Inside the Spirit Awakening Hall in Holy Soul Village.
Time, which had stood still, began to flow again.
The golden light enveloping Lin Jing's upper body slowly crept upward.
The golden light wasn't dazzling. If anything, it was a little dim.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Su Yuntao's face.
Based on his many years of experience awakening Martial Souls,
this usually meant it was a Trash Martial Soul, just like those of the children before him.
At first,
when he'd seen Lin Jing's youthful yet spirited face, he'd thought he might at least get a gold-tier result this year.
Looks like his annual performance was going down the drain again.
The golden light flowed into Lin Jing's body, traveled down his meridians, and gathered in his dantian.
Lin Jing could clearly feel a warm sensation coming from the dantian in his abdomen.
A moment later, a faint aura emerged from his dantian. It was the Martial Soul awakened by the golden light.
His right hand slowly lifted, palm facing upward, and a stalk of Blue Silver Grass appeared.
Two leaves stood apart on either side, with a short vine and an undeveloped young leaf in the middle.
"Ah..."
Su Yuntao sighed and handed Lin Jing a blue crystal ball.
"Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass. Let's test your Soul Power."
Lin Jing nodded and took the crystal ball. The instant he touched it—
The crystal ball burst into dazzling light, making the children waiting nearby squeeze their eyes shut.
Even Tang San narrowed his eyes as he stared at the shining crystal ball.
As for Su Yuntao, his eyes went wide as he stared at Lin Jing in disbelief.
"This..."
"What a pity. How did you end up with the Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass?"
"Innate Full Soul Power. Level ten."
Su Yuntao patted Lin Jing on the shoulder and comforted him:
"Although Blue Silver Grass is a Trash Martial Soul, you have Innate Full Soul Power. You might still become a powerful Soul Master in the future."
"Mm, thank you, Uncle."
Lin Jing nodded.
He walked over to the side and stood with the other children waiting there.
"Brother Jing, you have Innate Full Soul Power! Doesn't that mean you'll soon become Lord Soul Master?"
Beside Lin Jing, a boy with chubby cheeks looked at him with envy.
"Yeah, Brother Jing, you're amazing!"
A few more children in the group chimed in.
Lin Jing smiled and nodded. He had no idea what identity the Thunder System had given him.
Why were all these kids looking at him with such reverence?
Could it be that I'm the kids' king?
He wondered to himself, then turned his gaze to the last boy, who had dark skin and was about to awaken his Martial Soul.
Lin Jing really couldn't figure out how this kid had grown up like that. They were all from the same village, and nobody else was that dark.
How'd this kid end up looking like a lump of coal?
"Hold out your hand."
Su Yuntao's patience had run out again as he urged Tang San.
He still had to hurry to the next village that afternoon,
and this kid's dawdling was wasting his time.
A flash of murderous intent crossed Tang San's eyes, but vanished in an instant.
You were all smiles and kindness with that kid just now, but now that it's my turn, you treat me like this?
Seething inside, Tang San calmly raised his right hand.
The golden light drawn out by Tang San was the most dazzling of all. Su Yuntao had thought he would awaken a powerful Martial Soul.
Who could've guessed it'd be another stalk of Blue Silver Grass?
"Blue Silver Grass. Trash Martial Soul. There's no need to test your Soul Power."
Su Yuntao gathered the Awakening Stones from the ground, ready to hurry to the next village.
"Uncle, you haven't tested my Soul Power yet."
Tang San stopped Su Yuntao.
"How could a stalk of Blue Silver Grass have Soul Power?"
Su Yuntao waved a hand and pointed at Lin Jing.
"You think everyone's like him?"
"Just look at you. You don't look like someone who'd have Soul Power."
Lin Jing didn't react at all when Su Yuntao suddenly singled him out.
That was because his mind was in turmoil.
This scene, this plot...
And the way that kid's left hand is clenched...
He knew where he was, and he knew who the two people standing before him were.
The Blind-Eyed God King Su Yuntao, and the Buddha Tang San.
They say every time Brother Tao calls someone useless, another god-king is born.
And just now, Su Yuntao had called me...
Lin Jing thought back. A full three times!
Three times he'd said Trash Martial Soul!
Didn't that mean I was about to get three god-king titles?
Tang San clenched his fists in secret,
his eyes bloodshot, his breath coming in gasps.
Damn you, Su Yuntao!
Not only did you judge me by my looks, you kept making things difficult for me, Tang San!
Damn you, Su Yuntao. You've earned your death!
Seeing that Su Yuntao was about to leave the Spirit Awakening Hall, Tang San quickly calmed himself and chased after him.
As Su Yuntao pushed open the door, Tang San dropped to his knees in a slide and grabbed the hem of his clothes.
"Uncle, please test my Soul Power. It won't take long."
"You cheeky kid."
Su Yuntao wasn't made of stone; he was just in a hurry to get to the next village.
He took the crystal ball out of the cloth bag slung across his body and held it out to Tang San.
"Get up."
Tang San stood and looked at Su Yuntao, a flash of murderous intent passing through his eyes.
He took the crystal ball, and just like Lin Jing, it erupted in blinding, dazzling light.
"This..."
"Another one with Innate Full Soul Power?"
"And they both have the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul? How is that possible?"
Su Yuntao snatched the crystal ball away, suspecting that it had malfunctioned.
He called over a random child and handed him the crystal ball.
There was no blinding light. The crystal ball showed not the slightest trace of Soul Power.
"So it's not broken..."
Su Yuntao opened and closed his mouth, left with no choice but to accept the truth:
this village had produced two people with Innate Full Soul Power, and both had the Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass.
When Tang San realized he, too, had Innate Full Soul Power, one corner of his mouth slowly curled upward.
Oh no, he's about to smirk!
Rip his mouth off!
Lin Jing gave the boy who'd envied him a look. He'd only meant to mess around a little.
Who knew the kid would actually act on it?
He didn't care whether Su Yuntao was there or whether Tang San had Innate Full Soul Power.
The moment he caught Lin Jing's look, the boy sprang forward and charged Tang San, both fists aimed at him.
"Lin Jing, Lin Hu, are you two ever going to quit?!"
Tang San's gaze darkened as he caught Lin Hu's fist in one hand.
The next moment,
Tang San turned, using the momentum to swing Lin Hu's captured hand and hurl him away.
He'd used the Tang Sect Secret Arts—the grappling technique, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon.
With the technique of using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds, he'd neutralized the attack as if it had never happened.
Lin Jing: "..."
Bro, what are you doing?
You didn't actually take that as an order from me, did you?
He was dumbfounded, his mind a blank.
I was just messing around! Why'd you take me seriously?
Lin Jing had never expected this kid named Lin Hu to really be his lackey, ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
He wasn't scared of Tang San at all.
Whose general was this?
What a fearless warrior!
At last, Lin Jing understood why Tang San always looked at him so strangely.
System-chan, who is this kid? What identity have you given him?
Lin Jing demanded furiously in his mind.
[ Ding! ] [ The host's identity: an orphan raised in Holy Soul Village. Both parents are dead. He has... no younger sister, but a house. ] [ This person is one of the host's many lackeys. He's been following you around and picking on Tang San since you were both little. ]
Lin Jing: "So I really am the kids' king!"
This lousy system had started things off by making him offend Tang San.
But it didn't matter. He already couldn't stand Tang San anyway.
For no other reason than that, now that he'd transmigrated to Douluo Continent,
he had to put Tang San in his place, or this transmigration would've been for nothing.
Before you continue