Twin Martial Souls Emerge, Ultimate Water Appears, Do Commoners Have to Pay to Awaken Their Martial Souls? (Seeking Collection and Recommendation)

The Profound Nether Sect occupied a vast area. Its buildings were arranged in perfect order, with gray-tiled roofs and white walls. Upturned eaves and interlocking brackets gave the place a rich, rustic air.

Under Xu Sanshi's lead, Xu Tianxi and the other two wound through the sect, passing through more than a dozen gates and corridors before entering a huge courtyard.

The courtyard connected to the outside of the sect. Xu Tianxi glanced over and saw many plainly dressed people lining up outside, most of them adults leading children. Their faces were filled with unease, yet their eyes held a hint of anticipation.

Seeing that Xu Tianxi seemed interested in the line of commoners outside, Xu Sanshi introduced it with a beaming smile:

"Third Brother, our Profound Nether Sect holds a large-scale Martial Soul awakening ceremony every three months. It's an important opportunity for the commoners outside. As long as they pay ten Gold Soul Coins, they can awaken their Martial Souls with our array. It's fair and open, with no cheating young or old."

Upon hearing this, Xu Tianxi chatted as if he had brought it up casually:

"I read in a book that, ten thousand years ago, Spirit Hall would actively send people to every corner of the continent to awaken the Martial Souls of commoners. And they didn't charge anything?"

Xu Sanshi's eyelid twitched. He hurriedly reached out to cover Xu Tianxi's mouth, then whispered rapidly into his ear:

"Third Brother, you can say that to me at home, but don't ever say it outside. Something will happen."

Xu Tianxi had not expected Xu Sanshi to react so strongly. "Was what the book said false?"

"It's true! What the book said was true! But even if it's a fact, you still can't say it out loud!"

Xu Sanshi hurriedly answered a few times, then rolled his eyes around and carefully observed their surroundings. Only after confirming that no outsiders were nearby did he continue in a cautious voice:

"Brother, let me tell you something from the heart. After Spirit Hall fell, the responsibility of awakening Martial Souls for the commoners of the continent naturally fell to the two empires, and later to the Three Great Empires.

"But you also know that an empire's rule depends on the nobles. In those fiefdoms, the nobles are emperors in all but name. Whether the commoners in their territories lived or died depended on a single thought from them.

"The nobles had grown used to throwing their weight around and enjoying themselves. Why would they be willing to send people over mountains and rivers to awaken Martial Souls for commoners free of charge? The empire wouldn't reimburse them, either.

"Thus, charging money to awaken Martial Souls happened naturally.

"Speaking of which, the price we charge is already extremely reasonable. A commoner's family can save it up in a few months by scrimping and saving. Besides, our Profound Nether Sect has no obligation to do this in the first place. To some extent, we're doing charity."

Xu Tianxi's pupils widened in astonishment. "We charge money to provide the service, and those commoners still have to thank us?"

Xu Sanshi nodded as though it were only natural and replied:

"Of course. Before our Profound Nether Sect started doing this, the City Lord's Mansion charged a hundred Gold Soul Coins and even limited the number of slots. Aren't we doing charity?"

"Xuanming City beneath our feet has no great nobles. The most powerful is only an Earl. With the Profound Nether Sect nearby, we need a stable environment to do business, so they don't dare go too far."

"In the fiefs of those Dukes and Marquises, charging over a thousand Gold Soul Coins at a time isn't unusual. They might even raise the price temporarily. After all, no one can control or investigate them, and low-ranked Soul Masters can't resist. They can only let the nobles take whatever they want.

"Worse still, there may be other demands, such as a deed of servitude or something...

"I won't tell you about the dirtier things. I heard all this from my classmates. Most of them are descendants of prominent and noble families. Some of them were already living wild lives before entering school. When they bragged in private, they never knew when to stop."

"In short, nearly all the nobles in the Three Great Empires profit from this. If you mention Spirit Hall awakening Martial Souls for free in public, you'll be violating imperial law.

"They can arrest you, or even beat you to death on the spot, and it would all be legal, because the Three Great Empires don't acknowledge that this ever happened."

Xu Sanshi described everything with such vivid detail that Xu Tianxi's face paled as he listened. I still underestimated the nobles of the Three Great Empires.

