Awakening a Tree Branch, a Useless Martial Soul?

"Sir, I want to awaken my martial soul."

In Bluestone Town, a black-haired child brought a bag containing twenty silver soul coins to the town chief's residence, asking to awaken his martial soul.

The Awakening Master at the town chief's residence took the bag, checked its contents to confirm the amount, then looked over the plainly dressed child before speaking in an indifferent tone.

"Follow me." With that, he walked into a room.

Yao Shi hurriedly followed.

The two entered the Awakening Room. The Awakening Master pointed at the hexagonal awakening formation ahead, signaling for Yao Shi to step inside.

"Listen, kid. No matter what martial soul you awaken later, those twenty silver soul coins will not be refunded."

The Awakening Master still spoke blandly to Yao Shi. He had seen far too many commoners trying to soar to greatness through martial soul awakening. Every time they awakened a useless martial soul, they would clamor for their money back, forcing him to throw them out. He had dealt with it too many times, and it was truly annoying. That was why he always gave this warning in advance whenever he awakened someone's martial soul, so he would not have to deal with it himself again.

"Mm, I understand."

Yao Shi answered calmly, though a trace of anticipation shone in his eyes.

The Awakening Master ignored his reply. He took out six black stones, arranged them into a hexagonal formation, then released soul power to activate it.

Yao Shi stood at the center of the formation with his eyes shut. Golden light radiating from the formation enveloped his entire body, and he felt warm all over.

Within the golden light, his martial soul slowly began to emerge. A mass of white light wrapped around an object more than a meter long and two fingers wide.

Watching the shape within the white light, the Awakening Master muttered, "Hm? Could this be a sword martial soul?"

Once all the golden light around Yao Shi had faded, his martial soul was fully revealed. It was a branch over a meter long, with three or four tiny offshoots extending from its sides. A green leaf hung from its tip.

The Awakening Master spoke gloomily. "A branch martial soul? Tsk, what a waste of anticipation. As expected, you can't expect a commoner to awaken anything worthwhile."

Judging by the shape of the white light earlier, he had guessed it might be a sword-type martial soul. If a commoner had awakened a sword martial soul and possessed some talent, recruiting him into the town chief's residence would not have been impossible. Yet this child had awakened the useless martial soul of a tree branch, wasting his expectations. His tone consequently turned cold.

"Now that your martial soul has awakened, test your innate soul power." At the same time, he muttered under his breath, "Heh, a trash soul and he still expects to have soul power? Commoners really are commoners."

Though his voice was quiet, Yao Shi still heard it. However, he did not care, because after awakening his martial soul, he had learned that it was called Jianmu. He felt that it should be the heavenly divine tree from ancient myths in his previous life. It definitely was not a useless martial soul, and his soul power certainly would not be low.

Sure enough, after Yao Shi recalled his branch martial soul and placed his hand on the blue crystal, dazzling light instantly flooded the entire Awakening Room.

"H-how is this possible? Innate full soul power!"

"Why would a useless martial soul possess innate full soul power?"

The Awakening Master beside him was dumbfounded by the sight. However, he was only shocked by Yao Shi's soul power talent. He still held nothing but disdain for that branch martial soul.

As the light faded, a smile appeared on Yao Shi's face.

Innate full soul power. Not bad.

Just as excitement filled him, the Awakening Master's cold voice came again. "What are you standing there for now that the test is over? Get over here and register." He was already seated at a table in the Awakening Room.

Yao Shi hurried over.

"Name."

"Yao Shi."

"Place of residence."

"Bluestone Town, Woodleaf Village."

As they exchanged questions and answers, the Awakening Master wrote Yao Shi's information on a sheet of paper. Martial soul: tree branch. Innate soul power: level ten.

After registering Yao Shi's information, he handed him his Soul Master certificate and dismissed him.

"Alright, you can leave."

His tone remained cold. Even though Yao Shi had innate full soul power, he had no intention of recruiting him. He did not believe that a useless branch martial soul could achieve anything in the future. If he recruited the boy, would that not simply waste the town chief's residence's resources?

Yao Shi did not linger either. The moment he heard that he could leave, he immediately opened the Awakening Room's door and ran out of the town chief's residence.

Watching Yao Shi run away, the Awakening Master grumbled from his chair, "Commoners really are commoners. No manners at all. I helped him awaken his martial soul, and he just left without even showing a little sincerity. Serves him right for awakening a useless martial soul."

Yao Shi had already run far away and could no longer hear the Awakening Master's muttering.

After leaving the town chief's residence, it was already afternoon, and a streak of red clouds had begun to dye the horizon. Woodleaf Village was some distance from Bluestone Town. Even by carriage, a round trip took most of a day. To save money, Yao Shi had run all the way from the village to the town for his awakening, taking nearly six hours.

Yao Shi now ran along the dirt road he had taken earlier, his face brimming with a smile.

Ever since his martial soul awakened, he had felt exceptionally light. Not only had he become faster while running, but he also expended very little stamina. He felt that at his current speed, the trip home would take half as long as the journey there.

Second by second, the sky gradually darkened.

Finally, after running for more than two hours, Yao Shi saw the familiar low earthen house. This was the home where he had lived for nearly seven years.

He slowed down. Reaching the house, he stopped in front of it, gently pushed open the creaking wooden door, and called softly inside.

"Grandpa, I'm back!"

Cough, cough, cough.

Several coughs came from inside, followed by an aged yet kindly voice.

"Is that Little Pebble? How did your martial soul awakening go today?"

Yao Shi entered the room where the voice had come from and lit an oil lamp in the darkness. By its light, he saw an elderly man on the bed struggling to sit up.

Yao Shi set down the lamp and hurried over anxiously.

"Grandpa, let me help you. Don't move around. It would be bad if you fell."

Yao Shi came to the old man's side and gently helped him sit up, letting his back rest against the wall beside the bed so that he could maintain a seated position.

Once he was settled, the old man's kind voice sounded again. "Hahaha, Little Pebble, can you tell me about your martial soul now?"

Yao Shi flashed a row of white teeth, his tone somewhat proud. "Grandpa, the one I awakened is amazing. I have innate full soul power."

Hahaha!

The old man laughed heartily. "As expected of my Little Pebble. You really do have the talent to become a Soul Master."

In truth, the old man did not know what innate full soul power meant. He only knew that his child had hope of becoming a Soul Master, and that alone made him happy.

Seeing how delighted the old man was, Yao Shi said softly, "Then, Grandpa, wait here for now. I'll go boil some water and make dinner."

"Alright, alright. Go on."

With that, Yao Shi walked outside and put firewood into the stove.

Through the window, the old man watched the young child busily working outside, and his thoughts drifted back to the past—to when he had found Yao Shi...