Perhaps too many people had awakened at once, for the white-robed young man looked somewhat weak.
Even so, he put on an air of authority and ordered Fang Le to step forward.
Fang Le said nothing, merely stepping nervously into the circle.
Then, as the white-robed young man channeled Soul Power into the formation, Fang Le slowly closed his eyes and began to feel.
He only felt warm all over, as if his entire body were immersed in warm water.
At the same time, a strange energy he had never sensed before seemed to come alive, pulsing through his body.
But as the formation's Soul Power poured into him, that energy seemed to be provoked. It began frantically suppressing and devouring the foreign Soul Power.
The frenzy did not last long.
The energy inside him seemed to have eaten its fill. Then, with a sudden new movement, it burst apart and divided into two streams.
One was like a wild beast breaking free of its reins, rushing out of Fang Le's body. The other became a trickling stream, flowing to every part of his body.
Outside, the white-robed young man watched Fang Le, wrapped in rich golden light and continuously drawing Soul Power from the formation. He was overjoyed.
His theoretical knowledge might be poor, but anyone could tell from the commotion that Fang Le had awakened an extraordinary Martial Soul.
Could he be about to recreate his ancestor's great achievement?
Even if he didn't awaken a god, awakening a Titled Douluo would still make this worthwhile!
That's right. This arrogant young man was a descendant of Blind Douluo.
As for why his Martial Soul hadn't been passed down? Master Su's burning enthusiasm hadn't been passed down either, had it?
The only question was whether his eyesight had been inherited.
Just as the young man was getting excited, a streak of light suddenly shot out of Fang Le's body and plunged into the ground.
Then an invisible field of force spread out from the ground.
Its range was small, only ten meters in every direction.
But as the Domain spread, everyone caught in it suddenly lost their sight. Surrounded by utter darkness, they were seized by waves of terror.
The Domain came and went quickly, though.
The moment his vision returned, Su Haitao turned sharply toward Fang Le, who was still in the midst of awakening his Martial Soul.
From the shadow by his feet, two column-shaped objects covered in blue-green fur suddenly emerged.
Then came a square head, with horns on either side.
Then its body.
It was just as square, but its proportions were severely off, with two stubby legs.
It had no eyes, only two mouths—one on its chest and one on its face.
With its dark green and bone-white coloring, it looked just like a little monster.
But this little fellow looked completely unlike anything that belonged in this world. It wasn't rounded in the slightest.
"An External Beast Martial Soul?! It's ugly-cute."
Su Haitao stared at the Warden, which stood half a person tall beside Fang Le, his expression uncertain.
External Beast Martial Souls were exceedingly rare. Other than Teacher of Gods, the Golden Sacred Dragon, and the Golden Iron Triangle's Horn of Wisdom, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao, none had ever appeared again.
"Hmm... It should have Soul Power. But why hasn't this kid finished awakening yet? Could it be...!"
After observing the Warden for a while, Su Haitao turned to look at Fang Le, who still hadn't emerged from his awakened state. A bold idea suddenly dawned on him.
Twin Martial Souls! The Su family might have awakened another person with Twin Martial Souls!
And the last one had been Sea God Tang San, ten thousand years ago!
If he could only forge a bond with the boy...
As he expected, a moment later Fang Le opened his eyes, and dazzling white light flickered in them.
"Child! Quick! Let's test your Soul Power!"
Before Fang Le could recover from his daze at awakening his Martial Soul, Su Haitao eagerly held out a Soul Power crystal before him.
Still bewildered, Fang Le obeyed Su Haitao and placed his hand on the crystal.
A dazzling light suddenly appeared—no, not at all. The Soul Power crystal only gave off a faint glow.
It was exactly like the light from the Blue Silver Grass that had awakened with half a level of Soul Power.
"Twin Martial Souls with half a level of Soul Power? Could half a level be the limit for an External Beast Martial Soul? This child's finished! What rotten luck!"
Su Haitao's earlier excitement instantly turned to disdain. He packed away the awakening formation and Soul Power crystal, then left without looking back.
Before going, he even spat in Fang Le's direction.
Though the legendary Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang had also possessed only half a level of innate Soul Power, he was a genius of unparalleled wisdom. That was how he had broken through the innate limit and achieved the title of Titled Douluo.
He had even been Sea God's guiding teacher.
