Martial Soul Awakening, Part Two / Tang San and Kai

As the light faded, the elder gazed expectantly at the Martial Soul in Arthur's hands.

It wasn't the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul he had imagined...

But...

Everyone stared blankly at the two Martial Souls in Arthur's hands. T-Twin Martial Souls.

Two small Martial Souls appeared in the golden-haired boy's hands: a majestic golden shield in one, and a greatsword that looked incredibly sharp in the other.

Twin Martial Souls had been exceedingly rare since ancient times. Records showed that many people with them had exploded and died during cultivation. The only living person known to possess Twin Martial Souls was Bibi Dong, an elder of Spirit Hall!

For that reason, Spirit Hall knew very well how beneficial Twin Martial Souls could be. Soul Rings could be added to both Martial Souls, granting more Soul Skills than ordinary people and making their combat prowess far greater. The Soul Power gained from Soul Rings could also aid cultivation, and even help one break through at the Titled Douluo level.

Moreover, both of these Martial Souls seemed to be of high quality. Spirit Hall was about to gain another peerless genius!

Next came the test of Innate Soul Power. As expected, it was Innate Full Soul Power.

Qian Xunji sighed. Unlike the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, which benefited from the Douluo World's background and was born with Level 20 Soul Power, Arthur's Holy Shield and Holy Sword, though high in quality, still only gave him Innate Full Soul Power.

The third child to awaken her Martial Soul was Jing. She was still just a little girl, with a cute bob haircut, but her aura was already cold. One could easily picture the aloof, mature beauty she would become.'

Golden specks of light appeared, and another little golden figure materialized.

After seeing the talents of Arthur and Xiang Yu, the elders were full of expectations for Jing. The odds might be low, but what if? What if this girl was another peerless genius? Spirit Hall's future would be limitless!

When the golden light faded, a blade gleaming with golden light appeared in Jing's hands. Compared to an ordinary sword, it was exquisitely small and delicate. Its material was unusual too, mirror-like, without the metallic feel of an ordinary blade.

This was Jing's Martial Soul: the Blazing Sun Divine Radiance Sword.

"All right, put away your Martial Soul and come over to test your Soul Power," Qian Xunji said, wincing as the blade's golden gleam reflected painfully into his eyes.

Jing reached out her small hand. As soon as she touched the crystal ball, it blazed with light. But after what had happened with Xiang Yu and Arthur, the elders were no longer surprised. They were perfectly calm, almost as if they had expected it.

At the end of the line, Qian Renxue felt a little nervous. After all, the three children her age who had gone before her had performed so perfectly.

The pressure on her was enormous. Even if her Innate Soul Power was Level 9, she would still be a genius, but standing alongside her first three companions, she would seem disappointing.

Qian Xunji looked at the nervous girl before him and smiled. He already knew what Martial Soul Qian Renxue would awaken, so he had known the answer from the start. He comfortingly patted her head. "Don't be afraid. You grew up with them. How could you be any worse? Believe in yourself—and believe in me, all right?"

Her long, brilliant golden hair fell before Qian Renxue like a stream of golden light. She looked up at His Holiness the Pope's face and took a deep breath, then nodded firmly. "Of course, Your Holiness!"

At the same time, as she looked at the sacred Six-Winged Angel behind Qian Xunji, a thought inexplicably crossed her mind: If only I could awaken the same Martial Soul as His Holiness the Pope.

The awakening ritual began, and golden specks of light enveloped Qian Renxue.

Those who had already given up on the frightening idea that all four children were His Holiness the Pope's illegitimate children stiffened when they saw the Martial Soul in Qian Renxue's hands.

The golden-haired man and girl stood facing each other. Behind the man was the sacred, beautiful Six-Winged Angel; in the girl's hands was a miniature Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.

At that moment, the entire place fell silent.

Unlike Xiang Yu, whose sturdy build and resolute features bore little resemblance to Qian Xunji, Qian Renxue looked like the Qian Clan, with its characteristic refined and handsome features. Xiang Yu was also a boy with a Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. The elders had suspected he might be the Pope's illegitimate child, but it hadn't struck them as strongly.

When Qian Renxue stood beside Qian Xunji, they already looked like father and daughter. Now they both had Six-Winged Angel Martial Souls, making them seem even more like father and daughter.

The Soul Power test showed a completely normal result: Innate Level 20 Soul Power.

Qian Renxue looked at Qian Xunji, conflicted. She seemed to want to say something, but seeing the elders around them, she held back and didn't speak in front of everyone.

Afterward, her gaze shifted strangely between Qian Xunji, herself, and Xiang Yu, as though she were turning over all sorts of possibilities in her mind.

The elders around them did the same, their eyes moving back and forth between the three.

But His Holiness the Pope commanded too much respect for them to voice their thoughts. They could only keep them to themselves, while growing ever more certain of their suspicions: these two children had to be His Holiness the Pope's!

