Inside the hall, a golden glow bathed the child standing in the hexagonal formation. Light shimmered on the polished floor as Su Yuntao calmly gave instructions.
"Stretch out your right hand."
The child obeyed, palm open. A small sickle martial spirit appeared, weak and faint.
"Place your hand on the crystal ball."
The boy did as told. The crystal ball remained dim.
Su Yuntao shook his head. The child sighed and stepped away, disappointment heavy on his shoulders.
One after another, the remaining children stepped forward. The sequence never changed—but Su Yuntao's face grew more tired with each test.
No soul power. Again and again.
Until—
Tang San stepped into the formation.
The golden light that emerged this time was noticeably stronger. Xiao Tianyang narrowed his eyes slightly, amusement flickering across his face.
Could this be a "golden legend" moment?
Just a joke… sort of.
But as Tang San stood there, Xiao Tianyang caught a subtle movement: Tang San's left hand was clenched tightly behind his back. Hiding something.
Then he saw it—on his extended right hand, the unmistakable silhouette of Blue Silver Grass unfurled gently.
Su Yuntao almost sighed aloud in disappointment. But then—
His eyes widened.
"What?! Innate full soul power?!"
The crystal ball in Tang San's hand lit up with blinding blue light, casting luminous streaks across the entire hall.
Su Yuntao stood stunned, staring at Tang San, then at the martial spirit in his hand.
"…Blue Silver Grass?" he muttered.
Disappointment, disbelief, and a trace of helplessness warred on his face.
"Innate full soul power… A genius seen once in a hundred years," Su Yuntao explained with a heavy tone. "And yet… it's wasted on Blue Silver Grass."
Despite the verdict, Tang San remained composed—neither discouraged nor excited. His gaze was calm, thoughtful. He stepped aside silently.
Xiao Tianyang looked at his friend and smiled faintly.
Then Su Yuntao called again.
"Next!"
Without hesitation, Xiao Tianyang stepped into the formation.
Ding!
Main task [Martial Soul Awakening] completed.
Reward: Random Draw x1, Random Martial Spirit x1!
At that moment, everything went dark.
It was as if Xiao Tianyang had entered a sealed dimension.
No fear. No confusion. Only the strange sense of familiarity… like returning home.
In this space, the left side was shrouded in pitch black, while the right glowed pure white.
The black dissolved into a vanishing door—gone without a sound.
The white contracted… forming a weapon.
A two-meter-long sickle, its handle etched with ancient markings that pulsed with subdued power. At the point where blade met hilt, a divine gemstone glowed—brilliant, almost sacred.
Xiao Tianyang stared, entranced.
This was no ordinary weapon. He could feel it. A resonance with his very soul.
Just as the vision faded, he heard murmuring from the hall.
"Huh? What's this?"
Su Yuntao frowned. "Another weak martial spirit… some kind of flame? Doesn't feel hot at all…"
Xiao Tianyang blinked and glanced down.
His open right hand was alight with emerald-green flames—definitely not what he expected.
Didn't I summon Red Lotus Karma Fire just now?
A quick system notification popped up in his mind.
Ding!
Congratulations. Martial Soul obtained: [Karma Flame Spirit]
Martial Soul: Scythe of Judged Karma (exclusive, awakened naturally)
So the green flames were a system gift, while the scythe was his true martial spirit.
Just as he processed this, Su Yuntao's voice brought him back.
"Kid! Don't just stand there—put your hand on the crystal ball!"
Xiao Tianyang snapped to attention and did so.
A pulse of energy surged outward.
Su Yuntao's jaw dropped.
"…Another one? Innate full soul power?!"
Blue light burst from the crystal ball again—brighter than before. It spilled across the walls, the ceiling… and even flashed outside through the windows!
Click!
A faint crack ran across the surface of the crystal ball.
Xiao Tianyang immediately retracted his hand, heart pounding.
That was close. A little more and this thing might've exploded. Then the Wuhun Palace would haul me off to a lab for dissection!
As the light faded, silence filled the room.
Every child, every adult stared wide-eyed.
Except for two people.
Tang San, who nodded to himself. He had long expected this. Xiao Tianyang's strength and aura were not things an ordinary child could possess.
And Xiao Tianyang, who looked… mildly amused.
If I can beat Tang San with ease, and he's full soul power, would it even make sense for me to have less?
Su Yuntao finally broke the silence with a long sigh.
"In one village… two full soul power awakenings. What are the odds?"
He turned to Village Chief Jack. "It's never happened before in my career."
Looking at Tang San, then at the green flame still flickering faintly in Xiao Tianyang's palm, he added:
"…But the martial spirits are both unusual. Blue Silver Grass is well-known as a useless plant type. And this green flame… I've never seen it recorded before."
He hesitated for a moment, then said something uncharacteristically thoughtful:
"There are strange and powerful martial spirits in this world, even ones we've never heard of. If this child wants to pursue that path, the most advanced flame research academy is Blazing Academy."
He patted Xiao Tianyang's head with surprising gentleness.
"That's it for today. I'll take my leave."
Su Yuntao began gathering his tools, exchanging brief words with Old Jack.
But just before he could walk out—
"Wait!"
Xiao Tianyang suddenly dismissed his martial spirit and stepped forward.
Old Jack was startled. "Lord Spirit Master, please forgive him! This child lost his parents recently and may be a little too bold—"
But Su Yuntao raised a hand, curious.
"It's fine. Speak, child. If it's not too difficult, I'll help if I can."
Xiao Tianyang leaned in and whispered something in Su Yuntao's ear.
After a brief pause, the spirit master nodded.
"That's simple enough."
He gave him a faint smile. "Three months from now, Notting City's Junior Soul Master Academy begins enrollment. Come find me then."
"Thank you," Xiao Tianyang said earnestly, bowing slightly.
Su Yuntao smiled again, then strode out of the hall.