Martial Soul Awakening

Douluo Continent, Holy Soul Village.

Dawn had just broken, and the mountain mist had yet to disperse when the village was already bustling.

Today was the annual Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony in Holy Soul Village. More than a dozen children who had turned six would awaken the Martial Souls hidden within them under the guidance of a Spirit Hall deacon.

This was a matter of the utmost importance in any village. The quality of a Martial Soul often determined a child's future fate and could even decide whether a family would rise to prominence.

Old Jack, the village chief, stood in the open space at the village entrance. His wrinkled face was piled with smiles as he nodded and bowed to a young man in the white robes of Spirit Hall.

The man was around twenty, with a cold, stern face and black hair tied behind his head. Two crossed swords were embroidered on his chest, marking him as a deacon of Spirit Hall.

"Lord Su Yuntao, as you can see, all the children are here."

Old Jack rubbed his hands together, his tone so respectful it was nearly humble.

Su Yuntao responded with a flat "Mm." His gaze swept over the dozen or so half-grown children before him, his eyes carrying a hint of careless weariness.

As a deacon stationed by Spirit Hall in the villages and towns of this region, Su Yuntao had presided over Martial Soul Awakening Ceremonies for six years.

Over those six years, he had seen far too many mediocre Martial Souls: sickles, hoes, even a useless piece of dead wood. The occasional Blue Silver Grass could count as a pleasant surprise.

Exceptionally gifted talents?

He had not even seen a shadow of one in this little place.

"Line up. One at a time."

Su Yuntao took a fist-sized blue crystal ball from his robes. It was a spirit stone used to test soul power.

The children stepped forward in turn, their faces flushed red, their eyes filled with both excitement and apprehension.

The first boy stepped forward and cautiously placed his palm on the crystal ball.

Su Yuntao placed one hand on top of his head, and a faint stream of blue soul power flowed from his palm.

The child's body suddenly trembled. A blurry shape emerged from within him: a sickle.

"A sickle, a farming-tool Martial Soul."

Su Yuntao withdrew his hand expressionlessly and pointed to the crystal ball. "Put your hands on it. Focus."

The boy pressed both hands against the crystal ball. A faint blue glow appeared, but it was as thin as a thread and almost negligible.

Su Yuntao lowered his eyes for a glance, his voice utterly flat. "Half a rank of soul power."

Old Jack sighed beside him, but he still smiled and patted the boy's head. "Not bad, not bad. It's good enough that you have a Martial Soul."

The results for the next few children were all much the same.

The second child, a girl, awakened a ball of yarn. No soul power.

The third child, a boy, awakened a wooden stick. No soul power.

The fourth child, a girl, awakened a stone. First-rank soul power.

The fifth child, a boy, awakened a hoe. Half a rank of soul power.

Impatience was already showing on Su Yuntao's face.

These mediocre Martial Souls were not even worth the effort of writing down. He only wanted to finish this boring ceremony as soon as possible and return to town for a cup of hot wine.

"Next." Su Yuntao could not even be bothered to raise his head.

Old Jack hurriedly pulled a delicate-looking boy before him.

The boy was around six years old. He had sharp short hair, eyes as black as ink, and a steadiness that did not match his age.

Old Jack said with a beaming smile, "This is Tang San, a child from the Tang family next door. His father is the village's only blacksmith."

Su Yuntao casually glanced at Tang San and nodded.

"Hold out your hands."

Tang San did as he was told and placed both hands on the crystal ball.

The instant Su Yuntao's soul power entered his body, a sudden change occurred.

A powerful suction force erupted from Tang San's body.

Su Yuntao's eyes widened sharply. He felt the soul power he had released vanish like a clay ox into the sea, swallowed whole by that tiny body.

A pale blue halo appeared around Tang San, growing brighter and brighter until it nearly blinded everyone.

"What is happening?!" The weariness on Su Yuntao's face vanished, replaced by incredulous shock.

A Blue Silver Grass emerged from Tang San's palm.

It was the most ordinary Blue Silver Grass, found everywhere across the mountains and fields, the most inconspicuous of all Martial Souls.

Yet this Blue Silver Grass was different. Its entire body was crystalline, and a faint radiance flowed across every blade as though life itself were dancing within.

To his shock, Su Yuntao discovered that the pressure accompanying Tang San's release of the Blue Silver Grass made his legs tremble faintly against his will.

"A useless Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass..."

Su Yuntao muttered to himself, his voice trembling. He abruptly shoved the crystal ball in front of Tang San. "Quick, test your soul power!"

Tang San pressed both hands onto the crystal ball. In an instant, dazzling blue light burst forth like it was swallowing the heavens and earth.

The entire crystal ball seemed to become an ignited blue sun, radiating light in every direction and bathing the space within dozens of yards in azure.

Su Yuntao's eyes nearly popped from their sockets. His mouth hung open, but for a moment, he could not utter a single word.

Innate full soul power.

This was innate full soul power.

Su Yuntao's hands were shaking. He had presided over awakening ceremonies for six years—when had he ever seen such a sight?

Innate full soul power meant being born with tenth-rank soul power, enough to directly attach a soul ring. Even throughout Spirit Hall, such talents were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

Yet the accompanying Martial Soul was the useless Blue Silver Grass.

It was like being given a gold mine but no tools to excavate it, leaving one shocked, enraged, and deeply regretful.

"Blue Silver Grass... Why did it have to be Blue Silver Grass?!"

Su Yuntao stared fixedly at the crystalline Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's hand, his expression incomparably complicated.

If he had awakened any combat-type Martial Soul, even the most ordinary sickle, then with the talent of innate full soul power, he would surely become a powerhouse in the future.

But Blue Silver Grass... history had proven countless times that it was a Martial Soul with no use whatsoever.

It had no offensive power, no defensive power. Its only use was probably as feed while herding livestock in the wild.

Su Yuntao took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the shock and regret in his heart. In a hoarse voice, he said:

"Tang San, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass. Innate full soul power."

After a pause, he added, "What a pity. It's a useless Martial Soul."

Tang San did not seem to care. Calmly, he withdrew his Martial Soul back into his body and stepped aside.

Old Jack rubbed his hands anxiously nearby. Though he did not understand Martial Souls, Su Yuntao's expression told him that Tang San had awakened something extraordinary.

But the words "useless Martial Soul" were like a bucket of cold water poured over him, leaving him unsure whether he should be happy or worried.

"The last one."

Su Yuntao composed himself, his tone much gentler than before.

Today, he had already encountered someone with innate full soul power. Even if the accompanying Martial Soul was only a useless one, it was still the first time he had seen such a thing in his life—enough for him to boast about for a long time after returning.