Spirit City.
The Martial Soul Hall Orphanage.
A spring afternoon in late spring, with a gentle breeze and bright sunshine.
Towering trees filled the courtyard, their leaves swaying in the breeze.
Today was the day the Martial Soul Hall would awaken martial souls for all the children.
The children who had just turned six gathered together.
They chattered excitedly, discussing the martial souls they might awaken.
They dreamed of awakening powerful martial souls.
They would grow up to be like their parents, become mighty Soul Masters, and serve the Martial Soul Hall.
Amid the noisy crowd, a boy sat quietly in a corner, reading.
His name was Ling Xiao.
He had just turned six that year.
Like every child in the orphanage, he was a registered orphan of the Martial Soul Hall.
Black hair fell over his forehead. His features were handsome and sharp, his nose high, his skin fair, and his eyes deep. He lacked the innocence and restlessness of a child.
He sat there quietly.
He turned the pages without haste.
He seemed to belong to a different world from the noisy children nearby.
"Ling Xiao! Stop reading!"
Huzi, a sturdy-looking boy by the orphanage gate, called out to him, his face alight with excitement.
"The bishop is almost here! The Martial Soul Awakening is about to begin!"
At the sound of his voice, Ling Xiao lifted his head and glanced at the boy.
Then he returned his gaze to the page.
Seeing this, Huzi ran over.
"Did you even hear me?"
"What good does it do to clutch that lousy book all day?"
"If you awaken a Trash Martial Soul, you won't become a Soul Master even if you memorize that book backward!"
The children in the orphanage were used to Ling Xiao's distant, indifferent manner.
In private, they all said he was putting on airs.
In truth, he was a transmigrator.
He had been in this Douluo Continent for six whole years.
From the moment he'd heard the words "Martial Soul Hall" and "Pope" clearly while still in his swaddling clothes,
he'd known that he was in the Douluo World he'd read about in his previous life.
His parents had once been elders of the Martial Soul Hall.
They had died heroically while carrying out a mission for the Martial Soul Hall.
That had made him a specially cared-for orphan of the Martial Soul Hall, raised in this orphanage.
For six years, he hadn't done what other transmigrators did and racked his brain to go to Holy Soul Village and cling to Tang San.
For six years, he had put aside every childish pastime.
Day after day, he had honed his body and nurtured his spiritual power.
All for the Martial Soul Awakening today.
"Silence! The Martial Soul Hall's Red-Robed Bishop has arrived!"
A loud call rang out from the gate.
The noisy courtyard fell silent in an instant.
The children hurried to straighten their clothes and line up properly.
A middle-aged man in a red bishop's robe entered with two Soul Master attendants.
He glanced over the neatly lined-up children, a warm smile on his face.
He was just about to announce the start of the awakening ceremony.
Suddenly, the orderly clang of armor sounded outside the gate.
A golden papal procession approached slowly.
The Red-Robed Bishop's face changed dramatically.
He hurriedly straightened his robe and rushed forward to greet them.
"Your subordinate pays respects to His Holiness the Pope!"
"I was unaware Your Holiness would grace us with your presence. I failed to welcome you, and deserve a thousand deaths!"
The children stared wide-eyed at the figure stepping down from the carriage.
The woman wore a purple-and-gold papal robe, its hem embroidered with intricate golden angel patterns.
A gilded papal crown rested on her head.
Her beauty was peerless, her manner cold and aloof.
Even standing there quietly, she exuded the imposing air of a ruler looking down on all living beings.
She was none other than the current Pope of the Martial Soul Hall, Bibi Dong.
Behind her stood the Saintess, Hu Liena, only ten years old and already lovely.
"There's no need for formalities."
Bibi Dong's voice was cool and even, giving nothing away.
"I'm only here to observe the Martial Soul Awakening today. Follow the original procedure."
She had only recently become Pope, and the mess Qian Xunji had left behind had yet to be fully cleaned up.
The Elder Hall and the Worship Hall were obstructing her at every turn. This was a time when she urgently needed to win people's support and discover new talent.
