Spirit Awakening

Tang San asked curiously, "Grandpa Jack, what is a Spirit Awakening ceremony?"

Old Jack said seriously, "Every one of us has our own martial spirit. When we reach around six years old, we must undergo an awakening ceremony. Once we have a martial spirit, it can enhance some aspect of our abilities. Even the most ordinary martial spirit can be of some help. If you happen to possess an outstanding martial spirit and can cultivate it, then you may even become a Soul Master. The awakening ceremony only happens once a year. I can't let you—"

Tang San asked again, "What is a Soul Grandmaster?"

"A Soul Grandmaster is a rank among Soul Masters. Soul Masters are the most noble profession on the entire Douluo Continent. They can be powerful warriors, or they can possess exceptional support abilities. But regardless of the type, Soul Master ranks are ordered according to the same titles.

Soul Masters all possess their own martial spirit power. Based on the strength of that power, there are a total of ten titles. Each title is further divided into ten levels. Those who have just begun are called Soul Soldiers. Once their martial spirits awaken, everyone is a Soul Soldier. If their martial spirit can be cultivated, then when their Soul Power reaches level eleven, they will enter the next title: Soul Master. Soul Grandmaster is the third title in the entire sequence. Reaching the Soul Grandmaster realm already makes one quite a powerful Soul Master. The ten titles in total are

as follows.

Soul Soldier, Soul Master, Soul Grandmaster, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor, Spirit Saint, Spirit Douluo, and Titled Douluo. The Douluo Continent got its name from this. It is said that Titled Douluos above level ninety can give themselves a title. They are practically invincible beings!" His eyes shone with pride. "A hundred years ago, our Sacred Soul Village produced a Spirit Saint of the eighth rank. That was extremely rare even in all of Nuoding City, or even the entire Fasnuo Province." Tang Hao curled his lip. "Old Jack, that's just a legend."

Old Jack flew into a rage. "What do you mean, a legend? Legends come from facts. Tang Hao, you've been in this village for six years. You should understand that Spirit Saint's place in our hearts. If I hear you insult Lord Spirit Saint again, I'll drive you out of the village. If it weren't for Tang Yin and Tang San, do you think I'd be willing to come to this doghouse of yours?"

"Grandpa Jack, don't be angry. Have some water and calm down. I'll talk to him," Tang Yin hurriedly persuaded him.

Old Jack took a sip of water, then left angrily.

"Remember, I'll come pick you up in three days."

Tang Yin said to Tang Hao, "Look at you. Can't you speak properly? Grandpa Jack is already so old. What if you anger him into some kind of illness?"

Seeing his brother angry, Tang San hurriedly called out, "Dad."

Tang Hao, still fuming, gave him a cold glance. "What?"

"Those ten thousand strikes are finished," Tang San said.

"Oh?" The light in Tang Hao's eyes seemed to brighten slightly. "Bring it over and let me see."

"Alright." Tang San quickly ran back to his room. Soon, he came running out carrying an iron block. The block was completely black. Although its shape was irregular, every fractured surface looked exceptionally smooth, with dark gleams flickering within it. The entire iron block was roughly a quarter of the original piece of iron's size. Tang San had to circulate the Mysterious Heaven Skill to hold it without difficulty.

Tang Yin praised him, "Not bad, Little San! You worked hard." Tang San smiled shyly.

Tang Hao grabbed the black iron block and held it before his eyes for a careful look. "Do you understand what I meant now?" Tang San nodded. "Hundred Refinements into Steel. Even the poorest-quality metal can become high quality after constant forging and purification. Dad, is that what you wanted to teach me?"

Tang Hao realized that his son had brought him quite a few surprises these past few days. He returned the iron block to him. "Then keep going. When you forge it down to the size of a fist, bring it to me again." With that, he turned and walked out the door. According to what he had originally said, he was supposed to teach Tang San forging after he struck the iron block ten thousand times, but now he seemed to have gone back on his word. Tang San did not mind, however. He only kept thinking about what Tang Hao had said.

