"Blue Silver Grass, a trash Martial Soul!"
"Sigh!"
A heavy sigh drifted down from the high platform. Su Yuntao, a man with refined features dressed in traditional white robes, looked at the child standing before him.
The young girl's face was etched with disappointment, her eyes flickering with a trace of disbelief.
He had witnessed this scene far too many times; alas, there was nothing he could do. It was common knowledge across the Douluo Continent that Blue Silver Grass had always been considered a trash Martial Soul—utterly worthless.
"Come, let's test your Innate Soul Power. Though it might not lead to much, it won't take long," Su Yuntao said casually, handing a crystal ball toward the child.
The girl hesitated for a moment before finally extending her palm.
The crystal ball gradually emitted a glimmer of light, but it was so faint it was almost imperceptible.
"Just like the ones before, only a trace of Soul Power. You may step down," Su Yuntao said with a hint of helplessness.
He turned his head to look at the dozen or so children below the stage. They were all six years old, dressed in coarse cloth clothes that, while washed clean, still radiated an air of poverty.
Fortunately, their complexions looked healthy enough; at the very least, they weren't going hungry. They were all orphans adopted by Spirit Hall, managed by various Spirit Hall sub-branches.
Whenever a Martial Soul Awakening ceremony took place, those with sufficient aptitude would be sent to academies affiliated with Spirit Hall for cultivation from a young age, officially joining Spirit Hall upon graduation.
Those unfit for the path of a Soul Master would remain at the orphanage to learn basic knowledge and practical skills.
Once they reached a certain age, they would be assigned as low-level staff to sub-branches in need of manpower—working as cooks or cleaners.
It provided them a livelihood; of course, if they wished to leave Spirit Hall in the future, they could venture out to make their own way once they met certain requirements.
The children stood in a line.
Those on the right side were either grieving or relieved, while only the last boy on the left remained tense. Clearly, he was the only one left who had yet to undergo his Martial Soul Awakening.
Ling Xiao realized Su Yuntao was looking at him and knew it was finally his turn.
Gazing at the wolf-type Martial Soul behind Su Yuntao that was radiating a purple glow, he took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Like the others before him, he stood within the circle of six black round stones and was soon enveloped in a pale golden light.
Quickly, a vast amount of pale golden specks of light manifested around Ling Xiao, growing denser by the second. As the light particles emerged, Ling Xiao felt an overwhelming warmth—it was incredibly comfortable.
He extended his right hand, and a flash of light surged from his palm.
A small, exquisite axe appeared above his palm, rotating slightly.
Although it radiated an intense brilliance, Ling Xiao was certain the axe was not a mere projection of light and shadow, but a physical entity.
He murmured under his breath, "Is this... my Martial Soul?"
Su Yuntao's eyes lit up.
"Not bad. While it doesn't seem to be a Martial Soul that has appeared on the continent before, judging by its shape, it isn't a common wood-cutter's axe used by peasants. It looks more like a military Battle Axe."
A look of joy appeared on his face as he nodded to Ling Xiao.
"Your Martial Soul is a Tool Martial Soul. You are eligible to undergo cultivation as a Soul Master."
However, Ling Xiao had no time to listen to Su Yuntao's words.
His face was filled with confusion; he hadn't expected this axe to be so heavy. It had been out for less than ten seconds, yet his right hand was already aching from the weight.
Ling Xiao hurriedly followed the method Su Yuntao had described earlier, attempting to use his intent to retract the Martial Soul. Guided by Ling Xiao's will, the Battle Axe transformed into a stream of light and vanished into his palm.
Only then did Ling Xiao relax, rotating his wrist to soothe the ache.
Su Yuntao noticed Ling Xiao's odd behavior and asked doubtfully, "Child, what's wrong?"
Ling Xiao snapped back to reality and explained, "It's nothing, Grandmaster Su Yuntao. Let's continue with the Soul Power test!"
"Very well."
Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Su Yuntao didn't find anything amiss. He handed the crystal ball to Ling Xiao, eager to see what this child's Innate Soul Power would be.
The Martial Soul he had just awakened gave Ling Xiao a boost of confidence.
He focused intently on the transparent crystal ball and placed his right hand upon it.
To his utter shock, the crystal ball was instantly filled with a blackish-red light. The brilliance was so intense that it dyed the entire room in a blackish-red hue—a stark contrast to the others who had tested before him.
Su Yuntao was stunned.
He had anticipated that this child might be the most talented of this batch, but he never expected...
"It's actually... Innate Full Soul Power!"
As a Soul Master who had cultivated for many years, how could he not know that Innate Full Soul Power was the ultimate mark of talent? It was the symbol of a future powerhouse.
He never imagined that one day he would encounter such a genius, let alone be the one to awaken his Martial Soul.
Unlike Su Yuntao's shock, Ling Xiao was beyond excited.
Innate Full Soul Power!
This was the happiest moment he had experienced since traveling to the Douluo Continent. With such aptitude, his previous worries were swept away in an instant.
The light slowly faded, and the crystal ball returned to its original state.
The test was complete, but neither Ling Xiao nor Su Yuntao had calmed down.
Su Yuntao stared at Ling Xiao with a burning gaze. Noticing the irrepressible joy in the boy's eyes, he asked, "Do you know what Innate Full Soul Power signifies?"
Realizing he had lost his composure, Ling Xiao calmed his breathing, tucked away his excitement, and said calmly, "I am not entirely sure, but your reaction tells me it is a very good result."
"You're right. Innate Soul Power is the highest level of Soul Power one can achieve during a Martial Soul Awakening. The higher the Innate Soul Power, the faster a Soul Master's cultivation speed, and the greater the potential to become a powerhouse."
"In the tens of thousands of years of the Douluo Continent's history, every Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power—as long as they didn't perish young—has become a legendary figure in the world of Soul Masters."
Su Yuntao was extremely satisfied with Ling Xiao's demeanor.
If the youth before him became a titan of the Soul Master world in the future, it would be a matter of immense pride for him as well.
"Soon, someone will be sent to take you to Spirit Hall. There, you will learn how to become a powerful Soul Master."
Hearing this, Ling Xiao did not hesitate for a second.
Joining Spirit Hall was the most logical and beneficial choice for him.
"Understood. I will definitely work hard to cultivate and become a powerful Soul Master."
Hearing such a determined vow, Su Yuntao smiled with relief.
Without further word, he began packing his things. The appearance of a top-tier genius with Innate Full Soul Power meant today's proceedings could no longer be treated as ordinary.
The other children had witnessed Ling Xiao's awakening. Although a few of them had decent potential, none possessed an Innate Soul Power above Rank 4, let alone those who only had a trace.
Though they were young, they vaguely understood that Ling Xiao now belonged to a completely different world. Their eyes were filled with envy, but also a growing sense of distance.
Ling Xiao felt a bit helpless about this.
After all, he had only been in this world for a month or two and hadn't spent much time playing with them. It was only natural for things to turn out this way.