In southern Soto City, the level streets were paved entirely with bluestone slabs, and the households living there all had some savings.
In the Fang family's small courtyard, a path of blue bricks ran down the middle, with packed yellow earth on either side, deliberately left open.
A child of about six stood beneath the blazing sun, gripping an iron saber in both hands. The blade was unsharpened and a full eighty centimeters long, nearly two-thirds of his height.
"Phew-"
Fang Lin breathed out a hot breath, and with a turn of his wrist, the long saber whistled through the air.
Chop, lift, sweep, slash, thrust... Every stroke was crisp and clean, and he wielded the long saber with practiced ease.
Another person stood nearby, tall and broad, dressed in a coarse-cloth tunic, his face stern.
"There's no need to deliberately chase strength. Practice until your movements are steady and sure, and cultivate your bearing. Once you have Soul Power, your saber techniques will naturally have power."
Sunlight fell on Fang Lin's face, and sweat dripped down his forehead. Before he knew it, two hours had passed, and his forearms had begun to tremble involuntarily.
For a six-year-old child, training at this intensity did more than toughen the body; it also tested the will.
Though sweat poured off Fang Lin like rain, he kept his teeth clenched and did his best to maintain the rhythm of his swings. Seeing this, his father, Fang Yuanqiao, softened slightly, a hint of satisfaction appearing on his face.
"Take a break. You still have to go to Spirit Hall today to awaken your Martial Soul."
With a turn of his wrist, Fang Lin put away the saber and plopped down on the blue bricks, breathing warm, damp white mist from his mouth and nose.
"Dad, if my Martial Soul takes after Mom's, wouldn't these two years you spent training me have been wasted?"
Fang Yuanqiao's newly softened face instantly darkened, and the sole of his black shoe landed on Fang Lin's backside.
"You little brat, can't you say something nice?"
Just then, Fang Lin's mother, Qiao Rong, walked out of the house. Dressed in plain white cloth, her hair pinned up, she carried a cup of warm water. When she saw the scene, she knitted her brows and glared at Fang Yuanqiao.
"What's wrong with taking after mine?"
Fang Yuanqiao sheepishly withdrew the foot he had raised.
"Xiao Yun, that's not what I meant. Your Martial Soul is something so many people can only envy."
Qiao Rong rolled her eyes at him and handed Fang Lin the cup.
"Son, don't feel pressured. No matter how your awakening turns out, our family has plenty to eat and drink. We can afford to support you."
Fang Lin took it and gulped down a mouthful.
Six years ago, a truck had sent him to the Douluo World. He had fantasized countless times about a god-tier Martial Soul, becoming a god at level one hundred, and attaining the Dao of immortality. Now that the day had truly arrived, however, he felt calm instead.
Fang Yuanqiao's Martial Soul was a saber, while Qiao Rong's was a Star Soul Flower. Their Innate Soul Power was level two and level one respectively. Their greatest wish was to establish a Soul Master family in Soto City and see a noble emerge among their descendants.
According to two of the ten great theories of the Martial Soul world, Innate Soul Power was determined by the quality of one's Martial Soul, and Martial Souls were inherited through blood. Under normal inheritance, a child's Innate Soul Power would not stray far outside the range of their parents'.
Fang Lin's Martial Soul would most likely be a saber or a Star Soul Flower, and his Innate Soul Power would normally be level one or two. Reaching level three would already be a stroke of luck. But with level two Innate Soul Power, he would be stuck at Soul Grandmaster for most of his life, just like Fang Yuanqiao, let alone establish a Soul Master family.
After a brief rest, father and son set out.
The Spirit Hall Main Hall in Soto City stood in the south of the city. Its walls were made of blue-gray stone bricks, and a six-pointed star emblem crowned its roof. As they entered the great hall, a wave of cool air washed over them. The floor was polished smooth, with an array carved into its center, and many people stood near the entrance.
People were already walking back from deeper inside the hall. Most hung their heads and sobbed quietly; few had flushed faces and laughed without restraint.
"Stand in line, and keep quiet!" a young man shouted sternly, maintaining order.
Fang Yuanqiao led Fang Lin to the back of the line and lowered his voice. "Don't be nervous. Even if your Innate Soul Power is only level two, just focus on cultivating. Our family can definitely help you reach Soul Elder."
