"Brother Luo, you've finally arrived! It's getting late, let's set off now!" Su Yuntao greeted him with a smile as he quickly stepped forward.
This time, he went to the countryside to awaken the martial spirits of the children. He had to visit more than a dozen villages. The route had been planned in advance, in order from near to far. He had to visit six villages in one morning, and Holy Soul Village was right in the middle.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Brother Su. It took a little longer than usual to pack the medicine kit. I hope it didn't cause any delays?" Luo Can said.
"It's alright, it's alright! Let's set off now, we'll definitely be able to cover the first six villages before noon." Su Yuntao waved his hand dismissively, then turned and led the group toward the main road.
Tang Ya quietly observed Su Yuntao the whole way.
From the very first village, she watched as Su Yuntao expertly took out the Black Stone and Crystal used for awakening, set up the awakening formation, and awakened the martial souls of the eligible children in the village one by one.
Unfortunately, after visiting several villages, the children only awakened martial souls of farming tools like sickles and hoes, or common plants like Blue Silver Grass and morning glories, none of which possessed soul power. However, even when Su Yuntao was very impatient, he would patiently help the children awaken their martial souls as they headed to the next village.
Even Tang Ya felt that all these trips were a waste of time and effort, and not worth it at all.
After holding it in for a long time, she finally couldn't help but lean closer to Su Yuntao and whisper, "Uncle Su Yuntao, is it really worth it to give ordinary people free martial soul awakening services, travel so much, and yet hardly encounter any children with soul power?"
Su Yuntao was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then laughed and said to her as he hurried along, "When I first started in this line of work, I also thought it was meaningless. You could run your legs off and still not meet many talented kids. But, you know, I myself come from a commoner background. If it weren't for the free awakening from the Spirit Hall, I wouldn't even know what my own spirit is, let alone cultivate step by step to become Soul Grandmaster with the monthly Spirit Master Allowance."
He paused, his tone becoming serious. "Although in our area, no more than three children awaken Innate Soul Power each year, if we expand this to the entire Douluo Continent, tens of thousands more Spirit Master could be created every year. Giving every child the opportunity to know if they have the talent to become Spirit Master —that's the significance of free soul awakening."
Tang Ya listened quietly, her clear eyes sparkling.
She recalled a world Ten Thousand Years later, where the Spirit Hall had long since become history, commoner Spirit Master had no way to awaken, and cultivation resources were monopolized by major sects. She recalled the " Sea God " who was praised by countless people... The deliberately beautified image in her heart quietly peeled away a layer of illusory halo, revealing a more complex background beneath.
(If even those who provide the most basic starting point deserve to be remembered... then how should we judge those who have personally cut off the starting point for countless people?) This thought gently crossed her mind.
Meanwhile, in Holy Soul Village.
After finishing his daily, unwavering cultivation, Tang San returned home and first made breakfast for his alcoholic father Tang Hao, before spending the entire morning at the blacksmith's shop forging iron.
Just then, the familiar voice of Village Old Jack came from outside the door. " Little San, Grandpa's here to pick you up. It's time to awaken your martial spirit!"
Tang San turned to look at Tang Hao, who was squatting by the table drinking. Tang Hao didn't even look up, only coldly tossing out a sentence: "Go on, remember to come back and cook lunch."
Tang San responded and then followed Old Jack out of the blacksmith shop, heading towards the Spirit Hall Branch in the center of the village.
This year, eight children in Holy Soul Village are scheduled to awaken their martial souls, and Tang San was the last to arrive.
Most of the children in the village looked down on Tang San, partly because his family was poor, and partly because his father was a notorious drunkard in the village. But Tang San had lived two lives, so he naturally didn't bother to interact with these children. For him, it was better to spend more time cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill and blacksmithing than playing with them. So he didn't even have any playmates around him.
Now, all eight children have arrived and are waiting for the deacon of the Spirit Hall.
They waited for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before four people finally walked slowly towards the end of the path in the distance. They chatted and laughed, and the atmosphere was exceptionally relaxed.
As soon as they entered the village, Old Jack hurried to greet them. Seeing the young man in the Spirit Hall uniform, his face instantly lit up with a smile, and he quickly bowed, saying, " Grandmaster Su Yuntao! You've finally arrived! The children are all waiting for you inside!"
With Luo Can keeping him company and chatting along the way, Su Yuntao was in a good mood. He waved his hand with a smile and said, "No problem, no problem. I'll go in and awaken the children's martial souls right away. But old village chief, I have to tell you in advance that not one of these children may awaken Innate Soul Power. You'd better be prepared."
"We know, we are already extremely grateful to have troubled Grandmaster to make this trip!" Old Jack hurriedly nodded and bowed in response.
Only then did he notice Luo Can and the other two behind Su Yuntao. His smile widened, and he quickly bowed to Luo Can, saying, " Doctor Luo, you've come too!"
"Hmm." Luo Can nodded with a smile, "I just happened to come with Grandmaster Su today. After the children awaken, I can prescribe some blood-nourishing and qi-boosting formulas for them."
"Thank you so much, Doctor Luo!" Old Jack said excitedly, expressing his gratitude repeatedly.
As he spoke, Su Yuntao entered the room and stood in front of the eight children, revealing a gentle smile, "Children, stand in a line. My name is Su Yuntao, I am a deacon of the Spirit Hall, 26th Rank Soul Grandmaster. Next, I will awaken your spirits. Remember, no matter what happens later, don't be afraid."
As he spoke, he expertly took out six round, blue Spirit Stone from his toolbox and arranged them into a standard Hexagram Formation on the ground. He then took out a translucent blue Crystal and placed it aside.
After everything was ready, Su Yuntao gestured for the first child to stand in the center of the formation.
Luo Can, Qian Renxue, and Tang Ya leaned against the wall, watching quietly. Their gazes soon fell on the boy at the very end of the line.
He wore a coarse cloth short jacket, had neat short black hair, and healthy wheat-colored skin.
Although he was only six years old, when Su Yuntao released his martial spirit, all the other children shrank back in fear, their faces filled with tension and panic. Only he showed no fear at all, only a faint curiosity.
"That's Tang San." Tang Ya murmured to herself, her eyes fixed on the legendary young form of the Sea God.
He looked no different from other ordinary rural children, but he possessed a composure completely out of character for his age, and even the soul power within him was worlds apart from that of other children.
With the help of specially made glasses on her nose, Tang Ya could clearly see the soul power level in all the children's bodies.
She visited several villages but never saw a child with soul power. However, Tang San possessed an exceptionally large, balanced, and harmonious soul power, a characteristic unique to those who had cultivated the Mysterious Heaven Skill.
While she was observing, the children in the room had already entered the formation one by one.
The light shone again and again, revealing a sickle, a hoe, a carrot, and Blue Silver Grass. Without exception, none of these martial souls possessed Innate Soul Power.
Su Yuntao was already used to this result, and his face showed no extra expression. He simply called out the name of the next child in an orderly manner.
Soon, only one child remained out of the eight.
" Tang San."
The moment Su Yuntao called out that name, Tang Ya instantly held her breath and quietly turned her glasses up to the maximum power.
Tang San calmly walked to the center of the awakening formation. As Su Yuntao activated his soul power, the six Spirit Stone in the formation lit up at the same time, and a soft golden light instantly rose up, enveloping his entire body.
The next second, a pale blue Blue Silver Grass slowly emerged from the palm of his right hand.
"Sigh, another Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass." Su Yuntao shook his head in disappointment, preparing to pack up his things and head to the next village.