Setting Out

As Bai Xiao drifted off in thought, Su Yuntao stared blankly at his right hand. Could this child have awakened an Air Martial Soul? A Body Martial Soul? That would be a powerful Martial Soul too...

Then Su Yuntao asked Bai Xiao in a rather friendly tone, "Kid, what is your Martial Soul?"

Bai Xiao froze slightly. He was about to say it was a Cell Martial Soul, but then remembered that they had no concept of "cells," so he explained, "It's a very tiny animal."

Su Yuntao was stunned as well. He stared fixedly at Bai Xiao's palm for a long while, yet saw nothing at all.

What, are your eyes as good as a microscope? It'd be a problem if you actually could see it.

The other children were also watching Bai Xiao and Su Yuntao. Only then did Su Yuntao come to his senses and say to Bai Xiao, "Place your hand on the crystal ball and test your Innate Soul Power."

The moment Bai Xiao touched the crystal ball, the Soul Power within his body surged uncontrollably into it. The blue crystal ball suddenly lit up, though the light was slightly dimmer than when Tang San had been tested.

"Innate Soul Power Rank Seven. That's not bad talent." Su Yuntao nodded. "Child, have you considered joining Spirit Hall?"

"Sorry, Uncle, but I don't want to join Spirit Hall. I like living freely." Bai Xiao said with a smile, doing his best to look innocent.

He did not want to join any faction. If he joined Spirit Hall, who knew if Spirit Hall might get wiped out someday?

Joining Tang San's side was risky too. What if some villain casually used him as a target? He had no protagonist's plot armor, nor did he have a Title Douluo father. He could not withstand Spirit Hall's pursuit.

Besides, he had no grudge against Spirit Hall. Tang Hao was not his father, and he was not some Spirit Hall holy son. Wasn't peaceful development better?

Hearing Bai Xiao say this, Su Yuntao could not bring himself to press the matter any further. He merely said that it was a pity.

He led Su Yuntao and the children out of the room.

Outside, the parents gathered up their own children. After hearing the news from them, some cried while others laughed.

Su Yuntao said something to Grandpa Jack, occasionally glancing toward Bai Xiao and Tang San.

After finishing, Su Yuntao left. After all, there were still other villages waiting for him to awaken their Martial Souls.

Then Bai Xiao saw Grandpa Jack walking toward him. "You brat, you're usually pretty clever. Why did you become stupid at such a crucial moment? Master Su Yuntao invited you to Spirit Hall, and you actually turned him down! Do you know what a wonderful opportunity you just threw away?"

Bai Xiao did not argue. In Grandpa Jack's eyes, Spirit Hall was the best destination, and he was angry because Bai Xiao had missed such a good opportunity.

"Grandpa Jack, don't be angry. I have my own path to follow.

When I traveled across the continent with my parents before, I saw a very good academy. I had no Martial Soul back then, so I couldn't enter it. But with such good aptitude now, I'll definitely be able to get in," Bai Xiao comforted him.

Grandpa Jack keenly caught the meaning in Bai Xiao's words. "You're leaving? You brat, how are you going to get there?"

"Grandpa Jack, I can walk there myself. Don't worry. I came all the way to Holy Soul Village from somewhere very far away before," Bai Xiao replied.

Jack's expression suddenly froze. The anger in his eyes vanished as he looked at Bai Xiao, replaced by a glimmer of tears.

Ever since he had met Bai Xiao, he had wondered what an orphan had gone through to become so worldly and understanding. Now, from Bai Xiao's simple words, he saw a young boy struggling with everything he had in a dark world for the sake of one thing: living.

Bai Xiao said nothing more. He knew that some things could not be explained with words and could only be expressed through silence.

Grandpa Jack was the first to break the silence. "You brat, take the money this old man has saved. Listen carefully—you must come back alive! Better yet... come back and visit while this old man is still alive. Tell the neighboring villages that a powerful Soul Master once came from here!!!"

Looking at Grandpa Jack's reddened eyes, Bai Xiao felt warmth in this foreign world for the first time. "Yes! I'll definitely become a powerful Soul Master!" Bai Xiao shouted.

"Since you're heading out into the world, I'll give the village's spot to Tang San." Grandpa Jack spoke as he thought of how he had previously struggled over whether to give that spot to Tang San or Bai Xiao. He had not expected Bai Xiao to go alone to an academy far away, resolving his dilemma. Yet he would rather Bai Xiao had not resolved it for him.

Bai Xiao had never intended to attend any elementary academy. As a modern person, he believed that with his open scientific way of thinking and knowledge from the future, his studies would be no worse than those on Douluo Continent.

Besides, even a master might not be able to guide him regarding his Cell Martial Soul. Bai Xiao decided to research it himself.

"Grandpa Jack, I promise I'll come back!" Taking the money Grandpa Jack gave him, Bai Xiao bid him farewell.

Bai Xiao first returned to his little grass hut, partly to sort through his belongings and partly to study his Martial Soul.

"Single-celled organisms" could be called the origin of all life on Blue Star. Whether ferocious lions, enormous whales, terrifying deep-sea beasts, nimble leopards, tiny bacteria, or fungi...

They were all made of cells, and Bai Xiao's Cell Martial Soul could be called the "source" of life on Blue Star.

As his mind worked, so did his hands. Bai Xiao circulated the so-called Soul Power in his body, gathering it in his right hand. Following an indistinct sensation within himself, blue light flashed from his right hand, and Bai Xiao sensed his Martial Soul—a cell.