"To become a mercenary, the first step is to register at the Mercenary Guild."
Walking along the streets of Soul Hunting Town, Tian Wenlong guided Zhao Liuyun towards the tavern while speaking.
"What are the requirements? How many Gold Soul Coins are needed?"
This was Zhao Liuyun's question.
Judging by his observations these past few days, the Spirit Hall should also charge money for mercenary registration, right?
Free Spirit Awakening benefited the growth of the number of Soul Masters and, at the same time, allowed the Spirit Hall to unify the Soul Master class, thereby using an overt scheme to extract money from the two great empires.
This money would ultimately funnel into the Spirit Hall through various channels.
Tian Wenlong said, "One Gold Soul Coin, just for formality."
"There are two additional requirements: first, you must be at least a Rank 1 Soul Master, and second, you must join a mercenary group."
"Solo mercenaries aren't considered reliable. They must be vouched for by a mercenary group."
Zhao Liuyun was a Rank 1 Soul Master and had joined the Tusked Elephant Mercenary Group, so he met both conditions.
The town was small, and it didn't take long for the two to reach the tavern.
Pushing open the heavy wooden door, a burst of heat mixed with the aroma of roasted meat, acrid tobacco smoke, and heavy sweat hit them.
The tavern was very noisy.
"Clink! Clang!"
The sound of clinking glasses rose and fell, and occasionally, a loud laugh would draw everyone's attention.
"Hahaha! You lost!"
There were also burly men slamming the tables with a "Bang! Bang!" attracting a chorus of agreement and heckling.
Most were men; women were few and far between.
The light inside the tavern wasn't very bright. Zhao Liuyun looked up and could see a layer of grease staining the Soul Guiding Lamp, clearly smoked by years of constant meat roasting.
The creak of the wooden door caused quite a few people to turn their heads and look.
Several mercenaries who were familiar with Tian Wenlong noticed the young boy beside him, and their eyes suddenly lit up:
"Oh, Scarface Tian, you just took in one new guy, and now you're bringing another?"
"Aren't you going to introduce him?"
"Buzz off, buzz off! Drink your liquor! Don't be annoying and block my view!"
Faced with the rowdy remarks, Tian Wenlong was equally rude, cursing back at them one by one.
Then, he went straight to the bartender with Zhao Liuyun: "Brother Luo, do me a favor. Help register this young man as a mercenary and list him under our mercenary group."
The bartender, whose surname was Luo, glanced at Zhao Liuyun in surprise: "This kid?"
Mercenaries had no age restriction, but he had genuinely never seen one this young before.
A genius doing mercenary work?
"Yes!"
The bartender Luo nodded slightly: "Name, display your martial soul and soul ring."
"Zhao Liuyun, Martial Soul Moonlit Dream Flower, Rank 1 Soul Master."
There was no need to hide it. Since he wasn't disguised and wasn't using a false name, anyone with enough interest could easily find him out.
Amidst the flow of gentle light, a gorgeously dazzling flower martial soul emerged from the radiance, resting quietly in Zhao Liuyun's palm.
Accompanying its appearance was a refreshing, cold fragrance.
The fragrance was deeply refreshing, actually causing the noisy tavern to quiet down slightly.
Following the appearance of the martial soul, a bright yellow soul ring also rose from beneath Zhao Liuyun's feet.
The bartender's eyes widened in shock: "Hundred-year soul ring?"
"Yes, but I'm only a support-type Soul Master," Zhao Liuyun deliberately specified.
The Mercenary Guild was an industry of the Spirit Hall. This man might report him and invite him to join the Spirit Hall.
A support-type Soul Master wouldn't arouse envy.
"Brother Luo, hurry up, don't drag your feet," Tian Wenlong knocked on the counter.
He didn't expose the lie, casually helping to fabricate a background: "He's a relative's child. His parents sent him to my mercenary group for some tempering and life experience. I need to look after him."
The bartender spoke leisurely: "Then you're quite fortunate~"
These types of geniuses, who have a background and start making trouble after reading a couple of storybooks, are the most troublesome.
Yet, one couldn't afford to offend them; they had to be accommodated.
With a hint of pity, the bartender retrieved a still-warm iron plate from a small window behind him: "The registration is complete."
