The plaza of the Martial Soul Orphanage was packed with a sea of children, more than a thousand in all.
Their faces were filled with nervousness and anticipation as they waited for the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony that would decide their fates.
Every year, more than ten thousand people took part in awakenings here. For this reason, Spirit Hall sent dozens of deacons each month.
Twenty were responsible for conducting the awakenings, while the rest maintained order and ensured the ceremony ran smoothly.
"Nana, don't be nervous. You'll definitely do great." Ling Feng patted Hu Liena on the shoulder and reassured her.
Ye Fan leaned against a nearby pillar and said calmly, "It's only an awakening. Just take it in stride. Talent isn't everything."
Yan stood to one side, fists clenched, and encouraged her. "Don't worry, Nana. Even if you awaken an ordinary Martial Soul, we can still grow stronger through hard work! I'm sure I'll awaken a powerful Beast Martial Soul!"
Li Taibai folded his arms and gazed at the awakening ceremony taking place in the distance. Then he suddenly said, "Gold will always shine. There's no use getting worked up."
Hu Liena sniffed and nodded firmly. "Mm! I'll definitely awaken a powerful Martial Soul. I won't let my brothers down!"
More than an hour later, it was finally their group's turn.
"Group forty-three, get ready!" the deacon in charge of calling names shouted.
Hu Liena, Li Taibai, Ling Feng, Ye Fan, Yan, and more than ten other children answered and hurried to the designated area. They lined up, their eyes fixed on the awakening platforms ahead.
The children walked one by one to the Spirit Hall deacons waiting at the heart of the awakening arrays, where they waited for fate's verdict.
As the twenty deacons activated their Soul Power at the same time, twenty awakening arrays lit up all at once.
The runes on the arrays flowed ceaselessly, radiating a strange power that surged into each child's body.
"Martial Soul: hoe! Innate Soul Power: level one!"
"Martial Soul: sickle! Innate Soul Power: level two!"
"Martial Soul: dagger! No Innate Soul Power!"
"Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass! No Innate Soul Power!"
"Martial Soul: wildflower! No Innate Soul Power!"
"Martial Soul: foxtail grass! No Innate Soul Power!"
One verdict after another rang out, most accompanied by disappointment. Even the few children with Soul Power had only low levels of Innate Soul Power, hardly enough to attract much attention. Until—
"Martial Soul: Flame Lord! Innate Soul Power: level eight!"
"Martial Soul: Heavenly Fox! Innate Soul Power: level nine and a half!"
Two cries of surprise rang out almost simultaneously, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
A towering phantom of a blazing giant appeared behind a boy, its imposing aura domineering.
Behind Hu Liena, a fluffy, snow-white Heavenly Fox phantom quietly appeared. Its lively eyes surveyed the surroundings, radiating an innate charm and nobility.
"Whoa—" The plaza erupted.
"Level eight Innate Soul Power! And another at level nine and a half! They're geniuses!"
"A Heavenly Fox Martial Soul! Isn't that a top-tier Martial Soul?"
"This batch of children actually has such incredible talents!"
The orphanage's director was an old man with graying hair. At that moment, his face was flushed with excitement, and his hands trembled slightly.
He gazed at Hu Liena and the boy with the Flame Lord Martial Soul, his cloudy eyes gleaming. "Wonderful! Simply wonderful! Two more exceptionally gifted geniuses!"
"Spirit Hall will surely send us more funds now. At last, the orphanage can expand!"
Hu Liena looked at the Heavenly Fox phantom behind her, her little face brimming with delight. Then she anxiously glanced toward Ling Feng and the others—they were still on the platforms, and nothing had happened yet.
"What's going on with you?" A middle-aged man in a black deacon's uniform frowned as he walked over. He was the leader of this group's awakening ceremony. "Why haven't they awakened their Martial Souls yet?"
The deacon responsible for Ling Feng's awakening wiped the sweat from his forehead and grimaced. "Captain, I don't know! He's almost drained all my Soul Power, but his Martial Soul still hasn't reacted!"