Chapter 8: Martial Soul Awakening, Part Two

Meanwhile,

in Heaven Dou City, Heaven Dou Empire,

a green-haired little girl led a silver-haired little girl with a pair of deer antlers atop her head to a Spirit Hall Branch that offered free Martial Soul awakenings.

Unlike the children brought by their parents, the two girls stood out. Though they were still children, they had naturally soft, fair skin, and their exquisite, beautiful features already hinted at how lovely they would be when they grew up.

They were Cai Wenji and Yao.

Their lives had unfolded differently from what Qian Xunji had expected—or, more accurately, had gone seriously off course.

The families Qian Xunji had found to adopt them were comfortably well-off, with no worries about food or clothing. They had some difficulty having children, had none of their own, and loved children.

Qian Xunji had expected the two girls to grow up normally in these families, with respectable backgrounds, before awakening their Martial Souls and slowly developing their exceptional talents. They would then team up with other combat-oriented heroes in the Heaven Dou Empire and build their reputations.

But people could plan all they wanted; fate had other ideas. After ten years without children, the couple adopted Cai Wenji and Yao, and then, in the second year, the wife became pregnant. Before long, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and the two girls' position in the family immediately became awkward.

After all, now that the couple had a biological child, what would become of the children they had adopted?

Still, the family had some conscience and continued to raise them, though they treated them worse than their own child.

The people Qian Xunji had arranged to protect the girls kept watch. If the couple ever tried anything, they would reveal themselves and bring the children back to Spirit Hall.

Recently, Cai Wenji and Yao had overheard the couple talking and decided they were going to run away.

It turned out that the couple thought the two girls were so beautiful that they planned to offer them to nobles when they grew up in exchange for favors.

Today, on the day of the Martial Soul awakening, they had locked the girls inside the house. Cai Wenji and Yao had pretended to be obedient before successfully climbing out through a window. After discussing it, they decided to awaken their Martial Souls first, then run away.

Although they were support Soul Masters, they came from Honor of Kings Canyon and had been born with the ability to cultivate a form of magic. This gave them special abilities unique to themselves, and their skills were manifestations of those abilities. After being adapted to the Douluo World, they had become Self-Created Soul Skills—somewhat like Tang San's cultivation methods, but more profound.

In other words, as long as they awakened their Martial Souls and gained Soul Power, the two girls could use their special Self-Created Soul Skills to protect themselves, even without Soul Rings.

Upon entering the hall, the Spirit Hall deacon sent all the parents outside, leaving only the children waiting to awaken their Martial Souls.

"All right, children, line up in five rows." The deacon was a chubby little old man with a white-and-gray beard, and he looked very amiable.

With no parents to keep them in line, it took the children quite some time to form up. They all jostled to get to the front so they could awaken their Martial Souls first. Fortunately, the chubby little old man was experienced at managing children during awakenings. In the end, he had them all lined up and quiet.

Cai Wenji and Yao stood one behind the other, moving forward slowly. Soon, it was their turn.

Cai Wenji stepped into the Martial Soul awakening formation. As Soul Power flowed into it and activated it, golden specks of light surrounded the green-haired, short-legged little girl.

As the specks slowly faded, the green-haired girl opened her palm. A delicate, ornate Hujia Qin, glowing faintly, rested there. Golden magical inscriptions were carved across the inside and outside of the instrument. White flowers bloomed around it, full of life. The instrument was woven from white, gold, and blue, with tiny points of blue light like stars in the night sky. It was so luxurious and beautiful that it looked more like an expensive work of art than a Martial Soul.

The little old man nodded with a smile. This Martial Soul certainly looked extraordinary, and its quality was undoubtedly high. But it didn't look like an offensive Martial Soul. Could it be a support-type weapon Martial Soul, like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?

"Child, yours is a weapon Martial Soul, though it doesn't look like a weapon. There's a good chance it's a support-type Martial Soul," the little old man explained to the green-haired girl.

"All right, use your mind to put away your Martial Soul, then come test your Soul Power. Without Soul Power, you can't become a Soul Master!"

Cai Wenji only had to think about it, and the Hujia Qin disappeared without a hitch. The little old man, who had been prepared to wait for a while, was a little surprised.

The girl's small, tender hand rested on the pale blue crystal ball. Blue light shone, illuminating the faces around her, until the ball was completely filled.

"Innate Full Soul Power!"

Since many more children were still waiting to awaken their Martial Souls, the little old man was excited to see a genius with Innate Full Soul Power, but he didn't spend too long explaining things to the girl. He simply had her stand behind him by herself, planning to speak with her after the ceremony and, while he was at it, talk with her parents.

Yao, who was behind her in line, walked into the formation. Her pair of deer antlers and smooth silver hair made her stand out even more.

