The current rushed against his body, gradually tempering his physique.
The sun slowly sank toward the western mountains, and the sky shifted from bright to dim, a layer of pale gold and red floating across the river’s surface.
Wang Teng swam back to the shore and sat on a large rock to rest.
The evening breeze brushed past him, slowly drying the droplets on his skin and bringing a hint of coolness.
Only when the last glimmer of light remained on the horizon did Wang Teng rise, pick up his clothes, and head back along the path he had come.
That night, Wang Teng lay in bed, staring at the shadows on the ceiling.
Tomorrow would be the martial soul awakening.
He turned over, facing the wall, and murmured silently in his heart: I’m not asking for some high-grade martial soul, just a little innate soul power—just a little…
Thinking these thoughts, his eyelids gradually grew heavy, and he finally drifted into sleep.
Cock-a-doodle-doo—
The rooster’s crow pierced the quiet dawn of Tiger King Village.
Wang Teng stirred on his bed, blearily opening his eyes.
Outside the window, the sky was just beginning to lighten, pale with the first hints of dawn.
A cool morning breeze seeped through the cracks in the window, carrying the damp freshness unique to early morning.
The crowing of roosters, near and far throughout the village, rose and fell in a woven chorus.
Wang Teng quickly sat up and rubbed his eyes.
Today was an important day—the Martial Soul Awakening Day.
His father Wang Wu had specially placed the new clothes by Wang Teng’s bedside the night before.
Wang Teng pulled on the slightly stiff but clean new robe, slipped his feet into his shoes, and walked into the yard.
Wang Wu was washing up at the kitchen door, holding a willow twig dipped in a cup of green salt, carefully cleaning his teeth.
Hearing footsteps, he turned, rinsed his mouth with a gurgle, and spat out the water.
“Why are you up so early?”
Wang Wu stepped aside to make room.
“The soul master won’t arrive that early—we still have at least another hour to wait.”
“Couldn’t sleep.
It’s been on my mind.”
Wang Teng walked into the kitchen, took out his own cup and willow twig, scooped some water, and stood beside his father, following his example in washing up.
The cool water woke him considerably.
“Worrying won’t change anything.
What’s coming will come.”
Wang Wu had already finished and turned into the kitchen.
“You can go lie down for a while longer if you want.”
“I won’t.
Let me help you make breakfast.”
Wang Teng finished washing and followed, wanting to help in the kitchen, but Wang Wu pushed him out.
“Shoo, shoo.
Don’t get your new clothes dirty.
Breakfast will be ready soon.”
Wang Teng had no choice but to walk to the old pomegranate tree in the yard and sit down on the bamboo lounger beside it.
The morning air was crisp and clean.
He looked up at the gradually brightening sky, his mind blank, not thinking of anything, simply letting time flow slowly.
Before long, the distinct aroma of rice porridge drifted out from the kitchen.
“Growl—”
Wang Teng’s stomach responded appropriately.
He stood and looked toward the stone table beside him.
The bowls and chopsticks were already laid out on the stone table in the yard.
Today’s breakfast was simple: plain congee, a plate of homemade pickled vegetables, and two boiled eggs.
The porridge was cooked just right—neither too thin nor too thick, the rice grains fully bloomed.
Wang Teng ate the crunchy pickled vegetables with two large bowls of porridge, a thin sheen of sweat forming on his forehead.
After finishing, he pushed his bowl aside, stood up, and headed out.
“Dad, I’m going to wait at the Spirit Hall in the village center!”
“You go about your business, no need to come with me.
When it’s done, I’ll come back and tell you!”
Before his words had faded, Wang Teng had already dashed out of the yard.
Wang Wu poked his head out from the kitchen, catching only a glimpse of his son’s retreating figure.
He smiled and shook his head, muttering to himself: “This kid…
but may the heavens bless him and grant him some innate soul power.”
Wang Teng left home and walked along the main road paved with bluestone slabs toward the village center.
The sky grew brighter by the minute.
Along the way, many households had already opened their doors, sweeping their courtyards.
Chimneys across the village were sending up wisps of cooking smoke.
“Uncle Liu, good morning!”
“Brother Xia, have you eaten yet?”
“Aunt Huo, up and busy so early!”
Wang Teng greeted his neighbors with a smile as he passed.
Several families with children preparing for the awakening fell in behind him.
Most of the children wore expressions of excitement and anxiety, while their parents walked beside them, murmuring last-minute instructions.
