For some reason, as the previously noisily crying child was enveloped in the faint golden light, he immediately became quiet, just somewhat dully standing there.
Every speck of the golden light came fluttering up from the black stones, further entering the body of the boy.
The boy's body began to lightly tremble, not knowing whether to shout or remain quiet.
"Extend your right hand,"
Su Yuntao's two moss-green eyes stared fixedly at the boy, his voice deep and commanding.
The boy, slightly startled, hesitated for a moment before extending his right hand. Almost instantly, the golden light specks surged out of his body, coalescing into shape. A sickle appeared in his grip, its metallic sheen reflecting the dim torchlight.
It was not an illusion, nor a mere trick of light—this weapon was real. A physical manifestation of his martial soul.
Su Yuntao frowned slightly, arms crossed.
"A Tool Spirit. Can a sickle be regarded as a weapon? It ought to, with effort…"
The golden light gradually faded. The boy, somewhat amazed, stared at the not particularly small sickle in his hand, his expression blank as he struggled to process what had just happened.
Su Yuntao, having seen countless similar awakenings, spoke with practiced indifference.
"Your spirit is a sickle—a Tool Spirit. Come, let me test if you have spirit power. If you possess spirit power, even a Tool Spirit can undergo Battle Spirit Cultivation. After all, a sickle certainly has potential for attack."
The boy hesitated, then looked up with wide, timid eyes.
"Great teacher… what should I do?"
Su Yuntao, unfazed, instructed him coolly.
"Intentionally recall your spirit. Try to remember the feeling of when you first summoned it, and use that thought to call it back."
The boy clenched his fist, trying hard to follow Su Yuntao's instructions. After several attempts, the sickle finally vanished.
Su Yuntao nodded slightly and extended his hands, producing a blue crystal ball. He motioned for the boy to place his right hand on it.
The contrast between the boy's small, immature hand and Su Yuntao's large, calloused fingers was striking as they hovered above and below the crystal ball.
A moment passed. Then another.
Su Yuntao's expression turned indifferent as he let out a small sigh.
"No spirit power. You cannot become a Spirit Master. Step aside."
Similar scenes repeated as one child after another underwent their Spirit Awakening Ceremony. Their martial souls were mostly simple farm tools—pickaxes, sickles, hoes. One by one, Su Yuntao tested them, only to announce that none possessed spirit power.
"No spirit power."
"No spirit power."
"No spirit power."
One after another, each verdict was the same.
The room remained dimly lit by flickering torchlight, casting elongated shadows across the black stones as Su Yuntao's patience waned.
"Next," Su Yuntao called out.
Tang San stepped forward.
The golden light that emerged from Tang San's body was notably stronger than that of the previous children, instantly catching Su Yuntao's attention. His eyes lit up, filled with anticipation.
But then—
His excitement vanished in an instant.
A single glance at the martial soul that materialized in Tang San's right hand made Su Yuntao's face darken.
Blue Silver Grass.
A trash spirit.
A deep disappointment settled in Su Yuntao's heart. The great quantity of golden flecks that had appeared at first had given him hope, yet in the end, it was nothing more than Blue Silver Grass. The stark contrast between expectation and reality left him in a foul mood.
"Uncle, you haven't tested my spirit power yet," Tang San reminded him.
Su Yuntao had already turned away, preparing to call forth the next child. Without looking back, he spoke dismissively.
"No need to test. Blue Silver Grass… I have never seen a single case where it possessed spirit power."
Tang San's expression did not change. Calmly, he insisted.
"Let me try, uncle."
Su Yuntao paused.
Turning back, he met Tang San's eyes—firm, steady, unwavering. Unlike the other children, there was something unusual about him.
After a moment of contemplation, Su Yuntao relented.
"Very well."
He handed Tang San the blue crystal ball.
As soon as Tang San's palm made contact, dazzling blue light exploded from within the sphere, spreading outward in a burst of brilliance. The once-dull crystal ball now resembled a resplendent gemstone, shimmering with an unspeakably enchanting glow.
Su Yuntao's breath hitched.
"Innate full spirit power…" he murmured in shock.
The sheer intensity of the light left no room for doubt. In all his years conducting Spirit Awakening Ceremonies, Su Yuntao had never seen a reaction this strong from a child with Blue Silver Grass.
Blue-green light flickered around his body, and the crystal ball was suddenly forced from Tang San's grasp.
At that moment, Su Yuntao's gaze toward the boy shifted. What had once been indifference was now the look one gave a monster.
Tang San, sensing that something was different about his test compared to the others, hesitated before asking, "Uncle, what is innate full spirit power?"
Su Yuntao, still processing what he had just witnessed, took a moment before answering.
Meanwhile, Arthev observed in silence.
He already knew the plot, so the scene did not surprise him. His attention, instead, was on Tang San's left hand.
Was that the Clear Sky Hammer?
The strongest Tool Spirit on the Douluo Continent, hidden away as if it did not exist.
After Su Yuntao finished explaining, Tang San nodded in understanding and stepped out of the six-pointed star array. He stood beside Arthev, silent, deep in thought.
Arthev, on the other hand, felt a spark of excitement.
At last, it was his turn.
Stepping forward, he entered the six-pointed star array.
As Su Yuntao raised his arms, green light surged into the black stones once more.
But this time—
The reaction was different.
The golden light that erupted from the array was far more intense than when Tang San had awakened his spirit. The entire room became bathed in a dazzling golden glow, so bright that even Su Yuntao's heart began to race.
Such a strong reaction…
Arthev stared at his right hand, his breath catching slightly.
A tree?
The martial soul that appeared was unlike anything he had ever seen.
The tree is an enormous, twisted structure with a spiraling trunk made of gnarled, root-like formations tightly woven together. Its bark appears ancient and weathered, resembling petrified wood with a rough, uneven texture. At its peak, a large bud-like structure emerges, resembling a closed flower or fruit, with thick, hardened petals that seem ready to bloom. The base of the tree extends outward with thick, sinuous roots that twist and curl as if they are alive, anchoring it firmly into the ground. Its overall appearance is eerie and unnatural, as if it were a fusion of organic and eldritch forces, standing ominously with an air of silent menace.
Its presence was both eerie and awe-inspiring.
"A tree?"
"That's just a normal tree, isn't it?"
"What kind of martial soul is that?"
Even Su Yuntao, taken aback, was unsure of what to make of it.
"A tree martial soul…? Hmm… Well, let's test your spirit power."
Arthev placed his hand on the blue crystal ball.
The moment he did, blue light burst forth, far brighter than any before. Waves of dazzling radiance rippled outward, covering the entire room.
Children squeezed their eyes shut, some even tearing up from the sheer intensity.
Su Yuntao, momentarily stunned, composed himself and announced, "Innate Spirit Power – Level 5."
Then, squatting down, he placed a firm hand on Arthev's shoulder.
"My child, what is your name?"
"Arthev," he answered simply.
Su Yuntao smiled.
"A good name. Are you interested in joining Spirit Hall?"
Murmurs of jealousy filled the room.
Arthev, however, remained calm.
Bowing respectfully, he replied, "Thank you for the offer, sir, but I will decline. I would like to decide my path on my own."
Su Yuntao frowned slightly but did not insist.
"Very well. Should you ever change your mind, Spirit Hall will always welcome talented children like you."
As the ceremony ended, Tang San quietly observed Arthev, curiosity flickering in his eyes.