from his person to a significant enough degree that even Early-stage Soul Kings such as Tang Qianchi dared not to look at him in the eyes.
He was the lord-mayor of Mo City, Xuanyuan Hong. He was also known as Marquis Xuanyuan and was younger than Tang Zhan enough to be considered to be of the younger generation. His strength was of relatively equal levels to Tang Zhan though and was thus considered with him to be equals as a genius.
By his side were a few other elders from the Tianhun School. They were there to protect and safeguard Mo City and were of equal strengths to Tang Qianchi. To his right was a handsome young man whose feet were glowing a bright light, symbolizing that he wasnāt a Soul King but a Soul Exalt. Bai Yunfei wouldāve recognized this man if he saw him. This was the one he once met a long time ago, Xuanyuan Jie, the son of the lord-mayor.
āYouāre mistaken, lord Xuanyuan. The one whoās advancing this time isnāt from the Tangā¦ā Tang Zhan had a friendly smile on his face as he regarded the younger male as he would with someone else from his generation.
āOh? An outsider?ā Xuanyuan Hong was taken aback, āWho is it then?ā
āA student of the Crafting School, his name is Bai Yunfei.ā
āBai Yunfei?ā An eyebrow rose up on Xuanyuan Hongās face, āThe very same one from the rumors? Whyās he advancing here in your home?ā
Then a look of shock crossed his face, āOne moment nowā¦Bai Yunfei?! If my memory serves me correctly, that Bai Yunfei was only a Soul Exalt when he crafted that heaven-tier soul armament a small while ago. Are you saying heās the one advancing? This is the aura of a Mid-stage Soul King, how could that possibly be Bai Yunfei?!ā
āTruth be told,ā The smile on Tang Zhanās face widened, āI couldnāt believe it myself. But that is what it is. This Bai Yunfeiā¦is not your ordinary youngsterā¦each and everything he has done so far has been hard to believe in.ā
āIt really is him?ā Xuanyuan Hong stared off towards where the stream of elemental energy was being sucked into the spatial tear. āHeās made his name a while ago, and now heās becoming a Mid-stage Soul King. This has to be the crowning achievement for the most talented youngster of the next generation. This Bai Yunfeiā¦just how is he capable of all these things?ā
āThe elemental fire is decreasing!!ā
Someone who had been watching the spectacle closely called out. Everyone else turned to verify the scene for themselves.
Indeed, the stream of elemental fire was distinctively lesser than before, but it was still at a level of output comparable to the other three streams of energy.
āItās only lessening? Is he not done advancing? What are the other three elements still converging for?ā
Several people noticed that something was amiss. The elemental fire mightāve been decreasing, but the other elements were still going strong.
Several of the more stronger figures, such as Tang Zhan, perked up as if they had suddenly realized something.
āYan Lin, I rememberā¦Bai Yunfeiās soulbeast bird had an affinity for fire, thunder, wind, and wood, correct?ā
Tang Wei had been watching the spectacle as well, though he wasnāt standing with Tang Zhan or any of the other Tang members. He and Yan Lin were both standing on top of a small roof to watch the streams of energy go by.
āYes.ā Yan Lin nodded a little absent-mindedly. āSo you noticed it too? Itās not just Bai Yunfei thatās advancing. The earlier burst of elemental energy was far too much for just one person. Thatā¦soulbeast partner of Bai Yunfei has to be advancing as well!!ā
Ā Ā ā¦ā¦
āHowā¦noisy.ā
As everyone was chattering with one another about the reasons why there was still so much elemental energy in the area, the faint voice of an elderly sounded spoke out over the entire courtyard.
It was practically a whisper, but not a single person in the courtyard could say they didnāt hear it. Several people froze up at once, especially the Soul Kings who looked like they had suddenly been dunked in cold ice. All of the Soul Kings looked extremely shocked in fact!
āFather!!ā Even Tang Zhan himself spoke out in shock.
Xuanyuan Hongās eyes were wide open in astonishment. Respectfully, he spoke, āPaāpatriarch Tangā¦ā
Someone that even Xuanyuan was speaking so reverently to? Who was this person?
And Tang Zhan called him āfatherāā¦was this Tang Xinyunās great great grandfather then?!
āBe at ease. Leave this place.ā
The elderly voice spoke again before quickly ordering everyone to leave.
