Awakening

Aolai City was a small coastal city on the eastern shore of the Sun Moon Federation.

The usually peaceful town was exceptionally bustling today.

Because today was the annual Awakening Day.

Everyone on Douluo Continent possessed something known as a Martial Soul.

A Martial Soul was a part of a person's body. It could be any animal, plant, or object.

When children reached the age of six, they could awaken their own Martial Souls through the Awakening Ceremony.

The so-called Awakening Day was the day when these children of the proper age awakened their Martial Souls.

If someone's Martial Soul was a hoe, then their ability to till the fields would be somewhat stronger than that of others.

If a Martial Soul was an animal, then perhaps its owner would possess some simple abilities of that animal.

Thus, Martial Souls had long since become an important part of changing people's lives.

More importantly, people hoped that Soul Power would appear when their Martial Souls awakened.

Soul Power was a type of energy that could nourish and enhance a Martial Soul.

On Douluo Continent, everyone possessed a Martial Soul, but very few had Soul Power appear alongside it.

For a person, Soul Power represented their future and strength.

When Soul Power appeared alongside a Martial Soul, even if it was only a trace, one could cultivate it afterward to strengthen one's Martial Soul and eventually become a Soul Master, the most noble profession on Douluo Continent for tens of thousands of years.

Therefore, no matter how ordinary their background, people hoped that when their children reached Awakening Day at six years old, they would awaken a Martial Soul accompanied by Soul Power.

After all, it could very likely change a child's life and even benefit the entire family.

Red Mountain Academy, the place where awakenings were held, had its street outside the gates packed so tightly early that morning that not even water could pass through. Everywhere one looked, there were parents bringing their children for their awakenings.

"Dad, what do you think Wuyang's and my Martial Souls will be?"

A little boy who had just turned six looked eagerly at his father. What he loved most was listening to the stories his father told him and his younger brother about Soul Masters.

At the mention of Soul Masters, his beautiful big eyes were full of yearning.

The little boy had short black hair and was slightly taller than children his age.

What drew the most attention were his eyes. They were large and clearly black and white, while his long eyelashes put even many girls to shame.

Beside him stood another little boy whose appearance and height were extremely similar to his.

The only difference was that the boy beside him had medium-length, gender-neutral hair that fell past his shoulders, tied behind his back with a hairband.

Moreover, the ends of his hair were not uniformly black, but a faint gold.

Although the two children wore ordinary clothes, their outstanding looks easily drew the gazes of others.

Unlike his two exceptionally handsome children, their father was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man of average height and build. Everything about him appeared utterly ordinary.

"Dad doesn't know either. That will depend on your luck."

Their father sighed inwardly. Awakening Day was also a day of division, a day that divided one's life.

Whether one possessed Soul Power undoubtedly determined the course of one's future life.

Fortunately, in this day and age, even those who could not become Soul Masters could still have a decent future.

"Dad, Wuyang and I will definitely have Soul Power, right?"

The long-haired boy looked at his father. His eyes clearly did not carry the same excitement as those of the other boy.

For him, becoming a Soul Master would naturally be best, since Soul Masters were the most noble profession on Douluo Continent.

But he also knew that those whose Martial Soul Awakenings came with Soul Power were exceedingly rare.

Therefore, he felt that if he did not have Soul Power, living peacefully with his family would still be quite nice.

Their father raised his hands and patted each child on the head, smiling. "Whether you have Soul Power or not, Dad loves you both."

Parents continuously emerged from the academy with their children, and the vast majority looked dejected or sorrowful.

Occasionally, someone would cheer with joy. There was no need to ask—they had surely awakened a Martial Soul with Soul Power. Such children instantly drew everyone's attention, and those gazes usually carried envy, even jealousy.

As time passed, the sunlight grew increasingly intense. The short-haired boy's excitement visibly faded, replaced by a surge of impatience.

"Brother, don't be anxious. It should be our turn soon."

The long-haired boy noticed his older brother's impatience and tried to comfort him.

Just as he finished speaking, a teacher emerged from Red Mountain Academy. Looking at the form in his hand, he called out the two little boys' names.

"Tang Wulin, Tang Wuyang!"

"We're here!" The handsome little boy's eyes widened at once. Grabbing his younger brother's hand, he jumped up excitedly.

Tang Ziran, the father of the two children, also perked up. Looking at his excited elder son and his younger son, whose expectations were obvious despite not showing them outwardly, he took each of their little hands and led them over.

"Come with me."

Perhaps because there was too much work on Awakening Day, the teacher seemed somewhat indifferent. After speaking, he turned and walked ahead without waiting for Tang Ziran's response.

