Death Demon Spider, Spider Emperor?

The Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony officially began...

With a mixture of apprehension and unease, Ye Hao stepped into the area at the very center of the six stones.

The Hexagonal Stones radiated a golden glow. Before long, the golden light burrowed into Ye Hao's body. For some reason, it felt as though something inside him was trying to emerge, and his entire body was immersed in a warm current.

All of a sudden, the room's temperature dropped slightly. Su Yuntao, Sisi, and Ma Xiunuo unconsciously shuddered. Behind Ye Hao...

"Crack, crack—"

Something seemed to be making a sound as it appeared. It had four small eyes that had grown out, while its abdomen extended downward into an enormous round sphere. Eight thick, powerful legs sprouted from the sphere, covered in thick tufts of green fur and slick with nauseating mucus.

An aura of royalty bore down on them...

Those scarlet eyes made Su Yuntao's scalp prickle. Sisi could no longer keep herself composed; her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor. Even Ma Xiunuo was chilled to the bone. In all his years, this was the first time he had ever seen such an unfamiliar Martial Soul.

It looked like some sort of demon spider.

Cold sweat streamed down Ye Hao's back. As expected of the Death Spider Emperor—the emperor among demon spiders.

Following Su Yuntao's earlier instructions, Ye Hao circulated his soul power and barely managed to withdraw the Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul. He could sense that if he delayed even a moment longer, his Second Martial Soul, the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor, would emerge as well...

"Found it! I found it!"

Ma Xiunuo flipped through the books and pointed at an illustration of a Death Demon Spider.

"Your name is... Ye Hao, right? Your Martial Soul is a Death Demon Spider. This type of Martial Soul is extremely rare on the continent. Throughout history, hardly anyone has awakened one."

"To this day, His Holiness the Pope's Martial Soul is the Death Spider Emperor. It's just that..."

At that point, Ma Xiunuo's expression became exceptionally excited. The Pope of Spirit Hall was such an exalted existence. To a Branch Martial Soul Hall in a remote place like Nuoding City, the Pope's status in their hearts could only be described as divine.

Ye Hao froze slightly, then took the book from Ma Xiunuo's hands. Looking at the Death Demon Spider illustration, he secretly shook his head. That wasn't right.

He turned to the second page, and only then did it make sense!

Death Spider Emperor!

Immediately afterward, Su Yuntao composed himself and held the crystal ball in his hands.

Ye Hao understood and placed his hand upon it. In an instant, the crystal ball erupted with an unprecedented brilliance.

Though it was daytime, the crystal ball's radiance could not be obscured. It was several times more dazzling than the sun itself.

"Inn... Innate Full Soul Power!"

The three of them cried out in shock. They had found a treasure! A genuine treasure!

"Yuntao, Xiao Hao, be careful on the road!"

After awakening the Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul, Ye Hao had instantly become a prized talent. His standing within Nuoding City's Branch Martial Soul Hall had clearly risen to number one.

To Su Yuntao and the others, Ye Hao's identity had already been confirmed: a destitute child.

But for Ye Hao, his path as a soul master had only just begun.

Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy was where Ye Hao would be going next. The Branch Martial Soul Hall was subordinate to Spirit Hall, and Ma Xiunuo needed to report this matter so that Ye Hao could first enter Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy for a brief period of study.

Once Spirit Hall's powerful experts arrived, they would take Ye Hao to where he truly belonged.

Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo had already begun reporting the matter. There were barely more than a dozen geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power on the entire Douluo Continent. Most of them entered Spirit Hall, and if they developed smoothly, they would inevitably be promoted to elders in the future and become the backbone of Spirit Hall.

A small city like Nuoding City had actually produced a genius with Innate Full Soul Power. Though there were two of them, that Tang San...

"Innate Full Soul Power, Blue Silver Grass?"

Ma Xiunuo sat at his desk, looking over all the information concerning Tang San in his hands. Then he slowly shook his head. Blue Silver Grass was the very definition of a useless Martial Soul. His future achievements would not be all that great.

There was no need to alarm the important figures of Spirit Hall over him...

"Crash—"

"Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, someone outside is looking for you!"

The door was violently flung open. Ma Xiunuo's heart lurched, and he immediately flailed his arms and legs. At his age, every fright cost him years off his life.

"Understood. Have him wait for me in the side hall."

Ma Xiunuo waved his hand irritably. "Su Yuntao really set a fine example. Young people these days, sigh—"

Su Yuntao: (ToT)

"Get lost, get lost! Our academy isn't a place for beggars!"

Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy was located in the western part of the city. Yet at this moment, an oblivious gatekeeper had blocked someone's path.

From afar, before the arched entrance of Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy, a gatekeeper stood in the way of an old man and a child. The old man leaned on a cane, bent and hunched over, his face gaunt and sallow. His snowy white beard made him look especially aged.

As for the child, there was no need to say more, was there?

That was right—the protagonist had been stopped outside and refused entry. As for the reason, wasn't it simply because of Blue Silver Grass? As the most representative useless Martial Soul, the gatekeeper before them clearly did not believe that Blue Silver Grass could possess Innate Full Soul Power.

Holy Spirit Village? He had never heard of it. It was probably some poor backwater village.

Faced with the gatekeeper's blatant mockery, killing intent had long risen in Tang San's heart. The Sleeve Arrow around his wrist faintly showed signs of being released.

"What are you all gathered here for?"

Su Yuntao arrived at the entrance of Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy with Ye Hao and happened to witness the scene. Looking at the frail Tang San before him, he had the vague feeling that he had seen this child somewhere before.

There had been too many children undergoing martial soul awakenings lately. It was the sort of thing where he knew them one moment and forgot them the next.

"Y-You're Master Su Yuntao! Wonderful, this is wonderful! I never expected to see you here!"

The old man was overjoyed, a few tears slipping from the corners of his eyes.

"You are?"

Su Yuntao frowned. "Old Jack?"

"It's me, it's me!"

As though he had seized hold of hope, Old Jack's stooped back straightened slightly.

"Master Su Yuntao, I'm Tang San. You haven't forgotten me, have you?"

Tang San stepped forward. He glanced at Ye Hao beside Su Yuntao, then turned back to Su Yuntao with a smile.

Ye Hao also looked Tang San over. His appearance was utterly ordinary, with nothing remarkable about him. Perhaps that was just a protagonist's common trait.

They looked harmless to humans and animals alike, yet they were often the deadliest.

Su Yuntao suddenly understood. "Of course I remember. I personally awakened your martial soul. It's been a while—are you planning to enroll at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy?"

"Yes!"

Old Jack hurriedly cut in. "Master Su Yuntao, you have to stand up for us!"

"Oh? What happened?"

Su Yuntao asked.

"Look, you personally issued this Soul Master certificate, didn't you?"

Only half understanding, Su Yuntao accepted Tang San's Soul Master certificate from Old Jack. After giving it a brief once-over, he nodded seriously. "I issued it. Is there a problem?"