The Holy Maiden of the Martial Soul Hall

Clop-clop-clop-clop, clop-clop-clop-clop.

The carriage rattled away from Holy Soul Village, and Village Chief Jack hobbled back home on his cane.

Inside the carriage, over a dozen children were packed together, and Su Yan was no exception.

The journey was still long, so he closed his eyes to rest, surrounded by the noisy clamor of excited kids.

"Boss Su!" The little girl finally squeezed her way to Su Yan's side.

Su Yan's eyes lit up as he made room for her to sit. "Pan, how come you're here?"

"Grandpa Jack said the Martial Soul Hall can take care of me." The little girl seemed a bit nervous, her fingers tightly clutching Su Yan's sleeve.

Su Yan understood. He remembered half a year ago, when Grandpa Jack led a group up the mountain to search for her parents, who had vanished without a trace, their fate unknown.

He knew all too well what it felt like to lose family, and he hugged the little girl protectively.

"None of us have soul power, so what are we going to the Martial Soul Hall for?" One of the kids muttered a question.

"Probably to farm. My dad said we'll still be farming over there, so the Lord Soul Masters can eat their fill."

"I know, I know!" The round-faced boy with a runny nose chimed in. "My sister went a few years ago. They study soul master theory there, and they're going to be teachers in the future. She said more than half the deacons in the Martial Soul Hall have no soul power, and there's even an elder!"

"Is there anyone here who can become a soul master?"

Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads. Then the round-faced boy grinned. "Heh, only our Boss Tang is going to be a soul master. Innate soul power, level 9!"

One sentence stirred up a thousand waves.

"Wow, a real soul master!"

"Our village chief said we'd be lucky if we had level 1 or 2 soul power."

"And Boss Tang, level 9! That's... that's... that's a whole lot of luck!"

The other kids all crowded around Boss Tang, peppering him with questions.

Su Yan lifted his gaze and happened to meet Boss Tang's eyes. Those indifferent eyes were brimming with pride.

Innate soul power at level 9 was already a rarity, truly something to be proud of.

But Su Yan was more interested in his surname.

Tang. The Tang of the Clear Sky Sect.

"Hmph, what's the big deal? Boss Su has level 8 too!" Pan muttered under her breath, just as she saw Su Yan stretch lazily with a comfortable, carefree look. She suddenly understood.

This was the move—playing the pig to eat the tiger!

Boss Su had once told them the fantastic adventures of Xiao Yan, which heavily featured that very tactic.

Boss Su was pretending to be a fat pig, letting the other brats wear out that tiger surnamed Tang.

Meanwhile, he was resting well in the carriage. With one side waning and the other waxing, he could gain the upper hand in the upcoming soul master test and devour that tiger.

Sigh, brilliant!

Truly worthy of being Boss Su!

Su Yan stretched his legs comfortably. The old carriage was really hard to sit in—he even found himself missing the hard seats of a green train. Turning his head, he saw Pan's face lit up with sudden realization, looking adorably dazed, and he couldn't help but curl his lips in a smile.

Pan leaned close to Su Yan and whispered, "Boss Su, I won't tell anyone!"

"What?" Su Yan asked.

But Pan had already covered her mouth with both hands to show her stance.

She definitely wouldn't tell anyone!

The kids, all around six years old, were bursting with energy. It was their first time traveling far, and they were incredibly excited, chattering noisily the whole way. Before they knew it, half a day had passed, and the carriage stopped in front of a magnificent hall with a gilded plaque reading "Martial Soul Hall."

"Kids, we're here." Su Yuntao lifted the curtain and called out. "This is the Notting City Martial Soul Hall. Don't run off—everyone gather at the entrance."

The dozen or so children lined up, and Su Yuntao split them into two rows. Su Yan and Boss Tang were in one row, the rest in the other.

Su Yuntao addressed the larger row. "In a bit, a handsome big brother will come to pick you up and take you to the Main Martial Soul Hall."

"Ah—we're not staying here?" Pan muttered, her pouted lips showing her displeasure.

"You'll all study and train at the Main Martial Soul Hall. In the future, you can become advisors for branch halls or theory teachers at Soul Master Academies." After saying this, Su Yuntao turned to the two in the back row. "Su Yan, Tang Chi, follow me inside. The rest of you, don't wander off."

Su Yuntao led the way into the hall.

Tang Chi yawned and followed.

Pan watched Su Yan's relaxed demeanor and nodded meaningfully, calling out, "Boss Su, go for it!"

