Inferno Grey Wolf, Innate Level 8 Soul Power

The children filed inside in an orderly manner. The interior of the Canglang Village Martial Soul Branch Hall had no lavish decorations. At the far end, directly opposite the door, stood a raised bluestone platform with a small Angel Statue upon it.

Once all the children had entered, Qin Chuan closed the door. Next, it was time for Deacon Nuo Si to take the stage.

Deacon Nuo Si stood atop the bluestone platform with a gentle smile on his face. He said slowly, "Children, I am a deacon from the Suotuo City Martial Soul Main Hall, a Level 31 Soul Elder. My Martial Soul is Willow Vine. You may call me Deacon Nuo Si."

"If any of you awaken Innate Soul Power and cultivate to become Spirit Masters, then I will be your guide."

Deacon Nuo Si's gentle tone calmed the children, who had originally been somewhat flustered.

Seeing that none of the children below had any questions, Nuo Si took Awakening Stones from the cloth pouch at his waist and began setting up the Awakening Array.

"First one, you there. What is your name?" Nuo Si pointed at the boy closest to him.

"I?" The boy who had been pointed at looked around like a startled rabbit. Once he confirmed that Nuo Si was indeed calling him, he forced himself to step forward.

"My name is Qin Hai," the boy answered timidly.

"Come, child. Don't be nervous. Stand here." Deacon Nuo Si nodded and guided the boy to the center of the Awakening Array before injecting Soul Power into it.

Three Soul Rings—white, yellow, and yellow—pulsed beneath his feet, while the phantom of an Emerald Vine emerged behind him.

"Ah!!!" As the Soul Power entered him, the boy let out a scream. His body rapidly swelled, nearly bursting his clothes apart, while a wolf-shaped phantom glowing with a gray halo appeared behind his back.

This was the Martial Soul inherited by Canglang Village—the Grey Wolf Martial Soul.

Qin Ming had already seen it countless times before. The villagers often used their Martial Souls while working, allowing them to exert greater strength.

Whether or not one awakened Innate Soul Power, awakening a Martial Soul was always beneficial.

"Come, let's test your Innate Soul Power." Nuo Si held the Crystal Ball used specifically for testing Soul Power before the boy.

But several minutes passed, and the Crystal Ball remained unchanged.

Although he had expected the result, Deacon Nuo Si still sighed and announced it.

"Qin Hai, Grey Wolf Martial Soul, no Innate Soul Power."

"Child, stand to the side for now."

"Ah, okay..." Qin Hai had not even reacted before Deacon Nuo Si led him aside.

"Next..."

"Qin Ke'er, Willow Wood Staff Martial Soul, no Innate Soul Power."

"Qin Wu, Grey Wolf Martial Soul, no Innate Soul Power."

"Qin Mu, Grey Wolf Martial Soul, no Innate Soul Power."

Nuo Si recorded the awakening results in a black leather notebook one by one. None of them had awakened Soul Power.

Soon, it was Qin Ming's turn.

"Deacon Nuo Si, my name is Qin Ming."

"Good, stand here." Deacon Nuo Si still wore his professional smile as he pointed toward the center of the Awakening Array.

The awakening ceremony began. As the Soul Power entered him, Qin Ming felt his entire body grow scorching hot, as though something inside him was about to burst free. Even the temperature around him rose slightly.

Deacon Nuo Si, who was presiding over the awakening ceremony, immediately sensed that something was wrong. As a plant-type Spirit Master, he was especially sensitive to changes in temperature.

"Could it be... a Martial Soul mutation?" As the deacon of the Suotuo City Martial Soul Branch Hall responsible for Martial Soul awakenings, he possessed extensive knowledge about Martial Souls.

Those who awakened Mutated Martial Souls often possessed higher Innate Soul Power.

At that thought, Deacon Nuo Si's heart began pounding wildly. His eyes seemed to shine as he looked at Qin Ming.

"Could I, Nuo Si, be about to awaken a genius as well?" He immediately increased the flow of Soul Power.

Qin Ming felt as though something inside his body had shattered. A wolf's howl exploded in his mind, and orange-red flames erupted around him.

Behind him stood a Giant Wolf even more robust than the Grey Wolf Martial Soul. Framed by the orange-red flames, it looked like a savage beast from hell, ready to devour anyone it saw.

The children waiting nearby were all frightened by the red-furred giant wolf Qin Ming had awakened. Some even screamed.