These people had firmly controlled the commoners' path to advancement at its source, greatly reducing the possibility of commoners rising up and thereby solidifying their own rule.

Under such a system, a commoner genius either became one of them or... became an Evil Soul Master!

At that moment, Yue Lao suddenly interjected, "Young Masters, this old servant remembers that the laws of the Sun Moon Empire don't seem to contain such a clause. They also organize people to awaken Martial Souls for commoners, and sometimes they don't charge anything."

"What's strange about that? The Sun Moon Empire never saw Spirit Hall, so naturally it doesn't have such a law." Xu Sanshi waved it off.

As they talked, they entered the courtyard. The person in charge of awakening Martial Souls was startled when he saw Xu Sanshi and Xu Tianxi enter arm in arm.

Xu Sanshi raised a hand to signal him not to make a fuss, then quietly led Xu Tianxi away and into a three-story pavilion that overlooked the surroundings. Xu Fu and Xu Xiaoyun's figures came into view.

The four of them bowed in unison. Xu Fu pointed at the stone array on the ground and said with a smile, "Come in."

Xu Tianxi answered and strode into the Awakening Array that could determine most of his future.

"Whoosh—"

Xu Fu sent out a beam of Soul Power Stream of Light. The Awakening Array formed by six Black Stones slowly rose, surrounding Xu Tianxi.

"Close your eyes and feel it carefully."

Xu Fu spoke in a deep voice. Then his body trembled, and a powerful aura erupted from him. A black Profound Tortoise Shell Shield more than three meters in diameter appeared before him, followed by two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red Soul Rings, ensuring that nothing would go wrong during the awakening.

In the corner, Xu Sanshi stared fixedly at Xu Fu's Hundred-Thousand-Year Ninth Ring. Father's Soul Ring configuration is truly enviable. When he awakened my Martial Soul three years ago, he didn't have nine rings yet.

"If you like red Soul Rings, cultivate properly. When you become a Titled Douluo, Mysterious Ancestor will take you into the sea to find a suitable one."

Xu Xiaoyun's cheerful voice suddenly rang out. Xu Sanshi gave Xu Xiaoyun a foolish grin and swallowed as he repeatedly said, "Mysterious Ancestor is wise," making Xu Xiaoyun beam with delight.

This was the benefit of having elders. They could even help kill a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Xu Sanshi thought happily, That scoundrel Bei Bei probably can't match me in this regard, can he? Haha...

At the same time, Xu Tianxi, who had closed his eyes to sense his body, seemed to hear the sound of shackles breaking. A mysterious and wondrous power surged from the depths of his body and quickly filled his Four Limbs and Hundred Bones.

Is this Soul Power? It feels pretty good.

Xu Tianxi sensed wisps of mysterious energy as fine as silk being guided along his meridians. He nodded inwardly. His entire body felt powerful, his mind was clear, and his six senses were sharp. He could even hear the cicadas chirping in the distant reaches.

A few seconds later, the Soul Power suddenly split apart. One portion surged toward his right hand, while the other rushed toward his head and the eyes above his brow. Xu Tianxi could not help spreading open his right hand, and his eyes opened of their own accord. A strange Stream of Light flashed through them.

What is happening? Is this a Twin Martial Soul? Xu Tianxi, Xu Fu, and Xu Xiaoyun all had the same thought at once.

The next moment, a dense, dusky-black Stream of Light surged from Xu Tianxi's raised right palm. Like a tidal wave, it instantly enveloped his entire body and spread outward.

A one-meter-diameter black shield revealed its true form within the dusky-black light, floating before Xu Tianxi. It was a standard Profound Tortoise Shell Shield of excellent quality.

For some reason, Xu Fu's body trembled as though struck by electricity when the Profound Tortoise Shell Shield appeared, and his pupils shook violently.

Suppression from a superior being of the Water Element? How is that possible!? I'm a Titled Douluo powerhouse, and my Martial Soul even possesses the Black Tortoise Bloodline!

At the same time, a barely perceptible warm hue flowed through Xu Tianxi's open eyes. Deep within his pupils seemed to float the images of two cold, detached lone moons, while an extremely faint Crescent Moon mark appeared between his brows.

