Martial Soul Awakening
On the Barren Ancient Continent, a martial soul was an essential factor in every martial artist's cultivation.
Martial souls were divided into ranks, from low to high: Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, Emperor, and God.
"Brother Lin Bai, your soul power is growing stronger and stronger. With your current talent, your martial soul awakening today should at least result in a Heaven-Rank Soul, right?"
On a narrow path in the Lin Clan, a charming young girl affectionately linked arms with a smug-looking young man beside her and smiled.
The girl's name was Lin Zier. She was the daughter of the Lin Clan's Grand Elder. Gifted beyond compare from a young age, she was hailed as Spirit Rhino City's number-one genius girl. The young man beside her was Lin Bai, one of her childhood playmates.
Lin Bai was the only son of Lin Duo, the former clan master. He, too, had displayed astonishing talent in the Martial Dao from a young age. He and Lin Zier were known together as Spirit Rhino City's "golden boy and jade girl."
"Over the years, I've eaten so many Soul Nourishing Pills left behind by my father that my soul power has risen tremendously. I also feel that my martial soul is at least Earth-Rank." Lin Bai smiled faintly as he spoke, his gaze firm and shimmering with an unusual light.
From Lin Bai's gaze alone, it was clear how highly he valued today's Martial Soul Awakening.
"Once I awaken an Earth-Rank Soul or higher, I'll have enough strength to look for my father. He left without saying goodbye back then, and I suspect it had something to do with my mother." Lin Bai spoke slowly.
Lin Zier smiled obediently. "Brother Lin Bai, no matter why Uncle Lin Duo left without saying goodbye, I believe that with your talent, you'll definitely find him—and you'll definitely find your mother too."
"Mm, let's go, Zier. It's getting late. We should head to the Martial Arts Arena."
Lin Zier smiled sweetly, looking utterly affectionate as she took Lin Bai's hand and entered the Martial Arts Arena.
When they entered the Lin Clan's Martial Arts Arena, it was packed with disciples waiting for their awakening.
"Martial Soul Awakening begins now!"
"Lin Hai, come up and awaken yours."
There was a raised platform in the Martial Arts Arena. A huge black stone sat upon it. This was the Martial Soul Stone.
At the shout, a sturdy young man walked excitedly onto the Martial Soul Stone, pressed both hands against it for a moment, and then a crimson radiance lit up across the black stone.
"Lin Hai, Yellow Rank Five Martial Soul: Swift Thunder Cheetah!"
When the disciple named Lin Hai heard that his martial soul was Yellow Rank Five, he immediately wept with excitement. "Hahaha! I'm Yellow Rank Five! Yellow Rank Five! Hahaha, I'm going to become a martial artist! I'm going to become an unparalleled expert!"
A Yellow Rank Five martial soul was already quite good among the Lin Clan's disciples.
Under the envious gazes of the martial artists, Lin Hai walked down from the platform.
"Get down. Next, Lin Zier."
The elder called out.
Lin Zier flashed Lin Bai a radiant smile. "Brother Lin Bai, I'm going."
Lin Bai smiled. "Go on. Good luck."
"Mhm."
Lin Zier nodded obediently and walked up onto the platform.
Not long after Lin Zier pressed both hands against the Martial Soul Stone, a red pillar of light shot into the heavens, dazzling the sky. Every martial artist within ten thousand li could see it!
"Red light piercing the firmament! It's Heaven-Rank!"
"Heaven-Rank Soul!"
"My heavens! Lin Duo only had an Earth-Rank Soul back then, yet Lin Zier actually has a Heaven-Rank Soul!"
The elder standing beside the Martial Soul Stone was so frightened by the red light that he stood gaping in astonishment. Only after a long while did he recover and cry out, "Lin Zier! Lin Zier! Lin Zier, Heaven Rank Five!"
"Lin Zier, Heaven Rank Five Martial Soul: Primordial Goddess Path!"
"Heaven Rank Five!"
"Primordial Goddess Path? What kind of martial soul is that?"
Hearing the surrounding cries of astonishment, Lin Bai said calmly, "The Primordial Goddess Path is a martial soul with the potential to become a God-Rank Soul. Once awakened, it grants a unique cultivation art. It should rank among the top hundred Heaven-Rank Souls!"
"Little Sister Zier truly hasn't disappointed me."
Lin Bai smiled. "Little Sister Zier's soul power isn't as strong as mine. Since she awakened a Heaven-Rank Soul, and my soul power is stronger than hers, doesn't that mean my martial soul will be..."
At that thought, Lin Bai grew so excited that his mouth went dry.
