The Gourds of Calabash Village

Two days later, Calabash Village Central Square

Calling it the central square was a bit of a stretch. It was really just an open patch of ground in the middle of the village, about the size of a basketball court from Wang Xiaofeng's previous life.

Young and old alike had gathered around. After all, Martial Soul Awakening only came once a year. Everyone hoped their children would awaken a powerful Martial Soul, or have Innate Soul Power greater than others. That way, they would have plenty of face when meeting people outside.

Wang Xiaofeng had arrived early and claimed a good spot. The weather was rather hot now, and if he came any later, there would not even be a place to stand.

"Xiaofeng just keeps getting cuter. I wonder whose little girl he'll marry in the future."

That was someone regretting not having given birth to a daughter.

"Xiaofeng, what do you think of my Xiaohua? Isn't she adorable? How about letting her be your wife in the future?"

Wang Xiaofeng helplessly looked at the baby chewing on her tiny hand in the woman's arms. "Please don't make decisions on your own."

"Aunt Wang, what's a wife? Is it something to eat?" Wang Xiaofeng put on an expression of complete innocence and launched an attack on Aunt Wang with his adorable eyes.

"Ah, Xiaofeng is just too cute!" Aunt Wang had sunk without a trace.

Wang Xiaofeng wiped away the nonexistent sweat on his forehead. Why did the army of marriage pushers exist in every world?

As the sun gradually rose, the person from Spirit Hall responsible for the awakening finally arrived.

"Wang Feng, you're late." Wang Danu looked displeased as he spoke to the man before him, dressed in white with a Spirit Hall badge pinned to his chest.

"Sorry, Village Chief." The man named Wang Feng apologized to Wang Danu. "It's all Su Yuntao's fault. That kid reached level 20 and got so excited that he made noise all night, causing me to oversleep."

"Alright, alright." Wang Danu irritably punched Wang Feng. "Hurry up and awaken the children's Martial Souls first. We can talk later."

So this was the person who awakened Martial Souls? Watching Wang Feng walk to the center of the square, Wang Xiaofeng's previously drowsy mind immediately snapped awake.

"Children, when the time comes, carefully feel your Martial Souls and manifest them. Don't be afraid." Wang Feng was indeed an old hand at Martial Soul Awakening. Many of the six-year-olds had nearly been frightened to tears by all the adults surrounding them, but under Wang Feng's gentle words, they gradually calmed down.

Martial Soul Avatar. Wang Feng extended his right hand, and a green gourd immediately appeared in it.

One white and one yellow Soul Ring floated up and down.

Wang Feng placed six black stones before him. "When your name is called, walk to the center of the awakening array. Wang Xiaobai."

Wang Xiaobai stepped out from among the children and walked fearfully to the center of the six black stones.

Six faint green rays entered the six black stones on the ground. At once, a hazy golden glow was released from the stones, forming a pale golden barrier that enveloped Wang Xiaobai. Wang Xiaobai immediately showed an expression of immense comfort.

Wang Xiaofeng stared blankly at Wang Xiaobai's expression, as though he was about to ascend to heaven. Was Martial Soul Awakening really this suggestive?

Golden specks drifted out from the black stones on the ground and entered Wang Xiaobai's body. Wang Xiaobai unconsciously raised his right hand. A flash of green light passed by, and a Green Calabash appeared, identical to Wang Feng's Martial Soul.

Of course, this was normal. The reason the village was called Calabash Village was that the Martial Souls of all villagers who had lived there for generations could only be Green Calabashes.

Wang Xiaofeng had visited every villager back then, so naturally he knew about this. Only villagers who had moved into Calabash Village from elsewhere might possess Martial Souls such as hoes or sickles.

But if they continued living here for several generations, they would eventually awaken Green Calabash Martial Souls as well.

Wasn't this just genetic inheritance? Wang Xiaofeng declared that he had already seen through everything.

"Very good. Let's see if you have Soul Power." Wang Feng held the Crystal Ball as he spoke to Wang Xiaobai.

The Crystal Ball lit up a moment later. A faint blue glow appeared at its center, like an unsteady match flame on the verge of going out.

Yet Wang Feng was delighted when he saw it. "Level-one Soul Power. It looks like our Calabash Village will have another Soul Master."

As a profession unique to the Douluo Continent, Soul Masters mostly belonged to the upper and middle classes. It was extremely rare for a small village to have a Soul Master. Calabash Village had a Great Soul Master as its Village Chief, and dozens of villagers were Soul Masters, only because it was not far from the Star Dou Great Forest. From time to time, ten-year Soul Beasts would be killed, allowing everyone to eat Soul Beast meat and strengthen their bodies.

Ordinary villages struggled just to fill their stomachs, let alone add Soul Beast meat to their meals. That was why Spirit Hall valued Calabash Village so highly. Every year, children capable of becoming Soul Masters would appear, and Spirit Hall would send them to the Barak Kingdom Spirit Hall Junior Academy.

Those who performed well could even attend the Spirit Hall Intermediate Academy or the advanced academy. Wang Feng himself had graduated from the intermediate academy.

"Next, Wang Erbai."

"Very good, level-two Soul Power."

As time passed, the Martial Soul Awakening came to an end.

"This year was not bad, Village Chief. Three out of five children can become Soul Masters, and one even has innate level-two Soul Power. Our village may produce another Great Soul Master. With enough effort, he might even have a chance of becoming a Soul Elder." Wang Feng happily spoke to Wang Danu.

"Spirit Hall's annual assessment target for Calabash Village is to awaken one child with Soul Power. We got so many more this year, so I have my bonus again. I'm happy! (≧≦)/"

"Haha, this year really was good. We have so many more than last year. You brat, you've nearly saved up enough for the Medicinal Bath needed to cultivate to Soul Elder, right?"

Wang Danu thought highly of this younger man from the village. With Innate Soul Power at level two, Wang Feng had nevertheless reached level 27 by the age of twenty-three through his own efforts. At this rate, perhaps the village might even produce a Soul Ancestor.

"More or less. The Medicinal Bath used by great sects to increase Soul Power is something I only had the chance to exchange for because I have Spirit Hall behind me. Otherwise, I couldn't have cultivated so quickly."

"But it costs too much money." Wang Danu sighed. "One Medicinal Bath costs one hundred Gold Soul Coins, and one batch only lasts five days!"

"But the effects are excellent. If its effectiveness didn't weaken the more it was used, I'd want to soak in it every day."

"Enough, you brat. You're obviously just showing off."

Wang Danu said irritably, "Come on. If I don't drink you under the table today, I'll take your surname."

"Wouldn't taking my surname still make you Wang?"

"Heh, are you asking for a beating?"

The forgotten someone watched Wang Danu and Wang Feng walk farther and farther away. He helplessly patted the dust from his backside and followed after them.