The two deacons handling Ye Fan's awakening chimed in as well. "That's right, Captain. It's the same with this child. He's absorbed a huge amount of our Soul Power, but there's been no reaction at all!"
"This is so strange. I've never seen anything like it!"
The middle-aged captain furrowed his brow even more deeply, a trace of concern flashing in his eyes. Then he said gravely, "What are you waiting for? Go help them!"
He turned and ordered the other deacons, "Split into three groups and channel your Soul Power into these children's awakening arrays!"
Dozens of deacons immediately stepped forward and split into three groups, each channeling Soul Power into the arrays where Ling Feng, Li Taibai, and Ye Fan stood.
Vast amounts of Soul Power poured into the arrays, then flowed through them and into the three boys.
"Roar—!"
"Awooo—!"
Almost at the same time, two deafening beast roars rang out.
Behind Ling Feng, the phantom of a huge White Tiger, over a zhang tall, suddenly appeared. Its snowy-white fur was covered in black stripes, and the character for "king" gleamed on its forehead. Its golden eyes swept across the crowd, radiating the mighty pressure of a Sovereign's Descent.
Behind Ye Fan appeared a creature of strange form. It had the body of a Qilin, covered in fine scales. Its horns resembled a deer's, its head a camel's, its eyes a ghost's, its neck a snake's, its belly a clam's, its scales a fish's, its claws an eagle's, its paws a tiger's, and its ears an ox's. Flames of red and yellow curled around its entire body. It stood just as tall, and its roar carried the force of burning heaven and earth to ash.
The phantoms of the two colossal beasts hovered in midair, staring one another down. Fierce battle intent blazed in their eyes as they roared and vied for dominance.
In an instant, the sky changed. The clear heavens darkened beneath thick clouds, lightning flashed and thunder boomed, and an invisible pressure blanketed the entire orphanage.
Everyone in the plaza felt their chests tighten, as though a boulder were pressing down on them. Even breathing became difficult.
The Soul Masters with Beast Martial Souls trembled, their Soul Power moving sluggishly through their bodies.
"Good! Excellent! Hahaha!" The middle-aged captain was first stunned, then overcome with joy. His face creased with a grin as he rubbed his hands together, too excited to speak coherently.
"Wonderful! Those Martial Souls are clearly extraordinary! They're definitely top-tier Beast Martial Souls! I've got a promotion in the bag! A promotion!"
Hu Liena covered her little mouth, her big eyes wide. "Amazing... What kind of Martial Souls are those? Are they much stronger than my Heavenly Fox?"
The children around them were even more dumbstruck. Many were so frightened their legs gave way, and they collapsed right onto the ground.
The deacons conducting the awakenings had also stopped what they were doing, staring at the strange spectacle in the sky.
Ling Feng and Ye Fan looked up at the Martial Soul phantoms in the air, then exchanged a glance.
Ling Feng's eyes were sharp as blades, while Ye Fan's gaze was deep as the sea. An identical thought flashed through their minds: This child has extraordinary potential. If he can't be made to serve us, he must not be allowed to live!
Just then, a golden figure shot into the sky from the Worship Hall on Worship Mountain, at the heart of Spirit City. He moved as fast as lightning. It was Qian Daoliu.
At almost the same moment, Golden Crocodile Douluo transformed into a streak of light and followed close behind.
In Pope Hall, Bibi Dong was handling official business when she suddenly sensed an unusual aura. She jerked her head up, a flicker of surprise in her eyes, then rose and walked outside.
Seeing the strange spectacle in the distant sky, she moved in a flash and flew straight down the mountain.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei exchanged a glance. Not daring to delay, they immediately sped after her.
On the plaza's platform, Li Taibai looked at Ling Feng and Ye Fan's Martial Soul phantoms, then glanced down at his own empty hands. Anxiously, he said, "What's going on? Where's my Martial Soul?"
"Why hasn't it awakened yet? Could it be that I don't even have the most ordinary Martial Soul?"
[Ding! A large amount of energy has been detected. Conditions for system activation met. System starting...]
Before you continue