"The size of a fist?" Could such a large iron block really be forged down to the size of a fist? Though it was only a quarter of its original volume, Tang San knew very well that as the iron block was continuously forged, it would become denser and denser, making it increasingly difficult to reduce its size. Forging it down to the size of a fist could not possibly be achieved with another ten thousand strikes. Hundred Refinements into Steel—then what would ten thousand refinements become? A bright glint flashed through Tang San's eyes. With a slight shift of his feet, his body nimbly slipped into his room. Before long, the clanging of hammer strikes rang out from the blacksmith shop once more.

Three days later...

Early that morning, Tang Yin got up and prepared the meal. He ate with Tang San, then set Tang Hao's portion on the table.

"Little San, Grandpa is here to pick you up." Old Jack arrived at the blacksmith shop right on time. Perhaps because he was tired of Tang Hao, he did not even enter this time, only calling for Tang San and Tang Yin from outside.

"Dad, Little San and I are leaving first. Don't forget to eat when you get up," Tang Yin called toward the inner room.

Tang Hao said indifferently, "Go. Don't delay making lunch."

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 spirit and children underwent Spirit Awakening every year, Spirit Halls could be found anywhere on the Douluo Continent. Naturally, these were only branch halls.

There were eight children undergoing Spirit Awakening in Sacred Soul Village this year. Under Old Jack's lead, Tang San was the last to arrive.

When the village children saw Tang Yin arrive, they all gritted their teeth and shouted, "Hello, Big Brother!" Tang Yin was famous throughout the village for being obedient and sensible, but because of that, he was often used by the village parents as a positive example to teach their children. In their eyes, Tang Yin was the "other people's child." They had once surrounded Tang Yin and called him little sister. The result, naturally, was that the enraged Tang Yin gave them a thorough lesson with Military Boxing and threatened to make them acknowledge him as their big brother, or he would beat them up every time he saw them.

Looking at the little girl before him, Su Yuntao asked in disbelief, "Little sister, are you the big brother they were talking about?"

Tang Yin's face immediately darkened. The expressions of the children behind him also became subtle. They wanted to laugh but did not dare, and had to hold it in painfully.

"I'm not a little sister. I'm a boy!"

Su Yuntao became embarrassed at once and hurriedly changed the subject. "Alright, everyone is here. Let's begin quickly! I'm in a hurry."

It was soon Tang Yin's turn for Spirit Awakening.

Standing within the six-pointed formation, Tang Yin felt a wave of warmth. A small blue blade of grass threaded with tiny golden strands emerged from the palm of his right hand.

"Blue Silver Grass again." Because of Tang San's precedent, Su Yuntao still tested Tang Yin's Soul Power. Tang Yin placed his hand on the crystal ball, and it emitted a faint glow. "Innate Soul Power is only half a level, but that's normal. After all, Blue Silver Grass is a useless martial spirit."

The door opened, and Old Jack hurried forward with a nervous expression. "Master, how was it? Do any of the children in our village have a chance of becoming Soul Masters this year?" Su Yuntao looked at him and sighed. "There are two, but what a pity." A doubtful look appeared in Jack's eyes as he cautiously asked, "Master, then what exactly is it...?"

Su Yuntao said, "Among these eight children, only two possess Soul Power, and one of them even has Innate Full Soul Power. Unfortunately, both of their martial spirits are Blue Silver Grass. Do you understand?"

"Blue Silver Grass? Innate Full Soul Power? Heavens." The disappointment on Jack's face was even greater than Su Yuntao's. Having served as village chief for so many years, he naturally understood what Innate Full Soul Power represented. But for Innate Full Soul Power to appear with Blue Silver Grass as the martial spirit, that truly was...

"Master, is there really no way for Blue Silver Grass to cultivate?" Jack asked with a frown.

Su Yuntao could sense Old Jack's feelings and was no longer as proud as he had been at the start. He patted Old Jack on the shoulder and said, "It's not completely impossible to cultivate. But what do you think Blue Silver Grass could evolve into as the martial spirit improves? A useless martial spirit will always be a useless martial spirit. Even if they become Soul Masters, they will probably only be useless Soul Masters. That Innate Full Soul Power is truly such a pity. Alright, I'm leaving now. I still need to go to the next village."