At dusk, the village chief's donkey cart slowly rolled into the village.
The children and parents who had waited all day turned expectant gazes toward Old Tom on the cart.
Old Tom hunched over as he climbed down from the cart. Faced with everyone's hopeful eyes, he merely shook his head and said regretfully, "Go home. The Spirit Hall officials have all been transferred to the front lines. There won't be any Martial Soul Awakening this year. You can only wait until next year."
Upon hearing this, the children who had been brimming with anticipation immediately deflated.
But they could only accept the outcome.
For commoners, having their Martial Souls awaken a year later was nothing much. After all, they likely had no innate soul power. At most, they would gain a Martial Soul that could help them with daily life.
But one person panicked—Oscar. He knew perfectly well that he was a soul master with Innate Full Soul Power.
When was a soul master's golden cultivation period? Before the age of thirty. After thirty, cultivation speed gradually slowed and could even stagnate. Thus, every year before turning thirty was crucial.
If his Martial Soul awakened a year late, it meant losing a year of cultivation. After that, one slow step would lead to every step being slow.
Damn Spirit Hall. You could have skipped awakening Martial Souls whenever you wanted. Why did you have to stand me up when it was my turn?
Oscar was both shocked and enraged.
"Grandpa Old Tom, you said the officials all went to the front lines. What front lines?" Oscar suppressed his shock and anger as he asked.
Old Tom said, "I heard that the Pope suffered a setback while attacking an overseas force, so Spirit Hall bishops and officials from all across