But in the next instant, Zhang Lexuan let out a long breath, and her tense body visibly relaxed.
As if sensing Ye An's eagerness to make a move, Zhang Lexuan softly said, "He's only a steward of the Xuan Ye Earl Family. There's no need to attack him. We've already endured for three years. A little longer won't matter."
"I want the entire Xuan Ye Earl Family to live in fear... until the day I return after completing my studies and personally slaughter my enemies!"
The Xuan Ye Earl Family's steward looked visibly awkward.
In recent years, the Xuan Ye Earl Family had clearly been having a difficult time—some fairly powerful sects, as well as nobles on equal footing with Xuan Ye Earl, had been deliberately or subtly excluding them. Even the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family's attitude toward them had become quite delicate.
At an occasion like this, as the Earl's representative, the steward should have been standing near the front. Yet not only was he positioned toward the back, no one around him was willing to approach him. He stood alone, as though the entire noble circle had cast him aside.
Hearing Zhang Lexuan's intentions, Ye An nodded in understanding and calmly said, "It won't be long now."
"Mm."
Zhang Lexuan answered softly, concealing the flames of vengeance in her eyes before turning to look at the children undergoing the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony.
Just as Zhang Lexuan had said, most of the orphans at the Heavenly Soul Orphanage were children left behind by soldiers or victims of war, and a large portion of those able to enlist had been Soul Masters. Therefore, these children were unlike the commoners in villages, unable to awaken any decent Martial Souls.
Quite a few of them possessed excellent Martial Souls and Innate Soul Power.
Yet not one of these children caught Du Busi's eye.
The Body Sect only accepted disciples with Body Martial Souls. A case like Zhang Lexuan's was ultimately an exception. The highest Innate Soul Power awakened by these children was only rank seven, nowhere near enough for Du Busi to make another exception and recruit them into the Body Sect.
Soon, the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony reached its final stage.
Only a handful of children remained, still lined up and waiting for their Martial Souls to awaken.
Ye An's gaze swept across the children one by one before finally settling on the second-to-last child in line.
Unlike the others, he was noticeably taller, and there was little nervousness on his face. Instead, he appeared extremely calm, and even his features showed a hint of handsomeness.
This appearance and bearing were completely unlike those of an orphan. He looked more like the child of a noble family.
"It seems these children won't awaken any Body Martial Souls."
Du Busi shook his head and laughed at himself.
Body Martial Souls were already rare. How could just any orphan awaken one?
And even if someone truly did awaken a Body Martial Soul, his talent could not possibly surpass Xiao An's.
He really had become obsessed.
Just as Du Busi turned to leave, Ye An quietly said, "Teacher, he... seems to have a Body Martial Soul, skin."
Hm?
A Body Martial Soul, skin?
Du Busi and Jin Peng subconsciously turned back. The child Ye An had just noticed was standing on the Martial Soul awakening formation, his skin clearly emitting a faint jade-like glow.
There really was a child who had awakened a Body Martial Soul?
Before Du Busi had time to be surprised, a brilliant radiance suddenly burst from the crystal ball.
The young Soul Master responsible for awakening Martial Souls instantly widened his eyes, his voice trembling slightly. "Long Aotian, Innate Full Soul Power!"
So it really was Long Aotian.
Ye An subconsciously glanced at Du Busi and suddenly found it rather amusing.
This was great.
From now on, Du Busi really was going to become a fixed NPC.
At every year's Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony in Heaven Dou City or elsewhere within the Heaven Dou Empire, there would be a high chance of Du Busi respawning.
As soon as the young Soul Master hosting the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony finished speaking, a commotion erupted from the surrounding crowd.
A genius with Innate Full Soul Power!
After ten thousand years of development, Soul Masters' talents had actually improved greatly compared to those of ten thousand years ago. Even so, Innate Full Soul Power was still an extraordinarily rare talent.
Not to mention that such a genius had appeared in the Heavenly Soul Orphanage!
What did that mean?
It meant this genius had a clean background. As long as they brought him back to their family or sect and carefully nurtured him, they would certainly gain a loyal powerhouse in the future!
