Martial Soul Awakening, a Useless Martial Soul?

Hearing this, the boy gradually calmed down. Following Su Yuntao's instructions, he held out his right hand.

Before long, a small black sickle appeared in his palm.

"A sickle. It counts as a Weapon Martial Soul and can barely serve as a weapon. Come, let's see whether you have any Soul Power." Guided by Su Yuntao, the boy tremblingly placed his right hand on the blue crystal ball. Moments later, disappointment appeared on Su Yuntao's face.

"You have no Soul Power, so you cannot become a Spirit Master. Child, return to the line."

"A hoe. No Soul Power."

"Blue Silver Grass. No Soul Power." One child after another stepped forward, then returned to the line in disappointment.

"Next." At Su Yuntao's somewhat weary call, Lin Manshan nervously walked into the center of the six stones.

Su Yuntao slowly poured in Soul Power, and the pale golden light on the ground lit up once more.

Warmth. That was the first thing Lin Manshan felt. His whole body seemed to be wrapped in a warm world, indescribably comfortable.

But the next second, his mind suddenly spun, and his vision went black.

"???" He instinctively opened his eyes.

Green. Before him was a world of green, the kind of green that made one uneasy.

"You're here." Before he could figure out what was happening, a clear voice suddenly called from behind him.

Lin Manshan was instantly startled. Like a frightened kitten, he leaped backward and spun around.

Before him stood a young man bare from the waist up, his body covered in cracks like petrified stone. He had azure eyes and long green hair that fell to his waist, tied behind his head. A black mask covered his nose and mouth, hiding his features. At his waist floated a green Firewood Chopper.

"Ni Tian Er Xing!?" Lin Manshan's heart shook, and the words nearly slipped from his mouth. Why is he here? And from the looks of it, Ni Tian Er Xing must have come to this world with me and lived inside me all these years?

"A'man, don't worry. I have no intention of taking your body." The man seemed to sense A'man's wariness. "In my world, I had long since died. Though I no longer remember many things, it seems my Soul Power was passed on, so I have no regrets. By all reason, I should have fallen into the Nether River of hell like the other dead, my consciousness shattered and returned to nothingness. What stands before you now is merely a fragmentary consciousness left behind after my soul was washed away by the Nether River. I have no power to harm you."

Just a fragment of consciousness carrying memories, not a soul. Lin Manshan secretly sighed in relief.

The person before him was an expert who cultivated Soul Power, someone who could travel freely even through hell. Killing him would be absurdly easy. Though he did not know why Ni Tian Er Xing was inside him, there was no way he could remain completely calm.

Ni Tian Er Xing continued, "A'man, you share my name. Perhaps it was Destiny's guidance that brought this fragment of my consciousness here before it could fully dissipate. A'man, I have been watching you ever since you were born six years ago, watching you gradually grow up. You are a good child—kind, eager to learn, and unwilling to admit defeat. Those are exceptionally fine qualities. You remind me of my former self. Once, I too was a timid boy."

No, no, no. A'man is just my nickname. As for being kind, maybe I was for the first four years. The last two years, I've been completely faking it. I was eager to learn because I needed to understand this world, and also to hide the fact that I suddenly became smart after injuring my head. As for refusing to admit defeat, this body has been weak and sickly since childhood, and I've had headaches on and off for two years. I had to try exercising and toughen myself up. Lin Manshan felt rather depressed.

He seriously suspected that the life simulator template he had chosen before dying in his previous life had somehow come true on him.

Still, at least he had not died in the womb.

By then, Ni Tian Er Xing had turned to look at the floating Firewood Chopper. "This world truly is strange. I can sense that this Firewood Chopper has shared part of your soul, and it is merging with some kind of power. In a sense, A'man, this Firewood Chopper is your Life Weapon. But because you have yet to grasp the mysteries of Soul Burning and Soul Infusion Breaking Extremes, it has remained in its most primitive form." With that, he turned back to A'man and smiled in relief. "Perhaps that is why I came here."

"The strength of your soul, combined with my presence, has already far exceeded the limit this body can bear. That is why your consciousness was muddled and your reactions sluggish after birth, making you appear foolish and slow-witted to others. It is also why you have often suffered headaches these past two years. It is an emergency mechanism produced by your body's self-preservation. The solution is to master the mysteries of my clan's Soul Burning."

"My clan's Soul Burning method can burn surplus soul matter and transform it into Soul Power without damaging the Soul Origin, enhancing one's fundamental abilities—including speed, explosive power, resistance to attacks, and even self-healing ability."

"A'man, remember this: the essence of the soul is life."

"Beyond enhancing your basic abilities, powerful Soul Power can protect and strengthen your body, making your vitality ever more vigorous and nourishing your soul in return. As long as your body becomes powerful enough to match the strength of your soul, or you can transform the excess soul into Soul Power and infuse it into this blade, your headaches will naturally be resolved." As he spoke, he stepped forward.

"And then, this blade's form can change according to your will. That is my clan's path of Soul Infusion."