Su Yan waved his hand and walked toward the Martial Soul Hall.

A notice was posted by the hall's door.

Su Yan glanced at it and laughed.

Notice: Do not believe any fraudulent information claiming to improve martial soul quality, raise soul power levels, or guarantee 100% soul power awakening. Please trust the official announcements of the Martial Soul Hall. Do not believe in pies falling from the sky. Protect your hard-earned wallet.

So even on the Douluo Continent, they sold snake oil. Scams and swindles were universal.

But the notice next to it made Su Yan freeze for a long moment.

The Martial Soul Hall announced with joy: Hall Master Yu Xiaogang, at age thirty-five, had broken through to rank ninety, becoming the youngest titled Douluo in history, titled Holy Dragon!

Sigh, Master Yu Xiaogang was terrifyingly formidable.

This Douluo Continent was indeed a little different.

Su Yan walked into the main hall, and from the front counter came a thunderous crash, as if someone was causing a commotion.

A woman in a gold-trimmed armored skirt, her wine-red hair casually coiled atop her head, threw a punch that shattered the front counter into fragments: "I'm so furious! So furious! That Yu Xiaogang wants to take a disciple—why does he have to snatch mine away!"

Behind her, a man of extreme androgynous beauty, dressed in an embroidered yellow robe, held a chrysanthemum between fingers with a raised pinky: "Holy Maiden, please calm your anger. Hall Master is merely eager for talent..."

"Are you saying I teach worse than him?" The woman shot a sharp glare at the man beside her.

"I wouldn't dare. The Holy Maiden naturally teaches excellently as well." The man stiffened his posture and offered a faint smile.

The woman snorted coldly, then urgently asked the front desk, which had lost its seat: "When will the children arrive? How many have soul power this time? Is there anyone with Innate Full Soul Power? Preferably a Twin Martial Soul?"

The androgynous man silently swallowed his saliva.

Twin Martial Souls, Innate Full Soul Power.

The Holy Maiden had probably lost her mind.

In the history of the Douluo Continent, there had only been three recorded instances of Twin Martial Souls.

The third Twin Martial Soul, that little monster with Innate Full Soul Power, had already become a disciple of the Hall Master not long ago.

The woman originally seated at the front counter was pale with fright, her little heart pounding wildly, not daring to say a single word.

Su Yuntao hurried forward, shielding the woman behind him. Fixing his gaze on the woman before him, he dropped to his knees: "Greetings to the Holy Maiden and Elder Ju. I did not know you were gracing us with your presence, and failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive my offense."

The Holy Maiden let out a deep sigh, a trace of melancholy in her eyes: "It's not your fault. Yue Guan, take the children back."

"Yes." Yue Guan bowed slightly, then turned to Su Yuntao. "How many children wish to join the Martial Soul Hall this time?"

"Two children have soul power—one at level 8, the other at level 9. The other fourteen have none."

"Level 8, level 9." The Holy Maiden perked up with some interest, raising her left brow. "Bring them up to see."

"Yes." Su Yuntao bowed again, then stood and called the two children. "Su Yan, Tang Chi, come here. Greet the Holy Maiden and Elder Ju."

Su Yan and the other child obediently performed their greetings.

Though only six years old, Tang Chi was exceptionally sharp and spoke first: "Holy Maiden, Elder Ju, my name is Tang Chi. My Innate Soul Power is level 9, and my martial soul is the Thunderclap Hammer."

The Holy Maiden furrowed her delicate brows, showing slight displeasure: "Another surnamed Tang? Are you a child of the Clear Sky Sect?"

"No, I'm not." Tang Chi refused bluntly.

The Holy Maiden turned her head to look at Su Yan. "And you?"

Su Yan bowed: "Holy Maiden, Elder Ju, my name is Su Yan. My Innate Soul Power is level 8, and my martial soul is the Fire Wolf."

"Fire Wolf, a fire-attribute beast martial soul." A smile curled at the corner of the Holy Maiden's lips.

She raised her hand and pointed at Tang Chi: "Your talent is excellent. If you're willing, I can recommend you to the Main Martial Soul Hall to choose an elder as your master."

"Thank you, Holy Maiden!" Tang Chi grinned and bowed again.

"And you." The Holy Maiden pointed at Su Yan. "Become my disciple!"

Tang Chi's smile froze on his face.

Su Yan was equally stunned. Was this a direct apprenticeship?