Soul Emperor Awakening

"You’re saying you want to participate in the Pattern Master competition?" Liu Qing frowned. Lin Xuan had explicitly said before that he wasn’t a Pattern Master, so how could he possibly enter?

"That’s true... I’m not an official Pattern Master because I haven’t passed the assessment. But I do know how to inscribe patterns, so I can still participate."

Lin Xuan spun a lie. Before absorbing the soul, he wouldn’t have dared to say such a thing, but now he did. ’With the soul of a Sixth Grade Pattern Master, passing the assessment will be a piece of cake,’ he thought. ’As for what Grade I’ll achieve, I’ll have to take the test to find out.’

"Is that so?" Liu Qing sized up Lin Xuan in surprise. "Then what Grade of Pattern Master have you reached?"

"I’m not entirely sure. I’ll have to take the assessment to find out what Grade I’ve reached," Lin Xuan answered truthfully. "My understanding isn’t very deep, which is why I wanted to look over this book of insights on patterns—to see what level I’m at. I have to say, this book is truly amazing. Just by glancing through it, I realized I have many shortcomings and need to practice diligently."

He didn’t even blink when he lied. He had just casually come up with an excuse, but it sounded quite reasonable.

He definitely wouldn’t miss an event like the Pattern Master competition. For starters, there were rewards just for participating, and even better ones for placing. More importantly, he wanted to make a name for himself. Raising his status would be incredibly beneficial.

It was just like with his status as an Inner Hall Disciple. Fang Feng had wanted to kill him, but after hearing he was an Inner Hall Disciple, he hadn’t dared to make a move. That was the importance of reputation. If his status rose, the benefits would be endless.

What he lacked now was resources. Only with resources could he advance at a breakneck pace. He wasn’t satisfied with his current rate of improvement. ’Who knows when the Lin Family’s enemies will track me down? It’s only a matter of time before I’m discovered, so I have to speed up my Cultivation!’

It wasn’t just about the Lin Family’s enemies; the Lin Family itself was in grave danger. Without a powerful Cultivation, he couldn’t even protect the family as it was now!

Liu Qing watched him in silence for a moment before speaking. "It’s not impossible. If your Grade is Second Grade or higher, you can participate. If you can’t reach that level, then I’m afraid it’s a no-go. The Pattern Master competition is, after all, a gathering of elites. If your Grade is too low, you’ll only end up embarrassing yourself."

"Thank you, Clan Leader Liu, for granting my request. I’ll go for the assessment in a few days. Until then, I’ll be in the Cultivation Chamber getting reacquainted with the craft. It’s been a long time since I’ve practiced," Lin Xuan smiled.

They didn’t suspect a thing. Lin Xuan’s reasoning was sound enough, and besides, there was no point in deceiving them. If he didn’t qualify as a Second Grade Pattern Master, he wouldn’t be able to participate no matter what he said.

Back in the Cultivation Chamber, Liu Menghua asked doubtfully, "Young Master Lin, do you really know how to inscribe patterns?"

"I really do. How about I give you a demonstration right now?" Lin Xuan said with a faint smile.

"Then please, show me. I want to see what level you’re at, Young Master Lin." Liu Menghua wasn’t going to miss this chance. She had to see his skill for herself. ’He has such Heaven-Defying martial strength; if his level as a Pattern Master is also high, I think I might actually faint.’

His youth was both a great advantage and a great disadvantage. After all, there was never enough time. One would certainly start with Martial Cultivation first. Becoming a Pattern Master required an enormous investment of time and money that was simply unmanageable for most.

If someone focused too much on being a Pattern Master, their Cultivation would surely be low. Conversely, if one prioritized Martial Cultivation, their level as a Pattern Master wouldn’t get very high.

Liu Menghua had spent immense effort to reach Third Grade, and her Cultivation wasn’t bad either, having reached the First Layer of the Spirit Refining Stage. But compared to Inner Hall Disciples of the same level, she would be instantly defeated. Beyond her lack of experience, the bigger issue was her unstable foundation, which had been propped up by Elixir Pills.

Drawing on the memories in his mind, Lin Xuan began to prepare the simplest pattern: a Speed Pattern, which was First Grade.

