The courtyard of the Lin Clan was already filled with people when dawn arrived.
Stone pillars carved with ancient fox patterns stood in a circle, forming the Awakening Formation. Elder disciples, children of branch families, and core clan members gathered under the watchful eyes of the elders. Today was the most important day for the younger generation—the day their Martial Spirits would be awakened.
Lin Huang stood among them.
He was calm on the surface, yet his heartbeat was slightly faster than usual.
He had already completed the first stage of Body Cultivation — Marrow Cleansing. The medicinal baths, the bitter herbs, the bone-tempering pain… all of it had forged a foundation far beyond ordinary children his age. His physique was stable, his blood qi vigorous, and his mind clearer than before.
Yet this awakening would decide his position in the clan.
Not far away, Lin Haochen stood with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp and cold.
Haochen was famous among the younger generation—high innate soul power, fast progress in cultivation, and the pride of his branch family. More importantly, his father, Lin Qingshan, had once competed with Lin Zhenyuan for the position of Clan Patriarch… and lost.
That defeat had never left their household.
Haochen's eyes lingered on Lin Huang.
"So that's the Patriarch's son…" he thought, his lips curling slightly. "Let's see if you're really worthy of that bloodline."
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One by one, the children stepped forward.
Some awakened fox spirits with one or two tails, their potential limited.
Others awakened three tails, considered average among the clan.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"Three tails… not bad, but nothing special."
"Four tails is the minimum for entering the core training grounds."
"Six tails… that's the level to inherit leadership potential."
"Seven and above… those are monsters."
Then it was Haochen's turn.
A faint red glow rose from the Awakening Formation.
Behind him, a Crimson Fox with four tails manifested, its aura sharp and aggressive.
The elders nodded.
"Four tails. Core disciple material."
"Excellent talent for his age."
Haochen lifted his chin slightly, satisfaction flashing through his eyes.
His gaze drifted back to Lin Huang.
"Your turn," he thought. "Don't disappoint me too much."
Lin Huang Steps Forward
When Lin Huang placed his hand on the Awakening Stone, the air itself seemed to quiet down.
A soft cerulean glow seeped out from the formation.
At first, a translucent fox silhouette appeared behind him.
Then—
One tail.
Two tails.
Three tails.
Four tails.
Five tails.
Six tails.
The elders straightened.
"This… six tails already?"
The fox's form did not solidify like the others. Instead, its body remained half-ethereal, its cerulean light flowing like mist around Lin Huang's silhouette.
Then—
A seventh tail flickered into existence.
It was faint, translucent, almost unreal.
Yet it was there.
Silence fell upon the courtyard.
Seven tails.
In the Lin Clan's history, those with seven tails were destined to become pillars of the clan—geniuses capable of reaching the peak of Titled Douluo with the right resources.
Even Lin Zhenyuan, the current Patriarch, possessed six tails.
The elders exchanged looks.
"A seven-tailed Imperial Fox…"
"This child…"
"His potential surpasses his father's."
Lin Haochen's pupils shrank.
Impossible.
His nails dug into his palms.
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The Awakening Elder placed the crystal orb into Lin Huang's hand.
Light surged within the sphere.
The number climbed steadily.
Six.
Eight.
Ten.
Twelve.
It stopped at—
"Thirteen."
The elder's voice trembled.
"Innate Soul Power: Level 13."
A wave of shock rippled through the crowd.
Thirteen.
A level reserved for monsters.
Lin Haochen's expression twisted.
"This… this can't be real…"
The Hidden Second Spirit
As the Awakening Formation dissipated, Lin Huang felt a strange resonance within his body.
A deep, silent pulse echoed from his mind.
His vision blurred for a moment.
Then, within his inner sea of consciousness, he sensed another presence—
A vast network of light, resembling interwoven meridians and a luminous brain-like core, quietly coexisting with the Imperial Fox.
His heart skipped a beat.
"So… I really have two Martial Spirits."
The realization was both exhilarating and terrifying.
He kept his expression neutral, but his fingers clenched slightly.
After the Ceremony
At home, the atmosphere was heavy with excitement.
Lin Yueqin examined her son with a complex gaze—relief, pride, and a trace of worry intertwined in her eyes.
"Seven tails… and Level 13 innate soul power," she murmured. "Huang'er, this is too eye-catching…"
Lin Zhenyuan laughed deeply.
"This is the blood of the Imperial Fox Clan. My son is destined to stand above others."
Lin Tianhe, the old Patriarch, stroked his beard, his eyes shining with rare delight.
"Good. Very good."
"At last… a seed that might surpass even me."
Lin Huang hesitated, then spoke softly.
"There's something else…"
The room fell silent.
"I think… I awakened a second Martial Spirit."
The air froze.
Lin Zhenyuan's smile stiffened.
Lin Yueqin's hand flew to her mouth.
Lin Tianhe slowly stood up.
"…Repeat that."
Lin Huang closed his eyes.
A faint spiritual ripple spread from his forehead, and the outline of a luminous cerebral-meridian structure flickered briefly before vanishing.
The old man's breathing grew heavy.
"Twin Martial Spirits…"
"And one of them… is related to the mind itself."
His gaze turned profound.
"This child… is not just the future of the Lin Clan."
"He may become the turning point of the entire continent."
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Outside the courtyard walls, Lin Haochen stood alone.
His eyes were bloodshot.
Seven tails.
Level 13 innate soul power.
Twin Martial Spirits.
Everything he had taken pride in was crushed in a single day.
His fists trembled.
"I won't lose to you…"
"No matter what it takes."
In the distance, faint beastly howls echoed from the direction of the forest beyond the clan territory.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the seeds of obsession—and disaster—had already begun to sprout.