Martial Soul Awakening

Spirit City, Pope Palace.

Housing district for non-senior personnel.

Six-year-old Lin Ye held a long sword and practiced beneath a banyan tree.

Fallen leaves drifted through the air.

He tirelessly trained in swordsmanship.

Beside him, a little girl one year his senior watched him expressionlessly.

Two boys stood behind her.

The girl suddenly said, "Lin Ye, let's dissolve our engagement."

Lin Ye stiffened and lowered his sword. "Why?"

"Do you really want me to tell you the reason? Fine, then I'll tell you."

"I have Innate Soul Power of level nine and a half, along with a top-tier beast martial soul, the Demon Fox. Now, I've even gained His Holiness the Pope's favor. I'll soon become His Holiness the Pope's personal disciple."

"Do you know what that means?"

The girl looked incredibly arrogant, her face resolute.

To completely extinguish any thought Lin Ye might have of honoring their engagement in the future, she continued coldly, "Lin Ye, my future will surely shine brilliantly. I will become a powerful soul master, perhaps even reach the realm of a Titled Douluo!"

"I will rise to heights far beyond your reach. You do not even have the right to stand by my side."

"You..."

"You are no longer worthy of me, so I've decided to dissolve our engagement."

"Is that so?" Lin Ye smiled, feeling relieved as well.

Yet his eyes held an unyielding defiance. "Hu Liena, tomorrow is the day I awaken my martial soul. Are you really in such a hurry?"

"Are you so certain that my future, Lin Ye's future, cannot stand alongside yours—or even surpass it?"

The girl before him was Hu Liena, while the two boys behind her were Xie Yue and Yan.

They were all members of Spirit Hall's future Golden Generation.

Lin Ye and the others were all orphans adopted by the Pope Palace.

There were many orphans like them in the Pope Palace, all descendants of soul masters who had died while serving Spirit Hall.

Before their deaths, Lin Ye's and Hu Liena's parents had arranged a childhood engagement between them.

Yan, standing behind her, sneered disdainfully. "Heh, Lin Ye, going back three generations, the strongest person in your family was only a Soul Saint, and all their martial souls were of middling quality! Ninety percent of martial soul awakenings inherit the father's martial soul."

"The martial soul theory we learned at the academy tells us that martial soul quality is proportional to Innate Soul Power. Ordinary martial souls can hardly possess high Innate Soul Power."

"Even if you get ridiculously lucky, you'll at most have Innate Soul Power of level seven. You want to stand alongside Nana? Are you worthy?"

"What's the point of practicing with that lousy sword all day? No matter how strong your swordsmanship is, your talent is lacking! You'll never be comparable to us!"

"Enough, Yan! You don't need to meddle in my affairs." Hu Liena shot Yan a glance, then said proudly, "Lin Ye, I came here only to notify you, not to discuss this with you."

"I'll be leaving for training soon. I hope that by the time I return, you'll have thought things through. Then perhaps we can still be friends."

All sorts of memories from the past surfaced in his mind.

They had both been children, and Lin Ye could not say that he liked Hu Liena.

Still, they had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, and there was some emotional foundation between them.

But ever since Hu Liena had awakened her martial soul and displayed her powerful talent, Lin Ye had gradually sensed her distance and coldness. In truth, he had long since grown disheartened with her.

"Heh, friends?" Lin Ye laughed freely.

He took out their written marriage contract, tore it apart right in front of Hu Liena without expression, then tossed the pieces to the ground. "There's no need to be friends either! From now on, you'll walk your path, and I'll walk mine."

"There will be no more ties between us!"

"Lin Ye, you!" Hu Liena froze.

She had not expected Lin Ye to be just as resolute. He had torn up the marriage contract without the slightest hesitation.

Had he not even considered trying to keep Hu Liena?

This was completely different from what Hu Liena had imagined. She had thought Lin Ye would cling to her desperately, but he did not.

It made her sense of superiority and pride suddenly seem worthless before Lin Ye.

She felt deeply displeased, along with a trace of loneliness and hurt. "Fine! Don't regret this!"

"My future, Hu Liena's future, will only soar ever higher. Being able to be friends with me is an honor for someone without status or background like you. If you are ever treated unfairly or bullied in the future, don't come looking for me!"

"Hmph! Let's go!"

Hu Liena snorted and turned to leave in a huff.

Lin Ye, meanwhile, resumed swinging the sword in his hand.

As a transmigrator, he actually understood that Yan had been right about one thing.

Martial soul quality was proportional to Innate Soul Power.

Ordinary martial souls could hardly awaken high levels of Innate Soul Power.

Furthermore, descendants usually inherited their parents' martial souls. Unless a martial soul mutated, a person's talent and martial soul were more or less determined from birth.

Both of Lin Ye's deceased parents had possessed martial souls of middling quality.

His father's was the Fire Flame Sword, while his mother's was the Light Sword.

So he knew that his chances of becoming a top genius were low.

Six years... I've finally waited for the day of my martial soul awakening. Tomorrow will be the crucial day that decides my future, but whether my talent is strong or weak, I will definitely embark on the path of a soul master! Lin Ye clenched his fists.

The next day, at nine in the morning.

Inside the Awakening Hall of the Pope Palace.

Dozens of six-year-old children stood in line properly, waiting for their martial souls to awaken.

Lin Ye was also standing in the awakening line.

"Long Aotian, Innate Soul Power level five. Martial soul: Wind Dragon. Next."

"Ye Bufan, Innate Soul Power level six. Martial soul: Ice Blade."

"Chu Tian, Innate Soul Power level four. Martial soul: Demon Wolf."

Those who awakened their martial souls here as a group were generally second-generation soul masters from Spirit Hall's forces, so their talent would not be too poor.

As child after child stepped forward to awaken their martial souls.

It was soon Lin Ye's turn.

"Next, Lin Ye!"

It's finally my turn.

He took a deep breath and stepped onto the awakening platform.

Watching the six Awakening Stones orbit around his body, Lin Ye could not help but grow nervous and uneasy.

He also hoped that he could awaken an awesome martial soul and awesome talent.

A few seconds later.

He felt it.

A force within his body was awakening!

A tiny sword slowly emerged in Lin Ye's palm, wreathed in flames.

Is it my father's Fire Flame Sword, a martial soul of middling quality?

Sure enough, even as a transmigrator, I still can't defy fate and break free from the shackles of bloodline inheritance?

Sigh...

Disappointment flashed through Lin Ye's eyes.

But at that moment.

The sword martial soul in his hand began to radiate an intense golden light. It was the power of the light attribute!

Even the flames suddenly became incomparably powerful and sacred!

Th-This! What's going on!?

My father's Fire Flame Sword only had the fire attribute, and my mother's Light Sword only had the light attribute, yet this sword martial soul in my hand actually possesses both light and fire attributes!

And the strength of those attributes is so domineering!

Lin Ye was stunned. He could no longer contain it.

In an instant, intense light flooded the entire hall!

Flames also erupted from his body in every direction!