"Yes, sir."
Su Yuntao obeyed, channeling more of his soul power into the awakening formation.
Invisible energy condensed into pale blue streams of light, threading through the air and connecting with Lu Feng's hand.
Sure enough, the tiny sapling martial soul in Lu Feng's palm began to grow again.
But as Su Yuntao increased his soul power output, he something was wrong.
His energy was being sucked away like mud sinking into the sea. The sapling martial soul had developed a voracious pull, like a starving infant greedily drinking milk.
"Hah!" Su Yuntao's emerald eyes flashed as the phantom of his Lone Wolf martial soul materialized behind him. He strained to control his soul power but he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even stop the flow.
Cold sweat dripped down Su Yuntao's forehead. At this rate, Lu Feng's martial soul would drain him dry!
The sapling had already grown into a lush, towering tree and it was still growing.
The crowd stared, dumbstruck.
Even the Star Luo Empire's Emperor shot up from his throne, his eyes locked onto Lu Feng's Martial Soul. A strange, extraordinary aura pulsed from it.
Only the rarest plant-type martial souls could evolve on their own, but none had ever grown this fast.
Su Yuntao's face turned ghostly pale. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. His soul power was gushing out uncontrollably, nearing exhaustion. Yet the tree appetite only grew, its roots clinging to him like shackles. If this continued, he'd either die or lose decades of his cultivation.
Just then
A hand pressed against his back, flooding him with immense soul power.
Chrysanthemum Douluo.
The Title Douluo had noticed Su Yuntao's struggle and stepped in.
With a powerhouse's support, Su Yuntao finally exhaled in relief.
Before them, Lu Feng's martial soul had transformed into a colossal tree, its crown piercing the clouds.
RUMBLE!
The sky darkened and thunder cracked.
From the heavens, invisible starlight pierced the storm clouds, bathing the giant tree in an ethereal glow.
"What in the world…?"
"Did his martial soul awakening just alter the weather?!"
"No way, it must be a coincidence."
Murmurs erupted in the crowd as the tree martial soul shifted again. Ten faint star-like shadows materialized, surrounding the dense canopy.
"Enough." Chrysanthemum Douluo said, and together with Su Yuntao withdrew their energy.
Su Yuntao collapsed to his knees, gasping.
But no one paid him any attention. Every eye was fixed on Lu Feng.
"The Starwood Martial Soul!" Chrysanthemum Douluo breathed, his voice trembling with disbelief. "That sapling wasn't an ordinary seed, it was the legendary voidseed of ancient legends! To think it required a second awakening to evolve into this starry sky tree."
Lu Feng thanked him politely, though something whispered in his mind: This tree has another name… the World Tree.
The towering Star Luo Emperor strode forward, barely containing his excitement. "This boy might be a once-in-a-millennium genius for our empire! Test his innate soul power now!"
Getting up Su Yantao remembered there was still another process that hasn't been completed.
With his trembling hands he took out the test crystal ball and handed it Lu Feng.
The moment Lu Feng touched it...
BOOM!
The crystal exploded.
Su Yuntao stumbled back, unharmed but stunned.
Gasps filled the air.
"Was the crystal faulty?"
"Maybe it was too old."
"Bring another one!"
The Star Luo Emperor himself fetched a fresh crystal, forcing a calm smile. "Young man, try again."
Lu Feng obliged but again
BOOM!
The second crystal shattered into pieces.
If the first was an accident, the second left no doubt for anyone.
The Star Luo Emperor's eyes burned with excitement as he declared, "The testing crystal can measure soul power up to level 20. This means his innate full soul power exceeds twenty levels this is absolutely a God-Level Martial Soul!"
"Heavens... a God-Level Martial Soul..."
"Our Star Luo Empire actually produced a God-Level Martial Soul!! In all these years, we haven't even seen a top-tier Martial Soul capable of reaching Super Douluo."
"With a God-Level Martial Soul, not only could he become a Super Douluo, but he might even reach Ultimate Douluo... or perhaps... ascend to godhood!!!"
The square erupted into chaos as the reality sank in. Even Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun, who had been frozen in shock, finally snapped out of their daze, exchanging glances.
The difference was while one was brimming with hopw the other was full of dread.
Zhu Zhuyun's face turned ashen. Every word from the Emperor felt like a slap. With such a talent, the Emperor would undoubtedly pour all resources into grooming Lu Feng, and will even grant his wish for the annulment of Zhu Zhuqing's engagement to Dai Mubai.
This means she will lose the bet!!
Chrysanthemum Douluo stepped forward, his smile oozing charm. "The Starwood Martial Soul, legend calls it the progenitor of all plants, the source of life itself. It's undoubtedly the ultimate control-type Martial Soul, likely with rare healing properties too. The Spirit Hall desperately needs talents like-"
"Young man," the Emperor cut in sharply, "what's your name? Which family do you belong to?"
Lu Feng retracted his Martial Soul, suppressing his excitement, said"I'm Lu Feng. An orphan. I've been wandering since i was a child and just happened to pass through Star Luo City today."
It wasn't a complete lie though he omitted his identity as the Pan-Continental Merchant Alliance's leader.
'The system didn't deceive me,' he mused. During the awakening, he'd sensed something else stirring within those ten starry shadows surrounding the World Tree. As if... this Martial Soul could birth others.
Damn overpowered!
But I'll explore that later.
Chrysanthemum Douluo scowled at the interruption. "Your Majesty, please let me finish." Turning to Lu Feng, he said "I am Yueguan, elder of the Spirit Hall. We formally invite you, Lu Feng, to join us. Our Pope values talent above all whether noble or commoner. With your gifts, even I wouldn't dare claim you as a disciple... but our Hall has many people stronger than me. The Supreme Pope herself, for instance. And our Grand Secretary, a ninety-ninth rank Ultimate Douluo.
He didn't dare to directly claim that Bibi Dong or Qian Douliu would take Lu Feng as a disciple, but he hinted that there was possibility.
And by mentioning Qian Douliu, He also wanted to suppress Emperor StarLuo.
"Elder Yueguan," the Emperor growled, "are you openly snatching talent in my capital? Remember where you stand!"
Normally, the declining Star Luo Empire avoided provoking the Spirit Hall especially considering Qian Daoliu looming. But today, the Emperor seemed ready to burn bridges.
He will do anything to not let Spirit Hall take Lu Feng away.