Sanhartha made his way through the bustling heart of Notting City, slipping between merchants calling out prices and townsfolk carrying baskets of grain or bundles of cloth. Yet the deeper he walked toward the city's center, the more the sound shifted. The clamor softened. Footsteps slowed. Even the air felt calmer, touched by quiet authority.
And then he saw it.
At the end of a broad stone avenue stood the Notting City Branch Hall of the Spirit Hall. White pillars rose like ancient guardians, etched with soul beast patterns that shimmered faintly beneath shifting sunlight. Compared to the academy's modest arch, this structure radiated solemn grandeur — a presence that seemed to press gently against the heart.
The Spirit Hall was not merely a building. It was a force. A continental authority that governed soul masters, mediated disputes, and maintained the continent's balance. Its archives held knowledge deeper and more complete than any sect or noble family could dream of.
Sanhartha paused, his expression steady, gaze absorbing every detail.
If there is knowledge about soul beasts hidden anywhere… it would be within these walls.
But entry was another matter entirely. Without reaching level ten and possessing a soul ring, he could not be recognized as a formal soul master. The guards would not simply allow a child inside.
He stood quietly before the grand entrance, weighing his options.
And then fate shifted.
A familiar figure stepped through the doors, adjusting his robe with mild irritation.
Su Yuntao.
Sanhartha stepped forward, his voice carrying gentle clarity. "Master Su Yuntao! Do you remember me?"
Su Yuntao blinked, confused for a heartbeat.
Sanhartha bowed lightly. "Sir, I am Sanhartha from Brightleaf Village. You awakened my martial soul."
Recognition sparked at once. "Ah! The phoenix child." Su Yuntao's expression softened into a warm smile. "Yes, I remember. What brings you here?"
"I wish to read, Sir," Sanhartha said, tone calm. "May I ask for your help in entering the Spirit Hall library?"
Su Yuntao stared at him — a child requesting entry to a restricted library, not to play or wander, but to study. His gaze shifted, seeing not a boy, but the steady resolve behind his eyes.
Finally, a quiet laugh escaped him. "You truly are different. Very well — I'll help you."
The guards stepped aside as Su Yuntao led him into the hall. The interior corridors were lined with blue soul-fire lanterns that cast soft, wavering light. Their footsteps echoed lightly, as though the walls themselves guarded centuries of silence.
They arrived at a spacious archive room. Rows of high wooden shelves held aged tomes bound in leather, ancient scrolls sealed with wax, and neatly sorted records from nearby regions.
Behind a long desk sat an elderly man with silver eyebrows and half-moon spectacles — Jin Yao, the branch's archivist.
Su Yuntao grinned. "Old Jin, still drowning in books as always?"
Jin Yao lifted his gaze slowly. "Yuntao? What rare wind blows you here? You're not exactly known for… scholarly ambition."
Su Yuntao coughed. "No need to phrase it like that. I brought a student." He placed a hand on Sanhartha's shoulder. "This child wants to study. I thought of you."
Jin Yao examined Sanhartha closely. The boy stood quietly, posture composed, eyes steady and without fear. Rare traits in a youth.
"So," Jin Yao asked, his tone gentle, "you wish to read in the Spirit Hall library?"
"Yes, Senior," Sanhartha replied with respectful calm. "If it is permitted."
Something warm flickered in the old man's eyes — approval. "Most children must be dragged toward learning. Yet you walk in willingly." He reached into his sleeve, flicking a small bronze token toward him. "Take this. Show it to the guards, and they will let you enter whenever you wish."
Sanhartha caught the token carefully, sensing the subtle warmth of spirit energy embedded in the metal. "Thank you, Senior."
Su Yuntao laughed. "See? Old Jin always softens for hardworking children."
Jin Yao snorted lightly. "Unlike someone who only steps into my library once every five years."
"Please," Su Yuntao replied with mock offense. "If I started reading now, wouldn't that shock you into an early grave?"
Their banter filled the hall with simple warmth — a reminder that even beneath the authority of the Spirit Hall, normal bonds still endured.
Sanhartha bowed to both elders before stepping deeper into the rows of shelves. The air carried the scent of parchment aged by time and ink faded by care. His fingers brushed gently across cracked spines and rolled scrolls.
From this moment… the path toward deeper knowledge has opened.