“Looks like everyone’s the same—something on their minds, unable to sleep.”
Wang Teng thought to himself, quickening his pace.
The Spirit Hall of Tiger King Village stood at the very center of the village, a building constructed from large bluestone bricks.
Though solid, it looked somewhat aged, with deep green moss growing in the crevices between the stones.
The building wasn’t small—about fifty or sixty square meters—much more orderly than the Spirit Hall Wang Teng had seen in Holy Soul Village.
“I suppose it’s because our village is relatively well-off.”
Wang Teng mused.
By the time he reached the open space before the hall, several people had already gathered.
They were children due for awakening today along with their parents—about four or five families, huddled together in low conversation, the scene somewhat noisy.
Wang Teng found an inconspicuous corner to stand in, his gaze fixed on the tightly shut hall doors.
Time passed gradually, and more people gathered, nearly filling the small open space before the hall.
The children were surrounded by their parents—some nervously twisting their fingers, others curiously looking around.
“The village chief and the大人 from the Spirit Hall are here!”
Someone shouted, and the crowd immediately stirred, parting to either side to make a passage.
Two figures walked over unhurriedly.
The one in front was a tall, thin elder.
His hair was white and neatly combed, and he wore a dark robe of fine material embroidered with elegant orchid patterns.
He leaned on a walking stick and sported a neatly trimmed goatee.
This elder was the village chief of Tiger King Village, Old Martin.
Beside Old Martin walked a young man in his twenties.
He was tall and straight, dressed in the standard gray-white uniform of the Spirit Hall, with short, clean hair and handsome features.
The most striking detail was the golden “Soul” character on his chest and the badge pinned to his left lapel: a pattern of three crossed longswords, glinting faintly in the morning light.
This signified that he was a Battle Soul Master from the Spirit Hall, at the rank of Grand Soul Master.
Wang Teng’s heartbeat quickened involuntarily.
“So this is the Spirit Hall personnel here for today’s awakening…
could he be that ‘Blind Douluo’ Su Yuntao?”
Wang Teng couldn’t help speculating.
By now, Old Martin and the young soul master had reached the front of the Spirit Hall.
Old Martin produced a key, unlocked the large copper lock on the door with a click, and removed the coiled iron chain.
The young soul master gave Old Martin a slight nod and stepped first into the somewhat dim interior.
Old Martin turned around, faced the noisy crowd, and raised his voice: “Everyone, quiet down!”
Old Martin continued, “The soul master from the Spirit Hall has arrived.
The martial soul awakening ceremony will begin shortly!”
“Now, all children due for awakening this year, come to the front and line up.
Parents, please wait outside and do not crowd in!”
“Children, hurry up!”
As soon as the village chief’s words fell, the children began to move.
Wang Teng joined the other children of similar age, walking up to Old Martin.
Old Martin stretched out his hand and pointed at each child’s head in turn.
“One, two, three…
fifteen, sixteen.”
“Good, all sixteen are here.”
“Everyone, follow me inside.
Remember, don’t panic, don’t make a scene, and follow the soul master’s instructions.”
With that, Old Martin turned and led the sixteen children in a single file into the Spirit Hall.
The interior was dimmer than outside, with a scent of dust mixed with aged wood in the air.
The children stood in a not-quite-straight line, curiously and nervously observing the young soul master before them.
The young soul master swept his calm gaze across the children and spoke: “My name is Su Yuntao, from the Spirit Hall.”
“Today, I will conduct your martial soul awakening ceremony.”
So it was indeed Su Yuntao!
This was the very figure who had presided over the awakening of countless protagonists across myriad worlds!
Wang Teng’s spirits lifted, and he fixed his gaze intently on him.
Su Yuntao turned his wrist, and six pitch-black round stones appeared in his palm, each the size of a thumb.
With a casual toss, the six stones landed evenly on the ground, forming a circle about a meter in diameter.
The moment the stones settled, a soft golden light rose within the circle, illuminating the surrounding area.
“Next, I will summon my martial soul.”
“You might see some changes, but don’t be afraid—they won’t harm you.”
Su Yuntao finished speaking, his expression turning focused as he growled, “Lone Wolf, possess me!”
A pale cyan light flashed across his brow, and a purple wolf shadow covered in illusory flames flickered behind Su Yuntao and vanished, instantly merging into his body.
Su Yuntao’s body expanded slightly, his hair turning grey and becoming coarse and stiff.