Her visit to the orphanage today was partly to show the Martial Soul Hall's people that she cared.
She also wanted to see whether she could find a few promising talents.
The Red-Robed Bishop quickly acknowledged her.
He cautiously led Bibi Dong and her party to their seats.
Only then did he return to the awakening platform, pick up the register, and begin calling the children forward by name.
"Wang Hu, step forward!"
"Martial Soul: Mountain Splitting Axe. Innate Soul Power: Level 3. Eligible to study at the Martial Soul Hall Primary Academy."
"Liu Yue, step forward!"
"Martial Soul: Strength Rabbit. Innate Soul Power: Level 5. Eligible to study at the Martial Soul Hall Primary Academy."
One child after another came forward to awaken their martial souls.
Most awakened ordinary tool-type or beast-type martial souls.
Their Innate Soul Power was usually around Levels 3 or 4.
Half an hour passed. The most talented child had awakened the Beast Martial Soul Flame Lion, with Innate Soul Power at Level 7.
The Red-Robed Bishop was still satisfied.
After all, with Level 7 Innate Soul Power and a high-grade Beast Martial Soul, the child could become a Soul Saint with proper training, and might even have a chance to reach Soul Douluo.
Bibi Dong remained calm throughout, though she seemed faintly disappointed.
She herself was a peerless prodigy with Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power.
In her eyes, Level 7 Innate Soul Power hardly counted as genius.
"Teacher, the Flame Lion looks pretty good," Hu Liena said softly to Bibi Dong.
"It's been almost half an hour, but there haven't been any particularly impressive ones."
Bibi Dong's gaze swept over the few children who remained.
Her eyes suddenly settled on the boy at the end of the line.
It was Ling Xiao.
He showed none of the other children's nervousness or unease.
His face remained calm and unruffled.
And with those handsome, extraordinary features, he stood out even in the crowd.
Just then, the Red-Robed Bishop called the last name.
"Ling Xiao, step forward and awaken your martial soul!"
At the sound of his name, Ling Xiao stepped forward.
He approached the awakening formation at an unhurried pace.
Looking at the composed child before him, the Red-Robed Bishop felt a flicker of curiosity.
"Focus. Hold out your right hand, feel the martial soul within you, and summon it."
Ling Xiao closed his eyes and cleared his mind.
His consciousness sank into his Sea of Consciousness.
A towering tree suddenly appeared within it.
Its gnarled trunk twisted like a dragon, and its leaves rustled.
At the same time, the martial soul's name and abilities surfaced in his mind.
Demon Fruit Tree!
Every time the martial soul absorbed a Soul Ring, it would bear a corresponding Demon Fruit.
A Demon Fruit could replace another person's martial soul, making that person a host of the Demon Fruit Tree and placing them under his control.
Dark purple patterns of origin flowed along his meridians.
The next moment,
a dazzling light burst from the palm of Ling Xiao's right hand!
The phantom of a miniature fruit tree slowly unfolded in his palm.
Its branches were lush, and its leaves gleamed like jade.
On the viewing platform, Bibi Dong abruptly rose to her feet.
She could sense that this Plant-type Martial Soul was of extraordinarily high quality!
It was a top-tier Plant-type Martial Soul!
"Quick! Test his Soul Power!"
Bibi Dong's voice held a hint of urgency as she ordered the Red-Robed Bishop.
At her words, the Red-Robed Bishop hurriedly grabbed the Soul Power testing crystal and held it out to Ling Xiao.
"Quick, child! Put your hand on it!"
Ling Xiao opened his eyes.
He extended his left hand and gently placed it on the testing crystal.
In an instant,
brilliant golden light burst from within the crystal!
"Innate Full Soul Power!"
"It's Innate Full Soul Power!"
The Red-Robed Bishop cried out.
The children stared at Ling Xiao, dumbstruck.
Innate Full Soul Power!
A peerless prodigy, seen only once in a hundred years across the entire Douluo Continent!
And one with Innate Full Soul Power paired with a top-tier Plant-type Martial Soul!
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