The Second Sign-In (2)

The sun climbed high in the sky. Li Changsheng set down the ordinary spear he had bought and left the courtyard.

"It's quite lively."

As he walked along the streets of Spirit Soul City, he saw crowds everywhere, all chatting about one thing or another.

But most of them were adults leading one or two children by the hand, all heading in the same direction.

It was only natural that the city was bustling today.

After all, today was the day Spirit Souls were awakened, an annual event in Spirit Soul City.

Ever since Tang San had become a god, more than ten thousand years ago, the former Holy Soul Village had reached the height of its prosperity. Even though the Tang Sect had fallen into decline, Spirit Soul City had continued to flourish like a city of music and song.

People believed that the lingering blessings of the gods remained, and that awakening a Martial Soul here would earn them divine protection and grant them a powerful Martial Soul.

However, as Li Changsheng walked among the crowds, he found himself pondering a question.

"Martial Souls are generally hereditary. Both your parents had ordinary Martial Souls. If you awaken some unusual Martial Soul, wouldn't that be hard to explain? A mutation? It can't be that there are this many mutations..."

At the thought, Li Changsheng smiled.

Of course, he had descendants. Although he had no Martial Soul, his wife was a Soul Master—and a powerful Seven-Ring Soul Sage at that. His direct descendants had all inherited her Martial Soul.

"The Sea God Awakening Hall."

Following the crowd, Li Changsheng soon arrived at the Sea God Awakening Hall outside God Soul Village.

Though it was called the Sea God Awakening Hall, it was actually just the Spirit Hall Branch where Tang San had awakened his Martial Soul. Back then, it had been nothing more than a shack built from broken wooden boards. Now, it had become a grand, lavish hall.

Golden bricks and tiles, Blue Silver vines all around. A breeze brushed his face, mingling with the din of the crowd.

Li Changsheng found a spot and stopped to watch for a while.

Parents and children from ordinary families, dressed in plain clothes, stood alongside young nobles clad in fine silks and brocades. They entered the Sea God Awakening Hall in batches.

A commoner father and son stood beside Li Changsheng, who was beneath a large tree. They were chatting.

"Dad, what kind of Martial Soul do you think I'll awaken?"

The ordinary-looking little boy gazed up at his father, who was holding his hand, and asked anxiously.

The tall, dark-skinned man lowered his head and gave a guileless smile. He gently stroked the boy's head with his rough palm, then spoke in a voice like rolling thunder.

"Son, of course you'll awaken a powerful, impressive Martial Soul."

The boy's mouth fell open. His simple eyes flashed with deep confusion as he looked at his father and suddenly said,

"But I heard Daniu and the others say that the Martial Soul you awaken is the same as your parents'. Does that mean mine will be a hoe? Or Mom's sickle?"

The burly man smiled faintly and said to his son,

"Maybe you'll awaken both a hoe and a sickle. You never know."

"Wow! Is that the legendary Twin Martial Souls?" The little boy jumped up excitedly.

"That's right. My son is an extraordinary genius. But even if you awaken an ordinary Martial Soul, it doesn't matter. With a hoe Martial Soul, you'll be a dab hand at farming!"

Li Changsheng watched the father and son beside him with a smile that didn't belong on someone his age.

It wasn't a mocking smile, but one touched with envy.

Perhaps he had one regret: he hadn't been able to hold his daughter's hand and bring her here himself.

Sigh. What could he do? He had married a Soul Master.

His daughter could awaken her Martial Soul at home. Why would they come out for an awakening?

Children continued to enter the Sea God Awakening Hall, while others emerged from it.

The children going inside all looked nervous.

Some of the ones coming out were brimming with excitement. They clenched their fists and bounded down the three hundred and sixty steps. Others looked utterly dejected, trudging along with heavy steps. They would take several tries just to lower a foot onto the next step.

Li Changsheng took in the scene.

After estimating how long it would take, he headed for the registration desk.

The father and son beside him followed too. They were clearly going to register as well.

After paying a one-Gold Soul Coin registration fee, Li Changsheng entered the waiting area beside the Sea God Awakening Hall.

Only those who had paid the fee were allowed in.

His name had already been added to the queue.

By then, only children remained around Li Changsheng.

They all looked a little restrained, each keeping to their own little circle.

Li Changsheng stood at the front and waited quietly.

As time passed, the sunlight grew more dazzling, beating down on the children's faces until many of them could barely stand it.

