The light in the center of the hall brightened once more as Su Yuntao channeled his soul power. A warm, golden energy enveloped Tang San, who stood perfectly still in the circle, his eyes closed in concentration.
For a brief, thrilling moment, Su Yuntao's heart leapt again. The quality of the golden light, the sheer number of sparkling energy flecks swirling around the boy—it looked exactly like what had happened with the previous child, Hun Jiang. It had the same feeling of immense potential. Could it be? he thought, a wild hope flaring. Two once-in-a-century talents in the same backwater village?
But that hope was crushed almost immediately.
As the light faded, Tang San instinctively raised his right hand. Resting on his palm was a small, delicate plant. Its leaves were a slender, common blue. It was Blue Silver Grass. The exact same martial soul that had appeared for a girl earlier that day. The textbook definition of a useless spirit, as common as weeds and with just as much combat potential.
Su Yuntao's excited expression collapsed into one of profound disappointment. He let out a small, weary sigh. "Another useless spirit," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. His voice was flat. "Of course. A true miracle can only happen once, not twice in one morning." He had allowed himself to dream for a second, and now he felt foolish.
From the side of the hall, Hun Jiang watched the famous scene unfold with keen interest. He knew what everyone else did not. That Blue Silver Grass was no trash martial soul. Tang San carried the bloodline of the Blue Silver Emperor; his grass was the king of all blue silver plants. More importantly, Hun Jiang's sharp eyes, focused intently on Tang San's hands, had caught the barest flicker of something else. A deeper, denser shadow seemed to coil in the boy's left palm for an instant before vanishing. The Clear Sky Hammer, Hun Jiang thought. The world's strongest weapon spirit, hidden away. But Hun Jiang felt no envy, only a calm assessment. He glanced at his own palm, where the memory of the Divine Bow's radiance lingered. The power he had felt from it was profound and ancient. He believed, with a quiet certainty, that the title of 'strongest weapon' might soon have a new contender.
Meanwhile, Su Yuntao had already begun to mentally pack up. He moved to put the blue crystal ball away, the routine finished as far as he was concerned.
"Esteemed Soul Master," a calm, young voice spoke up, stopping him. It was Tang San. "You have not yet let me undergo the spirit power test."
Su Yuntao paused, not even looking back, waving a dismissive hand. "There's no need for a test. Blue Silver Grass is a useless spirit. In all my years, I have never seen a single instance where it came with measurable soul power. It would be a waste of time."
"Please, let me try" Tang San persisted. His voice was polite but firm. When the golden light of the awakening had flooded him, it had done something strange to his internal energy, his Mysterious Heaven Skill. It felt like a locked door inside him had rattled. He needed to know if that feeling had a physical counterpart. He needed to understand the link between his old world's strength and this new world's soul power.
Su Yuntao turned and looked at the boy's stubborn, earnest face. He was tired and ready to leave this disappointing village, but the child was right—testing for soul power was part of his official duty and it would only take a moment.
"Very well," Su Yuntao said, his tone one of pure routine. He held out the blue crystal ball once more. "If you insist."
Tang San reached out and placed his small hand on the cool surface of the sphere.
What happened next made Su Yuntao's jaw go slack.
The crystal ball, which had lain dark and dead for every other child except one, suddenly blazed to life. Brilliant blue light erupted from its core, flooding every facet of the gem until it shone like a captive piece of the sky, its radiance filling the dim hall. It was not as violently bright as when Hun Jiang had touched it, but it was unmistakable, powerful, and full.
Su Yuntao stared, utterly dumbfounded. The words left his mouth in a stunned whisper. "Heavens… it actually is innate full spirit power… again."
For a long moment, he just looked from the blazing ball to the common Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's other hand, and back again. It was a contradiction that made no sense. Finally, he shook his head, the shock melting into a kind of resigned pity. He took the crystal ball back, the light dying as Tang San's hand left it.
"A full innate spirit power…," Su Yuntao murmured, packing the ball away with slow, distracted movements. "And yet, a waste. A useless martial soul with a supreme talent. What a cruel joke. There is no future for it." His words were not meant to be cruel, just a statement of fact as he understood the world. A plant, no matter how much power fueled it, could never become a true fighting spirit.
He finished gathering his things, his mind already moving on to his report and his journey back.
Tang San, however, clenched his small fists at his sides. He heard the words "useless" and "waste," but they did not touch his core. He looked at the Blue Silver Grass in his right hand, feeling the subtle, vibrant life within it. He thought of the heavy, powerful presence hidden in his left. And he felt the profound energy of his Mysterious Heaven Skill circulating within him, now humming in harmony with the soul power he had just proven he possessed.
He didn't believe a word about having no future. He had two martial souls, a lifetime of discipline, and now, the highest grade of soul power. A path would reveal itself for him and he was sure of it.
Su Yuntao finished placing the last of his belongings into his travel bag and slung it over his shoulder. He walked across the near-empty hall to where Old Jack stood with Hun Jiang. The other children had already been led out by their parents, leaving a quiet space.
