Ethan Drake's expression stiffened. Anger rose in his heart. He had personally opened his mouth, yet Wu Ling dared fail to appreciate the honor and reject him.
"Hmph. So he is just a brat who does not know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth. Once I reveal my title as the continent's number one theorist, he will definitely beg me in tears. After he becomes my disciple, I will make sure he learns his lesson!"
Although Ethan Drake cursed inwardly, outward appearances still mattered. With a pleasant expression, he said, "Little friend, you may not know who I am. I am the continent's number one theorist. If you want to fully bring out your true potential, I am the only person on the entire continent capable of doing so."
"Master, that is not quite right," Matthew said from the side, pretending to remind him. At the same time, his body had quietly moved between Wu Ling and Ethan Drake. "This child has already agreed to join Spirit Hall."
Ethan Drake glanced at Matthew expressionlessly and decided that he would make this man pay later. Right now, accepting the disciple was more important.
He moved past Matthew and was about to continue persuading Wu Ling, but Wu Ling spoke first.
"The continent's number one theorist. I know. Ethan Drake, author of the Ten Core Competency Theories and the work There Are No Useless Martial Souls, Only Useless Spirit Masters."
Su Yuntao and Matthew immediately felt that something was wrong. As for Ethan Drake, after hearing Wu Ling's words, he began to feel pleased with himself. Look at that. Even a child knew his name now.
"Since he admires me, as long as he kneels, apologizes, and begs me to take him as my disciple, I will be magnanimous and let the matter just now pass."
Thinking this, Ethan Drake said arrogantly in reality, "Good. Since you know who I am, this is easy. Hurry and become my disciple."
"But I refuse."
Ethan Drake looked incredulous. Then displeasure appeared on his face.
"You know who I am and still refuse me?"
Wu Ling did not answer directly. Instead, he asked Ethan Drake a question.
"Master Drake, in your work, you once mentioned that the maximum age of each Spirit Ring for a Spirit Master is fixed, correct?"
"Of course. Not only that, I have now clearly inferred the maximum age for each Spirit Ring. In other words, I can allow a person's every Spirit Ring to reach the maximum possible age," Ethan Drake said proudly. It was as if he could already see Wu Ling's admiring gaze.
What greeted him instead was Wu Ling's next question.
"Then I would like to ask, Master, what did you use to infer that?"
"Physical quality, of course. The stronger a Spirit Master's body is, the older the Spirit Ring they can endure."
"Then, Master, at the same level, is there a difference between the physical quality of an assault-type Spirit Master and a support-type Spirit Master?"
"Of course there is."
"Good. Since there is a difference in physical quality between assault-type and support-type Spirit Masters, why is the maximum Spirit Ring age they can endure the same?"
"That is naturally..."
Ethan Drake spoke instinctively, but halfway through, he stopped.
If physical quality differed, yet he continued to say that maximum Spirit Ring age was fixed, then Spirit Ring age had nothing to do with physical quality. In that case, his theory built on physical quality could not explain it.
But if he said that the maximum Spirit Ring age was different for the two types, then what had all his research over the years been for?
"You... you are simply being unreasonable!
"There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Spirit Masters. Therefore, the maximum age of a Spirit Ring is naturally related to the Spirit Master.
"I am the continent's number one theorist. I cannot be wrong!"
Ethan Drake stated his famous line, trying to use his identity to intimidate Wu Ling and force his way through the argument.
But Wu Ling would not be frightened by such petty tricks. He continued calmly.
"Oh? There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Spirit Masters?
"But I remember that Master Drake still has not broken through level thirty, correct? Then, Master, are you not saying that you yourself are useless?
"As expected of the Master. You constantly repeat the fact that you are useless. In that regard, I truly cannot compare."
"You... you... you little bastard!"
After having his sore spot stabbed, Ethan Drake no longer had the leisure to maintain his status. Enraged from shame, he took several steps forward, intending to bully the child with his age and strength.
"Master, these are only a child's playful words. Trying to kill him over that seems inappropriate, doesn't it?"
Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Su Yuntao pulled Wu Ling to his side. Matthew stood directly in front of Ethan Drake and confronted him.
Ethan Drake's face shifted from red to blue, then from blue to black. Finally, he remembered that he had not prepared any radishes for this visit. He could only clench his teeth and curse fiercely in his heart.
"Luo Sanpao, Luo Sanpao, you useless thing!
"One attack has no damage, and on top of that, you need radishes prepared in advance. Without radishes, you cannot continue attacking. Is there any Martial Soul more useless than this?"
In the end, Ethan Drake could only snort coldly. He put on an expression that suggested he disdained bullying a child and quickly walked around Matthew toward the outside of the hall.
Before leaving, he glared fiercely at Wu Ling, as if he wanted to remember him and make sure Wu Ling would one day be unable to climb high enough to reach him.
After Ethan Drake left, the atmosphere in the hall gradually eased. Regarding Ethan Drake, the three of them tacitly chose not to say anything directly.
Under Matthew's lead, Wu Ling underwent another spirit power test. They confirmed that he had innate full spirit power, and Matthew also confirmed that he had never heard of Wu Ling's "Heroic Spirit Disc" Martial Soul.
Thus, Wu Ling's identity as a genius was established.
"Good, good, good. It really is innate full spirit power and a mutated Martial Soul. Spirit Hall has truly found a fine seedling this time.
"Come. I will take you to the hall master. With your talent, you will definitely have a chance to cultivate in Spirit City, the sacred land of us Spirit Masters."
Matthew and Su Yuntao brought Wu Ling before the hall master of the Spirit Hall branch. In shock, the hall master wrote a letter to the master of the Spirit Hall sub-temple.
The master of the sub-temple, also in astonishment, wrote another letter to the main temple...
Just like that, Wu Ling's information advanced as if all the lights had turned green. It passed smoothly through every inspection and arrived in Bibi Dong's hands at the Pope's Palace.
At first, Bibi Dong showed no expression toward this letter sent from a remote region. Only when she saw Wu Ling's situation did the slightest ripple appear on her face.
"Oh? Innate full spirit power with a mutated Martial Soul. He does count as a good seedling. Though a genius who has not grown up is not even worth as much as a mediocre person who has, his talent does qualify him to cultivate here... Ghost."
The moment Bibi Dong's voice fell, a black-clothed figure whose appearance could not be seen appeared beside her.
"Bring this little one back to meet me. Ah, before that, have him obtain his first Spirit Ring. Let me see the potential of that mutated Martial Soul."
"Yes."