Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 428: Brought Gifts This Time, But as a Son-in-law..._1
Liu Ling’er visited Wang Linchi’s home for the second time, this time bringing gifts to curry favor with him, mainly because Wang Linchi was truly extraordinary.
It’s not that no one could pass the primary Mongolian examination and the Tongsheng examination within a year, but such individuals were either from Great Family Clans or prodigies cultivated from an early age by the Academy. Few were like Wang Linchi, whose background clearly indicated he was a common man. More importantly, Wang Linchi wasn’t the type to succeed through gradual accumulation; rather, he could achieve success by cramming at the last minute.
"I never expected it! It’s only been a month or so since we last saw each other, and Big Brother Wang has already earned the Child’s Title." Liu Ling’er’s expression was somewhat complex. If it weren’t for the powerful influence her Liu Family wielded in Zhenhai City, she simply wouldn’t believe it was real.
"Just sheer luck," Wang Linchi said modestly. Because he had obtained a title, the way she addressed him changed; she previously called him Doctor Wang, now she called him Big Brother. To get closer, she really had to swallow her pride.
This year, in Zhenhai City and its vicinity, only dozens of Spirit Masters had obtained the Child’s Title.
In all of Zhenhai City, there were at least several thousand Spirit Masters without any official titles, yet only a handful of them succeeded. As one moved further up, the number of people naturally dwindled. Of course, over the years, the accumulated number naturally increased.
Liu Ling’er had also attempted the examination but still hadn’t passed this year.
If she continued to fail to earn the Child’s Title for another three to five years, it would likely become increasingly difficult for her later on. As one aged, one’s natural ability to learn tended to dull.
Spirit Masters didn’t possess any sort of earth-shattering abilities; they were just an alternative type of low-level martial artist. There was no way for them to enhance comprehension or raise intelligence. Longevity itself was difficult enough to achieve, let alone anything else.
"Big Brother Wang is too humble. Anyone who earns the Child’s Title is considered an outstanding individual in Zhenhai City." Liu Ling’er could definitely perceive Wang Linchi’s self-deprecation.
"It’s not humility; it’s the truth. You know my circumstances," Wang Linchi reassured her.
"I assume Big Brother Wang is aware of the purpose of my visit today." Liu Ling’er’s expression became serious, and she continued, "Big Brother Wang, if you’re willing to marry into my Liu Family and wed a concubine-born daughter, my Liu Family can fully support your pursuit of the Scholar title for the next five years."
"Oh?" Wang Linchi was surprised Liu Ling’er would be so straightforward. But these conditions are terrible. Marrying in, and to a concubine-born daughter at that—they’re clearly bullying him for his lack of background.
"The conditions are already very good. Big Brother Wang, having gone through the Tongsheng examination, should know how challenging the imperial examinations are. The next Academy examination is even more demanding, like sifting gold from sand. The number of people who can attain the Scholar title in Zhenhai City is less than a dozen each year."
"Without the support of a Great Family, it is simply impossible to succeed," Liu Ling’er said seriously.
"Well... I’d still like to try on my own." Wang Linchi rejected her outright. He wasn’t actually going to take the exam fairly. He was going to cheat, use plug-ins, and even employ forceful intimidation. If he couldn’t pass under these conditions, then the imperial examination system’s ’computer’ might as well give up.
This time, he not only wanted to obtain the Scholar title but also to achieve the Anshou, the top rank.
The Mongolian Studies and Tongsheng examinations didn’t have grade divisions, but starting with the Scholar examination, there were rankings.
Upon hearing this, Liu Ling’er couldn’t help but sigh. She thought Wang Linchi was deluded. Why would he still want to try?
"Alright, the Liu Family will hold this offer for you. If it doesn’t go smoothly, you can come to the Liu Family anytime." Liu Ling’er didn’t continue to persuade him. In her view, Wang Linchi needed to experience some harsh realities to understand the truth. Then, he would definitely come to the Liu Family.
"Then it would be impolite of me to refuse such consideration," Wang Linchi replied with a smile.
This time, Liu Ling’er didn’t show any impatience after her recruitment attempt failed. Instead, she chatted with Wang Linchi about other matters before leaving his house. His status and identity were different now, so naturally, her attitude had to change as well.
"The monopoly of the Great Families is indeed powerful."
Actually, Liu Ling’er was not wrong. If one didn’t join a Great Family, the majority of Spirit Masters would only ever achieve the Child’s Title. This category of ’Great Family’ naturally included the Court, as well as Poor Families, which were considered declining Great Families but still possessed some remaining foundation. Wang Linchi, on the other hand, was from the common folk—the Qianshou, the plebeians, the ordinary people—representing those who were largely illiterate.
