The Requirements for Entering the Sky

Afternoon arrived quickly, and the Federation's Awakening Master had already arrived. Everyone stepped forward to greet him and brought out the children who were to awaken their Martial Souls.

The Federation's Awakening Master said nothing, merely nodding to the village chief. The chief nodded back. He was a Soul Master himself, so he naturally knew what would happen next. Familiar with the process, he led the seven children preparing to awaken their Martial Souls, including Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling, toward the village's Awakening Room.

Before long, they arrived outside the Awakening Room where the ceremony would take place.

When they reached the Awakening Room, all seven children marveled at how luxurious it was. Unlike the places they usually lived, the area around the Awakening Room was strictly off-limits. To people in this world, awakening a Martial Soul was a matter that affected one's entire life. Only those due to awaken their Martial Souls and professional Federation Awakening Masters were allowed in or out.

Before the magnificent doors of the Awakening Room, the Awakening Master stopped. He removed his mask and hat, then said to the seven children, "My name is Haofan. I am a rank thirty-three Battle Soul Venerable, and I will conduct your Martial Soul Awakening ceremony. Once you enter the Awakening Room, you'll see some things. Don't panic, or you'll bear the consequences yourselves."

As he spoke, he stood before the Awakening Room and slowly raised his hands. Three Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet—two yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings and one purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring. They circled his body, making him appear especially imposing. Then, the three Soul Rings detached from Haofan and settled against the doors of the Awakening Room.

With a rumble, the Soul Guidance Array Formation engravings on the doors lit up, and the doors opened. Haofan called to them, "Get in here, quickly." The seven children immediately ran inside. Then darkness fell before their eyes, as though they had entered an endless void.

Suddenly, an ancient voice entered their ears. "Tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors still lived on the ground, no different from you who stand here now." At the same time, a massive Light and Shadow appeared within the darkness. It was a projection of Douluo Star.

The ancient voice sounded again. "Later, Douluo Star's population exploded, the development of administrative planets stagnated, living space on the ground grew increasingly cramped, and conflicts among people became more and more intense. Just as the situation was about to become irreversible, a genius emerged. He was the manager of the Douluo Federation at the time. Defying all opposition, he proved to the world that Soul Guidance Array Formations based on the surface of the planet and specially forged alloys could create cities in the sky. The first piece of Sky City was completed two hundred years later. With the advancement of the times, today's Sky City has become immensely vast, a gathering place for geniuses. As those born here, so long as you prove yourselves to be geniuses no less talented than those of the sky, you too will be qualified to go there."

The voice and the Light and Shadow vanished. The seven children were now standing inside the Awakening Room, while Haofan stood before them and said, "That is the origin of Sky City and the modern history of the Douluo Federation. You also heard that Sky City is a world filled with geniuses. If you want to enter that world too, then you must prove that you are geniuses who do not lose to other geniuses. Of course, entering Sky City is still a little early for you. If you awaken Soul Power, then as long as you work hard and break through level twenty before adulthood, you may be able to step into Sky City."

"Of course," Haofan suddenly added, "that is if you truly have Soul Power."

"Alright, you've learned everything you need to know. We can begin the Awakening ceremony."

As he spoke, Haofan pointed to a child on his right and said, "Starting with him, come forward one by one for the Awakening ceremony. And no matter what unimaginable things you see next, do not panic." Clearly, this warning did nothing to dampen the children's excitement.

The first child stepped before him, excitement written all over his face. Haofan said, "You must carefully feel the changes in your body." As he spoke, his eyes lit up, and his body began to swell. Yellow beast fur started growing over Haofan's body, and his form gradually took on the outline of a giant bear. His three Soul Rings appeared as well.

Two animal phantoms slowly emerged above the Soul Rings. Within the two yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings was a giant turtle about a meter long. It looked harmless and simple-minded, yet also gave off an immensely weighty feeling, as though it possessed formidable defensive power. Though there was only one purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring, it gave off an entirely different impression. The animal within it was a powerful black bear, standing upright at what seemed to be three meters tall.

The child standing before Haofan was visibly frightened, his entire body jerking in a violent shudder. Haofan explained, "This is a Spirit Soul. Though Soul Beasts have not disappeared entirely, most people choose to rely on Spirit Souls to obtain Soul Rings. Compared with traditional methods of obtaining Soul Rings, Spirit Souls are clearly more convenient. If you become Soul Masters in the future, I recommend them as well."

"Alright, the Awakening ceremony officially begins." As he spoke, wisps of white energy drifted from Haofan's body. That was his Soul Power. It wrapped around the boy, and gradually, the boy's body rose into the air, hovering in midair. Then a phantom appeared in his hand. It looked like an utterly ordinary dagger.

"A dagger?"

Haofan said, "Daggers have attack power too. If you have Soul Power, it's not impossible for you to cultivate it. Let's see whether you have Soul Power." As he spoke, a small silver-white sphere floated over beside Haofan. Rings of light appeared on either side of it, supporting the sphere as it hovered in the air before the boy.

"This is a Soul Power Tester. Put your hand on it, and you'll know whether you have Soul Power." Haofan spoke blandly.

The boy placed his hand on it. The tester flashed with light, but it quickly dimmed. A number appeared on the display: "0."

Haofan sighed. "Without Soul Power, it doesn't matter what Martial Soul you have—it's useless. Go down and wait." As he spoke, the boy floating in the air was gently lowered back to his original place.

"Alright, next." Haofan pulled another child forward.

Although no one with Soul Power had appeared yet, Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling had witnessed the diversity of Martial Souls. Aside from the first boy whose Martial Soul was a dagger, the other four children had all awakened strange Martial Souls as well: a rake, a stick, a woodcutter's blade, and even a spoon. Yet without exception, none of them had Soul Power.

Haofan's expression grew uglier and uglier. "If no one awakens Soul Power, then this town that everyone has placed such high hopes on may never have a chance to rise again."

"Next." As he spoke, Haofan looked at Ye Hongling. Yes, it was finally Ye Hongling's turn, with Tang Chenfeng after her. But Ye Hongling hesitated, too nervous to step forward. Tang Chenfeng could tell that she was afraid. She feared that she had no Soul Power, feared that she would lose before she had even reached the starting line.

Tang Chenfeng patted her shoulder and said, "Don't be afraid. Relax. Remember what I told you? Don't overthink it. How will you know the result if you don't try first?"

Hearing that, Ye Hongling took a deep breath and said, "You're right, Brother Feng. No matter what, I'll do my best. No matter the result, I'll work hard to get closer." After saying that, Ye Hongling walked onto the Awakening platform herself.