Martial Soul Awakening! Demon Fruit Tree!

Martial Soul City.

Martial Soul Hall Orphanage.

Late spring afternoon, a gentle breeze blowing.

In the courtyard, a towering tree cast dancing shadows of leaves.

Today was the day Martial Soul Hall would conduct the unified Martial Soul awakening for this group of children.

The children in the orphanage who had just turned six gathered together.

Chirping away, they were all discussing their future Martial Souls.

Yearning to awaken powerful Martial Souls.

Hoping to become towering Soul Masters like their fathers and serve Martial Soul Hall.

Amidst the clamor, a young boy sat in a corner, quietly reading a book.

His name was Ling Xiao.

He had just turned six this year.

Like all the children in the orphanage, he was an orphan registered with Martial Soul Hall.

Black hair hung over his forehead; his features were handsome and cold, his nose bridge high, his skin fair, and his eyes deep, lacking the ignorance and restlessness of a child.

He just sat there quietly.

The movement of him turning the pages was unhurried.

It was as if he and the noisy children not far away belonged to two different worlds.

"Ling Xiao! Stop reading!"

At the courtyard gate, the block-headed Huzi shouted at him, his face full of excitement.

"The Bishop is almost here! The Martial Soul awakening is about to begin!"

Hearing this, Ling Xiao raised his head and swept a faint glance at the boy.

Then, he returned his gaze to the book page.

Seeing this, Huzi ran straight over.

"Did you even hear me?"

"What's the use of holding that broken book all day?"

"If you really awaken a trash Martial Soul, even if you can recite that book backward, you still won't become a Soul Master!"

The children in the orphanage had long been accustomed to Ling Xiao's cold and distant demeanor.

In private, they all gossiped that he was just putting on an act.

In truth, he was a transmigrator.

He had been in this Douluo Continent for exactly six years.

From the moment he heard words like "Martial Soul Hall" and "Pope" while still in swaddling clothes.

He knew clearly that the world he was in was the Douluo world he had seen in his previous life.

His parents had been Elders of Martial Soul Hall.

They had sacrificed themselves heroically while carrying out a mission for Martial Soul Hall.

He became an orphan prioritized for support by Martial Soul Hall and was raised in this orphanage.

For six years, he had not racked his brains to go to Holy Soul Village to cling to Tang San's leg like other transmigrators.

For six years, he had forsaken all the playfulness of a child.

Day after day, he honed his physique and nurtured his spiritual power.

All for today's Martial Soul awakening.

"Silence! The Red Bishop of Martial Soul Hall has arrived!"

A loud shout came from the courtyard gate.

The noisy courtyard instantly fell silent.

The children hurriedly straightened their clothes and stood in a neat row.

A middle-aged man dressed in a red bishop's robe walked in, accompanied by two Soul Master attendants.

He swept a glance at the neatly standing children, a gentle smile on his face.

Just as he was about to announce the start of the awakening ceremony.

Outside the courtyard gate, the sound of rhythmic, clanking armor suddenly rang out.

The golden papal procession slowly approached.

The Red Bishop's expression changed drastically.

He hurriedly straightened his robes and stepped forward to meet them.

"Subordinate pays respects to Your Eminence the Pope!"

"Not knowing of Your Eminence's holy arrival, this subordinate failed to welcome you properly; I deserve death!"

The children widened their eyes, watching the figure stepping down from the carriage.

The woman wore a purple-gold papal robe, the hem embroidered with intricate gold-threaded angel patterns.

She wore a gilded papal crown.

Her face was peerless, cold, and aloof.

Just standing there quietly, she carried an inherent pressure of a superior looking down upon all living beings.

She was none other than the current Pope of Martial Soul Hall, Bibi Dong.

Behind her followed the ten-year-old, charmingly beautiful Saintess, Hu Liena.

"No need for formalities."

Bibi Dong's voice was cold and indifferent, devoid of emotion.

"Today is merely to observe the martial soul awakening; proceed according to the original schedule."

She had not long succeeded as Pope, and the mess left behind by Qian Xunji had not yet been fully cleared.

The Elder Hall and the Worship Hall were holding her back at every turn, and it was a time when she urgently needed to win hearts and discover new talents.

