Biluocheng, a city under the jurisdiction of the Heaven Dou Empire, takes its name from its proximity to Biluoxia, a canyon teeming with poisonous soul beasts. It is a city built amidst barren mountains and treacherous terrain.
The city's sole industry revolves around hunting soul beasts in Biluoxia. However, since poison-element soul masters hold little advantage on the Douluo Continent, and medical and toxicological advancements on the continent are underdeveloped, the city's income pales compared to those near other large soul beast habitats.
At high noon, the Spirit Hall within Biluocheng bustled with activity. Dozens of nobles and soul masters, accompanied by their children, awaited the appointed time.
It was autumn—a season of harvest and also the annual season for awakening martial souls on the Douluo Continent. During this period, soul masters tasked with awakening martial souls under the Spirit Hall's authority would visit villages with Spirit Hall Deacon to help children awaken their martial souls. Residents of cities, however, would bring their children directly to the local Spirit Hall for the ceremony.
In Biluocheng, noble families and soul master clans lacked the capability for internal awakening ceremonies. According to local customs, these families would bring their children to the Spirit Hall on a designated day, where the hall's official would oversee the awakening. This day was not only a time for martial soul awakenings but also an opportunity for inter-family connections and exchanges. Families whose children awakened powerful martial souls with high innate soul power would gain an edge, while those who failed to awaken anything noteworthy would be overlooked. Many families used this occasion to discuss alliances and marriages.
For centuries, this unwritten rule had been a tradition in Biluocheng. While not an official holiday, it was no less significant.
This year, only fifteen children were scheduled for martial soul awakening, a relatively low number. Yet the nobles and soul masters waiting here numbered several dozen—far more than the children.
The nobles and soul masters engaged in light conversation, but most of their attention was on the upcoming awakening. They exchanged pleasantries as a formality to pass the time.
About half an hour later, the local Spirit Hall official appeared. He was an elderly man who looked over eighty years old, his skin as withered as ancient bark and his eyes clouded with age. He seemed on the verge of death, yet no one dared to underestimate him.
Despite his frailty, he was a member of the Spirit Hall—a Soul Emperor, no less, and a bishop stationed in Biluocheng by the Pope's decree for several decades.
Even the city lord of Biluocheng treated this elder with the utmost respect.
"It's that time of year again—martial soul awakening," the elder muttered as he surveyed the crowd. His sigh carried a note of weariness. Soul power rippled faintly around him, and six soul rings appeared—one white, two yellow, two purple, and one black. His aged hand lifted slightly, and a vine, its texture like solid rock, emerged from his palm and drooped to the ground.
"I am Yan Jun, Bishop of the Spirit Hall. My martial soul is the Rock Vine. A level sixty-seven control-type battle soul master… I will be overseeing this year's martial soul awakenings."
"Children, step forward."
Yan Jun spoke plainly, indifferent to the gazes of those around him. At his command, children instructed by their elders stepped out and formed an orderly line before him.
Seeing this, Yan Jun nodded slightly and gestured with a wave of his hand. Several soul masters in Spirit Hall uniforms immediately stepped forward and began setting up a proper awakening array between the elder and the children.
"Children, step forward," Yan Jun said calmly.
At ninety-four years old, even by the standards of soul masters, Yan Jun was considered quite advanced in age.
At this stage of his life, few things truly mattered to him. He no longer cared about the names or origins of the children undergoing martial soul awakening. Apart from the Angel God and the Spirit Hall, there was little left in this world that held any significance for him. For his distant blood relatives—separated by countless generations—he helped only when convenient. The opinions of others, he ignored entirely.
If not for the desire to avoid leaving a mess for the soul master assigned by the Spirit Hall to take over his position, Yan Jun wouldn't have even bothered to oversee the awakening ceremony for these children.
At his command, the chubby boy at the front of the line stepped forward and entered the array. Yan Jun raised his hand, soul power surging, and the array beneath the boy's feet began to glow faintly. Points of light emerged and seeped into the boy's body.
Children from soul master families and noble households were already familiar with the process of martial soul awakening, so there was no need for reminders.
A moment later, the chubby boy let out an involuntary cry. His previously round figure began to tighten, and a pair of comical ears grew from his golden hair.
"A beast martial soul… Let's test your innate soul power," Yan Jun said as he flipped his right hand, causing a crystal ball to appear in his palm.
The slightly chubby boy took the crystal ball, and as he channeled his soul power into it, the ball emitted a faint glow.
"Innate soul power level two… no, level three. Martial soul is a leopard cat? But the quality seems a bit low… Regardless, it's enough to become a soul master."
Yan Jun retrieved the crystal ball and waved his hand, signaling the boy to leave the awakening array. The child, now awakened to the leopard cat martial soul, quickly ran over to join the crowd. His departure was followed by a wave of murmured discussions.
"The second young master of the city lord's family awakened a leopard cat martial soul, as expected. But his innate soul power isn't as high as the city lord's or the eldest young master's. Back in the day, the city lord had an innate soul power of level four, and while the eldest young master didn't match that, he still reached level three and a half. Becoming a Soul Elder is almost guaranteed for him."
"With only about level three soul power, it looks like the second young master won't be able to measure up to the eldest."
"Heh, who knows what the future holds? Just a while back, the eldest young master got his leg broken by the city lord after they fought over a woman. He hasn't left the house recently. Who's to say who'll rise to power in the end?"
"That's true…"
"Ahem, silence." Yan Jun lightly cleared his throat, his voice enhanced by soul power, carrying directly to everyone's ears. The previously noisy crowd immediately quieted down.
"Next child, step forward."
As the next child entered the awakening array, Yan Jun, who had been somewhat absent-minded, suddenly froze. His previously cloudy eyes became clear, and his lifeless expression took on a hint of seriousness.
Since the age of fifty, Yan Jun had overseen martial soul awakenings for children in Biluocheng, totaling more than a thousand. Yet before today, he had never encountered such a unique child.
PS What do you think about the new story?