Silence dominated the awakening hall.
The crimson light radiating from the crystal sphere reflected across every stunned face inside the room.
Even the children who did not fully understand what had happened could instinctively sense that something extraordinary stood before them.
Luo Cheng stared at the crystal in Lin Yuan’s hand without moving.
“Innate… full spirit power…” His voice sounded dry.
For ordinary civilians, spirit power itself was already rare enough.
Most children who successfully awakened martial souls possessed only one or two levels of innate spirit power.
Even level five or six could already attract academy attention.
But innate full spirit power— Level ten at awakening— represented true genius.
The kind of talent capable of changing an entire family’s fate.
The atmosphere inside the hall gradually became restless.
“Innate full spirit power?” “Isn’t that incredibly rare?” “How could someone from our town—” Whispers spread rapidly among the adults watching nearby.
Meanwhile, Lin Yuan himself remained calm.
He had already expected this outcome.
His martial soul was fundamentally abnormal from the beginning.
Combined with his years of pressure refinement and mental training, his body and spiritual foundation had long surpassed ordinary children.
The Spirit Hall deacon beside the door suddenly stepped forward hurriedly.
Unlike the others, his attention was not focused solely on the spirit power result.
It was focused on the martial soul itself.
“Asura Prison…” he muttered quietly while observing Lin Yuan carefully.
The name meant nothing to him.
But the pressure from earlier still lingered in his memory.
That feeling had not resembled ordinary spirit power suppression.
It felt closer to instinctive fear.
Like standing before a predator.
Luo Cheng finally regained composure and looked toward Lin Yuan again.
“Release your martial soul once more.” Lin Yuan nodded slightly.
The moment spirit power circulated— Boom.
Invisible pressure spread outward instantly.
Dark crimson halos appeared behind him once again while distorted black chains flickered through the surrounding air.
The nearby air became noticeably heavier.
Several children immediately retreated backward unconsciously.
Luo Cheng narrowed his eyes.
Control-type martial soul?
No.
Something more dangerous.
He could clearly sense suppression spreading from Lin Yuan’s spirit power itself.
Not elemental suppression.
Not rank suppression.
But psychological suppression.
The martial soul seemed capable of affecting instinct directly.
The deacon suddenly spoke.
“Can you focus the pressure?” Lin Yuan glanced toward him briefly before nodding again.
The pressure filling the hall immediately condensed toward one corner.
Crack.
The wooden floor splintered instantly beneath the concentrated force.
Several adults inhaled sharply.
Even Luo Cheng’s expression changed again.
Such control immediately after awakening?
That was absurd.
Most children could barely maintain stable spirit power circulation after awakening, much less manipulate unique martial soul effects precisely.
The deacon’s gaze gradually sharpened.
A genius.
Without question.
And perhaps something even more dangerous than genius.
Lin Yuan quietly dispersed his martial soul afterward.
The suffocating pressure vanished instantly.
Only then did everyone finally breathe normally again.
The deacon stared at him silently for several moments before speaking.
“Have you considered joining Spirit Hall directly?” The question caused the room to become quiet once more.
Several adults nearby immediately revealed envious expressions.
Direct recruitment into Spirit Hall was an opportunity most spirit masters could never obtain.
Yet Lin Yuan’s expression remained unchanged.
He already understood what this invitation represented.
Resources.
Protection.
Status.
But also— Surveillance.
Especially for someone with a martial soul this unusual.
Lin Yuan lowered his gaze slightly before answering calmly.
“I want to think about it first.” The deacon looked somewhat surprised.
Children his age rarely rejected Spirit Hall invitations so calmly.
Still, he nodded eventually.
“Fair enough.” Then his expression grew more serious.
“But your talent is extraordinary.
You should not remain in a small town forever.” Lin Yuan gave a slight nod without responding further.
Of course he would leave eventually.
This place was too small for the future awaiting him.
The ceremony continued afterward, though no one paid much attention anymore.
The earlier awakening had already shaken the entire atmosphere completely.
Children looked toward Lin Yuan with awe and fear.
Parents whispered continuously.
Even Zhao Hu stared at him blankly.
“You monster…” he muttered eventually.
Lin Yuan glanced sideways.
“You just realized?” Zhao Hu nearly choked.
“You can still joke at a time like this?” Lin Yuan smiled faintly.
The tension surrounding him eased slightly afterward.
But inwardly, his thoughts remained calm and focused.
Innate full spirit power.
The Asura Prison martial soul.
Everything had unfolded almost exactly as expected.
Which meant— His plans could finally begin moving forward properly.
Once the awakening ceremony ended, the crowd outside exploded into discussion immediately.
News spread rapidly throughout the town.
A genius had appeared.
An innate full spirit power genius.
Even before Lin Yuan returned to the blacksmith workshop, countless gazes had already begun following him through the streets.
Some carried admiration.
Others envy.
A few carried greed.
Lin Yuan noticed all of them calmly.
This was another reality of Soul Land.
Talent attracted attention.
Attention attracted danger.
Especially for children without powerful backgrounds.
By the time he reached the workshop, Old Chen was already waiting outside the entrance with folded arms.
The old man stared at him silently.
Then finally asked: “Innate full spirit power?” Lin Yuan nodded once.
Old Chen remained quiet for several seconds before sighing deeply.
“I knew you were abnormal.” Lin Yuan almost laughed.
The old man studied him carefully before speaking again.
“So what now?” Lin Yuan looked toward the distant mountains quietly.
Snow still covered the forest paths beyond town.
Farther away lay cities.
Academies.
Spirit Hall branches.
And eventually— Slaughter City.
His gaze gradually sharpened.
“I cultivate.” Old Chen frowned immediately.
“That’s all?” “For now.” The old man shook his head helplessly.
“You really don’t act like a child.” Lin Yuan did not answer.
Because in truth, he no longer knew whether he truly was one.
His memories from another world had already blended too deeply into this life.
Sometimes even he himself felt detached from the ordinary emotions of children his age.
Perhaps that was why the Asura Prison suited him so well.
A martial soul born from pressure and judgment.
A path that demanded calmness within slaughter.
Old Chen eventually waved his hand.
“Go eat something first before you collapse.” Lin Yuan nodded and entered the workshop quietly.
Yet even while walking inside, he could still feel it.
Something had changed today.
The moment his martial soul awakened— Fate itself had begun moving differently.
And somewhere far away, beyond countless mountains and cities, a path stained with blood was already waiting for him.