Awakening Martial Souls

After circulating his inner energy through one cycle, Tang San was astonished to discover that its speed was thirty percent faster than usual!

"This is... a sign of the first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill!?"

Tang San gritted his teeth and, ignoring the intense pain wracking his body, pushed the Mysterious Heaven Skill to its limit.

After an unknown number of cycles, a bang sounded from within his body, as though something had shattered.

After exhaling a mouthful of stale air, Tang San slowly opened his eyes.

The swelling in his eyelids had mostly subsided, and his vision was far clearer than before.

He lowered his head and looked at his hands.

The bruises that had once been mottled blue and purple had now faded to a light brownish yellow. His recovery was much faster than before.

"The first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill... Initial Mysterious Body. Enhanced recovery ability."

Tang San murmured softly, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

He had never expected that the first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, which he had been unable to break through despite years of arduous cultivation, would be broken through after another beating.

As for why it was another beating—

Over the years, whenever he encountered a bottleneck in cultivation, Jiang Chen would suddenly appear and, under the pretense of sparring, beat him up mercilessly.

Though the process was painful, Tang San had discovered that every time he was beaten, his previously stagnant cultivation would begin to loosen.

A breakthrough would then come naturally!

"Could Brother Chen really have been helping me?"

Thinking back on everything that had happened over the years, Tang San felt conflicted.

Once or twice could have been a coincidence, but could it really be coincidence after so many times?

"Forget it. I'll ask Brother Chen about it later."

Tang San shook his head, pushed himself to his feet on legs that were still a little weak, and slowly made his way down the mountain.

He still had to hurry home and cook for his father. If he was late, he would get cursed out again.

Holy Soul Village.

Jiang Chen had already returned home and was eating breakfast when a notification suddenly sounded beside his ear.

[ Ding! Detected Tang San's breakthrough to the first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill! ]

[ Triple Return activated. First level of the Creation Green Lotus Art—Green Lotus Birth—enabled! ]

Immediately afterward, a gentle force surged from deep within his dantian and swiftly spread through his limbs and bones.

"Tang San broke through again?"

Feeling the newfound power within his body, Jiang Chen was delighted, but he was once again struck by the terrifying nature of a Child of Destiny.

Last time, Tang San's Purple Demon Eyes had broken through after Jiang Chen gave him a beating. This time, it was the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Had Tang San awakened some kind of system that made him stronger whenever he got beaten?

Or was Tang San actually a maso—

Jiang Chen shook his head, clearing away the distracting thoughts in his mind before turning his attention to the cultivation art he had just broken through.

[ Green Lotus Birth: Grants Innate Full Soul Power. Total Soul Power is tripled, recovery speed increases by thirty percent, and the meridians can withstand the impact of a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. (Unlocked after awakening a Martial Soul) ]

"Hiss... As expected of a cultivation art three times stronger than the Mysterious Heaven Skill. It really is terrifying!"

Just as Jiang Chen marveled at the power of the Creation Green Lotus Art, rustling sounds came from the inner room.

Old Jack, draped in an old coat, slowly emerged from his room, leaning on a wooden cane polished bright from use.

"Little Chen, you're up so early." Old Jack yawned, clearly unused to waking up this early.

Jiang Chen swallowed the last bite of his bun and asked curiously, "Grandpa Jack, why are you up so early today?"

"You think I want to be?"

Grandpa Jack said irritably, "I need to go see Tang San. Today is the day for Martial Soul awakening. His drunkard of a father has never been reliable, so I need to make sure that child gets to the village gathering on time. It wouldn't be good if we delayed the Spirit Hall official."

Thinking of Tang Hao's slovenly, dejected appearance, Jiang Chen gave an awkward laugh. "He really does need reminding. That drunkard has never been reliable."

"Sigh, poor Tang San. To end up with a father like that, all day long without even a..."

At the mention of Tang Hao, it was as if Grandpa Jack had flipped a switch, and complaint after complaint came pouring out.

Jiang Chen listened quietly, barely able to suppress the smile tugging at his lips.

For a dignified Title Douluo to end up like this, Tang Hao was really something else.

No matter how much someone hated Tang San, seeing the kind of father he had while growing up would make them let go of at least some of that resentment.

"It's getting late. I should be going. Little Chen, remember to gather in the center of the village later."

After venting for a while, Old Jack felt much better. He gave a few simple instructions before rushing out the door.

Not long afterward, Old Jack led Tang San into the house.

Jiang Chen looked up and saw that Tang San had changed into a somewhat neater set of coarse linen clothes, while the bruises on his face had faded considerably.

"Tang San, you're still growing. How can you live on plain porridge every day? Tang Hao really is unbelievable."

As Old Jack spoke, he ladled a bowl of meat porridge from the kitchen and handed it to Tang San.

Looking at the meat porridge before him, still steaming gently, Tang San instinctively swallowed, yet he did not reach out to take it.

"Eat. I can't finish it all by myself." Jiang Chen's voice drifted over. He gathered the bowls and chopsticks from the table, then turned and left.

Watching Jiang Chen's retreating back, a flicker of gratitude passed through Tang San's eyes. He no longer hesitated, took the bowl, and began wolfing it down.

He had just broken through the first level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, so he needed nourishment badly. The plain porridge at home could not support his consumption at all.

"Slow down. No one's going to steal it from you."

Seeing Tang San eat as though he had been reincarnated from a starving ghost, Old Jack sighed, and his opinion of Tang Hao worsened even further.

At noon, Spirit Hall Branch, Holy Soul Village.

In truth, it was nothing more than a rundown little wooden shack.

Since Holy Soul Village had not produced a Soul Master for many years, the branch had received little attention. Other than the annual awakening ceremony, hardly anyone cared about it.

At that moment, a handsome young man with sword-like brows and bright eyes stood in the center of the wooden shack. A longsword badge was pinned to his left chest.

It was none other than the famed "Newbie Village Guide" and "Simp Soul Master," Su Yuntao.

"Is your village chief here yet? I don't have much time." Su Yuntao asked impatiently.

He was in a terrible mood. He had visited six villages that morning and had not encountered a single child with Soul Power.

If not for meeting his task quota, he would not even have come to Holy Soul Village.

"Lord Soul Master, Village Chief Jack is already on his way," the villagers below replied hurriedly and respectfully.

As they spoke, Old Jack led Tang San and Jiang Chen into the wooden shack.

"Honorable Battle Soul Master, we'll be troubling you this time."

The moment Old Jack entered, he respectfully bowed to Su Yuntao. Then he instructed the children beside him, "Children, this is a Battle Soul Master from Notting City. He will awaken your Martial Souls shortly, so cooperate properly."

"Grandpa hopes that one of you can become the next Lord Soul Saint."

Su Yuntao waved his hand impatiently. "All right, all right. Now that everyone is here, let's get started."

"Scythe. No Soul Power. Next."

"Wooden stick. No Soul Power. Next."

"Blue Silver Grass. Useless Martial Soul. No Soul Power. Next."

Seven children awakened in succession. Even the ones said to possess Beast Martial Souls had not produced a single person with Soul Power.

After repeatedly using his Soul Power, Su Yuntao was somewhat tired, but he still forced himself to help the eighth child awaken.

"You two, who's going first?"