The next morning.
The sky had just begun to brighten, and the entrance to the village was already bustling.
A broken-down ox cart creaked along the road, kicking up clouds of dust.
Old Monk sat on the cart, waving a cattail-leaf fan and humming a tune no one could make out.
Mu Rong sat beside him on a cushion of fresh grass, swaying with the cart as it rattled along.
The journey from the village to Ju Yuan City wasn't particularly far.
Half a day later.
A towering city wall appeared in the distance, rising above the horizon.
Though it was only a small city in the Tianyun Empire, to the villagers of the remote village who had never traveled far, it was already a vast, bustling metropolis.
The city gates stood open, and crowds of people streamed in and out.
Old Monk handed over the entry fee with practiced ease, then led Mu Rong straight to the Martial Soul Hall in the city center.
The Martial Soul Hall in Ju Yuan City was an enormous building, its towering structure gleaming in the sunlight.
Several guards clad in armor stood at the entrance, their expressions solemn.
"Stop! What are you here for?"
The guard captain raised a hand, blocking their way.
"Thank you for your hard work, sir."
Old Monk hurriedly put on a smile. With a wave of his hand, he produced the certificate he had prepared in advance and respectfully offered it to the guard.
"I'm the village chief of Martial Soul Village. This is our village's child, Suo Ling. He's here to awaken his Martial Soul."
The guard captain took the certificate and glanced at it, his expression softening.
"Go on in. Run along."
They headed into the grand hall.
As soon as they entered, the polished stone floor gleamed brightly, reflecting the figures of those inside.
There were already people waiting in the hall.
Most were parents who had brought their children to have their Martial Souls awakened or tested for innate soul power.
Mu Rong quietly followed Old Monk, keeping his head down as he slipped through the crowd.
Suddenly—
A commotion arose up ahead.
"Suo Ling! Innate soul power at rank three! Martial Soul: the Spirit Wolf!"
A middle-aged man dressed as a village official announced the result loudly.
Mu Rong raised his head sharply.
Suo Ling?
Was that the one people called the "Golden-Eyed Spirit King," the "Master of Flowing Water"—the very Suo Ling who had beaten him?
At the front stood a young boy with a face still soft with youth.
His hair was gray, and his build was slightly thinner than the other children's. Yet he stood there full of vigor, looking as if he had boundless energy.
"Good! Excellent!"
The village official patted Suo Ling on the shoulder, smiling as he offered his congratulations.
"Innate soul power at rank three. It's not especially high, but it's enough to make you a great Spirit Master someday—perhaps even a Soul Elder. Young man, would you like to join the Martial Soul Hall?"
"I do! I do!"
The young Suo Ling's eyes glittered with excitement.
Joining the Martial Soul Hall was the dream of countless ordinary Spirit Masters.
Mu Rong watched from the side, a faint smile crossing his lips.
The Suo Ling who had once been so full of himself was nothing more than a child who had just awakened his Martial Soul.
"Next!"
The village official's voice interrupted Mu Rong's thoughts.
Old Monk hurriedly nudged him.
"Go on, little one. It's your turn."
Mu Rong gathered himself and walked forward.
When he passed Suo Ling, the boy's chest was still puffed out. He looked at Mu Rong with a hint of superiority in his eyes.
That was the pride of a naturally gifted person looking down on an ordinary one.
Mu Rong paid him no mind and walked straight to the crystal ball.
"Put your hand on it, then release your Martial Soul."
The village official sounded a little impatient.
He had just witnessed a child with innate rank-three soul power. Surely he couldn't expect another surprise so soon after?
Mu Rong raised his right hand.
Soul power surged.
"Hm—"
The crystal ball suddenly began to shine.
A chill much stronger than the one that had accompanied Suo Ling's awakening burst out in an instant, sweeping through the hall.
The village official, who had been so impatient, gave a startled cry. The pen in his hand slipped and clattered to the floor.
"Crack—"
A giant ice-colored serpent rose from the light, coiling above the hall and looking down at everyone.
The pressure radiating from its bloodline sent a shiver through every Spirit Master present.
Suo Ling had just withdrawn his Wolf Martial Soul, but now he stared up in disbelief as an overwhelming presence descended upon them.
"That... that's..."
The village official's eyes widened. He stared at the enormous ice serpent.
"An Ice-Elemental Martial Soul?!"
The crystal ball blazed.
Light flooded the hall, filling it in an instant.
"Innate soul power... rank six!"
The village official's voice rose several octaves as he shouted out the result.
Everyone was completely stunned.
Even Suo Ling, who had been so full of himself, stood there with his mouth hanging open, staring blankly at the boy surrounded by light.
Innate rank six!
Three ranks higher than his!
What kind of monster was this?
Mu Rong withdrew his hand, his expression calm, as though he had just done something utterly insignificant.
As he turned, his shoulder brushed against the thoroughly shaken Suo Ling.
Mu Rong's lips lifted slightly. He said nothing, leaving only a faint smile behind.
It was a quiet provocation.
"Sir, could you explain what just happened?"
Mu Rong looked at the official, who was still staring at him in a daze.
"Ah? Oh! Of course, of course!"
The village official came back to himself. A hundred and eighty degrees of enthusiasm filled his face, and his smile spread wide.
"Young man... um, no—young genius, would you consider joining the Martial Soul Hall? I can arrange for you to enter the main hall right away and provide you with the very best resources..."
"No need."
Mu Rong politely declined, his tone mild.
"I've already decided to attend Ju Yuan Academy."
With that, he paid no attention to the village official's regretful expression. He turned and walked toward Old Monk, who had been waiting at the door.
As he passed Suo Ling, he paused briefly.
Suo Ling instinctively took half a step back. The difference between them made him feel an inexplicable sense of inferiority.
"From now on, don't look at people like that."
Mu Rong left with those words, without looking back.
The sunlight fell across him.
Behind him, the imposing Martial Soul Hall stood in solemn silence.
Suo Ling stared blankly at the figure walking away, his fists clenched tight.
Mu Rong...
That name was etched deeply into his young heart.
The heavy wooden doors closed behind them, shutting out the chatter within the hall.
The look of envy and awe on Suo Ling's face lingered in Mu Rong's mind.
Mu Rong descended the steps, each footfall steady and measured.
Old Monk was still immersed in his astonishment. His weathered face had blossomed into a smile, and his mouth rattled off words of praise.
"Excellent! Truly excellent! You're worthy of being the descendant of a great clan!"
Mu Rong listened quietly.
This was only the first step.
An innate rank-six talent might be impressive in a remote village, but in the eyes of true powerhouses, it was no more than a slightly more noticeable ant.
Back in Martial Soul Village.
Life went on as usual. The awakening of another Martial Soul hadn't turned the world upside down.
Aside from the village chief bragging about it every day.
Morning.
The mist had not yet lifted.
A small, thin figure had already begun running around the village.
No weights, just the simplest endurance training.
One lap, two laps, three laps.
His chest rose and fell like a bellows. Sweat ran down his body, dripping into the mud.
His physique was too weak.
The damage caused by years of malnutrition couldn't be healed in a single night.
If he wanted to bear the immense weight of the Spirit Seed, if he wanted to survive the coming calamity that would soon engulf the continent, a strong body was the foundation.
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