Of course, that did not include people who were naturally cold-hearted, ungrateful, and disloyal.
A genius like this was definitely someone every faction would fight to recruit!
"Long Aotian! If you join the Xuan Ye Earl Family, Lord Earl will certainly spare no effort in supporting you and making you an outstanding Soul Master!"
"Get lost! Is it your turn to speak? Child, come to our Flame Sect. I guarantee that at the very least, you'll become a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse in the future!"
"Child, join Shrek Academy! Shrek Academy needs monster students like you!"
Someone from Shrek Academy?
Ye An subconsciously looked toward the source of the voice and, as expected, saw a somewhat refined-looking middle-aged man.
However... Ye An did not recognize him much. He was probably just an unimportant passerby.
As for why there would be someone from Shrek Academy in Heaven Dou City... Ye An was not surprised. After all, Shrek City and Shrek Academy were located within the Heaven Dou Empire, and the current master of the Sea God Pavilion, Mu En, was also from Shrek.
The moment Shrek Academy's name was mentioned, everyone who had just been fiercely competing fell silent.
Compared to this top academy on the continent, they truly had no advantage.
But Du Busi snorted coldly. The terrifying pressure of a Super Douluo instantly spread outward and immediately descended upon the Shrek Academy teacher who had announced his identity.
In only an instant, the Shrek Academy teacher's face turned pale, and his knees bent uncontrollably, as though he were about to kneel at any moment.
However, Du Busi could not be bothered to waste time on him. He strode over to Long Aotian, a kindly smile appearing on his face.
"Long Aotian, I am Du Busi, the master of the Body Sect. Your Martial Soul is the top-tier Body Martial Soul, skin, and it is highly compatible with our Body Sect."
"Are you willing to join the Body Sect and take me as your teacher?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the frightened Shrek Academy teacher's expression abruptly changed. But before he could react, that terrifying pressure slammed into him head-on, instantly knocking him unconscious.
The somewhat confused Long Aotian's eyes brightened slightly when he saw Du Busi's overwhelming strength. He immediately said, "This disciple, Long Aotian, greets Teacher!"
"Good! Hahahaha!"
Du Busi laughed heartily. In high spirits, he directly patted Long Aotian on the shoulder before bringing him back.
"Aotian, this is your senior brother, Ye An, and the other is your senior sister, Zhang Lexuan. From now on, you are my final disciple, Du Busi's final disciple!"
Du Busi felt that his life was complete.
When he had been young, his sect had been supported by his elder brother, Du Bisi. He had never thought that he would take disciples in the future. His only wish had been to grow stronger and lead the Body Sect to its peak alongside his elder brother.
It was only after his elder brother fell and he took the burden of the Body Sect from his hands that Du Busi deeply understood the importance of inheritance.
And now, standing before him were the hopes of the sect!
Ye An, with twin top-tier Body Martial Souls, Innate Full Soul Power, a First Millennium Soul Ring, a Third Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, and the Second Awakening of the Body Martial Soul at Silver Rank; Zhang Lexuan, with Innate Full Soul Power, a fourth ten-thousand-year soul ring, and exceptional intelligence; and Long Aotian, with a top-tier Skin Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power.
For Du Busi to have these three disciples was enough!
In the future, once these three disciples had grown...
The Body Sect would surely become great once more!
Long Aotian curiously looked at Ye An and Zhang Lexuan before respectfully giving them a formal bow. "Junior Brother Long Aotian greets Senior Brother and Senior Sister."
"Sect Master, now that you already have Xiao An as your disciple, I thought I might have a chance to take in an inheritor... sigh!"
Jin Peng sighed helplessly.
Whenever he saw Du Busi take in such monstrously talented disciples, he felt immensely envious. Even if he could not take in a disciple with talent as heaven-defying as Xiao An's, surely he could settle for a genius just slightly inferior to Xiao An?
After finally encountering someone with a Skin Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power, Jin Peng had been overjoyed. He had thought he would finally experience what it felt like to be a teacher.
Who would have thought that the Sect Master would snatch this disciple away as well!
Before you continue