On his exposed skin—cheeks, hands—gray-brown fur quickly sprouted, and his fingernails elongated into sharp points, glinting coldly.
Most striking of all, his eyes had transformed into beastly green pupils that sent a chill down one’s spine when they swept across.
At the same time, one white and one yellow soul ring rose from beneath Su Yuntao’s feet, orbiting his body in a slow, steady rhythm.
Though prepared for it, several stifled gasps still escaped from the children at the sight of this fantastical scene.
Wang Teng’s heart tightened as well, but more than fear, he felt an indescribable excitement and anticipation.
“Alright, who will be first?
Step into this golden circle.”
Su Yuntao’s voice was slightly deeper than before, carrying a beast-like resonance.
“I will!”
Wang Teng stepped forward almost without thinking.
For this day, he had waited too long.
The longing in his heart could no longer be contained.
He stepped steadily into the center of the golden circle.
Hum—
It was like being immersed in warm water.
Wang Teng felt a cozy warmth envelop his entire body.
Within the circle, countless brilliant golden specks of light emerged, like fireflies on a summer night, swarming toward him and merging into his body.
A strange warmth rose from his lower abdomen, quickly spreading through all his limbs.
It felt as though something sleeping had been awakened, urgently trying to break free from Wang Teng’s body.
“Extend your right hand.”
Su Yuntao’s steady voice guided him.
Wang Teng raised his right arm as instructed, palm facing upward.
The next moment, a silvery light appeared in his palm, rapidly condensing, elongating, and taking form.
His martial soul had finally emerged.
It was wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, conical in shape.
The entire object seemed cast from bright silver metal, its surface gleaming with a cold metallic luster.
The edges appeared exceptionally smooth, yet vaguely conveyed a sense of sharpness.
At this moment, the martial soul hovered quietly above Wang Teng’s palm, slowly rotating.
“This is…”
Su Yuntao leaned in for a closer look.
“A spinning top?
But it’s different from the ones I played with as a child—not made of wood…”
“This is rather unusual.”
“Judging by the material, it seems to be metal.
It should be classifiable as an object-type martial soul.”
“Young one, this is the first time I’ve seen a martial soul like yours.
You should give it a name yourself.”
Wang Teng stared at the delicate silver spinning top in his palm, momentarily dazed.
A spinning top?
His martial soul was actually a spinning top?
It was completely different from the mighty battle-tiger martial souls he had imagined.
But in that moment of blankness, some distant and blurry fragments of memory suddenly surged into Wang Teng’s mind.
They were images from before his reincarnation, seen in front of a television in another world.
Cool spinning tops colliding fiercely on an arena, howling as they spun, accompanied by phantom images of various beasts—their finishing moves unleashing astonishing power…
“Blast Spinning Top.”
Almost without thinking, Wang Teng uttered the name from his memory.
As the words left his mouth, he seemed to hear rousing battle music in his mind and saw phantom images of tigers and divine birds roaring and dancing with the top’s rotation.
“Blast Spinning Top?
Quite fitting.”
Su Yuntao nodded, seeming to have no objection to the name.
“Object-type martial soul, stable form.”
“Now, test your innate soul power.”
Su Yuntao produced a crystal ball the size of a fist, clear and sparkling, and held it before Wang Teng.
“Retrieve your martial soul into your body.”
“Then place your hand on the crystal ball, focus your mind, and sense the warm current that just appeared in your body.”
Wang Teng gathered his focus and withdrew the Blast Spinning Top martial soul back into his body.
Perhaps the meditation method he had been practicing was effective—with just a thought, the martial soul obediently retreated.
Then Wang Teng gently placed his right hand on the crystal ball’s surface.
The moment he touched it, a clear suction came from within the ball.
He instinctively guided the still-unsettled warm current in his body toward his right palm.
Here it came!
The warm current flowed along his arm and into the crystal ball.
Instantly, the originally transparent crystal ball seemed to ignite from within, brilliant light bursting from its very center!
“He has soul power!”
Su Yuntao’s eyes lit up.
Wang Teng held his breath, his left hand clenching unconsciously, his nails nearly digging into his palm.
He stared intently at the crystal ball as the light rapidly intensified and climbed upward, easily passing the lowest marking etched inside the ball.
Level one, level two, level three…
The light rose steadily and continuously, finally stabilizing near the fifth line, illuminating the entire crystal ball with a bright glow.
“Innate soul power—level five!