Patterns themselves were categorized by Grade. As long as you could inscribe a pattern of a certain Grade, you would become a Pattern Master of that same Grade. To put it simply, if you could inscribe a Sixth Grade Pattern, you would become a Sixth Grade Pattern Master!

It sounded easy, but it was incredibly difficult in practice. If it were that simple, Sixth Grade Pattern Masters would be a dime a dozen.

"I’ll just inscribe a Speed Pattern. I’m afraid I might fail if I try anything too difficult; it’s been a while. If I mess up, Miss Liu, please don’t laugh." Lin Xuan deliberately chose something simple. Even with the memories, success wasn’t guaranteed. He still needed to practice and build proficiency, just like with a Martial Technique.

If he used Soul Possession, success would be guaranteed, but the cost was too high; it was far too wasteful. For him, Soul Possession was a last resort. He wanted to rely on his own strength.

"Failing when you inscribe patterns is perfectly normal. You just have to try a few more times," Liu Menghua said with a smile.

Lin Xuan prepared the Spirit Wood Liquid and began to inscribe a pattern on a sheet of paper. The materials seemed simple, but just the Spirit Wood Liquid and the paper alone cost more than ten Primordial Stones! It was true that Pattern Masters made good money, but advancing to a High Grade was an extremely expensive endeavor.

"Hooo..."

After taking a deep breath, Lin Xuan dipped his finger into the Spirit Wood Liquid. Elemental Power gathered at his fingertip, causing the liquid to emit a faint golden glow.

Once ready, he began to draw the pattern on the paper. Every stroke was executed with extreme care. There could be no deviation whatsoever; any mistake meant failure.

The process consumed not only Elemental Power, but also Spiritual Power. Spiritual Power was much harder to recover, requiring a period of rest to be fully restored; it couldn’t be replenished by taking Elemental Power Pills.

This was why some Pattern Masters could only create a few patterns a day at most. If they failed frequently, they might only produce a single finished pattern in an entire day’s work.

Liu Menghua held her breath, intently watching Lin Xuan’s every stroke. At first, his movements were somewhat unpracticed, but he grew faster and more fluid as he went on. His strokes became divinely inspired, as if he were a seasoned expert!

In one continuous motion, he finished the Speed Pattern. After completing the final stroke, he pulled back his finger and said in a low voice, "Solidify!"

He controlled his Spiritual Power, deeply imprinting the pattern onto the paper. A faint golden light pulsed from it, proving he had succeeded.

Wiping away a bead of cold sweat, he picked up the pattern and handed it to her. "Miss Liu, what do you think?" ’I thought I was going to fail,’ he mused, ’but it looks like I succeeded after all. I got smoother toward the end. I guess since the pattern was simple enough, it wasn’t much of a problem.’

Aided by the Sixth Grade Pattern Master’s memories, he had been able to skip many steps. He had gained a much deeper understanding, especially regarding the control of Spiritual Power.

A Pattern Master is one who can control their own Spiritual Power, something that had previously been very difficult for him. Only by controlling one’s Spiritual Power could one draw a perfect pattern. Ultimately, being a Pattern Master was a profession centered on cultivating Spiritual Power.

"He’s... He’s really a Pattern Master..." Liu Menghua’s heart trembled as she accepted the Speed Pattern. Though it was only a First Grade Pattern, it was remarkably well-made. He had started like a novice, but finished like a seasoned expert—not at all like a beginner.

’At this level,’ she thought, ’he could probably create Second Grade Patterns, maybe even Third Grade Patterns!’

"Young Master Lin, how do you do it? Not only is your Cultivation incredibly high, but you’ve also reached an impressive level as a Pattern Master. Judging by your technique, you must be at least a Second Grade Pattern Master..." Liu Menghua’s voice was tinged with melancholy. She had thought her skill as a Pattern Master would far surpass Lin Xuan’s, but it now seemed the gap wasn’t large at all. Her inner pride instantly crumbled.

"Well... I just practiced and practiced, and it sort of happened!" Lin Xuan gave an awkward smile. Of course, he had no intention of telling her the real reason.

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