Body Martial Soul! Trading for a Spot!

"Another Innate Full Soul Power!"

Su Yuntao did not know whether he should feel fortunate or saddened.

The last person with Innate Full Soul Power had possessed Blue Silver Grass. It had no offensive ability, and even if they took the Support System route, he could not imagine what it could possibly support.

This one also had Innate Full Soul Power, but his Martial Soul was a heart.

But what could a heart do?

Calling it a Beast Martial Soul seemed fitting enough, since it manifested through possession and was even attached within the body—but what use was that?

Attack?

Su Yuntao could not imagine how a heart could be used to attack. It was such an important body part; protecting it was already difficult enough!

Support?

Perhaps this Heart Martial Soul could increase physical strength?

In short, based on Su Yuntao's knowledge, although he did not categorize Zhou Qing's Martial Soul alongside Blue Silver Grass as one of the most useless types, its inability to attack and its support capabilities being limited to assisting its owner's own Martial Soul still led him to classify it as a useless Martial Soul—just a slightly more "advanced" one than most.

But Zhou Qing understood perfectly well. This was a Body Martial Soul!

Perhaps in this era, Body Martial Souls were so rare, and those who awakened them were likely commoners, that no one had ever determined which Soul Rings such Martial Souls should choose. As a result, those who awakened this type of Martial Soul faced an extremely difficult path early in cultivation, perhaps even dying before they could make it far.

The rise of Body Martial Souls in the Douluo 2 Era ten thousand years later was likely due to Spirit Hall's destruction. Much of its information had scattered afterward, allowing those with Body Martial Souls to obtain some of Spirit Hall's research materials on the subject. Over ten thousand years, they experimented, categorized, and summarized the path most suitable for Body Martial Soul cultivation.

Zhou Qing was certain that an enormous organization like Spirit Hall must have recorded people with Body Martial Souls. But the research was too time-consuming and labor-intensive, and since Body Martial Souls were all parts of the human body itself, it was difficult to determine what kind of Soul Beasts should be chosen for their Soul Rings.

No matter how unusual other Martial Souls were, they at least had a distinct appearance. Even without understanding most of the knowledge behind Soul Master cultivation, one could roughly determine what Soul Beasts suited one's Martial Soul based on the functions and appearance of Tool Martial Souls and Beast Martial Souls.

Take Su Yuntao's Lone Wolf, for example. Zhou Qing was certain that Su Yuntao did not know much about Martial Soul cultivation, yet when hunting Soul Beasts, he would certainly choose wolf-type Soul Beasts.

That was a basic judgment guided by instinct.

But Body Martial Souls...

Given this era's understanding of the human body, Soul Masters probably had no idea what kind of Soul Rings suited such Martial Souls.

But Zhou Qing did have a general direction!

Taking his own heart as an example, the Soul Beasts he chose had to possess powerful vitality and abundant Qi and Blood. As long as they had those two qualities, their other attributes could be ignored... Well, attributes such as darkness and poison had to be avoided as much as possible.

As for offensive methods...

With such a powerful Body Martial Soul, once he cultivated to the point where his Qi and Blood surged like rivers and seas, merely standing there, the instant his soul power erupted, would probably be enough to intimidate all others.

"What a pity."

Su Yuntao sighed repeatedly. After issuing Zhou Qing a Martial Soul certificate as well, he led the children out of the small house.

"How was it? Did any children possess Innate Soul Power?"

Old Jack hurriedly came forward.

"Two of them, and both have Innate Full Soul Power," Su Yuntao said calmly.

"Really?"

Old Jack's eyes widened round. He felt that the Soul Saint among Holy Soul Village's ancestors had blessed them, granting the village an even brighter future.

"But neither has a particularly good Martial Soul. One has Blue Silver Grass, while the other has a heart." Su Yuntao pulled Zhou Qing and Tang San forward. "They're the two children who were following beside you earlier, the ones who look sturdier than the others."

"Good, good, good!"

Although Old Jack knew that Blue Silver Grass was universally acknowledged as a useless Martial Soul, and had no idea what a heart as a Martial Soul could do, they still possessed Innate Full Soul Power. Once they obtained a Soul Ring, Holy Soul Village would have two Soul Masters. Even if they could not become powerful Soul Masters in the future, as long as they continued cultivating, their ranks should keep rising. Perhaps Holy Soul Village would produce Soul Saints again in the future—and two of them at that.

"Then I'll be leaving first."

Su Yuntao bade Old Jack and the others farewell, preparing to preside over Martial Soul Awakening Ceremonies in other villages. Before leaving, however, he still told Zhou Qing and Tang San, "Once you obtain Soul Rings and become official Soul Masters, you can register at Spirit Hall. You will receive one Gold Soul Coin each month. Until you turn thirty, Spirit Hall's subsidy for registered Soul Masters will not stop. It can improve your current circumstances."

"Thank you."

Zhou Qing thanked him.

Tang San followed his example.

Only then did Old Jack learn that becoming a Soul Master not only earned one respect, but money as well. Receiving one Gold Soul Coin every month was equivalent to one hundred Copper Soul Coins.

For a poorer village, that was equivalent to more than half a year's income!

"No wonder everyone wants to become a Soul Master."

Old Jack sighed, then said to Zhou Qing and Tang San, "Little Qing, Little San, do you want to become Soul Masters? The village has one Work-Study Student spot, which can go to you, Little San. As for the remaining spot, before Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy begins classes, I'll take the village's young and able-bodied men to negotiate with the Village Chiefs of the several villages that share the quota. We'll trade grain for it."

Spirit Hall's Soul Masters generally completed Martial Soul Awakening Ceremonies for the nearby villages within the two or three months before junior soul master academies opened and began enrollment.

Therefore, Old Jack had time to visit the nearby villages with others.

Why bring the young and able-bodied men?

Because the other villages sharing that one spot might become jealous that his village had produced children capable of cultivation. They might not agree to give up their spot, so a necessary show of force was needed.

To a certain extent, the Soul Master World's martial culture had genuinely influenced the conduct and behavior of ordinary commoners.

As for whether the villages sharing the spot failed to consider that they might face secret retaliation in the future from Soul Masters who grew up in this village... One could not expect them to think that far ahead. Simplicity and pettiness coexisted in most cases.

But it would be different if Old Jack brought the young men along. If both sides fought and they won, the other side would be more convinced and accepting.

But Zhou Qing said, "There's no need, Grandpa Jack. I have money."

"Don't be silly."

Old Jack shook his head. "Soul Master cultivation costs a great deal of money, and academy tuition is very expensive as well. The little money your family has saved is probably only enough for one semester's tuition, food, clothing, and other expenses. But Work-Study Students are different. Their tuition is waived, and you only need enough for food and drink. The academy will provide Work-Study Students with jobs to earn money."

On this matter, Old Jack would not allow Zhou Qing to say anything further. He hurried off to gather the village's young and able-bodied men. Carrying their families' stores of grain, they set off in an imposing group toward the other villages.

"I think Grandpa Jack probably also wants to show off to the other villages." Tang San scratched his cheek, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Zhou Qing nodded blankly as well.

He knew Old Jack's temperament. The old man was kind and benevolent, but he truly did enjoy showing off. Still, for an old man, it was hardly a flaw; if anything, it made him seem a little more approachable.

The main reason the village's young men agreed so quickly was that they knew this was to trade for a Work-Study Student spot for Zhou Qing.

If it had been for Tang San...

Although they knew Tang San had it hard, and knew that he would not grow up to be as worthless as Tang Hao, when they considered that drunkard Tang Hao, most of them simply could not muster much enthusiasm...