"I came here for my own personal matters, but I met this brat in the city, strolling through the streets, and somehow—by fate or misfortune—he became my disciple," Grandmaster Kim said firmly.
He turned to Seok Hung, his tone growing serious. "Now, I want you to help him. Take this as a personal favor. And when the time comes, I'll return it."
Grandmaster Kim already knew Arthur possessed the rare talent for walking the dual paths. From the moment he sensed the two distinct energies within the boy's body, to watching him hammer that iron bar down to a tenth of its original size—every step revealed the truth: Arthur had great potential. More than that, he had unshakable determination. And in a world full of so-called prodigies, it was that relentless work ethic that made Arthur the rarest of them all. As his master, Kim would never allow his disciple to walk a treacherous path without support.
Seok Hung turned toward Arthur, eyes narrowing as he observed him carefully. Then, with a faint glow, his pupils turned a piercing golden hue. A subtle wave of pressure washed over the area—the kind that made even seasoned cultivators stiffen.
But the true purpose of the Golden Eye was not intimidation. Its real power was far more formidable—it allowed the user to see into a person's energy flow, examine the harmonics of Qi and Soul Force, and even gauge spiritual reserves with pinpoint precision.
As Seok Hung peered into Arthur's body, his expression gradually changed from passive observation to clear astonishment.
"This boy… he's really walking two paths at the same time. With No constitution—and yet, his energies aren't clashing," he muttered in disbelief.
Grandmaster Kim smirked smugly, though he tried to maintain a composed expression. Still, he couldn't help but throw in a jab. "I said the same thing, you old fossil."
But Seok Hung didn't rise to the bait. He was too focused, his golden gaze sweeping through Arthur's meridians, tracing the flow of energy in search of some hidden secret—some anomaly that could explain this impossible harmony.
And then… his face twisted.
For the members of the Seok family watching nearby, this was a rare sight. Seok Hung—calm, composed, near-legendary Seok Hung—was visibly shaken.
"Th… This…" he stammered, but the words caught in his throat. Shock overwhelmed him, rendering him speechless for a moment.
Grandmaster Kim, noticing the change, grew serious. "Did you find something?" he asked, his voice cautious now.
Seok Hung inhaled deeply, steadying himself before speaking. "Yes. I found the reason why he can walk both paths without the support of a constitution or divine blessing."
Arthur stiffened.
What did he see? His mind spiraled into chaos. Did he discover that I'm not the original soul of this body? Or worse… the system?
A cold sweat broke across his back.
Then Seok Hung finally spoke, his voice filled with awe. "Old man Kim… your disciple is truly extraordinary. His soul—it's five times stronger than that of an ordinary cultivator. Do you understand? This isn't just talent—it's a foundation strong enough to shake the future."
When Arthur heard the reason he was finally relieved that seok hung didn't find out about the soul and the system.
Then He looked at Arthur now with sincere appreciation. "His potential in the Soul Path is immense. He could become the next guiding star of the Emberveil Kingdom."
Then, turning to Arthur, his tone softened. "Arthur, have you awakened your Soul Spirit yet?"
Before Arthur could speak, Grandmaster Kim replied confidently, "No, he hasn't. I was waiting for you to come out of seclusion so—"
"Umm… Grandpa," Arthur interrupted awkwardly, scratching his cheek. "I've… already awakened it."
A beat of silence.
Grandmaster Kim blinked. "What?"
Arthur grinned sheepishly. "Seok Sung helped me awaken it just a few hours ago. I was going to tell you, but I got so excited I went straight to my room to test it out…"
Kim's face darkened for a split second before he coughed to mask his irritation. "Oh… I see. When exactly did this happen?"
Arthur rubbed the back of his head, trying not to meet his master's gaze. "Like I said, just a little while ago. I, uh… wanted to surprise you."
A twitch flickered on Grandmaster Kim's face. This little brat… getting ahead of himself again… and making me embarrass in front of everyone.
But despite his irritation, a small smile tugged at the corner of Grandmaster Kim's mouth.
Seok Hung, however, glanced around sharply. Though the surrounding people were all members of the Seok family, he knew better than to trust every face. Spies from rival families had long since wormed their way into noble households—especially one as influential as his. He couldn't risk letting word of Arthur's potential reach the wrong ears. The seed had to be protected from the wolves.
"Old man Kim," Seok Hung said with a calm smile, "let's continue this conversation in my chamber. It'll be a long one."
Then, turning toward the crowd, his expression shifted to one of gentle command. "The rest of you—return to your duties. I'll speak with the elders once I've finished here."
His gaze landed firmly on Seok Kang, giving him a subtle nod. The message was clear.
Grandmaster Kim understood immediately and gave a slight nod in return. Without further delay, the group quietly began following Seok Hung toward the mansion.
"And Seok Yung," Seok Hung added without looking back, "you too. Come with us."
They made their way through the sprawling estate in silence, no one daring to speak. The weight of what had just occurred—the pressure from the breakthrough, the revelations about Arthur—hung heavy in the air.
Eventually, they arrived at Seok Hung's personal chamber. Seok yung, now behind them, shut the doors and calmly placed a sealing talisman on the frame. Faint golden runes flickered across the walls, sealing off any sound or spiritual detection from the outside.
"Now then," Seok Hung said, turning back to Arthur with genuine curiosity in his eyes. "Show us your Soul Spirit."
Arthur nodded. Without hesitation, he channeled his soul force into the palm of his left hand. A soft glow flickered, and then—with a shimmer of light—a sleek, ornate spear slowly materialized in his grasp.
Its shaft was engraved with elegant, scale-like patterns, dark metallic with a faint glimmer that seemed to ripple like dragonhide beneath light. A low hum of power radiated from it.
"This is my Soul Spirit," Arthur said proudly. "I've named it… Heavenly Dragon Spear."
The room went silent.
Everyone stared at the weapon—its presence impressive, its form elegant—but… the name.
They all glanced at each other, unsure how to respond. Even Seok Hung's expression froze mid-thought. Only Seok Yung remained completely unshocked—he'd already seen the spear and heard the name. He simply crossed his arms and sighed, bracing himself for what was to come.
Arthur noticed the silence and immediately grew defensive. "W-What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
His eyes turned toward Grandmaster Kim. "Look, Grandpa—see the shaft of the spear?" He held it up, pointing eagerly. "Doesn't it look like dragon scales?"
The others leaned in, inspecting the patterns closely. And indeed—the intricate design along the spear's base did resemble the scales of a dragon, arranged in flowing, natural segments.
"Hm… well, he's not wrong," Seok Hung said with a thoughtful hum. "The detailing does resemble dragon scale patterns."
"It's a bit flashy," Seok hung added, "but… it's his Soul Spirit. The name is his right."
One by one, the rest of the group nodded in agreement, conceding the point.
Arthur beamed.
Meanwhile, Seok Yung quietly rubbed his temple and muttered under his breath, "Now they're encouraging him…"
But in his heart, even he had to admit—the spear was no ordinary tool-type. There was something different about it. And perhaps… just perhaps, the name wasn't that far-fetched after all.
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