Apart from Liu Ling’er’s recruitment attempt, other Great Families in Zhenhai City also came to recruit him. The terms offered were similar to the Liu Family’s: marrying into the family and wedding a concubine-born daughter. The main difference lay in the number of years of support pledged for him to earn the Scholar title. The Liu Family was the most generous, offering a full five years, while other Great Families offered from one to three years.
The Court’s recruitment was the most direct and domineering. They offered Wang Linchi a ninth-rank official position, which was currently a nominal post. He would receive some Silver annually, along with daily necessities like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. Once he formally joined the Court and took up his duties, it would become a ninth-rank official position with real power, and his welfare and benefits would increase dramatically. He would also need to shoulder the corresponding responsibilities.
Wang Linchi didn’t have strong opinions about this, as long as it didn’t affect him. As for other matters, once he passed the examination and earned the Scholar title, he would likely become quite famous.
In Zhenhai City, the Spirit Masters with the highest titles were merely Lifted Persons, and there were only seven of them. Once one became a Scholar, they were essentially part of Zhenhai City’s upper echelons. However, after passing the Scholar examination, he planned to sell his house and go to a higher-level commandery to take the promotion exam for Lifted Person. Why would he stay in Zhenhai City?
"The Liu Family has probably given up on Bai Changsheng. This issue seems to be resolved," Wang Linchi thought, relieved. He had been worried that some other trouble might pop up.
"The only regret is that the protagonist might not refresh around me again." Wang Linchi felt a twinge of regret; the protagonist was simply too valuable. Harvesting that value one more time might allow him to advance even further. No matter how you looked at it, a Spirit Master was a high-energy entity. Even a tiger that had fallen onto a flat plain was still a tiger.
After fantasizing about the future, Wang Linchi turned his attention back to modifying Fanciful and Fickle. He had successfully separated it, reverting Fanciful and Fickle into active Skills—in fact, two distinct Skills instead of one. He had split it into two abilities: the mental monkey and the mental horse.
The mental monkey was an attack-type Skill. It incorporated the first category of Skills from the Saint Monarch Occupation, enabling high damage output while also applying various debuffs and control effects. The mental horse, on the other hand, served as a support-type Skill, providing a full suite of healing, Shield, purification, and other effects upon activation.
In addition, after fusing the active Saint Monarch Occupation Skills, the mental monkey and mental horse could also gain the effects of corresponding occupational Talents, equipment, pets, mounts, wings, and so on.
These two Skills had a linked effect: activating the mental monkey could also bring forth the mental horse. Its strength depended on consumption, and since there was no cooldown time, it didn’t really matter. However, activating the mental horse would not simultaneously use the mental monkey; instead, it would enhance the mental horse’s effects. If the linked effect was canceled, it was also possible to activate only the mental monkey.
"I didn’t expect it to be harmonized so easily, thanks to the game character and data rules mediating the process," Wang Linchi mused. He found that the game world’s system hadn’t directly increased his combat power much, but it had indirectly provided him with many platforms.
Furthermore, the two Passive Skills, Restless Heart and Wild Horse, underwent some modification after he split Fanciful and Fickle, transforming them from enhancement materials into enhancement Skills.
Their effect was to simply enhance the active effects of the mental monkey and the mental horse. This directly increased their effectiveness and power by 100%. Additionally, upon activation, they could generate phantom images of a monkey and a horse for impact and protection, further boosting the strength of the mental monkey and the mental horse.
Of course, these phantom images could be kept inactive, allowing the Skills to be used for sneak attacks. If the phantoms weren’t activated, the Skills would operate in their normal, intangible, and formless mode.
"My system has become more complete and has taken another step forward."
"Once I’ve developed the Soul Kind and Soul Seed Page variants needed for Wenqi amplification, I can further integrate the Soul Series System."
Wang Linchi glanced at the chaotic state of his inner energies; he had to proceed one step at a time. "I must convert directly to The system of three treasures: essence, energy, and spirit, and gradually bring it into balance. Otherwise, this imbalance between my ’major and minor limbs’ will cause serious problems," Wang Linchi pondered for a moment before beginning his subsequent projects.
「...」
"He didn’t agree?" The head of the Liu Family frowned upon hearing Liu Ling’er’s description. "It seems he’s confident of passing the Scholar examination."
"This... isn’t that just his arrogance?" Liu Ling’er asked, slightly confused.
"Let’s wait and see. If he truly passes the examination again this time..." The head of the Liu Family paused, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes. "Then he must possess some significant treasure. We’ll try to recruit him again. If he still refuses, then we’ll kill him and seize the treasure."
Those who controlled Great Families were rarely benevolent. If recruitment failed and the target had no background, then killing them and taking their treasures for the clan’s use was the natural course of action.
