Chapter 2: Spirit Awakening

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At dawn the next day, before light broke, Wang Li was already up. He quickly cooked a pot of rice porridge, hurriedly ate a portion, and then headed out the door.

He didn't want to miss anything.

When it came to spirit awakening, Wang Li was full of anticipation.

Tang Shenwang had designed this world with intriguing elements: the Douluo Continent, a place blending fantasy's foundational stones with the heights of martial arts, where hidden weapons could even kill gods. The system of spirits and spirit rings was like something out of an online game, making the mystery of what kind of spirit one might awaken a huge point of excitement.

Wang Li quickened his pace toward the Spirit Hall at the village center. This so-called Spirit Hall was merely a decent wooden cabin, unused most of the time but regularly maintained by the village chief's appointed helpers.

Every year, on the day of spirit awakening, children of appropriate age would be brought here by their parents, waiting for Spirit Hall representatives to arrive and conduct the awakenings.

Today, a few children had already gathered, along with their parents. Seeing them, Wang Li flashed his signature, friendly grin as he walked over.

Before long, Village Chief Wang Ping arrived as well. He counted heads, ensuring all the eligible children from the village were present, then addressed the group with a serious expression.

"Everyone, stay here and don't wander off. The Soul Master from Spirit Hall could arrive at any moment. If anyone misses their chance for spirit awakening due to their own carelessness, they'll have only themselves to blame for the consequences."

The group immediately nodded in agreement.

After all, for many, this was likely the only chance for a major turn in their lives.

The wait lasted an hour, and finally, in their anxious, expectant gazes, they saw the Soul Master from Spirit Hall approaching.

He walked briskly from a distance, dressed in a white tunic with a black cape. A large "Spirit" character was emblazoned on his chest, and three small swords were embroidered on his left breast. His figure was tall and handsome, though his expression was less than friendly.

As he drew close, Village Chief Wang Ping stepped forward, showing his respect to this man who was many years his junior, and greeted him with a bow.

"Esteemed Soul Master, thank you for coming. All the eligible children from our village are here."

The Soul Master gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, then glanced over at the children, his expression softening a bit.

"Alright, kids, head into the building and wait for me. I still need to visit other villages after this, so I won't be able to stay here too long."

At his words, the six children, including Wang Li, filed into the wooden building.

Under the watchful and eager eyes of the adults outside, the Soul Master from Spirit Hall entered as well, feeling a glimmer of hope himself.

"Perhaps I'll find a gifted child in this village…"

Inside the wooden building!

The Soul Master from Spirit Hall took six black stones from his bag and arranged them on the ground in the shape of a star. Once he finished, he looked at the children and spoke in a gentle tone.

"Alright, children, let me introduce myself. My name is Su Yuntao, a Battle Soul Master of the second ring from Spirit Hall. I will now activate the spirits and awaken your martial spirits. No matter what you see, don't be afraid…"

Upon hearing the name Su Yuntao, Wang Li's eyes lit up with recognition, his heart brimming with excitement.

It's him! This is it—this guarantees it. I'm sure to awaken a powerful spirit with spirit power!

"Lone Wolf, possess!"

With a deep shout, Wang Li snapped back to attention, focusing on the scene before him.

A green aura surged around Su Yuntao, and his body began to swell. His hair turned grayish-brown, and patches of gray-brown fur sprouted on his face, arms, and other exposed areas. His teeth sharpened, his nails lengthened, and he transformed from a man into a wolf-like creature.

The Spirit Hall uniform he wore was clearly of high quality, as it didn't tear under his transformation. Around him, a white and a yellow spirit ring hovered, completing his transformation.

The children were startled and gasped, some visibly frightened.

Su Yuntao sighed and tried to reassure them.

"Don't be afraid. This is normal. If any of you awaken a beast spirit, you'll experience similar transformations in the future. Now, whoever wants to be the first to awaken, step into the center of the formation."

While others hesitated, Wang Li had already made up his mind. He strode confidently to the center of the formation and eagerly said,

"Master Su Yuntao, please help me awaken my spirit!"

Su Yuntao noticed that someone had stepped up voluntarily, and with the idea of setting an example through Wang Li, he wasted no words. Extending a wolf-clawed hand before Wang Li, he released his soul power and said,

"Focus closely on the changes happening within your body!"

Wang Li didn't need further prompting—he was already doing just that. He felt as though he were soaking in warm water; a soothing heat spread throughout his entire body, finally concentrating in his hands.

In an instant, a flash of white light burst forth, and a plant sprouted from thin air, catching everyone's attention.

Su Yuntao stared, momentarily stunned. Fixing his gaze on the plant, he examined it for a while before hesitantly speaking,

"Is this… Blue Silver Grass? Although it looks a bit sturdier and more upright, it's definitely Blue Silver Grass. Has it undergone some sort of mutation?"

Su Yuntao was half-amused, half-bemused. The brightness of the light had led him to think it might be a powerful spirit, but it turned out to be nothing more than Blue Silver Grass. With a sigh, he took a transparent crystal ball from his pack and placed it in front of Wang Li, saying,

"Alright, child, concentrate on retracting your spirit. Then place your hand on this crystal ball. Let's see if you have any soul power."

Wang Li nodded resolutely. Focusing his mind, the plant that had sprouted vanished from his palm, returning to his body.

Blue Silver Grass, huh…

Wang Li thought to himself as he placed his hand on the crystal ball. Instantly, a suction force seemed to draw out the warmth within him, and the crystal ball began to glow. The light wasn't blinding, but it shone with a clear brightness.

Su Yuntao was stunned once again, momentarily speechless, before finally muttering in bewilderment,

"Even Blue Silver Grass has soul power, and it's level three soul power at that. Back in my day, I only had level two soul power…"

Wang Li heard everything clearly, feeling just as surprised.

This, he understood—Wang Li, level three soul power, with the "useless" Blue Silver Grass as his spirit…

A standard "weak" template!

Then again, in the Douluo Continent, level three soul power wasn't bad at all.

While it didn't place him among the best, it was enough to give him a solid start, at least offering a hope of breaking through to level thirty and becoming a Spirit Elder.

(End of chapter)