Chapter 97: Golden grade soul

If Arthur continued growing, there was no telling how far he could eventually advance.

More importantly, a thought suddenly crossed Noer’s mind.

’Perhaps this young man can help me avenge my grievance in the future.’

The excitement in his heart intensified.

He had suffered an enormous injustice in the past, one that had forced him to leave his former domain and wander through the mortal world. Although he had never abandoned the hope of returning, his chances of success had always been slim.

But now, he had encountered someone whose potential might one day surpass even his own expectations.

’If I can establish a good relationship with him now, perhaps my future will finally change.’

Noer took a deep breath, already considering how he could forge the strongest possible Life-Bound Weapon for Arthur.

However, just as he was about to terminate the test, something unexpected happened.

A brilliant golden light suddenly emerged from the colossal soul.

Noer froze.

The golden radiance spread rapidly, enveloping the thousand-kilometer spiritual giant. Then, under his bewildered gaze, the enormous soul began shrinking.

A thousand kilometers became a hundred.

Then ten.

Then one.

The soul continued contracting until its height reached approximately six feet, becoming almost identical in size to Arthur’s physical body.

Yet the moment its transformation was complete, Noer felt a terrifying pressure descend upon him.

It was no longer the overwhelming pressure of an enormous soul.

Instead, it was something far more fundamental.

The very existence of the golden soul seemed to demand submission from everything around it.

Noer felt his knees weaken.

Thud!

He fell to the ground, unable to resist the instinctive urge to bow before the being standing before him.

His eyes widened with absolute disbelief.

"How... how is this possible?"

He struggled to raise his head, staring at the golden soul with a mixture of fear and reverence.

"I’ve never even heard of a Golden Grade soul!"

Although the soul was now no larger than Arthur himself, the pressure it radiated was so terrifying that Noer could barely maintain his consciousness.

It was as though the difference between them had transcended ordinary concepts of strength and cultivation.

For the first time in countless years, Noer felt that his own existence was insignificant before another being.

And the most unbelievable part was that Arthur’s soul appeared to have only just completed its transformation.

’What exactly is this young man’s potential?’

Noer no longer dared to speculate.

He immediately withdrew the pressure of his soul-testing technique.

The golden soul vanished from the dark space, and the terrifying aura disappeared with it.

Arthur opened his eyes.

The endless darkness dissolved, and his consciousness returned to his physical body. He blinked several times, trying to adjust to his surroundings.

From his perspective, the test had been an entirely strange experience. He had found himself in a dark space, unable to sense the outside world, and had remained there until the darkness suddenly disappeared.

He had no idea what had happened to his soul during that period.

Looking at the old man standing before him, Arthur asked expectantly, "Senior, is the test finished?"

Noer took several deep breaths before finally regaining his composure.

Then, to Arthur’s astonishment, the old man straightened his clothes and bowed slightly.

"Young Master..."

Arthur’s eyebrows rose.

Noer, who had effortlessly caught his full-strength punch moments earlier, was now addressing him with unmistakable reverence.

"Please give me three days to gather the finest materials available and forge the greatest Life-Bound Artifact this old man has ever created!" Noer declared, his voice trembling with excitement. "I will also repair your spaceship and restore it to its former glory."

He paused, then added solemnly, "I promise that I will spare no effort in either task."

With that, Noer took out a small golden token and presented it to Arthur with both hands.

"This is a contact token. Keep it with you, Young Master. With it, we will be able to communicate with each other at any time, regardless of the distance between us."

Arthur accepted the token, his mind racing with questions.

He was certainly no fool. The dramatic change in Noer’s attitude made it obvious that something extraordinary had happened during the test.

The old man had initially treated him as an interesting young player. Now, he was behaving as though Arthur were someone whose favor he desperately needed to earn.

Unfortunately, Arthur had no memory of what had happened while his consciousness was trapped in the darkness.

He could only assume that his soul possessed an exceptionally high grade.

After considering the matter briefly, he decided to ask directly.

"Senior, may I know what grade my soul has reached?"

Noer looked at him solemnly.

"Young Master, your soul has reached the Golden Grade."

Arthur’s eyes widened slightly.

"Golden Grade?"

"Yes." Noer nodded, his expression filled with reverence. "The seven grades I mentioned earlier are merely the recognized classifications of soul power. Even I have never encountered a Golden Grade soul before, nor do I know the limits of its potential."

He paused, carefully choosing his next words.

"Your soul’s power has surpassed everything I understand about the subject. I cannot tell you how far you will eventually advance, but I can say with certainty that your potential is beyond anything I have ever witnessed."

Arthur fell silent.

A Golden Grade soul.

He had expected the test to reveal something about his Spirit attribute, but the result appeared to involve an entirely different system of power.

He would need to investigate the relationship between the two later.

For now, he had more important matters to attend to.

"Then I’ll leave the spaceship and my weapon in your hands, Senior," Arthur said with a composed smile. "I’ll return in three days."

"Of course, Young Master!" Noer replied immediately. "Rest assured. When you return, both of your requests will have been fulfilled to the best of my abilities."

Arthur nodded and prepared to leave, the golden token safely stored in his inventory.

However, as he turned around, Noer suddenly spoke again.

"Young Master, there is one more thing I must tell you."

Arthur stopped and glanced back.

"What is it, Senior?"

Noer’s expression grew serious.

"Your soul is unlike anything recorded in the history of the Divine Realm. If word of its existence spreads, it may attract the attention of beings far beyond your current level of understanding."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"Some may wish to help you grow. Others may wish to control you before you become powerful enough to threaten them. And there may be those who would rather eliminate you before your potential becomes reality."

Arthur’s expression turned solemn.

He had already learned that the world was far more complicated than the game system initially suggested. Powerful beings existed beyond his current understanding, and the Erebus Temple’s emissary had already shown him a glimpse of that terrifying hierarchy.

Now, he had another reason to remain cautious.

"I understand, Senior. I won’t reveal this information to anyone."

Noer nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Then I shall await your return in three days."

The divine blacksmith Noer left with a happy smile on his face.

When he left, Arthur looked around, and saw a few players were looking at his direction with a confused look as if they couldn’t see him even though he was not using stealth but they could feel him.