Holy Soul Village. Dawn had just broken.
Li Luo lay in bed, still bleary-eyed.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
The wooden door of the little house rattled as someone knocked. An old but powerful voice came from outside.
"Xiao Luo, get up. Today's the day you awaken your Martial Soul. Grandpa's taking you to Spirit Hall."
The speaker was none other than Old Jack, the village chief of Holy Soul Village.
"All right, Grandpa! I'll be ready in a minute!"
Hearing Old Jack call him, Li Luo didn't linger in bed. He washed up quickly, pushed open the door, and went with Old Jack to gather the other children of the right age. Then they led them off to awaken their Martial Souls.
They soon had nearly everyone gathered. After all, the villagers looked forward to Martial Soul Awakening day every year, hoping their children would awaken a decent Martial Soul and Soul Power, and have a chance to become the revered Lord Soul Master.
Of course, there was one exception: the strange blacksmith named Tang Hao, who lived at the eastern end of the village. That left only Tang San missing from the group heading to Spirit Hall.
"Children, wait here and don't wander off. I'm going to get Tang San."
"Xiao Luo, you're the steadiest one here. Keep an eye on the children and make sure they don't run off and get lost."
Old Jack turned to the children behind him and gave them instructions, entrusting this important responsibility to Li Luo.
"All right! (ง •̀_•́)ง"
After Old Jack left, the naturally restless children, just as expected, started acting up. But Li Luo had no trouble keeping them in line.
Things didn't go smoothly for Old Jack. He had to argue with Tang Hao before he could bring Tang San out.
The group made their way to the Spirit Hall at the western end of the village. It wasn't one of those imposing halls with Soul Masters stationed inside, but a simple wooden hut.
The hurried clatter of hooves came from nearby, growing closer. A young man in an attendant's uniform rode up to the group.
He wore a white tunic and a black cloak. On his chest was a fist-sized character, "Soul," and on his left breast was a medal bearing three crossed swords.
He looked to be about twenty-seven, with sharp brows and bright eyes, and a faint air of pride between his brows.
This was Su Yuntao, who had come to Holy Soul Village that day to oversee the children's Martial Soul Awakening.
Su Yuntao dismounted and looked at Old Jack, who had come to greet him.
"Are these the children who'll be awakening their Martial Souls this year?"
"Yes, Grandmaster Su Yuntao. I'm sure this year's batch will have a promising child who can become a Soul Master!"
As Old Jack spoke of the village's children, his hunched back straightened without him realizing it. He couldn't hide the pride on his face.
"Old Jack, you say that every year. Becoming a Soul Master isn't so easy. I've visited so many villages and haven't found a single child with Soul Power."
Su Yuntao couldn't bear to discourage Old Jack, who had devoted himself to the village, but he spoke the truth all the same, dousing his hopes with a bucket of cold water.
"All right, follow me into Spirit Hall. I'll awaken your Martial Souls."
Su Yuntao led the children, including Li Luo and Tang San, into Spirit Hall.
"My name is Su Yuntao. My Martial Soul is the Lone Wolf, and I'm a level twenty-six Soul Grandmaster. Today, I'll be your guide and awaken your Martial Souls."
Su Yuntao introduced himself.
As he spoke, his Soul Rings lit up: one white and one yellow. A wolf's phantom appeared behind him, startling the child standing closest.
"Don't be afraid, kid. This is big brother's Martial Soul, the Lone Wolf."
After soothing the frightened child, Su Yuntao took a crystal ball and six Awakening Stones from his bag and set them neatly on the only table in Spirit Hall.
"Come here, child. Hold out your right hand."
The child who had been called did as he was told, and a handkerchief appeared in his right palm.
Su Yuntao sighed softly. For a child who could become a Soul Master to be born in such a poor, remote place was practically a fantasy.
Still, he followed the usual procedure and had the child place his hand on the crystal ball to test his Innate Soul Power.
"A handkerchief. Trash Martial Soul, no Soul Power."
As expected, the child had no Innate Soul Power.
The same scene played out again and again.
"A hoe. Trash Martial Soul, no Soul Power."
"Blue Silver Grass. Trash Martial Soul, no Soul Power."
Soon it was Tang San's turn. He followed the instructions and held out his right hand. Unlike the children before him, dazzling golden light suddenly burst from his palm.
"Could it be a top-tier Martial Soul?"
Su Yuntao was excited to see such a commotion around Tang San. He thought he'd found a promising candidate to become a Soul Master.
But the next moment, he was dumbfounded. What emerged from Tang San's right hand was an unremarkable little blue plant—the quintessential Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass.
But no one noticed, except Li Luo, that Tang San's lowered left hand was glowing too. A hammer lay in his palm.
"Blue Silver Grass. Trash Martial Soul, no Soul Power."
Su Yuntao had awakened so many Martial Souls that he was already a little exhausted. He didn't even test Tang San's Soul Power before declaring that he had none.
"Big brother, you haven't tested me yet. Why are you saying I have no Soul Power?"
Instead of accepting Su Yuntao's words, Tang San demanded that he test his Soul Power.
"Blue Silver Grass? What Soul Power could it possibly have?"
Though he said that, Su Yuntao still pressed Tang San's small hand against the crystal ball.
In an instant, blue points of light filled the crystal ball.
"Inn... Innate Full Soul Power!"
Su Yuntao's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Innate Full Soul Power! I actually found a child with Innate Full Soul Power!"
Su Yuntao was so excited he could barely contain himself. He nearly danced around, but soon deflated like a leaky balloon and slumped.
"Too bad it's a Trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass."
"Big brother, what is Innate Full Soul Power?"
Tang San was baffled by how Su Yuntao had gone from excitement to dejection, and asked him what it meant.
But Su Yuntao had no time for him just yet, because there was still one child left to awaken a Martial Soul: Li Luo.
"Child, you're Tang San, right? Step aside for now. I'll awaken the last child's Martial Soul first."
Tang San was desperate to find out what Innate Full Soul Power meant, but he knew this wasn't the time, so he stepped aside.
Li Luo stepped forward and held out his right hand.
In an instant, a dazzling array of colors shimmered across his palm.
Seeing a light in Li Luo's hand even more brilliant than Tang San's, Su Yuntao grew excited again. His eyes locked on Li Luo's palm.
"Could this be another child with Innate Full Soul Power? I hope this one doesn't have a Trash Martial Soul."
As Su Yuntao and Li Luo watched, a prism ball appeared in Li Luo's hand.
"What kind of Martial Soul is this? A colorful ball? Could it be another Trash Martial Soul?"
Su Yuntao had never seen a Martial Soul like the one Li Luo had awakened. With Tang San as precedent, he had already decided that Li Luo's Martial Soul was Trash.
"Child, put your hand on the crystal ball and let me test your Innate Soul Power."
Li Luo did as he was told and placed his hand on the crystal ball.
At once, brilliant blue points of light filled the crystal ball again.
"Innate Full Soul Power!"