Spirit Eyes!

Dai Hao froze at her words. He did not look back. He merely raised a hand, then strode away.

But sharp-eyed Ye Tianming saw it. The man who shed blood but never tears on the battlefield seemed to have quickly wiped his eyes as he raised his hand.

Dai Yutong looked down at the jade pendant in her hand, then up at Ye Tianming. She asked cautiously,

"Brother Tianming, does Father... like me too?"

"Of course. He just isn't very good at showing it."

Dai Yutong carefully tucked the pendant into her clothes, close to her heart, and smiled until her eyes curved into crescents.

This New Year was the liveliest and warmest one Dai Yutong had ever known.

There were new clothes and delicious food. Her mother was beside her, and Brother Tianming was there too.

On New Year's Eve, she leaned against Ye Tianming's shoulder and watched the fireworks outside.

As she watched, she drifted off to sleep, a faint smile still on her lips.

Ye Tianming carried her back to bed and tucked her in. Just then, a firework burst outside the window, lighting up half the night sky and Dai Yutong's little face as she lay in bed.

When spring came, Dai Yutong turned six.

On Douluo Continent, children underwent Martial Soul Awakening at six. It marked the beginning of every Soul Master's path, and Ye Tianming had been waiting for it for a very long time.

He remembered clearly that, in the original story, Huo Yuhao awakened his Spirit Eyes Martial Soul the year he turned six.

Everyone had called it worthless, yet it would one day grow into a top-tier Spiritual Martial Soul.

The awakening ceremony was held at the Duke's Mansion's training ground. Every child of the right age in the mansion had to attend, and a Soul Master specially assigned to awaken Martial Souls presided over it.

The weather was fine that day. Around seven or eight children stood on the Training Grounds.

Dai Huabin was there too. He was two years older than Dai Yutong and had awakened the White Tiger Martial Soul the previous year. His Innate Soul Power was fairly high as well, making him a constant source of pride for the Duchess.

Today, he had come to watch the excitement—or rather, to watch that bastard make a fool of herself.

“Did you hear? That bastard from the Side Courtyard is awakening her Martial Soul today.”

One of Dai Huabin's lackeys spoke with a sneer.

"Her mother's just a maid with no Soul Power. I'd like to see what good thing she could possibly awaken."

The other lackeys joined in the laughter.

Ye Tianming came over holding Dai Yutong's hand and gave them a cold look.

Dai Huabin met his gaze. Remembering their last unpleasant encounter, he felt an inexplicable chill.

Still, he forced himself to turn away and muttered something too quietly for almost anyone to hear.

Ye Tianming crouched down and straightened Dai Yutong's clothes.

"Don't be afraid."

"Just do as the Soul Master says. No matter what you awaken, I'll be here."

"Mm!"

Dai Yutong nodded hard, though her little hand still clutched his sleeve nervously.

The awakening ceremony began.

The Soul Master presiding over it set out a six-pointed star formation and had the children step into it one by one.

The first few children awakened their Martial Souls in turn. Some got hoes, others scissors—all farm-tool Martial Souls with no Soul Power.

The Soul Master overseeing the awakenings shook his head, while their parents looked disappointed.

At last, it was Dai Yutong's turn.

She took a deep breath, released Ye Tianming's sleeve, and walked into the six-pointed star formation in small steps.

The Soul Master poured Soul Power into it. The formation instantly lit up with a soft white glow that enveloped her.

"Relax. Feel the power inside you," the Soul Master conducting the awakening said calmly.

Dai Yutong closed her eyes.

A moment later, a pinpoint of light appeared between her brows. Then a faint glow gradually spread across her eyes.

She opened them, and her blue eyes looked as though they held the entire Milky Way.

"Her Martial Soul... is her eyes?"

The Soul Master in charge of the awakening paused in surprise, then leaned closer for a look.

He took out a crystal ball for testing Soul Power and asked her to hold it.

But the crystal ball remained dim, showing almost no reaction.

At the sight, the Soul Master slowly shook his head. He made a note in his register and said evenly,

"Spiritual Martial Soul, Spirit Eyes."

"Innate Soul Power... level two. Next."

The Training Grounds fell silent for an instant, then erupted in waves of laughter.

"And here I thought it would be something special. It's just a pair of eyes!"

"Only level-two Innate Soul Power? Isn't she worthless?"

"Hahaha! A bastard's a bastard. Even her Martial Soul is worthless."

Dai Huabin laughed louder than anyone in the crowd.

"See? She wants to compete with me? As if she's worthy!"

Dai Yutong stood inside the six-pointed star formation, her face growing paler by the moment.

Dai Yutong instinctively looked toward Ye Tianming. Her eyes quickly reddened, and she pressed her lips tightly together.

Surrounded by everyone, she looked like a little animal that did not know what to do.

Dai Yutong stood frozen, at a loss, while the laughter swelled to its loudest.

Ye Tianming walked straight into the six-pointed star formation.

Before everyone's eyes, he slowly crouched and drew Dai Yutong into his arms. Then he raised his head, his gaze sweeping over every person laughing on the training ground.

He did not release his Soul Power or lose his temper. He simply looked at them calmly.

Yet everyone his gaze fell on found their laughter fading of its own accord.

Ye Tianming spoke. His voice was not loud, but it carried clearly across the entire Training Grounds.

"Are you done laughing?"

"Who told you a Spiritual Martial Soul was worthless?"

The Soul Master presiding over the awakening frowned slightly and said in a low voice,

"Young master, Spiritual Martial Souls are rare, but her Innate Soul Power is close to zero. That means she has almost no chance of becoming a Soul Master. That's common knowledge."

"Common knowledge?"

Ye Tianming slowly stood, shielding Dai Yutong behind him.

"A Spiritual Martial Soul doesn't depend on Innate Soul Power in the first place. If her Spiritual Power is strong enough, she can still become powerful."

What he said was half true and half false, but he knew the real reason better than anyone.

In the original story, Huo Yuhao's Innate Soul Power had been only level one. The whole mansion had called him worthless. But what happened later?

He fused with the million-year-old Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. His Spirit Eyes eventually evolved into Asura's Eyes, and in the end, he became a god.

And there was another thing: Huo Yuhao was the child of destiny, someone the whole world would owe two measures to.

The people laughing at her had no idea what kind of person they were mocking.

Put on the spot by a seven-year-old child, the Soul Master presiding over the awakening opened his mouth but could not find a rebuttal.

Ye Tianming paid him no further attention. He lowered his head and turned to Dai Yutong in his arms.

The girl's eyes were still red, and tears clung to her long lashes, but she stubbornly held them back.

"Yutong, look at me."

Ye Tianming raised a hand and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Then he asked,

"Do you trust me?"