Tang Ziran did not mind. Leading the two children, he hurried after him.

As they walked down the academy path, Tang Wuyang was not as excited as Tang Wulin about everything he saw, but he still kept looking around. To them, everything before their eyes was so novel.

Red Mountain Academy was an elementary comprehensive academy that could accommodate two thousand students. Its architecture was antique in style, with white roofs and red walls, and the campus was spotlessly clean.

Awakening Day took place before the start of the school term. Compared to the commotion outside, the academy was exceptionally quiet, and Tang Wulin and Tang Wuyang's excited hearts seemed to calm along with that tranquility.

The teacher led the three of them before a circular teaching building and said to Tang Ziran, "Parents should wait here."

Tang Ziran nodded and looked at his two sons. "Wulin, Wuyang, follow the teacher's instructions. Do your best! Dad will wait for you here."

Tang Wulin and Tang Wuyang nodded together, then said in unison with perfect understanding, "Dad, we'll do our best to awaken powerful Martial Souls."

Watching his two sons follow the teacher into the circular building, Tang Ziran's eyes revealed a trace of melancholy and reminiscence.

Such circular buildings existed in every elementary academy. They were also called Awakening Rooms and were specially used to help children who had reached the age of six awaken their Martial Souls.

Every Awakening Day, the academy would invite Spirit Transmission Masters from the Spirit Pagoda to conduct the Awakening Ceremony.

Several decades ago, he had also entered an Awakening Room filled with hope like this, hadn't he?

To speed up the Awakening Ceremony, the Awakening Room did not have just one place for Martial Soul Awakening. It had seven floors, each with an awakening chamber, and each chamber could conduct the Awakening Ceremony for two children at once.

Tang Wulin and Tang Wuyang were brought together into an Awakening Room on the third floor.

The moment they entered, both felt dazzled. Strange and magnificent patterns were carved into the floor, walls, and even the ceiling.

Faintly, Tang Wuyang felt a strange sensation rise in his heart, as though something inside his body was stirring restlessly.

There were two middle-aged men in the Awakening Room, dressed in antique orange robes embroidered with dark patterns resembling Soul Beasts.

Tang Wuyang had listened to his father's stories together with Tang Wulin since childhood, and Spirit Transmission Masters had appeared in those stories.

These Spirit Transmission Masters from the Spirit Pagoda were mysterious and powerful beings. They were a highly special group of Soul Masters and held an extremely lofty status on the continent.

But this was still his first time seeing them in person.

Tang Wulin and Tang Wuyang timidly greeted them together. "Hello."

Both Spirit Transmission Masters wore gentle smiles. The one on the right said softly, "Come, little ones. Stand in the middle."

Tang Wulin and Tang Wuyang exchanged a glance, then obediently walked to the centers of the formations before them and stood still.

As they took their positions, a barrier rose between them. Before it fully closed, Tang Wuyang vaguely heard his brother ask expectantly, "Spirit Transmission Master, what will I awaken..."

Taking a long breath, Tang Wuyang instinctively tensed as he looked at the Spirit Transmission Master before him.

To say he was not nervous would definitely be a lie. After all, this was the most important ceremony of his life.

The Spirit Transmission Master smiled. "Little one, don't be nervous. Your eyes are so beautiful. Perhaps you'll awaken a Spirit Eyes Martial Soul!"

Upon hearing that, Tang Wuyang immediately relaxed and said, "I know. That was the Martial Soul of the first master of the Spirit Pagoda, the Spirit Ice Douluo..."

The Spirit Transmission Master interrupted him. "Focus and calm yourself. I'm about to begin."

Standing in the center of the Awakening Room, Tang Wuyang looked around somewhat uneasily.

He was only six years old, after all. Without his parents beside him and with his brother separated from him, how could he not be nervous in such an unfamiliar yet novel environment?

At that moment, the soft white light that lit up in the Spirit Transmission Master's hand immediately drew his attention.

Was that soft white light the legendary Soul Power? The powerful energy that only Soul Masters could possess?

As Tang Wuyang stared at the white light in surprise, the Spirit Transmission Master pointed his right hand into the air, and the white light originally gathered in his hands was instantly released.

The white light that shot into the air bloomed like fireworks, bringing brilliant color to the Awakening Room.

One mysterious pattern after another lit up, extending downward from the ceiling along the four walls like living things, spreading all the way to Tang Wuyang's feet before finally converging where he stood.

A force carrying a hint of tingling numbness and warmth surged into his body through the soles of his feet, making Tang Wuyang's small body tremble slightly.

