Spirit Awakening

Tang San and Lan Xue answered in agreement before leaving the blacksmith shop.

Led by Old Jack, Tang San followed him to the Spirit Hall in the center of the village. Of course, this so-called Spirit Hall was merely a somewhat larger wooden house.

Since everyone possessed a Martial Soul and children underwent Spirit Awakening every year, Spirit Halls could be found anywhere on Douluo Continent. Naturally, these were merely branch halls, with different levels of authority.

There were nine children in Holy Soul Village undergoing Spirit Awakening this year. Tang San and Lan Xue, led by Old Jack, were the last two to arrive. The only thing that displeased Tang San was how the children kept staring fiercely at Lan Xue. Some even got nosebleeds. Little Xue felt extremely uncomfortable under their gazes, clutching Tang San's arm tightly and hiding behind him.

The village children generally looked down on Tang San. Favoring the rich and despising the poor was not limited to nobles; it was even more apparent among commoners. Tang San had lived two lives, and his actual age had long surpassed thirty, so he naturally had no desire to deal with these children. To him, any spare time was better spent cultivating. Thus, he had no childhood companions.

Besides Village Chief Jack and the nine gathered children, there was also a young man in the Spirit Hall. He appeared to be in his twenties, with sword-like brows, bright eyes, and a strikingly handsome face. He wore a fitted white outfit and a black cloak, with a fist-sized soul character in the center of his chest. This was the standard attire of personnel directly under Spirit Hall.

On his left chest was a badge engraved with longswords, three of which crossed over one another. Someone like Jack, who was familiar with Soul Masters, knew that the three swords represented the third-ranked title of Soul Master, Soul Grandmaster, while the longswords indicated that this Spirit Hall deacon was a Battle Soul Master.

"Greetings, honored Battle Soul Master. We'll have to trouble you this time." Old Jack respectfully bowed to the young man.

A faint pride showed between the young man's brows. He returned the bow with an indifferent slight nod. "I don't have much time. Let's begin now."

Old Jack said, "All right. Children, this is a Battle Soul Master from Nuoding City. Next, he will guide you in awakening your Martial Souls. You must cooperate with Master during your Spirit Awakening. Grandpa hopes that one of you will be able to become a Soul Master."

The young man said somewhat impatiently, "All right, you said the same thing last year. Is becoming a Soul Master really that easy? I've already visited six villages, and not a single person had Soul Power. Nor did anyone have a suitable Martial Soul."

A trace of desolation appeared in Old Jack's eyes. With a sigh, he said, "Yes, only the inheritors of the Major Sects can most easily become Soul Masters. For ordinary people like us, it's simply too difficult." Shaking his head, he walked out of the Spirit Hall.

The young man's gaze fell upon the nine children before him. As a patrolling deacon of Spirit Hall, helping ordinary people undergo Spirit Awakening was part of his required work, and he had long grown used to it. "Children, line up." His attitude toward the children was much gentler, but when his eyes swept over Lan Xue, his brows twitched sharply twice. This child will definitely become a calamity someday.

The nine children stood in place before the young man, with Tang San and Lan Xue on the far left. Compared with children his age, Tang San was somewhat smaller and thinner.

The young man smiled. "My name is Su Yuntao. I am a twenty-sixth-level Soul Grandmaster, and I will be your guide. Now, I will awaken your Martial Souls one by one. Remember, no matter what happens, do not be afraid."

As he spoke, Su Yuntao opened his bundle on a nearby table and took out two items: six pitch-black round stones and a gleaming blue crystal ball.

Su Yuntao arranged the six black stones into a hexagon on the floor, then motioned for the first child on the right to stand within it.

"Don't be afraid. Close your eyes and feel carefully." As he spoke, Su Yuntao's eyes suddenly lit up. Amid the terrified gazes of the children, he gave a low shout. "Lone Wolf, Martial Soul Possession."

A faint green light first emerged from the center of his brow, traveling upward along his forehead and into his hair.

Su Yuntao's hair had originally been black, but once the green light entered it, it instantly turned gray and rapidly lengthened. Fur of the same color appeared on his exposed hands. At the same time, his body seemed to swell considerably, becoming packed with muscle.

Spirit Hall's special uniform was highly elastic and did not burst apart despite his enlarged physique. Su Yuntao's eyes had turned a dark green, while the claws extending from his fingers gleamed with a faint cold light. Two rings of light rose beneath his feet, continuously circling from his feet to the top of his head. One was white, while the other was yellow. The sight was exceptionally eerie.

The boy standing amid the black stones let out a startled cry at the sight of Su Yuntao's transformation. "Ah!" Terrified, he tried to run.

The oily green glow in Su Yuntao's eyes was indeed frightening. He grabbed the child at once. "Don't move. I told you not to be afraid. This is my Martial Soul, Lone Wolf. If any of you become Soul Masters in the future, you will be able to use the same ability."

The only ones who were not especially frightened were Tang San and Lan Xue. Lan Xue had known about it long ago, while Tang San immediately circulated his inner power throughout his body when Su Yuntao began to transform.

More than surprise, Tang San felt curiosity. Gray fur and green eyes—those truly were wolf traits. Did Martial Soul Possession turn a person into a wolf? No, that wasn't right. It should grant the abilities of a wolf. Then the profession of Soul Master must be about making better use of a Martial Soul's abilities.

Tang San realized that he had become interested in the profession of Soul Master. He was already somewhat impatient to learn what his own Martial Soul was.

Su Yuntao struck out rapidly with both hands, sending six faint green rays into the six black stones on the ground. At once, a hazy golden glow emerged from the six stones, forming a pale golden barrier that enveloped the child within.