Seemingly disheartened by Tang San, Su Yuntao had lost much of his enthusiasm. Even when he beckoned Xiao Yan, who stood nearby, into the formation, he did so listlessly.
Like the children before him, Xiao Yan entered the formation. As Su Yuntao went through the motions, the golden light gradually enveloped Xiao Yan.
Beneath the golden light, Xiao Yan felt his right hand gradually grow hot, and excitement began to surge in his heart. Was he finally about to gain these extraordinary abilities too?
But the successive failures of the other children also left Xiao Yan somewhat uneasy.
"Pfft!"
As everyone watched, a cold white flame emerged from Xiao Yan's palm. Though it was shaped like fire, it gave off wisps of icy chill.
"Hm!?"
Su Yuntao looked at the flame Martial Soul in Xiao Yan's palm. Though he had never seen one before, the icy chill it gave off made him feel that Xiao Yan's Martial Soul was of no low grade.
Just as Su Yuntao thought Xiao Yan's awakening was over, Xiao Yan felt another current of heat inside him, gradually gathering behind him.
As everyone watched, a hazy human figure gradually emerged behind Xiao Yan.
"Twin Martial Souls!?"
Su Yuntao stared at the hazy figure behind Xiao Yan, frozen in place. There were humanoid Martial Souls too?
Though he did not know the grade of these two Martial Souls, having twin Martial Souls alone was enough to prove that the child before him was a genius one would find only once in ten thousand!
"Hahahaha, who would have thought? Twin Martial Souls!"
Looking at the white flame in Xiao Yan's hand and the hazy figure behind him, Su Yuntao could no longer contain his excitement.
He forgot all about the image of an expert he had presented to the children and waved his arms and legs in excitement.
The children in the hall watched Su Yuntao's excitement, then turned to Xiao Yan with even deeper envy in their eyes.
Even Tang San, standing to one side, looked at Xiao Yan a little differently.
"Child, what are the names of your two Martial Souls?"
Su Yuntao stared intently at Xiao Yan. Upon awakening a Martial Soul, one would learn its name and function, and Su Yuntao was curious about these two Martial Souls he had never seen before.
"This flame is called Bone Spirit Cold Flame. It possesses extremely violent power; this phantom is called Soul Division, but I don't know what it does yet."
"Come, come, child, let's test your Soul Power!"
Seeing how excited Su Yuntao was, Xiao Yan could not help growing excited himself.
Judging by this Spirit Hall official's reaction, his talent seemed to be very strong!
Twin Martial Souls and formidable talent-was he finally about to roam this other world unchallenged?
With a thought from Xiao Yan, the two Martial Souls slowly merged back into his body. Looking at the sphere in Su Yuntao's palm that tested Soul Power, Xiao Yan copied what Tang San and the others had done and placed his palm on it.
A faint trace of energy passed from the sphere through his palm and into his body, and Xiao Yan felt waves of warmth envelop him.
But at that moment, what rang out in the small branch hall was Su Yuntao's astonished cry:
"Innate... Innate Full Soul Power!!"
Looking at the sphere bursting with intense blue light in his palm, Su Yuntao could no longer suppress the wild joy on his face.
Su Yuntao stared intently at Xiao Yan, his face full of excitement. Looking at the sphere in his hand, which shone with a deep blue light, he excitedly circled Xiao Yan again and again.
"Twin Martial Souls! Innate Full Soul Power!"
"Hahahahaha!"
The way Su Yuntao looked at Xiao Yan now was more affectionate than if he were looking at his own son.
With Xiao Yan's talent, he would be a core disciple for certain, even in Spirit City. And Su Yuntao, who had helped discover that talent, would surely receive a great reward from the hall!
At that thought, Su Yuntao made up his mind. He had to report Xiao Yan's information immediately!
He had discovered a genius like Xiao Yan and brought him into the hall. When the time came, he would surely be entrusted with an important position.
"Xiao Yan, your talent shouldn't be buried in a tiny place like Holy Soul Village. Let me bring you into Spirit Hall!"
Su Yuntao stared intently at Xiao Yan, waiting for his answer.
As Xiao Yan listened to Su Yuntao, a flicker of excitement flashed in his eyes. Old Jack had adopted him when he was young, and Xiao Yan, who had been asking about this world since childhood, had learned quite a lot about Douluo Continent from him.
Spirit Hall was the only organization on Douluo Continent willing to conduct awakening tests for all commoners. Every registered Soul Master could even receive a stipend from Spirit Hall, which greatly helped maintain order on the continent.
With Xiao Yan's perspective, he naturally understood how chaotic and terrifying a world where might reigned supreme would be without Spirit Hall keeping it in check.
So, faced with Su Yuntao's invitation, Xiao Yan had already made up his mind.
"I..."
Just as Xiao Yan was about to agree, he suddenly felt a vague fluctuation from the Soul Division Martial Soul inside him. A trace of killing intent seemed to be brewing outside the hall.
That trace of killing intent had emerged just as he was about to agree to Su Yuntao's offer.
It seemed that as soon as he made up his mind to join Spirit Hall, the other party would strike and wipe him out.
"I think I'll give it some more thought."
Xiao Yan suppressed the confusion and shock in his heart, showing the innocent bewilderment and excitement a six- or seven-year-old boy ought to have.
Yet inwardly, he was wondering where that trace of killing intent had come from.
Could it be some strange power that specializes in hunting geniuses?
At that thought, Xiao Yan could not help feeling a trace of regret. A tree that stood above the forest would be battered by the wind; he should have kept a lower profile and hidden his abilities.
The children of Holy Soul Village had all awakened their Martial Souls under Su Yuntao's testing.
Although Xiao Yan had not agreed, Su Yuntao was still excited.
In his view, Xiao Yan was probably just overexcited and unaware of how powerful Spirit Hall was. Once he went home, the adults in his family would naturally talk him around.
All Su Yuntao needed to do was report the news, and the hall would naturally send an expert specifically responsible for the matter.
"Hahaha, all right. Now that your awakenings are complete, you can go home."
Su Yuntao opened the closed doors, and Old Jack, who had been waiting at a distance, hurried over. His face wreathed in smiles, he asked Su Yuntao:
"Sir, were there any children in our village who can become Soul Masters?"
"Hahahaha..."
Perhaps because he had discovered Xiao Yan, a possessor of twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power, Su Yuntao was quite friendly toward Old Jack now.
"Yes. Your village has really outdone itself this year. Two children with Innate Full Soul Power appeared, and one of them even has twin Martial Souls."
Su Yuntao left with a hearty laugh, while Old Jack stood rooted to the spot. Then he looked into the crowd and immediately spotted Tang San and Xiao Yan, upon whom the other children were casting envious looks.
After returning to Holy Soul Village, Old Jack had learned the results of the Martial Soul Awakening from the children.
He had never expected that Xiao Yan, whom he had simply found while passing by, would have such powerful talent. Tang San, who had Innate Full Soul Power, also filled Old Jack with excitement.
After all, Tang San had been sensible since he was little, and Old Jack had always felt that his drunkard father was holding him back.
Though his Martial Soul was only a Blue Silver Grass, the boy had a chance to become a Soul Master. The road ahead would undoubtedly be much easier for him.