Lin Zier's pretty face flushed with excitement. Under the envious gazes of countless martial artists, she happily ran to Lin Bai's side and called out, "Brother Lin Bai, did you see that?"
"Mm, congratulations, Zier." Lin Bai spoke sincerely.
Lin Zier smiled. "Zier's soul power is too weak—far inferior to Brother Lin Bai's. Since even Zier could awaken a Heaven-Rank Soul, Brother Lin Bai's has to be at least Emperor Grade! Let me congratulate you in advance, Brother Lin Bai."
"Hahaha. I haven't awakened it yet. It's too early for congratulations." Lin Bai shook his head with a smile, his heart pounding like a drum.
"Lin Bai, come up for your Martial Soul Awakening!"
At the elder's loud call, Lin Bai walked onto the platform.
"It's Lin Bai! The number-one genius of our Lin Clan!"
"His father is Lin Duo, who had an Earth Rank Nine Martial Soul back then. Lin Bai is his son, and he's taken so many soul-power medicines since childhood. His martial soul should be even more astonishing, right?"
"Exactly! I'm really looking forward to it. Lin Bai's martial soul has to be at least Heaven-Rank!"
Lin Bai walked onto the platform and placed both hands on the Martial Soul Stone. A crimson radiance then lit up across the stone.
The elder beside him stared at the radiance, practically unable to believe his own eyes.
After a moment of astonishment, the elder let out a mocking laugh and said, "Lin Bai! Yellow Rank One Martial Soul: Sword Martial Soul."
"What?"
"Yellow Rank One?"
"Hahaha, I'm dying! Lin Bai is actually only Yellow Rank One."
"The Lin Clan has stood in Spirit Rhino City for three hundred years, and never had anyone awakened such a trash martial soul!"
"Hahaha, trash, get down here before you disgrace yourself! I'm Yellow Rank Five, yet you're only Yellow Rank One." Lin Hai, who had awakened earlier, pointed at Lin Bai and jeered.
"What genius? It's all bullshit!"
Lin Bai stood on the platform. After a brief moment of astonishment, he gave a bitter laugh and returned to Lin Zier's side. "So this is the human heart?"
"Let's go, Zier."
After awakening a Yellow Rank One Martial Soul, Lin Bai became the laughingstock of the Martial Arts Arena and no longer felt like staying there.
He reached out to take Lin Zier's hand.
Smack!
Lin Zier viciously slapped away Lin Bai's outstretched hand, leaving it swollen purple-red.
Lin Zier said, "Hmph, who do you think you are? How dare you try to hold my hand!"
"Lin Bai, you'd better remember your place from now on. A Yellow Rank One good-for-nothing dares come near me?" Lin Zier sneered. "I'm warning you: if you ever come within three steps of me again, I'll chop off your head!"
"Zier, even you..." Lin Bai stared at Lin Zier in disbelief.
The obedient and charming Lin Zier who had once nestled against his side had now revealed a completely different face!
Lin Bai's face flushed red with fury. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Fine, fine, fine. I, Lin Bai, was blind about you all these years!"
"You weren't blind about me. I was blind about you. I originally thought that with your father Lin Duo's Earth Rank Nine talent, even if his son was worse, he would still be at least Earth Rank Nine."
"But who could have imagined that you would awaken a Yellow Rank One trash martial soul?"
"I was blind. I even thought I could rely on you to pave a Martial Dao Path for me in the future. Now look at this—I wasted more than ten years for nothing." Lin Zier looked at Lin Bai with undisguised disgust.
Lin Bai was startled. "You approached me so that I could pave a Martial Dao Path for you...? Then what about the vows of eternal love we made? What about the promises of everlasting devotion?"
Lin Zier mocked him. "Hahaha! If your martial soul had been higher-ranked than mine, I might really have married you. But look at yourself now—a Yellow Rank One good-for-nothing. We were destined to be people from two different worlds, so stop dreaming of a toad swallowing a swan!"
"I'm a toad? Hahaha, fine. Lin Zier, I'll make you regret this. Just wait and see!" After saying this, Lin Bai left the Martial Arts Arena in fury.
Along the way, countless Lin Clan martial artists pointed at Lin Bai and laughed loudly. "Hahaha, the Lin Clan's number-one genius? He's nothing but a Yellow Rank One good-for-nothing."
"Trash, why are you looking at me? I'm Yellow Rank Three, stronger than you. Keep staring and I'll gouge your eyes out!"
"Trash is trash. You're angry? Does a good-for-nothing like you even have the right to be angry?"
The jeers along the road left Lin Bai humiliated beyond endurance. Clenching his fists, he said with grim resolve, "I'll make every one of you regret this!"
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