Lin Yue abruptly lowered her spear and shook out her aching arm. As she read the prompt that had appeared in her mind, her eyes lit up like they were filled with starlight.
Three years—three whole years of repetitive practice, and she'd finally unlocked her character template!
It was the Battle Mage she'd loved most ever since she'd finished reading The King's Avatar in her previous life: Autumn Leaf. And what she'd been most obsessed with wasn't the Myriad Manifestation Umbrella, but the Evil Repeller Battle Spear, which swept across the arena with its razor-sharp edge.
Early the next morning, Lin Yue tucked away the money she had left and skipped off to the Blacksmith Shop at the west end of the village.
The shop door stood wide open. Tang San was crouched on the ground, helping sort the farm tools that had just been forged. His father, Tang Hao, had left early with a jug of wine to wander around, so Tang San was the only one minding the enormous shop.
A brand-new long spear rested securely on a rack in the middle of the Blacksmith Shop. Its Green Vein Steel shaft gleamed with a cold, hard sheen. The spearhead had two razor-sharp edges, and a small barb jutted from the butt. It matched Lin Yue's drawing down to the last detail. Weighing a full hundred pounds, it stood firmly in place, radiating a fierce, cutting edge.
"Tang San! I'm here to pick up my spear!" Lin Yue said with a laugh as she ran inside.
Tang San stood up. Looking at her small frame, he couldn't help warning her, "Lin Yue, this spear weighs a hundred pounds. Be careful. Don't drop it on your foot."
The moment he finished speaking, Lin Yue stepped forward and gripped the shaft with one hand. With a slight effort, she lifted the hundred-pound Green Vein Steel spear, then swung it around in a somewhat clumsy flourish. The shaft still whistled through the air, but she kept it firmly under control. She wasn't even red in the face or out of breath, and her feet didn't budge.
Tang San stared in shock again. The iron in his hand nearly slipped to the ground.
He'd spent the past three days minding the shop, watching his father hammer the spear into shape blow by blow. He knew better than anyone how heavy it was. Even the strongest farmer in the village would have to strain to lift it with one hand, yet Lin Yue, a little girl of six, had picked it up with such ease.
"I told you I was born with extraordinary strength. You didn't believe me."
Lin Yue proudly lifted her chin and set the rest of the payment on the table. She bowed toward the empty back room. "Thank Uncle Tang for me. The spear turned out great—it's exactly what I wanted!"
Tang San hurriedly put the money away and nodded. "I'll tell my dad when he gets back."
Lin Yue chatted with him for a couple more sentences, then slung the spear over her shoulder and skipped away.
Tomorrow was Martial Soul Awakening day. She needed to get more familiar with how the spear felt in her hands, and prepare to welcome her very own Evil Repeller Battle Spear.
In the blink of an eye, the day of Martial Soul Awakening arrived.
At the crack of dawn, Old Jack leaned on his cane and went from house to house, gathering the seven children in the village who had turned six that year. Tang San and Lin Yue were among them.
The children followed Old Jack toward the village's Spirit Hall, chattering excitedly. Their faces were filled with both nerves and anticipation.
It was called a Spirit Hall, but in truth, it was no more than a somewhat larger house.
A young man in a white Deacon's robe was waiting at the door. When he saw them approach, he greeted them with a warm smile. "Are all the children here? I'm Deacon Wang, responsible for this Martial Soul Awakening. I'm from the Nuoding City branch of Spirit Hall."
He paused, then added, "The children will enter the inner room one at a time, in order, to awaken their Martial Souls. Once they're done, they'll wait in the outer room's waiting area until every child has finished. Then we'll all come out together, and I'll explain the results to you. Parents and villagers, please wait outside. Keep quiet so you don't disturb the children."
The villagers of Holy Soul Village quickly agreed, then stood outside respectfully, hardly daring to breathe.
Old Jack reminded each child to behave and not be nervous. He watched them file into the awakening room one by one before stepping outside. With the other villagers, he craned his neck toward the tightly shut door, waiting anxiously.
Inside, Deacon Wang had already activated the awakening array in the inner room. A pale golden light enveloped the entire space.
Following the order, he had the children step one at a time into the center of the array and guided them through awakening and releasing their Martial Souls.
But the results were disappointing.
The first child awakened a sickle Martial Soul, but had not a trace of Soul Power, and went to the side with his head hung low. The second awakened a hoe Martial Soul, also without Soul Power, and joined the others with drooping shoulders. The third, the fourth...
One after another, all six children completed their awakenings. Without exception, their Martial Souls were useless ones, like farm tools or ordinary weeds, and not one of them had any Soul Power.
The children sat in the waiting area, their anticipation gradually giving way to disappointment. Some even pouted and secretly wiped away their tears.
Deacon Wang's smile slowly faded, and he couldn't help sighing.
Holy Soul Village had the word "Soul" in its name, but it had been many years since a child capable of becoming a Soul Master had come from here. Would this year be another wasted effort?
"Next, Tang San."
Deacon Wang pushed down his disappointment and called the name gently.
Tang San took a deep breath, suppressing the nerves roiling inside him, then walked slowly into the center of the array in the inner room.
Following Deacon Wang's instructions, he held out his right hand and closed his eyes, focusing on the familiar, warm presence inside his body.
The next moment, pale blue light shone from his palm, and a slender stalk of Blue Silver Grass slowly appeared. Fine golden patterns wound across its leaves.
As soon as it appeared, the scent of flowers and plants in the room grew several times richer. Clearly, this was worlds apart from the ordinary Blue Silver Grass found everywhere.
"Blue Silver Grass?"
Deacon Wang froze for a moment, then stepped closer to examine it carefully. His eyes instantly lit up. "No, it's not ordinary Blue Silver Grass. There are faint golden patterns on the leaves. It seems to be a beneficial Mutated Martial Soul. You should have Soul Power."
He hurriedly took out a Soul Power crystal ball and held it out to Tang San. "Come, child. Put your hand on it, focus, and channel the energy inside you. Let me see your Soul Power Level."
Tang San reached out and gently placed his small hand on the crystal ball.
The instant his fingertips touched it, dazzling blue light burst from within. Its radiance filled the entire sphere, and the light at the tenth mark blazed so brightly it hurt to look at. The modest awakening room glowed blue from wall to wall.
"Innate Full Soul Power! Level ten! He actually has Innate Full Soul Power!"
Deacon Wang cried out, his face alight with incredulous joy. "A genius with Innate Full Soul Power has appeared in a remote little village—and his Blue Silver Grass is even mutated!"
But Tang San's heart sank. A chill shot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
Blue Silver Grass. Innate Full Soul Power.
He'd heard the adults in the village say it countless times: the wife of Tang Hao, the Human Traitor wanted across the continent six years ago, had been a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Soul Beast.
Normally, Blue Silver Grass had virtually no Soul Power at all. If it had any, it was only one or two levels.
And yet this Blue Silver Grass looked so ordinary, while possessing such terrifying talent. Add in his suspicions, and there was no way not to connect it to that Soul Beast.
Hiss...
I could tell at a glance that I wasn't human?
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