At daybreak, the thin mist had yet to lift.
The imperial city's bells rang out across the palace grounds as one luxurious Soul Tool carriage after another slowly rolled in through the palace gates.
The Empire's ministers, senior members of the imperial clan, and direct descendants of the great noble families entered the palace in turn, surrounded by maids and guards, and made their way toward Imperial Zenith Hall, where the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony was to be held that day.
Today was a major occasion for the entire upper echelon of the Sun Moon Empire.
These children represented the Empire's inheritance, prosperity, and decline for decades to come.
Inside Imperial Zenith Hall.
The old emperor was already seated upon the dragon throne.
At his side, Xu Tianran, Xu Tianyuan, and the other princes and princesses stood in rows to either side.
As the assembled officials entered the hall, one figure after another knelt in unison.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long, long live the Emperor!"
Their voices thundered through the great hall like a surging sea. Once the ceremony was over, Jing Hongchen stepped out from the ranks and bowed to the old emperor on the dragon throne.
"Your Majesty, everything required for the awakening ceremony has been prepared."
"May we begin?"
The old emperor nodded slightly. "Children are the foundation of the Empire and the hope of its future."
"Hongchen, I leave this matter to you."
Jing Hongchen placed one hand over his chest.
"This subject obeys."
With that, he raised a hand and gestured. Several court Soul Engineers carried two exquisitely crafted Soul Tools into the hall.
One was a hexagonal platform, its entire surface engraved with countless intricate Core Arrays.
It was the Empire's most advanced Martial Soul Awakening device.
Compared with traditional methods, it could stimulate bloodline potential more reliably, and even slightly amplify certain powerful bloodlines, greatly improving the odds of awakening a top-tier Martial Soul.
The other was a silver-white crystal nearly half a person's height.
It was a Soul Power detector, far more precise than an ordinary testing crystal.
As the devices powered on, pale blue light gradually glowed.
The entire Imperial Zenith Hall slowly fell silent.
Everyone's gaze focused on the center of the Awakening Platform.
There were not many children participating in the ceremony.
Five were members of the imperial clan, and around fifteen were children of court officials and top nobles.
The first to be tested were the descendants of the officials and nobles.
"Fire Falcon, high-tier Beast Martial Soul."
"Innate Soul Power, rank seven."
As soon as Jing Hongchen's voice fell, waves of praise rose through the hall.
A high-tier Beast Martial Soul combined with rank-seven Soul Power was already an excellent talent. With enough effort, becoming a Soul Douluo would be no problem.
Next came, "Starlight Rose, high-tier Plant-type Martial Soul."
"Innate Soul Power, rank seven."
"Blazing War Hawk, top-tier Beast Martial Soul."
"Innate Soul Power, rank nine!"
When the final result was announced, even many of the officials looked envious.
Rank-nine Innate Soul Power meant one had the potential to become a Titled Douluo or a Level-9 Soul Engineer.
As expected of a descendant of the family commanding the Soul Engineer Legion. Their legacy was in good hands.
Standing among the crowd, Xu Tianyao couldn't help but marvel to himself.
As expected of the Sun Moon Empire's highest circles.
Talents rarely seen in the outside world appeared one after another here.
In fact, he still hadn't seen a single person with Innate Soul Power below rank seven.
Soon, it was the imperial clan's turn.
Three members of the clan completed their awakenings in succession.
One inherited the maternal-line Martial Soul, Bauhinia Rose, with rank-seven Innate Soul Power.
The other two awakened lesser branches of the Sun Martial Soul.
Red Sun Martial Soul, with rank-eight Innate Soul Power.
Setting Sun Martial Soul, with rank-seven Innate Soul Power.
Their performances were impressive as well. When everyone had finished, the expressions of all present grew serious.
Because the real highlight was about to begin.
The emperor's two most beloved children.
Xu Tianzhen and Xu Tianyao.
"I'll go first!"
Before Jing Hongchen could call her name, a petite figure had already bounced onto the Awakening Platform.
It was Xu Tianzhen. The little girl lifted her chin and smiled sweetly at Jing Hongchen.
"Grandpa Hongchen, you have to cheer me on!"
"Help me awaken the most powerful Martial Soul!"
Jing Hongchen's face immediately softened into a kindly smile.
