Ning Rongrong pursed her lips.
"I don't think you look like anything special. You seem pretty ordinary to me."
Though she was young, her tone carried the distinctive haughtiness of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's little princess.
Lin Yuan lowered his head and looked at the little girl before him, who didn't even reach his chest.
Seeing her looking so high and mighty, Lin Yuan wasn't angry. Instead, he found it a little amusing.
He reached out and pinched Ning Rongrong's cheek.
Her skin felt soft and smooth beneath his fingertips.
Lin Yuan gave her a gentle pinch and smiled.
"So soft."
"And pretty cute, too."
With that, Lin Yuan let go.
Ning Rongrong froze.
She stared wide-eyed, rooted to the spot.
Ever since she was little, everyone in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had treated her like a treasure, afraid she might fall if they held her in their hands or melt if they kept her in their mouths.
Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa doted on her most of all.
No one had ever dared do this to her before—actually reach out and pinch her cheek!
When she came to her senses, Ning Rongrong's little face flushed red.
She was just about to fly into a rage and loudly demand to know who this ignorant brat thought he was.
But Lin Yuan had already turned away. Without so much as another glance at her, he headed straight for the line of children waiting to awaken their Martial Souls.
That left Ning Rongrong with nowhere to vent her anger.
"You!"
Ning Rongrong stamped her foot in fury.
"Stop right there!"
She was about to chase after him, but Sword Douluo Chen Xin came over and scooped her up.
"Rongrong, don't make a scene. The ceremony is about to begin."
Though Chen Xin spoke gently, his gaze lingered thoughtfully on Lin Yuan's retreating figure.
A deep, steady toll of the bell rang out.
Wearing a brilliant golden robe befitting his status as Pope, Qian Xunji slowly emerged from the shadows and ascended the platform.
The moment he appeared, the noise in the hall died away.
Qian Xunji looked around the room, his gaze pausing briefly on Bibi Dong and Lin Yuan.
Then he cleared his throat and announced in a ringing voice,
"The Spirit Hall awakening ceremony begins now."
"All children who have turned six, line up and come forward in the order listed."
At Qian Xunji's command, the Red Cardinal beside him immediately took out a register and began calling the names.
In the center of the hall, the six-year-old children stood nervously in their places.
Yet as one name after another was called, Lin Yuan remained where he was.
Bibi Dong's expression gradually grew grave.
Only at the very end did the Red Cardinal call Lin Yuan's name.
According to the order they'd arranged, Lin Yuan had somehow been placed last.
This was clearly out of the ordinary.
Given how highly Bibi Dong regarded Lin Yuan, there was no way she would have let him go last.
Clearly, Qian Xunji had abused his authority as Pope to arrange this deliberately.
A secret smile appeared at the corner of Qian Xunji's mouth atop the platform.
He meant to let everyone watch the other children awaken excellent Martial Souls first.
He would raise the guests' expectations as high as possible.
Then he would have Lin Yuan go last and fail in front of everyone.
He would make this little nobody, whom Bibi Dong had pinned so much hope on, the biggest laughingstock in the hall.
That way, he could humiliate Bibi Dong and crush her pride.
The awakening formation activated.
Light from a six-pointed star blazed in the center of the hall.
The first child stepped into the formation.
Standing at the edge of the platform and looking down from above, Qian Xunji extended his right hand.
He spared no effort in channeling the Angel Divine Power inside him.
Brilliant golden light streamed from his palm, transforming into specks of starlight as he bestowed what was supposedly a blessing.
Under the shroud of this sacred power, the first child began to glow all over.
"Martial Soul: Raging Giant Bear."
"Innate Soul Power: Level Seven."
The Red Cardinal loudly announced the result.
Gasps of amazement rose from the crowd.
Then came the second child, followed by the third.
With Qian Xunji's Angel Divine Power blessing them, Spirit Hall's children truly awakened quite impressive Martial Souls.
Their Innate Soul Power was almost always above Level Five, and one genius even had Level Eight Innate Soul Power.
Yu Luomian, seated among the guests, couldn't help sighing.
"Spirit Hall's foundations are truly unfathomable."
"These children are all exceptionally gifted. With talent like theirs, any sect would raise them as core disciples."
Prince Xue Xing of the Heaven Dou Empire was also secretly astonished.
Watching the children awaken powerful Martial Souls, he wondered how the empire might guard against Spirit Hall's expansion in the future.
Prince Dai Weisi of the Star Luo Empire, meanwhile, wore a dark expression.
He'd thought the Star Luo Imperial Family's talent was already exceptional, but now he saw that Spirit Hall's younger generation was overflowing with talent.
Hearing the various powers below marvel in admiration, Qian Xunji was quite pleased.
He was satisfied with the effect he'd created.
The groundwork had been laid perfectly.
Time passed, and at last, every child ahead of Lin Yuan had completed their awakening.
All eyes in the hall instantly converged on the one child who had yet to enter the formation.
Lin Yuan.
Everyone present knew that the true highlight of the day was this child.
"Next."
The Red Cardinal looked toward Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan stepped forward and walked calmly into the center of the awakening formation.
Qian Renxue clenched her fists beneath the platform, her gaze fixed on him.
Bibi Dong drew a deep breath. Her breathtaking face showed a trace of nervousness, but anticipation shone through more strongly.
At last, it was Lin Yuan's turn.
Qian Xunji walked forward with a false air of sincerity and stood at the edge of the platform nearest to Lin Yuan.
Looking down at him, he wore a warm smile.
"Good child."
"Let this Pope see what sort of surprise you can bring us."
As soon as he finished speaking, Qian Xunji raised his right hand again.
He was about to bestow a blessing on Lin Yuan.
However, the instant golden Angel Divine Power burst from his palm, the smile on Qian Xunji's face vanished.
He secretly pushed all his Angel Divine Power into motion.
On the surface, this power appeared unspeakably sacred, blazing with light.
In truth, Qian Xunji had long since altered the course of the divine power within him.
What he unleashed wasn't a blessing at all.
It was an extremely domineering suppressive force.
Like an invisible mountain, this power tried to force its way into Lin Yuan's body, block his meridians, and diminish the quality of his Martial Soul.
Golden light poured down like a waterfall, enveloping Lin Yuan from head to toe.
The instant the golden light touched his body,
Lin Yuan's body stiffened.
He instantly sensed an unfamiliar, foreign power bursting into his body with intense hostility.
This power was highly destructive, rampaging through every limb and bone.
It tried to completely crush the power of the Martial Soul that was taking shape within him.
Lin Yuan frowned.
What a move, Qian Xunji—striking in secret right in front of all these people.
But for all his careful calculations, Qian Xunji had overlooked one fatal detail.
Over the past few years, Lin Yuan had made use of Spirit Hall's abundant resources, and Bibi Dong had personally instructed him.
The bloodline within his body had long since reached an absolutely terrifying threshold.
The instant this domineering Angel suppressive force invaded him,
it was like a bucket of cold water thrown into a boiling pot of oil.
The Nine-Nether Ao Bloodline that had lain dormant inside Lin Yuan was instantly enraged by the foreign divine power.
The Nine Nether Beast represented the ultimate in destruction and slaughter—a primordial Ferocious Beast.
How could it allow this mere birdman's divine power to run wild on its turf?!
Before you continue