Coo Coo, Guga!

Nuoding City, Spirit Hall Branch.

Six pitch-black round stones lay neatly arranged on the floor in a perfect hexagon. The young man standing before them looked to be in his twenties. He wore a fitted white outfit beneath a black cloak, with a fist-sized character for "soul" embroidered at the center of his chest.

"My name is Su Yuntao. I'm a level twenty-six Soul Grandmaster, and I'll be guiding you."

His gaze swept over the dozen or so children, all six or seven years old. "I'll perform your Martial Soul Awakening one by one. Remember, no matter what happens, don't be afraid."

The children clutched their hems, their eyes full of both anticipation and fear.

Lin Yuan stood near the back. He had been in this world for six years, and the day of his Martial Soul Awakening had finally arrived. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious—what would his Martial Soul be?

"First one. Come here."

Su Yuntao pointed, and a scrawny boy timidly stepped into the formation. Green light flashed as Su Yuntao activated Lone Wolf Martial Soul Possession. Gray-white fur pushed through his skin, and a fierce gleam filled his emerald eyes. The boy nearly burst into tears.

"Don't move," Su Yuntao barked. He thrust out both hands, channeling Soul Power into the black stones.

Golden motes poured from the stones, enveloping the boy in a pale-gold glow.

"Hold out your right hand."

A thin wooden stick appeared in the boy's palm. Su Yuntao waved him away. "Tool Martial Soul. Wooden stick. Trash Martial Soul. No Soul Power. Next."

One child after another stepped forward, then stepped aside. Sickles, hoes, Blue Silver Grass—all the most ordinary Trash Martial Souls. Few had Soul Power, and even the highest had only a level or two. Su Yuntao grew less and less interested. Toward the end, he waved them off before the awakening formation had fully dimmed.

The Nuoding City branch handled awakenings for several surrounding villages and towns. A whole year might pass without producing a single child with decent Soul Power. These results were no surprise.

"Next."

Lin Yuan stepped forward and stood in the center of the six black stones. Su Yuntao glanced up at him.

"Close your eyes and feel carefully."

Su Yuntao channeled Soul Power into the stones. Golden motes surged out and wrapped around Lin Yuan. Warmth seeped through his skin and traveled inward along his meridians. Deep in his dantian, he could clearly feel something awakening under that warmth, then flowing toward the space before him in response to his will.

Golden motes gathered before him, converging and taking shape.

It was no insubstantial image of light, but a round little figure with arms and legs. It stood about half a meter tall and wore a black-and-white penguin onesie. Its head was round, and the little face peeking out looked delicately carved from pink jade.

The little fellow opened its eyes groggily, tilted its head to look around, then raised its gaze to meet Lin Yuan's.

"Guga?"

Its voice was milky-soft, like a baby gosling's.

Lin Yuan's mouth twitched. This is my Martial Soul? A little person in a penguin costume? He knew about Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao—a Summoning Type, External Martial Soul.

But Luo Sanpao was at least a mutated dragon. What was this, a mascot?

"Guga, guga!" The little fellow bounced twice in place, its round body bobbing as it waved its stubby arms. "Master, guga!"

Lin Yuan: "..."

It can even talk.

Su Yuntao had already turned to call the next child when he caught sight of it from the corner of his eye. He turned back, took two steps closer, and circled the round little penguin.

"What is this thing?"

He had awakened eight hundred Martial Souls, if not a thousand, and had never seen anything like it. It wasn't a Tool Martial Soul, nor did it look like a Beast Martial Soul. Beast Martial Souls possessed their wielders; this one had summoned an independent physical being outright.

Wait. An independent physical being?

Su Yuntao suddenly thought of someone. Yu Xiaogang, known as the Grandmaster, had theories for everything, and his Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, was an External Martial Soul. Though that Martial Soul was a fat pig that farted and was mocked as the trashiest of Trash Martial Souls, Yu Xiaogang had made something of a name for himself in the Soul Master World through his theoretical research.

Wasn't this one an External Martial Soul too? Su Yuntao looked it over again. It also summoned an independent being, and it looked just as useless.

He raised his head and looked at Lin Yuan. "Child, your Martial Soul belongs to the Summoning Type. It's an External Martial Soul. That kind is very rare." He paused. "But this is a Trash Martial Soul."

"Don't lose heart, though." Su Yuntao patted him on the shoulder. "There's a Grandmaster named Yu Xiaogang whose Martial Soul is much like yours—an External Summoning Type. His Martial Soul isn't much good, but he excelled at research and became a famous theoretical Grandmaster. Work hard, and perhaps you have the makings of a Grandmaster too."

Lin Yuan stared at him, speechless.

Got it. This Martial Soul is no good in a fight, so I should go into research. Lin Yuan silently made a note of Su Yuntao's words. Just kidding.

"Guga?" Little Guga tilted its head, looking from Su Yuntao to Lin Yuan as though it hadn't understood a word.

Su Yuntao's curiosity had been piqued. He crouched down, extended a finger, and gently poked Guga's round little belly.

"This little thing is pretty interesting. Kind of cute, too."

His fingertip had only just touched the fabric of the onesie.

Thump!

A dull impact rang out. Little Guga swung a stubby arm and punched Su Yuntao in the face. The fist looked tiny and soft, but its force was astonishing. Su Yuntao's vision went black. His whole body lifted off the ground and flew backward, slamming hard into the wall before dropping to the floor.

"Cough, cough—"

Su Yuntao shakily climbed to his feet. Half his face was swollen, blood streaked the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were full of disbelief. A level twenty-six Soul Grandmaster, sent flying by one punch from a newly awakened Martial Soul?

"Guga!" Little Guga planted its hands on its hips and lifted its chin, looking thoroughly pleased with itself.

Lin Yuan froze for a moment too. This adorable little thing was that fierce?

He hurried forward, scooped up Guga while it was still showing off, and cupped his hands toward Su Yuntao. "Master Su, I'm sorry. My Martial Soul has a bit of a temper."

Then he looked down at Guga in his arms. "Apologize to Master Su."

Guga blinked, looked at Su Yuntao, and said in its milky voice, "Apologize, guga."

Su Yuntao held his swollen cheek and stared at the adorable little penguin. His mouth twitched again and again. "S-sorry."

He had no idea why he was apologizing to a Martial Soul.

Lin Yuan raised a hand to his forehead. Neither of these two could be relied on.

He looked down at Guga in his arms. The little fellow gazed up at him, blinking innocently, utterly unaware of what had just happened. Lin Yuan sighed, then couldn't help laughing.

Oh well. Reliable or not, it was his Martial Soul.