"Jue-di, when it's time to awaken your Martial Soul, don't get nervous. Just keep calm."
Inside the clan's awakening hall, Yu Tianjue listened quietly to Yu Tianheng's instructions and nodded.
But in truth, Yu Tianheng was the one who was more nervous.
Standing beside Yu Tianheng, Yu Tianjue could even clearly see his body trembling ever so slightly. He was in this state, yet still telling him not to be nervous...
Yu Tianjue shook his head and rose onto his tiptoes to peer toward the center of the hall.
"Next, Yu Kunkun."
At the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan elder's call, a chubby little boy stepped out from beside Yu Tianjue.
But it wasn't long before he came back with his tail between his legs.
"Yu Kunkun, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, Innate Soul Power level five."
"Yu Xiaoyu, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, Innate Soul Power level six."
"..."
One name after another was called. Before long, only the brothers Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianjue remained.
Yu Yuanzhen couldn't help casting an expectant look at his two grandsons. So far, not a single genius had emerged from this batch of children; the highest Innate Soul Power among them had only been level seven.
What would happen if Tianheng and Tianjue also failed to awaken a higher level of Innate Soul Power?
Yu Yuanzhen's gaze shifted slightly, falling on the solitary yet exceptionally stubborn figure in the front row. He couldn't help letting out a quiet sigh.
Once upon a time, he had placed great hopes in both his sons. Unfortunately, his eldest son, Yu Minghao—the father of the brothers Tianheng and Tianjue—had only mediocre talent. Now thirty years old, he was still stuck at level sixty-nine. His second son, Yu Xiaogang, had awakened a mutated Trash Martial Soul and still couldn't break through level thirty Soul Power...
His two older models were more or less beyond saving, so Yu Yuanzhen could only place his hopes in the two younger ones.
If both brothers had outstanding talent, he could hold on for a few more years before directly passing the clan leader's position to his grandsons. If the brothers worked together, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan might even reach new heights.
"Next, Yu Tianheng!"
At the sound of Yu Tianheng's name, Yu Xiaogang—who had shown no emotion at all and kept his face rigid—finally reacted a little.
"It's my turn, Jue-di. I'm going!"
"Good luck."
Hearing him, Yu Tianjue nodded, a faint sense of anticipation stirring within him.
If nothing unexpected happens... my Martial Soul should be the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon too, right? If I'm being bold, the Holy Radiant Dragon isn't out of the question either...
As long as it isn't Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao.
Yu Tianjue couldn't help glancing at Yu Xiaogang. Awakening the Luo Sanpao Martial Soul would absolutely be a disastrous start.
Even if it really was the Luo Sanpao Martial Soul... how could he turn things around against all odds?
As Yu Tianjue pondered, a brilliant light suddenly burst from the center of the hall. It still wasn't dazzling, but it was far brighter than the light produced by anyone who had undergone awakening so far.
The elder in charge of the Martial Soul awakenings soon raised his voice and called out:
"Yu Tianheng, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, Innate Soul Power level eight!"
"Innate Soul Power level eight!"
"As expected of the clan leader's grandson!"
Watching Yu Tianheng with his Martial Soul Possession and hearing the surrounding chatter, Yu Yuanzhen let out a long breath, his heart easing considerably.
Innate Soul Power level eight put him firmly in the ranks of geniuses. With careful cultivation, he would undoubtedly be fit to shoulder great responsibilities in the future.
Now, only Tianjue remained...
There was no need for a clan elder to call his name. Yu Tianjue stepped forward on his own, remembering to give a thumbs-up to Yu Tianheng as his brother headed toward their grandfather.
Soon, Yu Tianjue stood before the clan elder.
"Relax. Just put your hand on the crystal ball."
Without the slightest hesitation, Yu Tianjue did as instructed and placed his hand on the crystal ball.
The next moment, a hazy shadow began to appear within the awakening array, slowly taking shape at a very sluggish pace.
"This Martial Soul... doesn't seem quite right, does it?"
"Another physical Martial Soul. Could it be like that good-for-nothing... Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul?"
"Who knows... This one's taking even longer to form than Yu Xiaogang's. I have a bad feeling about this..."
The murmurs surged in from all directions like a rising tide, while Yu Yuanzhen's heart was tossed by enormous waves.
The scene before him brought back a painful memory.
He had watched Yu Xiaogang with eager anticipation, only for the Martial Soul his son awakened to deal him a crushing blow!
Could Tianjue suffer the same fate as Xiaogang today?
Yu Yuanzhen even started wondering whether something was wrong with his genes—or if his branch of the family was cursed with "2."
His second son's Martial Soul had mutated, and now the second son of his eldest son seemed to have awakened a mutated Martial Soul too.
Yu Tianjue pressed his lips together. He didn't need the others to point it out; he could tell for himself that his Martial Soul seemed unusual.
But from where he stood, Yu Tianjue could discern a subtle difference. His Martial Soul didn't look like Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao. That hazy shadow had unmistakably been shaped like a dragon.
Yu Tianjue's heart tightened.
Yu Xiaogang also quietly clenched his fists.
The surrounding chatter tormented his proud heart, but what he hadn't expected was that his nephew Yu Tianjue—who had never been close to him—would awaken the same kind of mutated Martial Soul...
Having personally endured all the gossip and scorn, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help feeling a little sympathy for someone who shared his fate.
In the blink of an eye, the hazy shadow had fully taken shape.
It was a tiny, jet-black pig that looked sickly and utterly lacking in any offensive ability.
Calling it a pig wasn't quite right, though. It looked more like a cross between a piglet and a puppy.
The entire hall fell silent.
Then the clan elder's voice rang out, tinged with pity. "Yu Tianjue, Martial Soul... mutation. Innate Soul Power level one!"
"It really is a mutated Trash Martial Soul!"
"What's happening to our family? First, the clan leader's son, Yu Xiaogang, awakens a trash Piglet Martial Soul, and now the clan leader's grandson has a trash Martial Soul too."
"What a pity for these twin brothers. From now on, I'm afraid they'll be strangers to each other!"
"One has a mutated Trash Martial Soul, the other Innate Soul Power level eight. They're no longer even in the same world."
Yu Yuanzhen swayed slightly, his expression helpless. Worry showed on Yu Tianheng's face, and he hurried toward Yu Tianjue. Yu Tianjue himself stood frozen in place, staring blankly at his Martial Soul, as though he couldn't bear the blow.