While Bai Xiao was lost in thought, Su Yuntao stared blankly at Bai Xiao's 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 rather warmly, "Kid, what is your Martial Soul?"
Bai Xiao paused slightly. He had been about to say it was a Cell Martial Soul, but then remembered that they had no concept of "cells," so he explained, "A very tiny kind of animal."
Hearing that, Su Yuntao was also taken aback. He stared intently at Bai Xiao's palm for a long while, yet saw nothing at all.
What, are your eyes comparable to a microscope? It'd be stranger if you could see it.
The other children were also staring at Bai Xiao and Su Yuntao. Only then did Su Yuntao come back to his senses and say to Bai Xiao, "Put 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 tested.
"Innate Soul Power level seven. That's quite a good aptitude." Su Yuntao nodded. "Child, do you have any interest in joining Martial Soul Hall?"
"Sorry, Uncle, I don't want to join Martial Soul Hall. I like a free life," Bai Xiao said with a smile, doing his best to look innocent.
He had no intention of joining any faction. If he joined Martial Soul Hall, who knew whether Martial Soul Hall might be wiped out one day?
Joining Tang San's side was risky too. If some villain casually used him as a sacrificial blade, he had no protagonist's halo and no Title Douluo father. He could not withstand Martial Soul Hall's pursuit.
Besides, he had no grudge against Martial Soul Hall. Tang Hao was not his father, and he was not some holy son of Martial Soul Hall. Wouldn't it be better to develop peacefully?
Hearing Bai Xiao say that, Su Yuntao could not bring himself to press further. He merely said that it was a pity.
Su Yuntao led the children out of the room.
Outside, the parents gathered up their own children. After hearing what the children had to say, some cried while others laughed.
Su Yuntao said something to Grandpa Jack, occasionally glancing toward Bai Xiao and Tang San.
After that, Su Yuntao left. After all, other villages were still waiting for him to awaken their Martial Souls.
Then Bai Xiao saw Grandpa Jack walking toward him. "You brat, you're usually quite clever. Why did you become foolish at such a crucial moment? Master Su Yuntao invited you to Martial Soul Hall, and you actually turned him down! Do you know what a wonderful opportunity you threw away?"
Bai Xiao did not argue, because in Grandpa Jack's eyes, Martial Soul Hall was the best possible destination. He was angry that Bai Xiao had missed such a fine opportunity.
"Grandpa Jack, don't be angry. I have my own path to walk. When I traveled across the continent with my parents before, I saw a very good academy. I couldn't enter back then because I had no Martial Soul, 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 to Holy Soul Village from a very faraway place before," Bai Xiao replied.
Jack's expression suddenly froze. The anger in his gaze toward Bai Xiao faded, replaced by a faint glimmer of tears.
Ever since he had met Bai Xiao, he had wondered what an orphan must have gone through to become so versed in the ways of the world. Now, from Bai Xiao's simple words, he saw a youth struggling with everything he had in a dark world, all for the sake of "living."
Bai Xiao said nothing more. He knew 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 walked out of here!!!"
Looking at Grandpa Jack's reddened eyes, Bai Xiao felt warmth in this foreign world for the first time. "Yes! I will definitely become a powerful Soul Master!" Bai Xiao shouted.
"Since you're heading out into the world, I'll give the village's slot to Tang San." Grandpa Jack had previously been torn over whether to give the slot to Tang San or Bai Xiao. He had not expected Bai Xiao to go alone to a distant academy, resolving his dilemma—but he would rather Bai Xiao had not resolved it for him.
Bai Xiao had never planned to attend any junior academy anyway. As a modern person, he believed that with his open scientific mindset and knowledge from the future, his learning would be no worse than that of anyone on Douluo Continent.
Besides, even Master probably could not offer guidance on his Cell Martial Soul. Bai Xiao decided to research it himself.
"Grandpa Jack, I promise I'll come back!" Taking the money Grandpa Jack had given him, Bai Xiao bid him farewell.
Bai Xiao first returned to his little thatched hut, partly to sort through his belongings and partly to ponder his Martial Soul.
"Single-celled organisms" could be called the origin of all life on Blue Star. Fierce lions, enormous whales, terrifying deep-sea Behemoths, agile leopards, tiny bacteria and fungi...
They were all made of cells, while Bai Xiao's Cell Martial Soul could be called the "source" of life on Blue Star.
His mind worked as his hands worked. Bai Xiao circulated the so-called soul power within his body, gathering it in his right hand. Calling upon that vague sensation deep within himself, blue light flashed from his right hand, and Bai Xiao felt his Martial Soul—a cell.
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