When the light faded, the girl opened her hand, and a small, exquisite deer appeared there. Clouds of mist swirled around it. Its coat was pure white, flawless, sacred, and beautiful. Pure white flowers bloomed from its antlers, and it looked like no ordinary creature.

Another high-quality Martial Soul—and she seemed to know the girl who had just gone before her. Could they be from some great clan? But he'd never heard of any sect or family whose Martial Souls were a deer and a qin! The little old man was both surprised and puzzled.

Two high-quality Martial Souls had appeared out of nowhere, and the two children had arrived together. It was hard not to be suspicious.

After all, the little old man had been in charge of Martial Soul awakenings here for decades. Ordinary commoners awakened Martial Souls like their parents unless they had a Mutated Martial Soul, and their Soul Power was always below Level 3.

Two children with such extraordinary-looking Martial Souls had suddenly appeared. Either their Martial Souls had mutated, or their parents weren't their biological parents.

He thought it over, then patiently explained, "Your Martial Soul is a deer, a Beast Martial Soul. In the future, you can develop as either a Power Attack System or an agility-based Soul Master. All right, put away your Martial Soul and test your Innate Soul Power."

Just like Cai Wenji, Yao put away her Martial Soul neatly and held out her small hand toward the crystal ball. It blazed with light. "Innate Full Soul Power!"

The little old man stared in shock at the crystal ball. How rare were geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power? How could two of them appear in a row—and both awaken their Martial Souls here?

At the same time, the little old man grew even more convinced that the girls came from some great power.

Only after the Martial Soul awakening ceremony was completely over did the Spirit Hall staff finish recording the children's information and open the hall doors.

The children's parents had been waiting anxiously for ages. As soon as the doors opened, they surged inside to find their children and ask about the results. Parents whose children had Soul Power took them to collect certificates from Spirit Hall and left happily. Those whose children hadn't awakened Soul Power could only leave in disappointment with their children in tow.

Cai Wenji and Yao took the opportunity to slip away with the crowd.

This made the little old man from Spirit Hall even more certain that the girls came from a great power. He wrote up a report and submitted it, detailing the two girls' circumstances.

Chapter 9: Tang San and Kai

South of Nuoding City in Fasinuo Province, Heaven Dou Empire, lay Holy Soul Village.

Everyone in the village was especially excited that day. Those with children had gotten up early and sent them to eat breakfast before hurrying them to the locked wooden building in the center of the village—the Spirit Hall Branch.

Today was the day a Soul Master came to the village to awaken the children's Martial Souls. Anyone with common sense knew how important it was.

But Old Jack, unlike in previous years, hadn't been waiting at the entrance from early morning. Quite some time passed before the villagers saw him approaching with two children. One had neat, plain black hair and was the lazybones's child from the village: Tang San. The other had shoulder-length silver hair and an exceptionally refined face. He was the child Old Li had adopted: Kai.

Tang San's father was a blacksmith. Though blacksmithing was a lowly profession, it was still an easy enough way to support a family. Unfortunately, his father was lazy and unambitious. He was the only blacksmith in the village, yet he was always drinking and rarely agreed to make anything for the villagers. He was cold and aloof, and didn't talk to anyone. Tang San had to take care of himself from a young age, so the villagers felt sorry for the boy.

Kai was an abandoned orphan. Old Li was all alone and terribly lonely, so when he saw the child, he decided to raise him as his own. Unfortunately, Old Li was in poor health. In recent years, he had become so unsteady that he could barely walk, let alone look after a child.

So both children had been left without proper care, and Old Jack had to visit and help them.

Tang San and Kai were the last children to arrive.

The other children didn't speak to them, and the two boys weren't particularly close either. Tang San was either practicing his techniques or doing chores. As a mentally mature adult, he didn't want to spend time with these childish kids. Kai was even busier, hunting to feed his family and looking after his grandfather. Any spare time he had went to cultivation. The two boys only ever nodded to each other when they happened to meet.

In truth, Tang San was extremely curious about this child named Kai. He believed Kai was hiding something. He became even more certain when he heard that Old Li had adopted him. Tang San had seen the traps Kai used to catch prey. They were ingenious and well concealed. Catching small animals with them wasn't hard, but there had never been a professional hunter in the village. The villagers went up the mountain and caught animals in the most straightforward way. Nobody knew how to make traps like those. How did Kai know how? Had someone secretly taught him? Or was it like Tang San himself...

Tang San had tried following Kai, but he had been caught several times and could only give up.

His instincts told him Kai was no ordinary child.

The Martial Soul awakening ceremony began.

Kai and Tang San were the last two children to undergo their awakenings, one after the other.

Su Yuntao cast a regretful glance at Tang San. Innate Full Soul Power! What a pity that his Martial Soul was the Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass. It was a real shame.

Then he turned his gaze to the last child.