Scene 1 – Willow Shade Village, Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony
The village hall was silent, save for the faint crackling of incense. Dim sunlight streamed through small windows, casting long shadows over the worn wooden floor. At the front of the room, a large stone pedestal held two objects—the Awakening Stone and a Spirit Orb, both already set up by Mu Qinglan, the visiting Spirit Hall Soul Master.
She stood beside them, her silver eyes calm and unreadable. Her Moonlit Mirror, a round, polished silver disc, floated behind her, faintly glowing as it assessed each child's Martial Soul.
Outside the hall, village head Old Lin paced anxiously. He wasn't permitted inside—Spirit Hall's rules were strict. No outsiders were allowed to interfere in the ceremony.
Inside, a dozen six-year-olds stood in a line. Some fidgeted nervously, while others stole hopeful glances at Mu Qinglan.
Li Feng remained still, hands clenched at his sides. He knew what was coming.
Mu Qinglan's voice was steady. "Step forward one by one. Place your hand on the Awakening Stone."
One by one, the children stepped forward. A wooden hoe, a sickle, a rake, a clay pot—all tool-type Martial Souls. Mu Qinglan dismissed them without hesitation.
Then—
A boy's Martial Soul appeared in the form of a small, white weasel. A faint glow surrounded him.
Mu Qinglan finally nodded. "A beast-type Martial Soul. Place your hand on the Spirit Orb."
The boy hesitated, then obeyed. A faint light flickered inside the orb.
"Innate soul power of one. You may cultivate."
The boy's face lit up. The first success of the day.
Li Feng exhaled slowly as his turn approached.
He stepped forward.
Mu Qinglan placed her palm against his back, sending soul power into him. The Awakening Stone responded.
A faint green glow emerged.
Thin, delicate blue silver grass unfurled in the air behind him, swaying slightly.
A few of the children exchanged glances. Even among farmers, blue silver grass was considered useless.
Mu Qinglan's expression didn't change, but she gestured to the Spirit Orb.
Li Feng placed his hand on it.
Nothing happened. The orb remained dark.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Mu Qinglan's tone was neutral. "Innate soul power… zero."
The words were final. Without soul power, there was no future as a soul master.
The other children looked at him, some with sympathy, others relieved that they weren't the lowest of the low.
Mu Qinglan withdrew her hand. Her voice was not unkind, but distant.
"You may step back."
Li Feng did so, keeping his head down. On the surface, he looked resigned. But inside—
(Innate soul power of zero? As expected. But that doesn't mean I'm powerless.)
Scene 2 – Outside the Village Hall
The large wooden doors creaked open as Mu Qinglan stepped outside, followed by the children. Old Lin, waiting anxiously, walked up to her immediately.
"Master Qinglan," he greeted her with respect. "How many this year?"
Mu Qinglan didn't hesitate. "Only one."
Old Lin let out a long sigh. "Just one…"
He had seen this outcome before, but it never became easier to accept. Most years, not a single child awakened with soul power. This time, at least one had a chance—but the odds of him ever reaching high rank were slim.
Mu Qinglan glanced at him. "Your village is not special in this regard. Across the kingdom, the number of those who can cultivate is always low. Beast-type Martial Souls are rare in farming communities. Even when one appears, their innate soul power is usually low."
Old Lin nodded bitterly. "It's just… when I was young, there were more." He paused. "Or maybe I just remember it differently."
Mu Qinglan didn't reply. She had conducted dozens of these ceremonies and had heard similar words many times.
"It is how the world works," she said simply. "Talent is dictated by fate."
Old Lin glanced at Li Feng, who stood among the other children, his expression unreadable.
"…And those without talent?" he asked quietly.
Mu Qinglan shook her head. "They will live their lives as they always have. That is their fate."
With that, she turned and walked toward her carriage.
Old Lin remained where he stood, watching the children. His gaze lingered on Li Feng.
Something about the boy's silence unsettled him.
(He doesn't look disappointed. It's like… he already expected this.)
Scene 3 – Late Night, Li Feng's Home
The moon hung high over Willow Shade Village. Inside a small wooden house, Li Feng sat cross-legged on a straw mat, eyes closed. His family was fast asleep.
(If I cannot follow the known path, I will forge my own.)
He slowed his breathing, his mind sharpening. His past life's knowledge surfaced—discussions with friends, fanfiction theories about self-created spirit rings, alternative cultivation methods.
(Soul rings structure power, but what if I create my own? If soul masters cultivate soul power first, what happens if I cultivate my spiritual power before anything else?)
Tang San's Purple Demon Eye allowed him to resist soul shocks. Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection was built upon refining the mind.
But they had both started after awakening their Martial Souls.
Li Feng was starting before.
He focused inward, pushing his awareness into the stillness of his mind.
(In the stories I read, mental energy was like an ocean—the Spiritual Sea. But mine is just… a void. A blank slate.)
That wasn't a weakness. It was potential.
He controlled his breath, visualizing a ripple in the emptiness. A small wave of thought.
Then another.
A flicker of energy. Not soul power, but something else—a whisper of intent, a spark of will.
His heartbeat slowed. His perception expanded. The wooden walls, the faint breeze outside, the quiet breathing of his family—he felt it all.
His thoughts sharpened.
(Cultivating the body strengthens the body. Cultivating the mind strengthens the mind. If I refine my consciousness now, before my Martial Soul develops further… will it change everything?)
He didn't know.
But he would find out.
Li Feng exhaled, sinking deeper into focus.
The Spiritual Sea did not yet exist within him.
But tonight, for the first time—the first stone had been cast into the water.