Zhao Liuyun rubbed it. The front bore his name and the words 'Mercenary,' and the back had the symbol of the Spirit Hall.
It was very simple and easy to counterfeit, but no one among the low-level mercenaries cared.
Tian Wenlong led him out of the tavern, and seeing Zhao Liuyun staring at the iron plate representing his mercenary status, he addressed him more warmly.
"Welcome to the life of a mercenary, Liuyun."
"I can call you that, right?" he asked softly.
"Of course, Group Leader..."
Tian Wenlong pretended to be serious, frowning: "Aren't we past being formal?"
His serious expression instantly changed to a gentle one, "Just like before, call me Uncle Tian."
The scar twisted with his expression, making his face look somewhat fierce.
However, Zhao Liuyun actually felt this matched his naturally smooth and versatile personality.
"Uncle Tian."
The title was changed back.
Tian Wenlong was pleased and burst into laughter: "Come on, come on! A newcomer joining the group calls for a feast!"
"Uncle Tian will treat you to a Soul Beast banquet!"
The details of the feast are unnecessary to elaborate on.
Although the ingredients were only ten-year Soul Beast meat, the variety and completeness of the preparations made it quite memorable.
After the meal, everyone gathered, and the mercenary group leader, Tian Wenlong, formally introduced Zhao Liuyun to the others.
This was also for Zhao Liuyun to get a preliminary impression of them.
The person who had given him the cold shoulder at his Uncle-Master's shop was a newcomer who had joined a month ago.
His name was Ye Ye, Martial Soul White-Headed Eagle, with one white and one yellow soul ring. He was twenty-three and a Rank 2 Great Soul Master, serving as the scout in the team.
He had some reservations about a one-ring child joining the team.
Zhao Liuyun acknowledged his disapproval and reciprocated with a dream—
Go to sleep first!
After establishing his authority, just like Tian Wenlong's instant sleep at the medical hall, the rest of the people present suddenly recalled that awkward soul hunting experience.
In an instant, they looked at him with reverence.
The small episode did not interrupt the introduction process.
Next was the only woman in the mercenary group, Zhu Qiaoqiao.
Forty-three years old, Martial Soul Striped Leopard, with two yellow soul rings. She was a Rank 2 Agility Attack-type Great Soul Master.
Her martial soul was fierce, but she was gentle with people and was a nice auntie.
The other Agility Attack-type Soul Master was Bai Feng, thirty-two years old, Martial Soul Water-Treading Deer, two rings, one white and one yellow.
His appearance, like his martial soul, gave an impression of softness and vulnerability.
The three Power Attack-type Soul Masters were also Great Soul Masters.
Wu Xu, forty years old, Martial Soul Red-Haired Gorilla, with one white and one yellow soul ring.
His hair was thick, and he exuded a sense of untamed wildness, like a newly civilized savage.
Wu Qianming, twenty-seven years old, Martial Soul Diamond Bear, with one white and one yellow soul ring.
His martial soul sounded strong, but in reality, the strongest thing about him was his name.
He was the one who was poisoned and nearly died last time. He was short, only about 1.6 meters tall, but tough and robust, serving as the team's tank.
Finally, there was a tall, thin man, the unlucky fellow who was admonished for falling asleep due to the Dream Demon's soul skill while on night watch last time.
Named Fang Rui, twenty-nine years old, Martial Soul Cyan-Mist Tiger, with two yellow soul rings.
This wind-attributed martial soul was originally suitable for the Agility Attack system, but unfortunately, a mutation removed the wind element. Now, it was somewhere between Power Attack and Agility Attack.
The White-Headed Eagle scout, Ye Ye, was woken up. While his face was flushed with embarrassment, Zhao Liuyun calmly introduced himself to everyone:
"My name is Zhao Liuyun, eight years old, a Rank 1 Control System Soul Master. Everyone has seen the power of my first soul skill."
"I am also a physician."
Everyone nodded; no one doubted whether a Rank 1 Soul Master was qualified to join the mercenary group anymore.
"I hope for your guidance in the future," Zhao Liuyun expressed himself very humbly.
"We wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare."
"Mutual learning. We'll be counting on you to exert your powerful control," the tall, thin man and others also had a filter for geniuses.
Zhao Liuyun chuckled twice and officially began his journey as a mercenary.