"A'man, accept my gift! Consider it compensation for the trouble my presence has caused your growth these past years." As soon as he finished speaking, Ni Tian Er Xing's fingertip had already reached A'man's forehead. "This fragment of consciousness contains ten precious years of memories from when I trained under Teacher Eternal Night in Blood Mist Forest, including my clan's secrets of Soul Burning and the path of Soul Infusion Breaking Extremes. Now, through my clan's Netherworld Technique, the Spirit Communication Technique, I will transfer all of them to you."

So fast—I can't move! Lin Manshan was startled. Then countless memories forcibly flooded into his mind, as though he had experienced them himself.

Within those memories, he endured Eternal Night's beatings and torment time and again. When hungry, he hunted wild beasts or picked wild fruit in Blood Mist Forest. When injured, he gathered Medicinal Materials and used Netherworld Alchemy to absorb their medicinal power and heal his wounds.

Day after day, night after night, it continued for nearly ten years. Without question, these were tedious and painful memories. Yet those brutal experiences also slowly changed his state of mind. As time passed, his gaze gradually became steady and sharp.

Before him, Ni Tian Er Xing's figure was also gradually turning illusory. Scenes of Teacher Eternal Night training him continuously flashed through his consciousness. One after another, they passed by. After an unknown length of time, the memories shifted to the words Teacher had spoken after infusing Soul Power into his blade and giving it to him. The corners of his lips rose, and he laughed heartily. "A'man, carry these memories of mine and make something of yourself in this world!"

"My name is Ni Tian Er Xing!"

As soon as the words fell, the already illusory figure completely dissipated.

"Ni Tian Er Xing..." Lin Manshan felt his "body" regain its ability to move, his expression complicated. After a moment of silence, he raised his head and looked at the green Firewood Chopper floating nearby. Slowly, he walked over. "From now on, your name will be Ni Tian Er Xing."

With that, he gripped the handle...

"A green Firewood Chopper?" Su Yuntao looked at the Woodcutting Knife Martial Soul floating in Lin Manshan's palm. It was forty centimeters long and four fingers wide, with a curved front section and an inward-facing Blade Edge. Aside from the Blade Edge, every part of it was green, as though covered in rust accumulated over many years.

It was rusted like this and so short besides. How could it possibly be a good Martial Soul? Disappointment immediately appeared on his face, and he sighed. "Sigh, another useless Martial Soul."

As he spoke, he handed over the blue crystal ball. "Come on, child. Put your hand on it and test your Soul Power."

If there had not been several children left to test, he really would have wanted to pack up and leave already.

Lin Manshan had opened his eyes by then. Following the method Su Yuntao had taught earlier, he controlled the Firewood Chopper and withdrew it into his body, then placed his palm on the crystal ball. The instant he touched it, he felt an immense suction beneath his hand. A warm current surged out from within him and uncontrollably flowed down his arm toward his palm. The next second, the crystal ball beneath his hand suddenly lit up.

Though not dazzling, it was clearly bright enough to stand out.

"He actually has Soul Power!" The clouds on Su Yuntao's face instantly cleared. "Judging by the brightness, it should be around Level Three."

Innate Spirit Power Level 3 was already quite good for Commoners like them.

When he had awakened his Martial Soul, his Soul Power had only been Level Two.

"Not bad, not bad, little friend. What is your name?" Su Yuntao asked with a smile, his voice gentle.

"Big Brother, my name is Lin Manshan. Everyone calls me A'man." Lin Manshan answered with a shy expression.

"Little Brother A'man, congratulations. You possess Innate Level Three Soul Power and can become a Spirit Master in the future." After saying that, Su Yuntao eagerly asked, "Little Brother, are you interested in joining Spirit Hall like your Older Brother here?"

"Well, I need to go back and ask my Grandfather." Lin Manshan scratched the back of his head, looking at a loss.

"That's fine. I'll go see your Grandfather with you later." Su Yuntao nodded, secretly sighing that after running around for several days without finding a single child with Soul Power, he had become a little too impatient when one suddenly appeared. Besides, a six-year-old brat probably did not even know what Spirit Hall was, much less have an opinion of his own. Children naturally had to ask their parents first when something came up.

With that thought, he smiled faintly. "All right, Little Brother A'man. Go back to the line first."

"Mm." Lin Manshan nodded and ran back to the line.

Envious little gazes immediately fell upon him from both sides. Lin Manshan said nothing, merely scratching his head as though he did not understand why.

The Martial Soul Awakening ceremony continued. Without exception, none of them possessed Soul Power.

That was until Tang San stepped into the center of the six black stones. As the visibly weary Su Yuntao slowly poured in Soul Power, countless golden motes began gathering in Tang San's palm. Su Yuntao's expression once again shifted from sunny to cloudy.

However, with Lin Manshan's example fresh in mind, Su Yuntao still patiently handed over the blue crystal ball.

Dazzling blue light swiftly burst forth.