"Children, don't be afraid. This is a normal occurrence for a Martial Soul mutation." Deacon Nuo Si stepped forward at once. With a wave of his hand, a Light Barrier formed from Green Soul Power blocked the heat waves radiating from Qin Ming.

Deacon Nuo Si cautiously sent out a trace of Soul Power to touch the orange-red flames. The instant it made contact, he felt that bit of Soul Power being rapidly consumed. Within seconds, it had been burned away completely.

The flames actually grew a little stronger, as though they intended to use his Soul Power as fuel.

"Good, good, good!!! What terrifying flames! They can actually burn my Soul Power!" Nuo Si said "good" three times in a row, his delight undisguised.

Nuo Si's voice pulled Qin Ming, who was still savoring the feeling of awakening his Martial Soul, back to reality. He looked at the Giant Wolf wreathed in flames behind him. Although he had anticipated it, he could not help feeling excited.

"It really is the Inferno Grey Wolf."

"Um, Qin Ming, you can put your Martial Soul away now," Nuo Si reminded him.

"Alright, Deacon Nuo Si." With a thought from Qin Ming, the Martial Soul returned to his body.

"Qin Ming, your original Martial Soul was the Grey Wolf Martial Soul, but it mutated in the direction of the Fire Attribute during awakening."

"This should be the first time such a Martial Soul has appeared in the history of Douluo Continent. By convention, you may name this Martial Soul." Only then did Nuo Si begin examining Qin Ming carefully.

He wore patched hemp clothes, just like the other children of Canglang Village. He was somewhat thin, though not sickly so. His complexion was slightly sallow from long-term malnutrition, yet there was a steadiness between his brows that did not match his age.

If an ordinary village child had experienced such a strange change, they would likely have been at a loss. Yet Qin Ming showed little unusual reaction.

Very good. He's remarkably composed. Nuo Si silently praised him.

"Let's call it the Inferno Grey Wolf." Qin Ming answered without much thought.

"Good, Inferno Grey Wolf it is. Next, let's test your Soul Power."

Although Spirit Masters with Mutated Martial Souls generally possessed higher Innate Soul Power than ordinary people, there were still exceptions.

Nuo Si could not help recalling how, more than ten years ago, Yu Xiaogang, the young sect master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, had awakened a Mutated Martial Soul called Luo Sanpao. With Innate Soul Power of Level 0.5, it could be said that there had never been another like him, and it had caused quite a stir at the time.

But the moment Nuo Si looked at Qin Ming, he dismissed that thought. Yu Xiaogang's was a malignant mutation, while Qin Ming's was a beneficial mutation. How could they possibly be the same?

Qin Ming placed his hand on the Crystal Ball Nuo Si handed him. In an instant, the light shining from it was bright enough to illuminate nearly the entire room.

"Innate Level 8 Soul Power!" Nuo Si's eyelids twitched wildly. He had helped awaken Martial Souls for nearly twenty years, and the highest Innate Soul Power he had ever seen before was only Level 5.

A genius, a genius! Nuo Si roared in his heart, as though he could already see his promotion and pay raise right before him.

"Qin Ming, Mutated Martial Soul: Inferno Grey Wolf. Top-tier Martial Soul. Innate Soul Power: Level 8." Nuo Si recorded Qin Ming's information in the black leather notebook and specially marked it.

"Qin Ming, are you willing to join Spirit Hall?" Nuo Si looked at Qin Ming eagerly, making the latter's scalp tingle.

"Well, I still need to discuss it with Uncle Chuan."

"Uncle Chuan, Qin Chuan? Right, I was too hasty. This sort of matter really should be discussed with Village Chief Qin Chuan." As he spoke, he took out a slip of paper from his cloth pouch, wrote something on it, and handed it to Qin Ming.

"Here, take this. This is your Martial Soul Certificate. With it, you can enroll in a Junior Soul Master Academy."

Qin Ming accepted it with both hands and carefully placed it in his pocket.

Nuo Si nodded in satisfaction. In his view, it was practically certain that Qin Ming would join Spirit Hall. It was the number one power on the continent, and Spirit City was the holy land of Spirit Masters across the entire continent.

Qin Ming was just a child and did not know Spirit Hall's strength, but could Qin Chuan possibly not know?

The awakening ceremony continued, but aside from Qin Ming, not a single person awakened Innate Soul Power.

The doors of the Canglang Village Martial Soul Branch Hall were pushed open. Nuo Si was the first to walk out, followed by the children. Apart from Qin Ming, all of them had their heads lowered, clearly saddened that they could not become Spirit Masters.