āYes, father.ā
āAs you wish!ā
Tang Zhan and Xuanyuan Hong bowed at once. Revealing looks of fearful respect, the two of them quickly moved to obey.
Straight away, the two started to have everyone in the courtyard disassemble from the area. And in no time at all, the courtyard was nice and quiet with nobody there.
In another section of Tang Manor stood a small quiet room with only a single candle flickering. Kneeling by the candleās side was an elderly figure who was as shriveled and dried up as wood. Despite the relative weakness of his physique, his eyes were shining brightly with an intensity very few men could dare look at.Ā
He looked as though he had only just woken up from a meditational slumber but was still training a bit. There was a hint of surprise in his eyes from when he was using his soulsense to scan what was going on in Bai Yunfeiās room.
āBai Yunfeiā¦Zi Jin has a new disciple? Heās a young one and already a Mid-stage Soul King. Fate favors him, how remarkableā¦ā
He murmured slowly to himself. āHeās in a different dimension? The only object capable of taking in elemental energy in a new dimension like this would beā¦the Regalia āCore Stoneā. Has it returned to this world after a millennia of disappearance? This youngster has a priceless future ahead of himā¦Ā
āThe Crafting School has new golden era coming to them if a youth like this is guiding them. I recall Qianlei saying before he and little Yun have feelings for one another? A wonderful thingā¦ā
Nothing else was spoken after that. The elder closed his eyes and was soon back in a meditational trance.
Ā Ā ā¦ā¦
Inside the Core World.
āChirp!!ā
A chirp resonated across the Core World loud enough to snap Bai Yunfeiās attention away from the Fire-tipped Spear.
āIs he done?ā Bai Yunfei smiled. Collecting the Fire-tipped Spear, he flew up into the skies to take a closer look.
The Core World was now in a state where the elemental energy was a lot more sparse compared to before. Only a scant few wisps of energy remained.Ā
A single bird was flying through the skies now, its feathers glowing the colors of the rainbow so that it looked like some kind of divine bird.
āHaha, thisā¦this feels great!!ā Xiao Qi chirped. Flapping his wings, he took off in a burst of wind to reach where Bai Yunfei was. āHaha! Yunfei, Iām a mid-stage class seven now!ā
Bai Yunfei smiled. āYeah, good job.ā
āEh? Yunfei, you advanced too?! A Mid-stage Soul King?!ā Xiao Qiās wings flapped excitedly.
āYeah, itās thanks to you that I became one.ā
āHaha!! Thatās great! Weāre even stronger now! We donāt have to worry about any bad guys anymore! Hehe, take one down and knock them around! Let them see what it means to anger us! They wonāt be bullying little olā me!!ā
The excitement Xiao Qi was showing had absolutely none of the āgraceā that was expected from a mid-stage class seven soulbeast. Xiao Qi was flapping so excitedly that the idiom āhands dance and feet tripā felt so perfect in describing him.
Bai Yunfei laughed. Xiao Qi was enjoying himself to such a great degree, and Bai Yunfei felt happy just watching him. If the path from a mid-stage to late-stage class seven soulbeast could be divvied up into ten sections, then Bai Yunfei would have to wager that Xiao Qi was at the third section. This was much better than himself who was at the first section.
āEh?ā Bai Yunfei realized something was amiss, āXiao Qi, why havenāt youā¦humanized yet? Are you still not capable of it?ā
Xiao Qi stopped flapping his wings to shake his head. āThatā¦well, hehe. Itās not that I canāt, but I gave up the chance to. I used that chance to get stronger instead.ā
āGave up?!ā Bai Yunfei cried out, āWhy?ā
Most soulbeasts were capable of humanizing upon reaching the class seven level besides the ones with very low amounts of intelligence. The ability to humanize required a certain amount of energy, however.
Take two soulbeasts identical in strength, for example.
If one soulbeast wasnāt interested in humanizing while the second did, the first soulbeast would be stronger than the second while only being able to train in its soulbeast form.
But Bai Yunfei knew just how much Xiao Qi wanted to humanize. He had been so depressed after he found out he couldnāt humanize the first time when he became a class seven soulbeast.Ā
So to hear that Xiao Qi gave up on the chance to humanize was definitely a shocker.
A slightly embarrassed look appeared on Xiao Qiās face. His right wing scratched at the back of its head as if hide his embarrassment.Ā
āWellā¦I actually promised Xiao Bai that Iād wait for her to humanize first when she became a class sevenā¦ā