Coming to this Orphanage today was both for the benefit of those within Martial Soul Hall to see.

And also to see if she could find a few moldable talents.

The Cardinal hurriedly responded.

He carefully guided Bibi Dong and her party to their seats.

Only then did he return to the awakening platform, pick up the roster, and begin calling names for the martial soul awakening.

"Wang Hu, step forward!"

"Martial Soul, Mountain Splitting Axe, Innate Soul Power level three, eligible to enter the Martial Soul Hall primary academy for study."

"Liu Yue, step forward!"

"Martial Soul, Strength Rabbit, Innate Soul Power level five, eligible to enter the Martial Soul Hall primary academy for study."

One child after another took turns stepping forward to awaken.

Most were ordinary tool martial souls or beast martial souls.

Their Innate Soul Power mostly hovered around levels three or four.

Half an hour passed, and the best talent among them had only awakened the beast martial soul Flame Lion, with Innate Soul Power level seven.

The Cardinal's face remained satisfied.

After all, an Innate Soul Power of level seven, paired with a high-tier beast martial soul, meant that with proper cultivation in the future, there was a high probability of becoming a Soul Saint, or even a chance to challenge the Soul Douluo realm.

Bibi Dong remained indifferent throughout, even faintly revealing a hint of disappointment.

She herself was a peerless prodigy with Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power.

In her eyes, level seven Innate Soul Power really could not be considered a genius.

"Teacher, this Flame Lion looks decent."

Beside her, Hu Liena whispered to Bibi Dong.

"It's been almost half an hour, and it seems there isn't anyone particularly impressive."

Bibi Dong's gaze swept indifferently over the remaining children.

Her sight was suddenly drawn to the boy at the end of the line.

It was Ling Xiao.

He lacked the nervousness and awkwardness of the other children.

His face remained calm and composed throughout.

Coupled with that handsome, refined little face, he stood out at a glance even when mixed in the crowd.

Just then, the Cardinal called out the last name.

"Ling Xiao, step forward to awaken your martial soul!"

Hearing this, Ling Xiao stepped forward.

He was unhurried, walking toward the awakening formation step by step.

The Cardinal looked at this composed child, a sense of curiosity rising in his heart.

"Focus your mind, extend your right hand, feel the martial soul within you, and summon it."

Ling Xiao closed his eyes, casting aside all distracting thoughts.

His mind sank into his sea of consciousness.

Suddenly, a towering giant tree appeared within his sea of consciousness.

The trunk was gnarled like a dragon, its leaves rustling and swaying.

Simultaneously, the name and abilities of the martial soul surfaced in his mind.

Demon Fruit Tree!

For every soul ring the martial soul absorbed, it would bear a corresponding Demon Fruit.

The Demon Fruits could replace another person's martial soul, turning them into a host for the Demon Fruit Tree and placing them under his control.

Dark purple origin patterns flowed along his meridians.

The next moment.

A dazzling light erupted violently from the palm of Ling Xiao's right hand!

The phantom of a miniature fruit tree slowly unfolded in his palm.

It was lush and leafy, its foliage lustrous like jade.

High up on the viewing platform, Bibi Dong stood up abruptly.

She could sense that the quality of this plant-type martial soul was exceptionally high!

It was a top-tier plant-type martial soul!

"Quick! Test his soul power!"

Bibi Dong's voice carried a hint of urgency as she commanded the cardinal.

Upon hearing this, the cardinal hurriedly grabbed the soul power testing crystal and held it out before Ling Xiao.

"Quick! Child, place your hand on it!"

Ling Xiao opened his eyes.

He extended his left hand and pressed it lightly against the testing crystal.

In an instant.

Brilliant golden light erupted violently from within the crystal!

"Innate Full Soul Power!!"

"It's Innate Full Soul Power!!"

The cardinal cried out in disbelief.

The children stared at Ling Xiao, dumbfounded.

Innate Full Soul Power!

A peerless genius, rarely seen in the entire Douluo Continent in a hundred years!

And that was not to mention, this was Innate Full Soul Power paired with a top-tier plant-type martial soul!