How could a country bumpkin from a village like this compare?
What's more, this boy's other Martial Soul was merely an eye that gave off white light, with nothing special about it.
So even though Fang Le had Twin Martial Souls, Su Haitao could still declare that the boy would never break through to Soul Ancestor in his lifetime.
He would never achieve anything great, so there was no reason to befriend him.
After Su Haitao left, the parents who had been hoping their children would awaken Martial Souls gathered around.
Those whose children had awakened Soul Power beamed with joy.
Those who hadn't weren't too upset. After all, Soul Masters were lords above them—how could country bumpkins like them ever become Soul Masters? They hadn't expected much to begin with.
So once it was over, everyone went home.
Only Old Jack and Fang Le, still lost in a daze, remained in the field.
"It's good that you awakened Soul Power and can cultivate, Xiao Le. And you have Twin Martial Souls, too. You're bound to make something of yourself.
"Your grandpa's got a little savings tucked away. I'll send you to the Soul Master Academy in the city when the time comes. You're so diligent, and as long as you work hard at cultivating, I believe you can become a Soul Master."
Seeing Fang Le still deep in thought, Old Jack assumed he was upset because his awakened Martial Souls weren't good. He rubbed the boy's head and comforted him.
"Grandpa, I'm not upset. I'm just shocked. Just you wait! I'll become the strongest Soul Master in the future!"
Fang Le looked up and made a bold declaration in response to the old man's comfort.
"Good! Xiao Le is the best! Let's celebrate your awakening Soul Power! Come on home—Grandpa will stew you a chicken."
That night, Fang Le summoned his Martial Souls.
Looking at the vacant Warden by his feet, he could barely keep from laughing aloud.
By now, he had a pretty good understanding of both his Martial Souls.
His First Martial Soul was a Body Martial Soul: HIM, the Creator of MC. Though it hadn't fully awakened yet, so for now he could only be called Steve.
It hadn't given him an invincible Creative Mode or infinite respawns in Survival Mode, either.
But as long as he kept adding Soul Rings to his First Martial Soul, he believed he'd eventually get Survival Mode—and Creative Mode, too.
Even in its current basic form, it granted him some formidable abilities.
First was the Block Person's powerful physique. Fang Le already felt like he could kill a cow with three punches.
Then there was his health bar. Just like in a game, as long as his health bar wasn't completely depleted, he was one tough little cockroach who just wouldn't die.
Eating food could also speed up his recovery, making it a god-tier ability for staying alive and training.
And as a god-tier Martial Soul, it even came with a Domain skill: the MC Domain.
Its range was ten meters in every direction, and it would grow as his level increased.
It weakened enemies of his rank or below by ten percent.
That effect increased by one percent with each level he gained.
By the time Fang Le became a Titled Douluo, the weakening would reach one hundred percent.
It was a god-tier skill for clearing out weak enemies.
His Second Martial Soul was an External Beast Martial Soul: the Warden.
It was a pure stat monster. Its strength grew with his level, and in the early stages, it would absolutely be stronger than his Body Martial Soul.
It might be tiny now, but it should be able to take on a level-20 Soul Master.
It also had its own Domain.
The Silence Domain.
Its range was ten meters in every direction, and it grew as his level increased.
It affected the senses of anyone inside, leaving them unable to see or hear. And the effects didn't depend on the target's level.
Even a Titled Douluo would be rendered blind.
It was a god-tier skill for ambushes.
One month later.
"Grandpa, you don't need to come with me. I'm a big kid now, and the road's not easy to travel.
"I've been to Nuoding Academy before, haven't I? I won't get lost. Besides, Uncle Erniu will be with me, so it'll be fine.
"You just stay in the village and take care of yourself. Once I've made a name for myself, I'll come back and give you a good life!
"It's getting late, and Uncle Erniu's waiting. You should head home now!"
At the entrance to God Soul Village, Old Jack stood watching his grandson disappear into the distance on the ox cart, rooted to the spot.
He knew Xiao Le was a boy destined for great things! This little place would only hold him back! His stage belonged in a much wider world.
But this old geezer had grown used to God Soul Village and couldn't leave it.
So he'd wait here, slowly and patiently! Wait for his grandson to make his name across the land, and wait for him to return!
He'd guard this one last refuge, so the boy would still have a home to come back to.
Before you continue