Behind his head, what seemed like strands of Spiritual Power intertwined. They looked real and illusory at once, and almost no powerhouse below the Titled Douluo rank could detect them.

Xu Sanshi's eyes lit up. With a gulp, he stood and clapped his hands in delight:

"As expected, it's a Profound Tortoise. I knew it! Third Brother would definitely awaken the inherited Martial Soul of our Xu Family.

"Judging by this, his Innate Soul Power should be at least level nine. From now on, our Old Xu Family will have Twin Stars from one clan."

"Eh? Mysterious Ancestor, why do you look so solemn? Tian Xi awakened his Martial Soul successfully. Aren't you happy?"

From the corner of his eye, Xu Sanshi noticed that Xu Xiaoyun's expression had become extremely grave. His brows had drawn deeply together, creating a mass of aged wrinkles.

Xu Xiaoyun cast Xu Sanshi a sidelong glance, then turned his head and revealed the mischievous grin of an old child.

"His Profound Nether Water is unusual. Go up and feel it for yourself."

"Huh? Oh, all right."

Xu Sanshi froze for a moment, not understanding. He summoned his own Martial Soul and prepared to compare them to see what was different.

However, before he could reach Xu Tianxi, his Profound Tortoise Shell Shield began trembling for no apparent reason. The dense Water Element covering its surface seemed to have encountered the most terrifying thing in the world, and vanished in fright.

"Roar—"

The next moment, Xu Tianxi's Profound Tortoise Shell Shield was like a ferocious beast whose territory had been invaded by one of its kind. Purple light patterns flashed across its surface, and a deep beast roar rang through the air, carrying an invisible shockwave that struck outward.

"What is going on?"

Amid the beast's roar, Xu Sanshi was pushed back by several invisible shockwaves. He staggered backward several steps before landing on his rear, his face filled with disbelief.

Xu Tianxi was not even a Soul Master, so he could not possibly have forced Xu Sanshi back through cultivation alone. There was only one explanation Xu Sanshi could think of—

His Martial Soul had been suppressed in quality, and it had been suppressed horribly!

But this was impossible!

Even Bei Bei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon could only fight him to a draw, or even fall slightly short. In the entire Shrek Outer Courtyard, his Martial Soul was the strongest.

Xu Tianxi's Profound Tortoise Shell Shield looked no different from his own. How could it possibly accomplish this?

The next second, Xu Xiaoyun flashed before Xu Tianxi and pressed a palm against the Profound Tortoise Shell Shield, sensing it carefully. He exclaimed in shock, letting Xu Sanshi know the answer.

"As expected, Ultimate Water. This is an Ultimate Martial Soul!"

Xu Xiaoyun's eyes blazed with unprecedented sharpness. After personally witnessing Xu Sanshi's Martial Soul being suppressed and experiencing the gap in attributes himself, he could say with absolute certainty that Xu Tianxi's Profound Tortoise Shell Shield contained power that surpassed every Water Element Martial Soul in the world!

The ultimate form of the Water Element was Ultimate Water!

Apart from Ultimate Water, nothing else could make the Water Element of Xu Sanshi's Martial Soul, which possessed the Black Tortoise Bloodline, collapse in an instant. Not even Ultimate Fire could do that!

It was even more impossible for anything else to make a Level 98 Super Douluo like him sense a faint yet genuine difference in the level of the Water Element!

That sliver of difference was a natural chasm!

"Heaven bless the Profound Nether Sect! Heaven bless the Profound Nether Sect! Hahahaha, the heavens have not treated my Xu Family unfairly! Hahahaha..."

Xu Xiaoyun's hearty laughter echoed through the pavilion. Suddenly, he noticed that outsiders were still nearby and sent Xu Fu, who was laughing proudly as well, a vicious look.

This concerns too much. The news must not leak in the slightest!

Xu Fu understood. He looked over the three people present, then slowly fixed his gaze on his eldest son, Xu Sanshi.

Chen Wu and Yue Lao could not possibly leave the Profound Nether Sect. Only Xu Sanshi might.

For the sake of the Profound Nether Sect's future, they had no choice but to... let him close his eyes and rest for a while.