You're Making a Fuss Too?

The next second, dazzling blue light burst from the crystal ball, filling it completely. The light from the tenth mark shone so brightly it nearly blinded everyone!

"Innate Full Soul Power! Level ten! It's Innate Full Soul Power!"

Su Yuntao's voice trembled. "Twin Supreme Martial Souls! Innate Full Soul Power! A peerless genius seen once in a thousand years!"

The hall fell utterly silent. The elders who had been whispering moments ago all clamped their mouths shut. The disdain and contempt in their eyes as they looked at Tang San had vanished, replaced by shock, awe, and a hint of disbelief.

A mongrel born of a human and a beast? What a joke!

Twin Supreme Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power—there wasn't a second talent like that anywhere on the entire continent!

No, now there were three.

Bibi Dong, Gui Mengguan, and now Tang San.

They didn't know there would be a fourth and fifth in this era, along with many others who had yet to appear.

Bibi Dong rose slowly and walked over to Tang San. She reached out and stroked his head, pride and warmth filling her eyes. Her voice was gentle, yet carried an unquestionable authority that rang throughout the hall. "My son is a peerless genius. If anyone dares speak ill of him or gossip about him again, they'll be making an enemy of me, Bibi Dong."

She had almost said outright that he was a human, not a Soul Beast or an aberration.

Her words silenced everyone who had still been whispering.

Since he could awaken a Martial Soul, he was different from creatures like the Wolf Bandits.

At the same time, the thought suddenly occurred to them: Should they catch a Wolf Bandit and see whether it could awaken a Martial Soul?

But they still had to remain vigilant. Who knew what might happen in the future?

The words that an aberrant mongrel might have said back then remained vivid in their minds: Why not butcher humans and eat their meat?

After those words were anonymously posted, the entire continent grew even more repulsed by and hostile toward Transformed Soul Beasts and mongrels born of humans and beasts.

At the same time, creatures like the Wolf Bandits became much rarer for a while.

Back to the point: Tang San looked up at Bibi Dong's gentle eyes. Warmth filled his heart, and he gripped her hand tightly, nodding with all his might.

He silently vowed, Mom, I'll never let you down.

Not far away, Gui Mengguan and Qian Gujue watched the scene, their minds exploding with comments.

Holy crap! Twin Martial Souls! Innate Full Soul Power! Blue Silver Emperor plus Clear Sky Hammer! He really is the real Tang San! This setup is maxed out!

I'm dying. Those elders called him a mongrel earlier, and now they've been slapped so hard their faces are swollen!

That's not quite right, though.

Either way, thank goodness he thinks of Spirit Hall as home and Bibi Dong as his mom. He won't end up at war with Spirit Hall like in the original story!

Absolutely! All four of us are in Spirit Hall. We'll form the Spirit Hall F4 and rule the roost!

I'm curious, though. Will Tang San's filial affection become something else in the future? In this timeline, Bibi Dong barely had any dealings with Qian Xunji or Yu Xiaogang. She's also a mature beauty, and Tang San was an orphan who desperately lacked affection before he came here. He's been at Spirit Hall for six years, and Bibi Dong has taken care of him herself...

Ew, you're disgusting.

They couldn't help thinking that way.

That was exactly what had happened in the original story. Tang San could cook for himself at three or four, so Tang Hao dumped all the cooking on him, along with every other household chore. Tang San never complained and continued to accept his irresponsible father.

Now he was being raised by a mature beauty. Even if she was only his adoptive mother in name, there was no guarantee his filial affection wouldn't change in the future.

Don't say I didn't warn you. Given the current situation, there might even be a "Zhen Zhibing" out there. Maybe the two of them really will become Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü.

*...*

The hall was bustling as everyone gathered around Tang San and Gui Mengguan to offer their congratulations. Just then, Oupai, who had been clinging to the edge of the formation to watch, suddenly raised his little hand and piped up, "Elder Su Yuntao! Me too! I want to awaken my Martial Soul!"

The hall fell silent. Everyone turned to look at the little five-year-old.

Guang Ling Douluo immediately stood up, torn between amusement and exasperation. "Oupai! Don't fool around! You're only five. You still have a year before your awakening. Why are you making a fuss too?"