Li Changsheng, however, felt as if he were bathing in a spring breeze. The Mysterious Heaven Skill circulated, and his faint Soul Power flowed through his meridians, strengthening him.

But compared with the Mysterious Heaven Skill's power, which had once flowed like a mighty river, its inner force now seemed to be held back by something.

Even without asking the God of Wisdom, Li Changsheng knew what it was. He had probably reached the bottleneck of the first layer of the Mysterious Heaven Skill. Only after awakening a Martial Soul would he likely be able to break through it.

"Li Changsheng!

Li Zishuo!

Zhao Song!

Qian Dabao!

Leng Letong!

Luo Jianzhang!

Zhuo Yongning!

Pang Hongmao!

Zhu Zhichen!

Wang Dong!"

An old man came out of the Sea God Awakening Hall with a list in his hand. Standing on the steps, he called out the names of this batch of children.

Li Changsheng showed little reaction as he left the waiting line.

As he stepped out of the crowd, though, he glanced at the little boy named Li Zishuo, standing not far away.

The other children looked much more excited. Their sun-reddened faces turned toward the old man above them, smiles bright on their faces.

"Qian Dabao is here!"

"Huh?"

Li Changsheng turned toward the familiar voice and spotted the little boy from earlier. So his name was Qian Dabao...

Every fat sidekick who hangs around the protagonist seems to be named that, Li Changsheng thought to himself.

When the children had gathered, Li Changsheng calmly swept his gaze across the other nine.

"Huh?"

This time, Li Changsheng was genuinely puzzled.

His gaze stopped on the last child in line, who seemed to be named Wang Dong.

He? She?

Li Changsheng hesitated for a moment. It wasn't that his eyes were poor; this child named Wang Dong was simply too hard to tell apart.

A short head of dazzling blue-and-pink hair fluttered in the breeze. A pair of delicate, rosy eyes gazed haughtily into the air. A strange glow seemed to flow across the child's fair skin, and their clothes were neat and understated.

Li Changsheng was certainly good-looking, but compared with Wang Dong, he really did fall a little short.

After staring a little too long, Wang Dong, at the end of the line, seemed to notice Li Changsheng watching and suddenly glanced over. That piercing gaze bore down on him as Wang Dong raised their voice and said,

"Is there a flower on my face?"

The other children all turned to look at Wang Dong at the end of the line.

Their little faces showed surprise. He was actually a boy?

"..." Li Changsheng froze. Of course, he knew Wang Dong was talking about him.

He quickly looked away. He wasn't angry, just puzzled.

"He seems to cultivate the Mysterious Heaven Skill too, and he's reached the same level as me—the first layer, perfected."

"Could he be the son of the Clear Sky Sect's sect master? Why is his surname Wang? Still, he's certainly cocky." Li Changsheng thought to himself.

After finishing the list, the old man said without further ado, his expression cold, "All right. You ten, follow me."

Led by Li Changsheng, the ten children followed the old man toward the Sea God Awakening Hall.

Just as Li Changsheng stepped onto the first stair of the Sea God Awakening Hall:

Ding! Congratulations, Host, on completing your second sign-in task. Due to a flaw in the task, completion is rated at 95%, and the rewards have been halved. Rewards: 1 Growth Attribute Spirit Ring, 1 copy of Level 10 Spirit Master's Notes. Special bonus reward: 1 Martial Soul.

Note: The Growth Attribute Spirit Ring can be attached directly and will advance in age according to the Host's physical endurance. The bonus Martial Soul will awaken automatically when you awaken your Martial Soul, thereby granting you Twin Martial Souls.

Next sign-in location: Shrek Pre-Academy!

Multiple limited-time tasks activated:

Take first place in the Shrek Pre-Academy freshman competition.

Become a Soul Engineer before the age of twelve, regardless of level.

Defeat the Pre-Academy's top genius team before the age of twelve.

Become a three-ring Soul Elder before the age of twelve, with a total Spirit Ring age of at least ten thousand years.

Come out on top and become the top graduate in the graduation exam.

Explore the Star Dou Great Forest.

Explore the Sunset Forest.

Explore the Polar Glacier.

Note: There is no penalty for failing any of the limited-time tasks. Rewards of varying value will be given according to the Host's level of completion.

Rewards complete.

What the hell does "rewards halved" mean?

Li Changsheng's foot slipped as he stepped onto the stairs. Fortunately, the Mysterious Heaven Skill began circulating on its own, and he used the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to steady himself before he could embarrass himself.

<Report. Probably because you relied on the Night-Startling Spear...>