Outside Spirit City, Blazing Soul Village.
That afternoon, at Awakening Square.
Lin Chuan stood among a group of children, outwardly steady as an old dog, but inwardly rubbing his hands in anticipation.
It's been six years since I transmigrated to Douluo Continent!
It's finally my turn to awaken my Martial Soul!
Blazing Soul Village was under Spirit Hall's jurisdiction. Its residents were either the orphaned children of Soul Masters who had died in battle or retired Soul Masters.
Every child longed to awaken an outstanding Martial Soul and join Spirit Hall.
As Lin Chuan saw it, wasn't joining Spirit Hall the same as getting an iron rice bowl?
Leaving everything else aside, as long as he could eventually become a deacon of Spirit Hall, he could strut around as he pleased.
"Everyone, line up properly! No pushing!"
Under the guidance of the village chief, Old Mike, the little sprouts lined up to wait.
Before long.
A sacred, majestic presence descended.
A blonde woman in magnificent papal robes walked slowly toward them.
She was tall and voluptuous.
Her robes were fastened meticulously, without a single patch of skin showing.
Yet they still showed off the full breadth of her bosom!
She radiated an air of nobility and holiness.
And yet she also had the gentle air of a big sister.
To her left stood a cardinal in red.
To her right was a budding beauty with purple-pink hair and a proud expression.
A squad of Holy Emperor Warriors followed behind her, every one of them a Soul Emperor or above.
"Greetings, Your Holiness."
The village chief, Old Jack, excitedly led the children in paying their respects.
Seeing the Pope come in person, the children's eyes burned with excitement.
If the Pope took a liking to one of them and accepted them as a disciple, they would ascend to heaven in a single step!
Lin Chuan followed their example and paid his respects.
He studied the stunning blonde woman out of the corner of his eye.
He couldn't help wondering:
Wait, isn't the current Pope Qian Xunji?
Did I watch too much gender-swapped Malfoy before I transmigrated?
Who's this beauty?
That figure, that bearing!
Did I transmigrate into a fake Douluo?
He looked at the other pink-haired girl, who seemed a little familiar, and muttered inwardly:
Why does she look so much like a miniature Bibi Dong?
If that really is Bibi Dong... holy shit, does that mean Qian Xunji turned into a woman?
Faced with the crowd kneeling before her.
Qian Xunji gently raised a hand, her voice calm.
"Everyone, rise."
She swept her gaze over the children below, and a trace of disappointment still flickered in her eyes.
Last year, by a stroke of luck, she had discovered Bibi Dong, a peerless genius with Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls, in a commoner village out in the countryside.
This year, she had made a point of personally inspecting the villages affiliated with Spirit Hall, but she hadn't seen many promising talents.
For another person with Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power to appear?
That would take the Angel God's blessing.
Bibi Dong keenly noticed her teacher's gaze.
The corners of her little mouth turned up as she secretly rejoiced:
Wonderful. There's no one in these villages this year who caught Teacher's eye.
Teacher's care and gentleness can only belong to me.
No one else is taking them away.
Qian Xunji turned to the cardinal.
"Begin the Martial Soul Awakening!"
The cardinal wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and began setting up the formation.
The Pope is personally leading the team this year. If I can't awaken even one decent genius, I'm finished.
This is already the last village. Please, let there be a promising talent!
Old Mike prayed fervently as well.
Angel God, bless us! Let our village produce a genius!
But reality was often cruel.
"Xiao Dong, Martial Soul: Wind Baboon, Innate Soul Power: rank two."
"Lin Tu, Martial Soul: Scale-Armored Beast, Innate Soul Power: rank four."
"Hei Chen, Martial Soul: Silver Wolf, Innate Soul Power: rank five."
But after the children were tested one by one, Old Mike's face fell completely.
The children of Blazing Soul Village rarely had ordinary parents, so their chances of having Soul Power were high.
But the highest Innate Soul Power among this batch of children was only rank six, not even as good as last year's rank seven.
The cardinal wailed inwardly as well: I'm done for, I'm done for! The Pope personally led the team this year, and every child I've awakened has been so ordinary.
Qian Xunji's expression remained calm, and all that remained in her heart was regret.
Geniuses really could only be encountered by chance, not sought!
Bibi Dong, standing beside Qian Xunji, lifted her little chin.
As she saw it, it would be remarkable for the entire continent to produce even one person like her, with Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power, in a century.
How could they be like radishes, with another one popping up the very next year?
Bored out of her mind.
Bibi Dong's gaze was drawn to a boy at the very back of the line.
Standing behind the other children, the boy stood out like a crane among chickens.
He was good-looking, with very handsome features.
But what surprised Bibi Dong even more was his bearing; she could pick him out of a crowd at a glance.
Qian Xunji naturally noticed Lin Chuan as well, though she held out no hope.
"Next, Lin Chuan!"
Lin Chuan took a deep breath and walked up to the awakening formation.
He would have been lying if he said he wasn't nervous.
But his expectations weren't high.
As long as he awakened Soul Power, he could rely on his foreknowledge to find a chance to transform himself sooner or later.
The cardinal wasted no time and began Lin Chuan's awakening.
As the ritual progressed.
A sacred white light rose from Lin Chuan's body.
The presence was unbelievably gentle. Everyone present felt a soothing sense of comfort and healing as his light shone on them.
While everyone was immersed in it, a pair of pure white wings slowly unfurled behind Lin Chuan.
At the sight.
Everyone was stunned.
All the children of Blazing Soul Village cried out, "Heavens! How beautiful! What kind of Martial Soul is that?"
The village chief, Old Mike, could hardly believe it either. "Wings? Could it be an Angel Martial Soul?"
The cardinal's breathing quickened.
Did I really awaken an Angel Martial Soul?
But immediately afterward, she grew puzzled:
Wait, why does this Angel Martial Soul seem completely different from His Holiness the Pope's?
It only has one pair of wings.
The ever-proud Bibi Dong was stunned as well:
"How could it be an Angel Martial Soul?!"
A sense of crisis sprang up in her at once.
Her teacher's Martial Soul was the Six-Winged Angel.
If this child's Innate Soul Power was a little stronger, wouldn't she have another junior brother?
Then her teacher's attention would have to be split in two.
Qian Xunji's calm expression also began to waver.
An Angel Martial Soul I've never seen before!
Did all my luck land on this child?
And why does my Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul actually feel a sense of closeness to him?
The next moment.
She vanished in a flash.
Before Lin Chuan could react.
The noble, breathtakingly beautiful big-sister Pope had crossed the space between them at some point and was now right beside him, just inches away.
Close!
Too close!
Lin Chuan could almost smell the delicate fragrance coming from Qian Xunji.
When he looked up, all he saw was a sea of gold and surging waves.
Big sister really did smell wonderful, and she really was big.
But Lin Chuan had a powerful instinct for self-preservation and didn't dare look long enough to offend her.
"Your Holiness..."
He hurriedly lowered his head.
Even though he was a child, he still didn't dare let his eyes wander.
What a joke. Showing disrespect to the Pope could cost him his head.
"I'll take over from here."
Qian Xunji spoke calmly without looking back.
The cardinal tactfully stepped back, though her heart was bursting with joy!
She knew that by awakening an Angel Martial Soul, she had a tremendous achievement firmly in hand. His Holiness the Pope would definitely reward her well!
Seeing her teacher personally step in.
The sense of crisis in Bibi Dong's heart grew even stronger, and she clenched her little fists tightly.
Could Teacher really want to take him as a disciple?