The next day, at the Holy Soul Village branch of Spirit Hall.
Rather than calling it a Spirit Hall, it was more accurate to call it a somewhat larger wooden house. Still, compared to the homes of the other villagers, it did look far more impressive.
The process was much the same as in the original story. After Old Jack gave the children some instructions, they followed Su Yuntao into the wooden house.
While lining up, Bai Shu noticed Tang San at the end of the line.
Due to long-term malnutrition, Tang San was exceptionally thin. His faded, coarse linen clothes hung loosely from his body, and his skin was somewhat rough from a lack of nourishment. He looked more like an orphan than Bai Shu, an actual orphan.
Bai Shu withdrew his gaze. He had little interaction with Tang San. After all, he was busy training every day and wished there were forty-eight hours in a day.
Tang San, meanwhile, was busy cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill and taking care of his alcoholic father every day, leaving him with little free time as well.
Thus, although the two lived in the same village, they were like parallel lines, knowing of each other and nothing more.
While Bai Shu was observing Tang San, Su Yuntao finished setting up the formation.
Having trained year-round, Bai Shu was far more physically developed than children his age. He stood out among the group and naturally took the far-right position—the first spot for awakening.
"Don't be afraid. Feel carefully."
Once Bai Shu stepped into the formation, Su Yuntao spoke to him before beginning Martial Soul Possession.
A ghostly green light burst from his body. His muscles instantly swelled, stretching his clothes until they crackled. Gray fur crazily sprouted from beneath his skin, his hands turned into sharp claws, and his eyes became a terrifying emerald green.
Bai Shu, who had long known what would happen, was naturally not afraid. Instead, he studied the visually striking half-beast form before him with great interest. His understanding of the wonders of Martial Souls deepened, and he grew even more eager to see his own.
Following Su Yuntao's actions, hazy golden light began to fly from the awakening stones. The light formed a barrier, while countless golden specks, like gentle fireflies, eagerly burrowed into Bai Shu's body.
Bai Shu immediately focused his mind and carefully sensed the changes within himself.
That power was like a key, unlocking a shackle buried deep within his bloodline.
Gradually, he felt something awakening and frantically gathering toward his right palm. He instinctively raised his right hand.
The next moment, an ultimate emerald radiance bloomed from his palm!
The light was not glaring, yet it brimmed with an indescribable aura of life.
A Green Lotus appeared in Bai Shu's hand, crystal-clear and verdant like supreme jade, with a faint layer of mist flowing around it.
The Green Lotus had twenty-four petals that faintly glowed white. Beneath them, nine slender lotus leaves supported it, and below those stood a straight lotus stem as smooth as jade.
At the center of the Green Lotus was a small green seedpod containing a round, translucent lotus seed.
"Th-this... How is this possible?!"
Staring at the Green Lotus in Bai Shu's hand, Su Yuntao let out a startled cry. His wolf-like face was filled with disbelief!
The instant the Green Lotus appeared, he not only felt the circulation of his Soul Power speed up out of nowhere, but even the Soul Power consumed by Martial Soul Possession and activating the formation was recovering at an unprecedented rate!
He even had the illusion that as long as he stood beside this Green Lotus, his Soul Power would never run dry!
Hearing the cry, Bai Shu opened his eyes, and his gaze was immediately drawn to the Chaos Green Lotus in his palm.
Unlike Su Yuntao, Bai Shu's senses were much clearer. He could perceive the incomparably pure life force within the Chaos Green Lotus. Especially that lotus seed—it was practically life force made tangible. Bai Shu suspected that its purity had already reached the level of Ultimate Life.
"Child! Child, would you be willing to join Spirit Hall?!"
Before Bai Shu could study it carefully, Su Yuntao rushed forward in a single stride. Excitedly grabbing Bai Shu's wrist, even his voice trembled slightly from exhilaration.
"As long as you join Spirit Hall, I guarantee that you will receive the finest resources and powerful teachers dedicated to guiding you..."
Su Yuntao was clearly overly excited. His face had flushed red with excitement.
No matter how uneducated he was, he could clearly sense the strength of Bai Shu's Martial Soul merely from his body's reaction. At the very least, it was a high-grade Martial Soul.
"Um... sir, I would like to ask my family first."
Bai Shu put on a hesitant expression. There was no way he could agree.
Setting aside Spirit Hall's somewhat deranged Pope, there was also Tang Hao, the great hammer in the village. If Tang Hao learned that a genius like Bai Shu intended to join Spirit Hall, Bai Shu and Su Yuntao probably would not even make it to Notting City.
"Ah... right, right! I-I was too hasty." Su Yuntao suddenly realized his lapse in composure. He hurriedly released Bai Shu and forced the kindest smile he could manage before adding:
"Child, go home and discuss it properly with your family. Be sure to discuss it properly! If you make up your mind, you can come find me at Spirit Hall in Notting City anytime. Spirit Hall's doors will always be open to you!"
Bai Shu nodded obediently. "All right. Thank you, Lord Soul Master."
Su Yuntao said nothing further. With Bai Shu's talent, once he grew up, both his strength and status were destined to reach heights Su Yuntao would have to look up to. He could not afford to leave a bad impression on him.
The following Martial Soul awakenings were far more ordinary. Just as in the original story, the children's Martial Souls were mostly farming tools or useless Martial Souls like Blue Silver Grass, and none of them possessed even a trace of Soul Power.
However, Su Yuntao remained excited throughout. To him, awakening a genius like Bai Shu was already like a pie falling from the sky. He did not dare hope to encounter another genius.
Soon, the children in the middle had completed their awakenings, and Tang San stepped into the awakening formation.
"Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass. Another useless Martial Soul." Su Yuntao announced the result flatly. He could not even be bothered to give Tang San another look as he turned to pack up and leave.
"Uncle, you haven't tested my Soul Power yet!" Tang San hurriedly called out, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice.
Hearing how Tang San addressed him, Bai Shu was speechless. Good grief, Tang San was probably older than Su Yuntao when both lifetimes were added together. How did he have the nerve to call him uncle?
Still, despite his speechlessness, Bai Shu chimed in from the side. "That's right, Lord Soul Master. You should test Tang San's Soul Power too."
For the time being, Tang San's goodwill was still useful.
Su Yuntao had wanted to refuse Tang San, but since Bai Shu had spoken, he took out the testing crystal again and held it before Tang San. He did not even look at Tang San throughout the process, clearly believing that a mere Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul could not possess Soul Power.
Yet the moment Tang San placed his palm on the crystal ball, it suddenly erupted with dazzling blue light, its brilliance no weaker than Bai Shu's earlier glow.
"Heavens! Innate Full Soul Power! It's... it's Innate Full Soul Power again!" Su Yuntao's eyes nearly popped out as he cried out in disbelief once more.
But in the next moment, Su Yuntao remembered that this was a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he sighed.
"What a pity. What a pity indeed. Innate Full Soul Power, and it appeared on such a useless Martial Soul."
Afterward, Tang San asked Su Yuntao about Innate Full Soul Power. Su Yuntao gave him a rough explanation before turning to leave again.
Walking at the back, Tang San frowned slightly. Both he and Bai Shu had Innate Full Soul Power, yet Su Yuntao's attitude toward them was worlds apart. It made him somewhat unhappy. But when he remembered that Bai Shu had spoken up for him earlier, he decided to let it go.
Once everyone came out, Old Jack immediately went up to Su Yuntao. When he learned that there were two children with Innate Full Soul Power, one of whom was his own grandson and also possessed a high-quality Martial Soul, Old Jack was so delighted that he could not stop smiling as he repeatedly thanked Su Yuntao.
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