He stopped in front of the old village chief, his expression a mixture of professional duty and personal disappointment over the morning's results.
"The one boy, Tang San," Su Yuntao began, shaking his head slightly. "To have full innate spirit power is a rare gift from heaven. But his martial soul… Blue Silver Grass. It is a waste. There is simply no future for this plant type spirit, no matter how much soul power he has."
His gaze then shifted to the boy standing quietly beside the chief. His tone became more pointed, tinged with a frustration he couldn't fully hide. "And this one… this one is perfect. The martial soul, the innate power… everything aligns for greatness." He looked directly at Hun Jiang. "But he has made his own choice. I will not force a child."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out two simple certificates, the official records of having spirit power.He handed them to Old Jack. "This is the proof of the spirits of two of them."
Old Jack accepted the papers with both hands, bowing his head respectfully. "Thank you, Lord Soul Master. Thank you for your journey and your service to our village."
Su Yuntao gave a final, curt nod. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the Martial Soul Hall, his white robe disappearing into the sunlight.
The heavy wooden door of the Spirit Hall closed behind them with a soft thud. The moment they stepped into the daylight of the village square, Old Jack seemed to physically change. The tense, worried posture he'd carried all morning melted away. He stopped walking and let out a long, shaky breath that was part sigh, part laugh.
Old Jack's grin was so wide it seemed to stretch the wrinkles around his eyes. He kept his hand firmly on Hun Jiang's shoulder, as if afraid the boy's newfound talent might somehow float away. His other hand gestured toward Tang San, who had walked over to join them.
"Finally," Old Jack repeated, his voice still wavering with feeling. "Our Holy Soul Village has hope again, and it walks on two legs!" He looked from one boy to the other, his eyes shining. "You both have the chance now. The chance to become true soul masters." His focus settled on Hun Jiang, and his expression grew even more awed. "Especially you, lad. A martial soul that shines like a piece of the sun, and the fullest measure of spirit power to fuel it. Your potential... it has no limit!"
Hun Jiang listened and gave a polite nod. He didn't let the praise swell his head. In his mind, the facts were much simpler. He had awakened potential, but that was all. He was still a small boy in a poor village. He didn't have a single soul ring. He couldn't fire an arrow or conjure a shield. Potential wasn't power. It was just a promise, and the world was full of broken promises. He knew better than to celebrate before the real work had even begun.
Beside him, Tang San listened quietly as Old Jack heaped praise on Hun Jiang. He didn't feel any jealousy or bitterness. His mind, shaped by the harsh disciplines of his past life, saw a universal truth at play: when you have value, people gather around you. It was a simple rule of nature. He had his own advantages—a second martial soul hidden in his left hand, and a lifetime of training in the Tang Sect's secret arts. He did not believe for a second that he would be left behind by the boy with the golden bow. The path was long, and he was just as prepared to walk it.
As the three of them started walking down the dirt path that led back into the heart of the village, Old Jack's excited chatter settled into a more serious, instructive tone. He was shifting from a celebrator to a guide.
"Let me tell you how your journey truly begins," he said, his voice dropping into a deeper, more important register. "Our village has two student quotas every year. A spot at the Nuoding Primary Soul Master Academy in the city. In three months' time, when the new term begins, you will both go there."
He walked with a new purpose, explaining as they went. "At the academy, you will learn everything. The proper knowledge for a soul master. How to cultivate your spirit power, the theories of martial souls, the history of our continent." He paused for effect. "And most importantly, you will learn about soul beasts."
Hun Jiang walked beside him, listening in silence. Internally, he found it all a bit boring. This was absolute beginner's information. He had already consumed the entire advanced syllabus in his past life, through the pages of Douluo fanfiction novels. He knew about spirit rings, spirit bones, the ranking system, and the future conflicts that would shake the continent. This basic guidance was like someone teaching an architect how to mix sand.
Tang San, however, perked up immediately at the term "soul beasts." His sharp mind, always seeking to systematize and understand, latched onto this new piece of the world's puzzle. Here was something concrete, a part of the power system he needed to master.
"Soul beasts, Chief?" Tang San asked, his voice curious and precise. "What are they? How are they connected to soul masters?"
Old Jack, thrilled to have such an attentive student, gladly launched into an explanation. "Ah, they are the key! Soul beasts are magical creatures that inhabit the forests, mountains, and wild places. They are born with spirit power within them, and they grow in strength with age, just like we do. When a soul master reaches a bottleneck in their training, they must hunt a soul beast."
He gestured with his hands, painting the picture. "When a soul beast is defeated, it releases a spirit ring. If the soul master is strong enough and the ring is a good match for their martial soul, they can absorb it. That ring becomes their power. It gives them a soul skill and pushes their spirit power to the next level. Your first spirit ring is the most important step on the road."
Tang San listened with complete focus, storing every word. This explained the source of advancement. It was a dangerous system—you had to fight for your power. It aligned with the world he knew. He began thinking immediately of strategies, of how his hidden Clear Sky Hammer or even his Blue Silver Grass could be used in such hunts.