"I'm not fooling around!" Oupai looked up at him earnestly. "Grandpa, I can really feel my Martial Soul! It's inside me. It just needs a chance to come out! I want to awaken it now!"

Everyone exchanged uncertain glances.

For ten thousand years on the Douluo Continent, Martial Souls had always been awakened at age six. Cases of awakening early at five were exceedingly rare, and most ended in failure. Some even risked damaging their foundation.

"The child is too young. Don't take that risk," Golden Crocodile Douluo said with a frown. "He can awaken next year. There's no need to rush this one year."

"I'm not afraid!" Oupai stubbornly lifted his chin, his gaze unwavering. "I can feel it. My Martial Soul is right there! I want to awaken it now! If I fail, I won't regret it!"

While everyone was still arguing, Bibi Dong spoke. She looked at the determination in Oupai's eyes and smiled warmly. "Since the child can sense it himself, he must have an exceptionally high compatibility with his Martial Soul. There's no harm in trying an early awakening. Elder Su Yuntao, sorry for the trouble. Could you test him?"

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly as well. "Indeed. Martial Souls have a spirit of their own. Since the child can sense his, this is fate. Let him try."

With both leaders having spoken, the others said no more.

Guang Ling Douluo was worried, but he couldn't sway his grandson. All he could do was remind him helplessly, "Be careful. If you feel unwell, stop immediately. Understand?"

"Got it, Grandpa!"

Oupai's face instantly lit up. He bounced into the center of the formation and gave Su Yuntao a comically improper salute. "Elder Su Yuntao, sorry for the trouble!"

Su Yuntao looked at the little five-year-old and felt a little uneasy, but he nodded and activated the formation again. The golden barrier lit up once more, enveloping Oupai.

"All right, young master. Clear your mind, take a deep breath, and stretch out your right hand. Feel the power inside you and draw it out!"

Oupai took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Following Su Yuntao's instructions, he focused and sensed the restless power within his body. A moment later, blinding silver light burst from his palm. The phantom of a short crossbow, its body pitch-black and etched with intricate mechanical patterns, slowly appeared. It was small and exquisitely crafted, yet radiated a sharp, piercing force. The faint clicks of its interlocking mechanisms rang clearly through the silent hall.

Su Yuntao stared for a long moment, then leaned closer to examine it. Scratching his head, he spoke uncertainly. "A Tool Martial Soul... I've been overseeing awakenings for years, but this is the first time I've seen a Martial Soul like this!"

This time, Su Yuntao couldn't identify what kind of Martial Soul it was.

At those words, the most shocked person in the room wasn't anyone else. It was Tang San, standing beside Bibi Dong.

His eyes flew wide as he stared at the Godly Zhuge Crossbow in Oupai's palm, a weapon so familiar he could recognize it anywhere. He froze on the spot, his mind going blank.

The Godly Zhuge Crossbow? One of the Tang Sect's core mechanical Hidden Weapons—the Godly Zhuge Crossbow?

This thing... could actually become a Martial Soul?!

He was completely stunned, a thousand thoughts churning wildly through his mind.

If the Godly Zhuge Crossbow could become a Martial Soul, did that mean other mechanical Hidden Weapons from the Tang Sect could become Martial Souls too?

The Pear Blossom Needle in Rainstorm? The Peacock Plume? Even Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus?

Martial Souls were innate, bound to one's soul. If someone was born with Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus as their Martial Soul, wouldn't that mean they could wield one of the Tang Sect's most powerful group-attack Hidden Weapons from birth?!

This completely overturned everything he had understood across both his lives!

The Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons could actually appear on someone from birth in the form of a Martial Soul?!

Not far away, Gui Mengguan and Qian Gujue watched Tang San's dumbfounded expression, their minds once again exploding with comments. They could barely keep from laughing aloud.

I'm dying! Tang San's completely stunned! His signature weapon has become someone else's innate Martial Soul!

Holy crap, a Godly Zhuge Crossbow Martial Soul? The Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons have been welded right onto a Martial Soul! He can power it with Soul Power and won't even have to find materials! That's way too convenient!

*...*