"Her Highness is exceptionally gifted. Her Martial Soul will surely be outstanding."
"Please begin, Your Highness."
The Soul Guidance Array activated. Before long, as light gathered, streaks of crimson-gold radiance slowly rose.
The next moment, Xu Tianzhen was bathed in dazzling light, and waves of scorching heat rapidly spread outward.
A crimson sun slowly rose behind her.
Brilliant and dazzling, like the rising sun at dawn.
The entire Imperial Zenith Hall was bathed in golden-red light.
Seeing this, many members of the imperial clan smiled.
A Sun Martial Soul!
And the purest of the imperial Sun Martial Souls!
Then the Soul Power test results appeared: rank-nine Innate Soul Power!
Gasps rang through the hall.
The old emperor burst into delighted laughter.
"Excellent!"
"As expected of my precious daughter!"
"Rank-nine Innate Soul Power. She has a bright future!"
The assembled officials immediately offered their congratulations, and the great hall was filled with joyful celebration.
Yet deep in the old emperor's eyes, a trace of expectation remained.
Rank nine was certainly excellent, but it was still one step short of a truly peerless genius.
His last hope rested on his youngest son.
"Tianyao."
The old emperor looked toward the boy in the crowd, his eyes full of affection.
"It's your turn."
"I hope you'll surprise Father."
At his words, Xu Tianyao's expression stayed calm, but he couldn't help smiling wryly inside.
His sister had already set the bar high, and now the entire hall's attention was fixed on him.
The pressure was no small thing.
But there was no turning back now. He could only steel himself and step onto the Awakening Platform.
As he passed Jing Hongchen, Xu Tianyao started to speak.
"Hall Master Hongchen, I—"
"Your Highness, please begin."
Jing Hongchen interrupted him impassively.
He clearly didn't want to give him any chance to ingratiate himself.
After all, rumors had recently been circulating through the palace that His Majesty intended to arrange a match between Meng Hongchen and Xu Tianyao.
Jing Hongchen had always objected. He had no intention of letting his precious granddaughter marry a spoiled young master like him.
If Xu Tianyao awakened a poor Martial Soul today, Jing Hongchen would have the perfect reason to ask the emperor to call off the match.
At the thought, Jing Hongchen found himself looking forward to the test results.
Xu Tianyao could only rub his nose helplessly.
Then he slowly walked toward the Awakening Platform.
As the Array activated, a strange energy surged into his body.
The next moment, Xu Tianyao's consciousness wavered.
He didn't know how much time passed. He only felt that some long-dormant power within him seemed to be awakening.
Without warning, an astonishing heat surged upward.
Golden flames of light shot skyward, and an intensely scorching aura swept through the entire hall.
The air began to distort. Some of the fabric and wooden furnishings in the palace even showed signs of spontaneous combustion.
Behind Xu Tianyao, a golden sun far larger and more dazzling than Xu Tianzhen's slowly rose.
Majestic as the heavens' might, it illuminated every direction.
Imperial Zenith Hall instantly became a golden sea.
The heat wave forced many officials to stumble backward.
The court Soul Engineers charged with maintaining order hurriedly activated the cooling Soul Tools.
Chilling air spread rapidly, only just managing to drive back the scorching heat.
But before the crowd could breathe a sigh of relief—
Another transformation began!
A bone-chilling cold, utterly opposite to the heat, erupted from within Xu Tianyao.
The temperature, which had just dropped, changed sharply once more.
Frost spread across the floor, and tiny ice crystals drifted through the air.
The two extremes of heat and cold collided furiously.
The entire hall shook with an eerie tremor.
"Protect His Majesty!"
A guard cried out in alarm, and everyone hurriedly circulated their Soul Power.
They formed a protective ring around the old emperor and the princes and princesses.
When everyone looked back at the Awakening Platform, their gazes instantly froze.
A majestic sun still hung high behind Xu Tianyao.
And on the other side, a bright silver moon slowly rose as well.
Moonlight flowed like water, cool and sacred.
Sun and moon hung in the sky, reflecting one another.
The entire hall was dyed in gold and silver.
At that moment, it was as though a celestial phenomenon had descended upon the mortal world.
"This... this..."
Jing Hongchen's pupils contracted sharply.
"Twin Martial Souls?!"
Before you continue