Chapter 46

Martial Soul Plaza.

In the martial soul plaza before the majestic and solemn papal hall, sunlight shone upon the wide martial soul plaza, bathing it in brightness.

The annual martial soul awakening ceremony was about to begin! A group of six-year-old children stood nervously yet full of anticipation in the center of the plaza, their tiny bodies trembling slightly with either excitement or worry.

Martial soul awakening! This day decides their future fate; whether they can rise above others depends on the martial soul they awaken and their innate soul power.

These children were all orphans left behind after Spirit Hall staff died in the line of duty; Spirit Hall took them in and raised them in its own orphanage. If they could inherit their parents' martial soul and possess innate soul power, they could become true members of Spirit Hall, receiving preferential resources and cultivation.

If they had no martial soul, they would return to the orphanage to learn a trade; if they lacked the opportunity to gain soul power, they would have to leave by age twelve.

Many children chattered nervously and expectantly in the center of the plaza, their minds full of fantasies about awakening a powerful martial soul.

However, among the crowd, five children seemed somewhat different; they appeared to be a small group.

A boy with white hair and a cute visage calmly surveyed everything before him.

"This is the martial soul plaza, huh; it feels quite impressive."

"Yes, Brother Xiao Yuan, I don't know what martial soul we will awaken, or whether we will possess soul power."

The little girl beside also echoed the boy, tugging at his arm and swaying it back and forth; this girl had delicate features, a head of gold-tinted orange hair casually draped over her shoulders, giving her a somewhat alluring appearance.

Xiao Yuan smiled faintly, "Don't worry, Nana; we will awaken powerful martial souls."

"Exactly! Nana, why do you keep talking to Xiao Yuan? I can comfort you too! Once I awaken a powerful martial soul, I'll protect you! Xieyue, say something quick—your sister's about to be snatched away!"

Yan looked resentfully at Hu Liena embracing Xiao Yuan's arm, damn it, so enviable—why doesn't Nana like pulling my arm? I'm not bad-looking either! Xieyue beside him gave a helpless smile, didn't interject; let Nana do as she likes, besides Xiao Yuan really is a decent person; the orphanage has always taken good care of Nana and Xieyue themselves, and without the help of Xiao Yuan and Jun martial soul, he and his sister wouldn't have integrated into orphanage life so quickly.

Xiao Yuan had been waiting for this day for a long time, training his body every morning without complaint, just to avoid ending up like Yu Xiaogang.

In the orphanage he had already begun winning people over; in terms of intellect, these brats couldn't match an adult like him, except for Jun martial soul—everyone else had already been conquered by him.

Xiao Yuan had long since inquired: his deceased father's martial soul was a powerful bear-type martial soul, his mother's a flute-tool martial soul, and both parents were Soul Emperors possessing soul power.

He had been in this other world for six years, and he never overtaxed his body in training; presumably there would be no problem—he just lacked a cultivation method, so he didn't know his innate soul power, but as long as he had some innate soul power it would be fine.

If worse comes to worst, he could later go to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well to evolve his martial soul; he had memorized the herbal code inside out!

Xiao Yuan glanced without expression at the boy standing behind him, Jun martial soul—a child he could never read; who exactly was he, and was he also a transmigrator? This existence that never appeared in the original work filled his heart with apprehension.

Jun martial soul was also one of the five highest-status children in the orphanage; aloof and taciturn, yet his physique was formidable, serving as their main enforcer in the orphanage, making dishonest brats scream.

At first Xiao Yuan worried he'd interfere with his pursuit of Hu Liena, but Jun martial soul simply didn't care about Hu Liena, had no idea what he was thinking, his mind filled only with cultivation, caring nothing for girls; he joined the small group merely to obtain a stable cultivation environment.

Although Jun martial soul was strong and had a handsome name, fortunately he was ugly-looking, his appearance rather ordinary, so Hu Liena truly didn't care about him.

The presider of the awakening ceremony was an elderly man in splendid white robes, Spirit Hall steward Mori, who looked to be over seventy, a fifty-second-rank Soul King.

Mori stood solemnly at the front, taking out six black stones and arranging them into a hexagram.

"Silence!" Mori barked; seeing the children gradually quiet down, he nodded in satisfaction. "Children, don't be afraid—the martial soul awakening ceremony is about to begin."

"Next, those whose names I call step forward."

Mori's martial soul manifested, five optimal soul rings appearing beneath him; his body showed no major change, only his arms grew thicker, as he channeled soul power and the awakening ceremony officially began.

According to the list, the children stepped forward one by one, their faces showing either joy or disappointment after their martial souls awakened.

Mori glanced at the list in his hand and read.

"Yan!"

"Here!"

Yan, heart pounding with nervous anticipation, immediately ran forward; his short, fiery red hair stood up, giving him a vigorous look, he quickly stepped into the hexagram, continually praying in his heart.

"Oh heavens, please give me a powerful martial soul!" Tiny specks of golden light appeared around Yan, gradually increasing.

Mori couldn't help but brighten; with so much golden light, a powerful martial soul might appear! He hoped for a promotion.

As soul power began to surge within him, Yan felt a scorching breath erupt from deep inside his body, as if he stood amidst a sea of fire.

Afterward, behind him, a blinding flame shot skyward, the fire constantly rolling and twisting. Slowly, the flames took shape, eventually forming a gigantic figure as if forged from fire—that was Yan's unique martial soul.

"Flame Lord!" It radiated endless heat, making everything around seem about to scorch, while Yan stood before it, his eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.

"Alright! Let's test the soul power!" Mori, unable to contain his excitement, declared that such a powerful martial soul aura meant his innate soul power was certainly not lacking; Yan placed his hand on the pale blue crystal ball, instantly feeling a suction, and the number nine appeared on the ball.

"Innate soul power rank nine!"

Mori beamed, gently saying to Yan, "Little Yan, first retract your martial soul; after the awakening ceremony ends, Grandfather will send you to the Spirit Hall Academy to study."

"Okay! Thanks, Grandfather Mori." Yan took a moment to retract his martial soul, then rushed down the awakening platform, eager to show off before Hu Liena and Xiao Yuan.

"Hu Liena!"

"Here!"

"Martial soul fox spirit! Not a bad martial soul! Let's test the soul power."

"What! Another innate soul power rank nine!" Goodness, that's the talent to cultivate to Title Douluo! Today we've easily seen two of them!

Hu Liena looked innocently at Mori, "Grandfather Mori, can I also go to the Spirit Hall Academy to study?"

"Of course! You and Xiao Yuan alike are eligible to study!"

Moreover, today luck's a bit good—directly pulled out two talents; Mori felt for the first time the satisfaction of drawing a good card.

(End of chapter)