The next morning, under a clear and bright sky, Long Tianyu left early. As usual, he went outside the city to train. But this time, he did so cautiously—not pushing himself too hard like he usually did. After all, today was an important day—the day he would awaken his Martial Soul at the City Hall.
Though filled with enthusiasm, a hint of unease lingered in Tianyu's heart. The Martial Soul awakening ceremony was a significant event, and he knew this would be the starting point of his life's journey. Everyone born in this world had their Martial Soul awakened at a young age, but not everyone was blessed with the same fate. He was eager to find out what would awaken within him—would it be a powerful force capable of changing his life?
When someone awakens their Martial Soul, it is accompanied by their innate soul power. The higher a person's innate soul power, the better the quality of their Martial Soul. If he wanted to be the strongest, Long Tianyu's Martial Soul would need to be of exceptional quality.
After training for a while, Tianyu returned home with a light step, trying to calm himself. His mother was already waiting, and they would head to the City Hall together.
Upon arriving home, he immediately sensed a different atmosphere. His mother, Long Ruyin, looked calm and greeted him with a warm smile."Tianyu, today is a big day. I know you'll do well."
Tianyu smiled, though a creeping anxiety still stirred. "Mother, are you sure everything will go smoothly?" he asked, trying to reassure himself.
"There's nothing to worry about," Long Ruyin replied gently. "This is a natural process for everyone. Whatever happens, I'll always be by your side."
Hearing that, Long Tianyu felt a little more at ease. Yet excitement and nervousness continued to mingle in his heart as they prepared to leave for the City Hall.
The current era was vastly different from ten thousand years ago. These days, awakening one's Martial Soul came with a cost—not a small one either. The amount was equivalent to a month's living expenses for a family of four.
This became a huge barrier for poor families. Unlike in the past, when there was an organization called the Spirit Hall. Back then, Spirit Hall provided Martial Soul awakening services for free to everyone, regardless of social status. Though the organization had hidden motives—namely recruiting talented individuals who might be born among commoners—they at least gave everyone a fair chance.
But now, only nobles and well-off families could afford to awaken their children's Martial Souls. For the rest, that hope had become a fading dream.
As for Long Tianyu's own family, his mother had spent years saving up enough money for him to awaken his Martial Soul.
Wearing clean, modest clothes, Long Tianyu walked beside his mother toward the City Hall.
The City Hall was located at the city center, the grandest building Wang Feng had ever seen.
The building stood tall in the heart of the bustling city, with marble pillars and golden carvings that reflected the sunlight. Long Tianyu swallowed hard, his hands sweaty as he stepped through the large gate. Around him, families in luxurious clothing stood with their confident-looking children. Some even cast condescending glances at Tianyu and his mother's simple attire.
"Look, even a peasant kid wants to try awakening a Martial Soul," whispered a boy in a silk robe to his friends.
Tianyu clenched his fists, but his mother quickly placed a hand on his shoulder."Don't pay them any mind. Focus on yourself," Long Ruyin whispered calmly.
Tianyu nodded slowly. He took a deep breath, calming his racing heartbeat. Though the insult stung, he knew the only way to respond was by proving himself—not with words, but with strength.
They entered the main hall of the City Hall. At its center stood a circular altar, adorned with glowing crystals and symbols Tianyu didn't understand. In the middle of the altar stood an old man in a white robe, his silver hair neatly slicked back. His face was stern and commanding.
"Welcome to the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony of Xing Luo City," the old man announced loudly. His voice echoed throughout the hall. "My name is Fu Zhen. I am a level 67 Battle Soul Master, and I will be the head examiner today. Those who have paid the awakening fee, line up according to the number you have been given."
Tianyu stared at the number in his hand—number 27.
The ceremony began.
One by one, the children stepped forward to the altar, and Fu Zhen helped them awaken their Martial Souls.
Some children showed ordinary results—wooden sticks, kitchen knives, even plants. There were also those who obtained beast-type Martial Souls like cats, dogs, or birds.
But occasionally, a brighter flash of light appeared, indicating a rarer Martial Soul—sharp weapons, elements, or even spiritual beasts. Every time this happened, the crowd murmured in awe, and the examiners recorded the child's name seriously.
Finally, number 27 was called.
"Long Tianyu."
Tianyu stepped forward. The sound of his footsteps echoed on the marble floor. All eyes turned toward him, some filled with curiosity, but when they saw Tianyu's clothes, many dismissed him with disdain.
Long Tianyu stood in the center of the formation made up of six awakening stones. Fu Zhen then injected his soul power into the formation.
The air in the hall suddenly felt heavier as Fu Zhen's soul power flowed into the formation. The six awakening stones arranged in a circle began to glow softly, emitting a gentle light that enveloped Long Tianyu's body.
Everyone watched, waiting to see what his Martial Soul would be.
The light from the formation spread into Tianyu's body, seeping into him like a warm current flowing through his veins. The next moment, his eyes widened—he felt something deep within him, as if an ancient power long hidden was now slowly waking from its slumber.
The formation trembled.
The stones around Tianyu glowed much brighter than before.
The six awakening stones began to spin faster and faster, radiating golden light that illuminated the entire hall.
Suddenly—
BOOOOM!
A spiritual explosion rocked the entire city hall. The golden light suddenly transformed into a pillar of energy that pierced the hall's ceiling. The roar of a dragon echoed through the chamber, causing everyone present to tremble in fear.
Behind Tianyu, a massive shadow began to form. A dragon with shimmering golden scales, wide outstretched wings, and eyes glowing with power. The dragon's roar echoed loudly, as if shaking the very world.
A pair of dragon wings emerged from Long Tianyu's back. The wings were made of golden energy, gleaming with immense power. His entire body was enveloped in radiant golden light, exuding a sense of overwhelming strength.
"How is this possible?!"
Fu Zhen's face was filled with disbelief. Normally, for a soul master with a dragon Martial Soul to manifest even a part of a dragon's body, their soul power would need to reach level 40 or 50. Even for a genius, they would only be able to do it at level 30 or so.
But the boy in front of him had already manifested dragon wings immediately after awakening his Martial Soul.
Fu Zhen was stunned, eyes wide. He never expected that Long Tianyu, who seemed like just an ordinary boy from a poor family, could awaken such an extraordinary Martial Soul—a golden dragon so majestic and powerful. The aura from the dragon was terrifying; even the examiners and the people in the city hall felt immense pressure, as if the world itself could crumble under the dragon's might.
The noble children who had previously looked down on Tianyu now stood silent in disbelief. Some began whispering to one another, discussing what they had just witnessed.
"A dragon Martial Soul… But how is that possible…?"
"Which family is he from? There's no way this is just a coincidence, right?"
"This boy… he's incredible."
At the altar, Fu Zhen snapped back to reality. He quickly grabbed the soul power tester beside the altar.
"Little brother, let's test your soul power," he said eagerly, handing the soul power testing orb to Long Tianyu.
Tianyu's small hand took the orb offered by Fu Zhen. The crystal orb felt cold to the touch. But as he poured his soul power into it, the orb slowly warmed.
For a moment, the orb emitted a brilliant golden light, shining throughout the hall.
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