A Strange Martial Soul [Please Recommend, Collect, and Invest!]

Su Junran carried a tray out of the kitchen just as the little guy came into the front room.

"Hehe, I wanted to awaken my Martial Soul early~"

"Come eat. I was just about to ask your dad to go upstairs and call you~" A gentle voice came from the kitchen. A moment later, a graceful woman emerged. She wore a pale pink dress, and her beautiful black hair was pinned up. Her features were lovely, and her eyes and brows were full of warmth.

This was Su Luoheng's mother, Ye Lan.

Her lovely looks were no less striking than a young girl's, but she also had a mature charm.

"Got it, Mom."

Su Luoheng answered and sat across from her. He grabbed a fried dough stick and wolfed it down.

"Slow down. There's no rush. Awakening your Martial Soul can wait a little." Ye Lan knew her son's personality all too well. With a helpless smile, she handed him the bowl of rice porridge she had just filled.

At the same time, she shot Su Junran a reproachful look. "This is all your fault. You just had to tell him last night."

"How is this my fault?"

"Hm?"

"All right, all right. It's my fault, it's my fault."

"Hmph~"

"Luoheng—"

"I know, Mom!"

"Good."

Watching her son pick up his spoon and begin eating slowly, Ye Lan nodded with satisfaction.

Su Junran, who had taken a stray shot, spread his hands and exchanged a wry look with his son. Then, under Ye Lan's watchful gaze, he silently lowered his head and drank his porridge.

Perhaps this was what family status looked like~

"..."

The little breakfast-time episode added a bit of fun to the family's happy morning.

Soon, after breakfast, the family headed to Heaven Soul Hall.

On the way, Su Junran explained the details of Martial Soul Awakening to little Luoheng.

After Tang San destroyed Spirit Hall, the responsibility for awakening Martial Souls naturally fell to the great empires.

The Spirit Halls that had once been established in every city were put to use by the empires. With some modifications, they continued to handle Martial Soul Awakenings. Heaven Soul Hall was the awakening institution the Heaven Dou Empire had established in every city.

There were similar institutions: Star Luo Hall, Dou Ling Hall, and Sun Moon Hall.

As their names suggested, they belonged to the Star Luo Empire, the Dou Ling Empire, and the Sun Moon Empire, respectively.

All Martial Soul Awakening institutions were directly controlled by the state.

However, unlike Spirit Hall, which had once offered awakenings for free, the empires didn't carry on that fine tradition.

Instead, people had to pay an awakening fee.

The amount varied from country to country. In the Heaven Dou Empire, it was one Gold Soul Coin.

Frankly, the fee wasn't too high. Even ordinary families without a Soul Master's regular income could afford it.

(The original text's currency system is a mess. For comparison, this is about the equivalent of a thousand yuan.)

But as for the poor families in remote areas...

They could only miss out on awakening their Martial Souls.

"..."

As he spoke, the family soon arrived in front of Heaven Soul Hall.

"Brother Jun, Sister Lan."

"Sorry to trouble you, Brother Mingxuan. You even had to wait for us at the entrance."

"Don't mention it, Brother Jun. It's only right."

"..."

As soon as they entered, a figure in white robes came over and greeted the couple warmly. He looked to be in his thirties, and judging by the way he spoke, he seemed to know Su Junran and his wife.

That wasn't surprising.

Maple Leaf City wasn't very big, and everyone more or less knew who the Soul Masters were.

Besides, Ye Lan was a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Mingxuan's gaze naturally shifted to Su Luoheng.

"This must be Luoheng, right?"

Ye Lan smiled and nodded, then turned to introduce him. "Luoheng, this is Uncle Chen. He manages the Martial Soul Awakening at Heaven Soul Hall."

"Hello, Uncle Chen. My name is Su Luoheng." Su Luoheng bowed respectfully.

"Hehe, what a well-behaved little fellow."

Chen Mingxuan smiled, then said, "Brother Jun, there's no time to waste. Let's take the child to awaken his Martial Soul."

"Then I'll trouble you."

As they spoke, the three of them headed deeper into Heaven Soul Hall.

Small rooms lined both sides of the corridor. Through the windows, they could see quite a few children gathered inside.

These must be the rooms used for Martial Soul Awakening.