The next moment, Tang Wuyang felt as though his entire body had been struck by electricity, and he began trembling continuously.

Everything before his eyes turned blurry as one image after another flashed through his mind.

Tang Wuyang instinctively wanted to see clearly, but he could only sense the shifting flow of light and shadow. It seemed he had seen them, yet he could not remember anything at all.

But in the Spirit Transmission Master's eyes, Tang Wuyang's body had already been dyed by a white halo. His entire body emitted a dim glow, and under the effects of this ancient, traditional ritual, his Martial Soul was about to awaken.

"Ah!"

Tang Wuyang suddenly let out a scream, startling the Spirit Transmission Master.

Normally, children would not have much of a reaction when awakening their Martial Souls. But in very rare cases, some were too frail to withstand the impact of the energy and encountered danger.

The Spirit Transmission Master flashed forward and arrived before Tang Wuyang. If an accident truly occurred, he would immediately stop the Awakening Ceremony to ensure Tang Wuyang's safety.

From up close, he was astonished to see what seemed to be a golden pattern flash across Tang Wuyang's forehead. Then, like a web, the golden pattern spread toward his limbs.

What Martial Soul was this?

This Spirit Transmission Master was highly experienced. Tens of thousands of children had awakened through his hands, yet this was the first time he had seen something like what was happening to Tang Wuyang.

In the next instant, faint energy fluctuations silently emanated from Tang Wuyang's body.

The energy emerged from his lower abdomen, the most normal location for Soul Power to arise.

Though the energy fluctuations were not strong, they were real.

The Spirit Transmission Master was delighted when he sensed that energy. This was clearly a Martial Soul with Soul Power.

Many times, even after performing ceremonies for an entire day, they might not encounter a single child with Soul Power. Their luck today seemed rather good.

But what exactly was his Martial Soul?

The web-like golden patterns from before had now vanished without a trace, as though they had never appeared.

Tang Wuyang's eyes were tightly shut, and he seemed to be enduring intense pain as a shadow slowly gathered into shape behind him.

The next moment, lights of seven colors continuously emerged around him, and an animal resembling a deer but covered in dragon scales quietly appeared.

The instant it appeared, bands of light formed from particles of different colors seemed to find their master and swiftly circled around it.

"This is... a Beast Martial Soul, a Qilin?"

The Spirit Transmission Master's voice carried a trace of doubt. He had seen many Beast Martial Souls, but this was the first time he had seen one cause such a Strange Phenomenon the moment it appeared.

At the moment the Qilin Martial Soul appeared, a silver-haired little girl outside Aolai City seemed to suddenly sense something and looked in Aolai City's direction.

She had originally been walking in the opposite direction, but suddenly, as if guided by some unseen force, she turned around and headed straight toward Aolai City.

At the same time, on the other side of the barrier.

Tang Wulin had his eyes closed as the white light around his body slowly faded.

He subconsciously raised his right hand, palm facing upward, as a pale blue halo emerged from his palm.

Immediately afterward, a small blade of pale blue grass quietly sprouted and spread out, swaying weakly as it emitted extremely faint energy fluctuations.

"This is... Blue Silver Grass?"

The Spirit Transmission Master helping Tang Wulin awaken his Martial Soul shook his head somewhat disappointedly.

After all, Blue Silver Grass was a standard Useless Martial Soul on Douluo Continent.

However, what he failed to notice was that the moment the Blue Silver Grass appeared in Tang Wulin's palm, a blue-gold halo emerged from between his brows and quietly fused into the fragile grass.

As the ball of light merged with it, the blue-white patterns originally on the Blue Silver Grass turned pale gold from the roots upward.

Just as the Spirit Transmission Master sighed and raised his head, preparing to end the ceremony, a strange scene appeared.

Tang Wulin involuntarily raised his left hand, and a mass of silver-gray light suddenly appeared.

The Spirit Transmission Master, who had been about to withdraw his Soul Power, saw this and instantly had his disappointment replaced by excitement.

Twin Martial Souls!

One had to know that children with Twin Martial Souls would certainly possess accompanying Soul Power, and under normal circumstances, their Soul Power Level would never be low.

Under the Spirit Transmission Master's expectant gaze, a silver-gray spear abruptly appeared.

The spear resembled Silver Light condensed with frost in a cold night. Its entire shaft was silver-gray and cold in color, while its sharp spearhead gleamed with a chilling light, as though it could easily tear through the void.

Fine dragon-scale patterns wound around the spear shaft. Every scale was vividly carved with exquisite Subtlety, as though it contained ancient and mysterious power.