Phoenix in the Grass Chicken's Nest

Early the next morning, while the scenery outside the window was still shrouded in mist, the old man's figure appeared outside the courtyard.

Behind him, several thin and frail-looking youths seemed to be following.

The group stood quietly in the middle of the courtyard, seemingly waiting for something.

As they entered the courtyard, Ye Ruilin and the others, who were in the middle of cultivation, immediately opened their eyes.

"Come in."

Old Wu's figure appeared before them in an instant.

This caused the youths hiding behind the old man to widen their eyes in shock.

"Hurry up, be quick, don't keep the lords waiting."

The old man turned his head and urged them.

The youths immediately walked into the house one by one, their small faces filled with nervousness.

"Old Wu, I'll have to trouble you to awaken them."

Ye Ruilin looked at this group of youths, his gaze sweeping back and forth among them.

However, after looking around, he did not find the figure of Ma Hongjun.

For some reason, he subconsciously felt that Ma Hongjun was not among this group of youths.

"Village Chief, are these all the children in the village this year?"

Ye Ruilin asked.

The old village chief, who had been watching nervously from the side, immediately snapped back to reality upon hearing Ye Ruilin's question.

"Ah? Yes..."

The originally certain words stopped instantly on his lips after he scanned the youths.

"Where is that brat Ma Hongjun?"

The old man's brows shot up instantly, his eyes flickering with faint anger.

Upon hearing that familiar name, Ye Ruilin's eyes flashed.

"My lords, please... please allow me to leave for a moment."

The old man lowered his head and spoke nervously.

He was terrified that his words might anger the people before him.

He carefully raised his eyes, his gaze filled with trepidation.

There was no helping it; every child in the village was a hope.

Although Ma Hongjun was an orphan, he was, after all, a child of Ma Village.

With such a heaven-sent opportunity, he naturally did not want the boy to miss it.

If he missed this chance, he didn't know how long he would have to wait for the lords from Martial Soul Hall to come and perform the awakening again.

"It is fine, just go and bring him here."

Ye Ruilin waved his hand.

The old man's eyes were instantly filled with gratitude; he nodded heavily and hurried away.

In a dilapidated thatched cottage on the edge of Ma Village.

A youth in rags was lying on the bed, sleeping soundly.

"You brat, I told you a thousand times last night to come over early today to prepare for the martial soul awakening."

"Everyone else is already there; do you even want to awaken your martial soul or not!"

The old village chief strode into the room and slapped the youth's arm hard.

Having done manual labor for years, the strength in his hand was certainly not small.

The youth opened his eyes instantly, his face contorted in pain.

He had originally wanted to curse back viciously, but upon seeing who it was, he could only lower his head honestly.

"Grandpa Village Chief, even if I go, what will it change?"

"It will just be another disappointment."

The youth curled his lip, his sallow face full of indifference.

"You brat, I have said it before, every child in the village is a hope."

"Your parents died early, and the village raised you this big with a mouthful of rice from this house and a spoonful of porridge from that one."

"Regardless of whether you can awaken a martial soul or not, you must have a path in life."

"Don't worry, if there is no way to become a soul master, I will send you to the city to be an apprentice."

The old village chief sighed.

This child was also pitiful; the village was too poor, and even though he had tried his best to look after him, the boy still grew up sallow and thin.

Ma Hongjun, who originally had no interest, saw his eyes light up the moment he heard the village chief would send him to the city to be an apprentice.

At his age, becoming an apprentice meant no wages, but at least he would be able to eat his fill.

With the village chief's connections, as long as he worked a little harder, he would surely be able to stay on permanently.

Thinking of this, Ma Hongjun nimbly climbed off the bed and immediately went to the side of the old village chief.

"Grandpa Village Chief, let's go."

His impatient demeanor immediately made the old village chief feel a mix of amusement and annoyance.

In the courtyard.

The few youths who had arrived earlier had all finished awakening their martial souls.

Just as the old village chief had said, they had all awakened Grass Chicken martial souls, and the highest Innate Soul Power was only level one.

They were destined to have no way of becoming soul masters.

The expressions on the youths' faces had all turned to disappointment.

Until the village chief returned.

One by one, they looked up.

When the old village chief saw the expressions on the youths' faces, he already understood.

"You all go back now."

He sighed, then spoke.

As the words fell, the youths ran off one by one, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

"My lords, this is the last one in our village."

"I ask that you please take action and help him awaken his martial soul as well."

The old village chief spoke cautiously, his peripheral vision scanning Ye Ruilin and the others.

It seemed that if a look of dissatisfaction appeared on their faces, he would immediately apologize.

"The entire village has Grass Chicken martial souls, and this is the only one left; could there really be any surprises?"

Bone Douluo spoke.

The aura of a powerhouse radiating from him caused the old village chief's back to hunch even further.

"Yes, yes, yes."

The old village chief spoke hurriedly, a flash of disappointment in his eyes, and he prepared to take Ma Hongjun away.

"Wait."

"Since we've already taken action, one more won't hurt."

"Besides, I have a feeling that he might just be the Phoenix that flies out of this Grass Chicken nest."

A smile flashed in Ye Ruilin's eyes.

"What is your name?"

He looked at the thin youth standing behind the old man.

He found it difficult to connect him with Fatty Ma among the Shrek Seven Devils.

Perhaps it was a side effect of the martial soul awakening.

Or perhaps it was Flender's adoption that allowed Ma Hongjun to stop living a wandering life, skipping meals, and naturally becoming more rounded later on.

"Ma Hongjun."

The youth seemed a bit reserved at this moment.

"No need to be nervous."

"Old Wu, help him awaken his martial soul."

Ye Ruilin said with a smile.

Old Wu walked to Ma Hongjun's side and spoke in a low voice.

"Do not resist."

Ma Hongjun nodded and closed his eyes.

In his mind, he was still calculating when it would be best to go and become an apprentice.

"This... is this a Phoenix martial soul?"

A voice of disbelief suddenly exploded in Ma Hongjun's ears.

Bone Douluo looked in disbelief at the phantom of the Phoenix emerging behind the youth.

The Phoenix phantom soared into the sky, its wings spreading ten zhang wide, its body burning with purple-red flames.

The flames traced gorgeous patterns in the air before turning into sparks that scattered and vanished into the atmosphere.

Circling once, the phantom of the Phoenix let out a crisp cry before transforming into a streak of light that surged directly into the body of Ma Hongjun.

"Quick, test his Innate Soul Power."

Bone Douluo spoke, his tone tinged with a hint of urgency.

This was a top-tier beast martial soul!

In terms of its caliber, it was in no way inferior to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!

If such a bloodline could be passed down, another top-tier family would emerge on the Douluo Continent.