Before long, Chen Mingxuan led the three of them to an awakening room farther inside. He introduced the person inside to the couple. "Sister Lan, Brother Jun, the man in there is Master Cheng. Five Soul Masters with Innate Soul Power at level eight have successfully awakened under his guidance. This round is about to begin, so hurry and take Luoheng inside."

"You've gone to a lot of trouble, my good friend." Su Junran smiled.

"It was nothing. I hope Luoheng inherits both your talents."

"Let's hope so."

After a few words, Chen Mingxuan hurried off.

Su Luoheng followed his parents into the awakening room.

Master Cheng sat in the middle. He had white hair and a white beard, and looked to be in his fifties.

He seemed like a kind old grandfather.

The children who had arrived were already lined up in order. Nine children stood at the front, waiting for their Martial Soul Awakening. About a minute later, five more children came in, and the guard at the door closed the awakening room.

That was the rule at Heaven Soul Hall.

To make Martial Soul Awakening more efficient, they handled fifteen children at a time.

"Children, look this way. You're about to awaken your Martial Souls."

"Relax throughout the process. Remember, with Grandpa here, there's nothing to be nervous about, no matter what happens."

"..."

As was customary for Martial Soul Awakenings, Master Cheng began explaining what the children needed to keep in mind.

Most of them listened very attentively.

Su Luoheng was the exception.

His father had already told him about it on the way, so hearing it all over again didn't interest him much. Instead, he curiously looked around the room.

This awakening room really was more luxurious.

The children here were dressed in finer, more exquisite clothes, and the differences between their families were easy to see.

Before long,

his gaze shifted to the six black Awakening Stones in the center.

Su Luoheng suddenly remembered that, according to the original story, as long as you had an Awakening Stone and a Soul Master, you could carry out a Martial Soul Awakening, right?

So why had he come here?

Thinking this, he looked at his father.

Su Junran understood what his son meant and quietly explained, "An Awakening Stone costs about fifty Gold Soul Coins outside. Here, it only costs a few. Unless you're from a great family or sect, an ordinary Soul Master is better off choosing an awakening institution."

"Are Awakening Stones rare?"

Su Junran smiled and asked in return, "What do you think?"

"Ah..."

Although his father didn't explain, Su Luoheng understood what he meant.

Awakening Stones clearly weren't worth that much.

As for why the price was so high, it could only be for the empire's benefit.

The awakening fee might not seem like much for one person, but added up over the course of a year, it became a considerable sum. The empire naturally wouldn't pass up this hefty income that was practically handed to them for free.

Chapter 3: A Strange Martial Soul [Please Recommend, Collect, and Invest!]

And what if an individual Soul Master wanted a share of the business?

They would first have to spend three hundred Gold Soul Coins on an Awakening Stone, then rush around awakening Martial Souls for people every day. If they were lucky, they'd earn back their money in about three years and could finally start making a profit.

After all, unlike a state-run awakening institution, they would have to find their own customers.

And the Awakening Stone had a limited lifespan, too.

The investment simply didn't match the returns. It was clearly a losing proposition.

That was how the awakening fees naturally poured into the empire's coffers, without end.

As for the people who couldn't afford an awakening, who cared whether they lived or died?

Thinking of this, Su Luoheng couldn't help but sigh.

The world was simply unfair.

He felt sorry for them, but at the same time, he was glad that his parents were Soul Masters. He didn't have to worry about scraping together a few Gold Soul Coins just to become a Soul Master.

Meanwhile,

after a long-winded speech, the Martial Soul Awakening finally began.

The boy at the front stepped into the circle of Awakening Stones. Master Cheng raised his hand, and white, yellow, and purple rings rose from beneath his feet. At the same time, a plain, unadorned long flute appeared in his palm, shimmering with a dark green glow.

At the next moment, guided by Master Cheng, the light in his palm flowed into the Awakening Stones.

In an instant!

A pale golden radiance burst from the Awakening Stones, enveloping the child.

"Hold out your right hand."

At Master Cheng's solemn command, the little boy reflexively held out his palm. Countless beams of golden light poured into it.

In the blink of an eye, a pale blue gem appeared in his palm.

"A stone?"

The little boy froze, then looked at Master Cheng in bewilderment.

"A gem-type tool Martial Soul. Try to recall your Martial Soul with your mind. Remember, you'll summon it in the same way from now on."

"O-okay."

The child nodded and tried several times before finally managing to put his Martial Soul away.

"All right. Put your hand here, and we'll test your Soul Power."