Fang Yuanqiao did not say the same would be possible at level one. Perhaps even he lacked the confidence to say that.
Fang Lin rolled his eyes.
"You mean Mom can help me reach it, right? She earns practically all the money in this family."
Support Soul Masters cultivated slowly, but their ability to earn Gold Soul Coins was first-rate, especially for healing Soul Masters. Qiao Rong had saved up most of the Fang family's assets, which had grown to more than a thousand Gold Soul Coins over the years.
"You little brat."
Fang Yuanqiao glared and raised his hand to slap him, but just then the line moved forward. Fang Lin shuffled along with it, dodging that blow of fatherly love.
"Next."
Fang Lin stepped into the array. With the floor tiles beneath his feet, he watched golden specks of light slowly rise and envelop his entire body.
"Hold out your right hand and relax your body."
The person awakening Fang Lin's Soul Power was a kindly looking middle-aged man in white robes, with a short black beard and a staff in his hand.
Six black crystals floated in the air. A gentle force entered Fang Lin's body and flowed along his meridians, and something in his right palm seemed ready to emerge.
With a soft hum, a slender iron saber landed in Fang Lin's palm. Its weight dragged his wrist down, and he needed both hands to hold it steady.
The blade was straight and about 1.1 meters long, with a snowy, cold gleam along its edge. The hilt accounted for nearly a quarter of its length, and its shape closely resembled the Tang horizontal sabers Fang Lin had seen in his previous life.
There were no earth-shaking special effects, nor any imposing presence. Sure enough, it was an iron saber Martial Soul just like Fang Yuanqiao's.
Fang Lin rubbed his left palm. It showed no reaction at all, shattering the last trace of fantasy in his heart.
The middle-aged man in charge of the awakening glanced at the long saber, a note of satisfaction in his voice. "An ordinary Tool Martial Soul, an iron saber. There's a chance you can become a Battle Soul Master. Let's check your Soul Power."
A transparent crystal was held out before him. Fang Lin placed his palm on it, and a clear blue light shone.
The man's eyelids twitched, surprise on his face. "Level five Innate Soul Power!?"
Everyone nearby turned their heads in unison, their gazes falling on Fang Lin as whispers broke out.
"Can an ordinary Tool Martial Soul really have level five Innate Soul Power? My child awakened a water-and-fire staff, and his Soul Power was only level four."
"He has a chance to become a Soul King!"
Fang Yuanqiao, whose face had been tense the whole time, suddenly grinned from ear to ear.
"Haha! Level five Innate Soul Power? Level five! The ancestors really are watching over us, damn it!"
Fang Lin stood where he was, dazed for a moment before the corners of his mouth curved up slightly.
Sunlight dyed the streets yellow. As soon as Fang Yuanqiao got home, he could hardly wait to shout to his wife.
"An iron saber Martial Soul, just like mine, and level five Innate Soul Power! That's higher than the two of ours put together! Our family's going to produce a great noble someday, haha!"
This world had nobles, commoners, and even slaves. Once a Soul Master reached the Soul Elder realm, they could gain noble status.
Though they received no title or fief and could not pass the status down, they still enjoyed many tempting privileges, including tax exemptions for business, preferential treatment for their children, financial subsidies, and so on.
Admission to the empire's finest academy required one to be the child of a noble.
Qiao Rong swept Fang Lin into her arms, her face beaming. "My son is amazing!"
The joy lasted all the way to the dinner table, where Fang Yuanqiao enthusiastically made plans for Fang Lin.
"Now that you've awakened your Soul Power, the next step is to attend a junior Soul Master academy. We won't go to Suotuo City Junior Soul Master Academy. When you reach level ten, I'll send you to Heaven Dou Academy."
Fang Lin was surprised. "I can attend Heaven Dou Academy?"
Heaven Dou Academy, whose full name was Heaven Dou Royal Academy, had a strong teaching staff and the finest Mimicry Training Grounds. After graduation, its students either joined the army or were assigned to the armed forces of various cities. If they performed meritorious service, they could even have a chance to receive titles and fiefs.
But Heaven Dou Royal Academy had an ironclad rule for admissions: it accepted only the children of nobles.
Fang Yuanqiao had passed thirty before reaching level twenty-eight, missing the best age. He feared it would be rather difficult for him to become a Soul Elder.