Chapter 3: The Awakening of the Martial Spirits: Part 1

The village chief, with a look that reflected the solemnity of the moment, turned to the children and said, "Now that I have told you the story of the statue, we will move on to the next stage. Follow me." With a gesture of his hand, he indicated for them to accompany him to the Hall of Spiritual Awakening.

The children, filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement, began to walk behind the village chief. The sun shone brightly, but the shadow of the statue seemed to follow them, as if the spirit of the Contra was giving them its silent blessing.

Upon reaching the Hall of Spiritual Awakening, the village chief stopped in front of the large carved wooden door. With a firm movement, he pushed it open, and the doors creaked, revealing the interior of the hall. Two figures stood out in the center: one, an elderly man of about 70 years with a presence that radiated wisdom and power; the other, a young man of about 20 years, whose aura of confidence and strength was unmistakable.

The village chief entered with the children and approached the two figures. Once close, he turned to the children and said, "Kids, this," pointing to the elderly man, "is Ma Xiu Nuo, the Deacon of Nuoding City, a Grand Spirit Master of rank 29. And the other," pointing to the young man, "is Su Yuntao, also a Grand Spirit Master, but he doesn't have his second ring yet, so he is at rank 20. They will help you awaken your martial spirit."

Ma Xiu Nuo, with a voice that seemed to resonate with the very history of the place, said to the village chief, "Thank you for the introduction. If you wish, we can begin the awakening of the martial spirit now."

The village chief nodded approvingly and addressed the children, "Alright, kids, line up."

The children began to form an orderly line, and one of the six children approached Xue Sha and asked, "Chief, where should we stand?"

Xue Sha, observing the forming line, responded calmly, "Let's go to the end."

Together, Xue Sha and the child moved to the end of the line, preparing for the moment when their martial spirits would be awakened.

Ma Xiu Nuo observed the children with a kind look and a smile on his face. "Hello, children," he began warmly, "the one who will awaken your martial spirit is Su Yuntao. It is his first time awakening the martial spirit for someone, so let's give him a round of applause."

The children, following Ma Xiu Nuo's lead, began to clap enthusiastically, looking at Su Yuntao with curiosity and admiration. The young spirit master, though clearly nervous about the responsibility, showed a shy smile at the warm reception.

After a while, Ma Xiu Nuo gestured with his hand downward several times, and the applause gradually ceased until silence reigned. Su Yuntao, taking advantage of the calm, approached the children, reducing the distance between them. With a smooth and practiced movement, he took out six objects from his pocket that looked like stones and threw them into the air with precision.

The stones began to spin in a circle, emitting a bright yellow color that illuminated the children's faces with wonder. The light slowly dimmed, but the stones continued their spinning dance, creating a magical space in the middle of the hall.

"You come first," said Su Yuntao, addressing the first child with a firm but friendly voice.

The child, a bit nervous but filled with palpable anticipation, stepped forward and stood in the middle of the circle of spinning stones. The soft hum of the moving stones filled the space, and everyone present held their breath, waiting to witness the moment when the martial spirit would awaken.

Su Yuntao stood in front of the child with a concentrated expression. "Close your eyes and feel it," he instructed with a soft but firm voice. The child obeyed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves running through his body.

With the child's eyes closed and his breathing stabilizing, Su Yuntao extended his hands toward the stones spinning in the air. He began to channel his soul power, and the stones responded to his call, glowing with an intense yellow radiance that illuminated the room with a warm light.

The child, still with his eyes closed, began to float slightly above the ground, enveloped in the golden glow of the stones. Motes of soul power began to detach from the spinning stones, dancing around the child like fireflies on a summer night.

One by one, the motes of soul power approached and fused with the child's body, which absorbed them instinctively. The process was calm and beautiful, a magical spectacle that left the spectators in silence, marveling at the ceremony of awakening the martial spirit.

The air in the hall seemed to vibrate with energy, and everyone present could feel the presence of soul power in its fullness. Ma Xiu Nuo watched with an approving smile, knowing that a new Spirit Master might be born.

The tension in the hall of spiritual awakening grew as Su Yuntao concentrated, his voice resonating with authority and expectation. "Lone Wolf, Possession!" he exclaimed forcefully.

Suddenly, behind him, the ethereal silhouette of a wolf, or more precisely, a werewolf, emerged like a ghost. A white ring formed around Su Yuntao's feet, symbolizing his first spirit ring, the manifestation of his martial spirit.

"Raise your right hand," Su Yuntao instructed the child while continuing to inject soul power into the ritual. The child, moved by the master's voice, raised his hand, and to his and everyone's amazement, an axe appeared in his palm, glowing with a faint but firm light.

Su Yuntao ceased the injection of soul power and observed the child with an approving look. "Collect the martial spirit, do it with your mind," he instructed calmly.

The child, still with his eyes closed, concentrated, and as if it were the most natural thing in the world, the axe began to dissolve into motes of light that were absorbed into his body, completing the process of awakening his martial spirit.

Then, Su Yuntao took out a small sphere and threw it into the air, where it began to float towards the child. "Place your hand on it to see if you are fit to be a spirit master," said Su Yuntao.

The child extended his hand and touched the sphere, which immediately emitted a soft blue glow. "You can become a Spirit Master," announced Su Yuntao with a smile. "You have 2 levels of innate soul power."

The child's eyes opened, filled with a mix of disbelief and joy. He had begun his path as a Spirit Master, a path full of challenges and adventures that was just starting.

"Now let the others go," said Su Yuntao to the child who had just awakened his martial spirit. The little one, still with a mix of amazement and pride, stepped aside and returned to the line to watch as the next aspirant took his place in the center of the circle.

The second child entered the circle with a mix of nervousness and hope. However, despite Su Yuntao's efforts and the child's concentration, no innate spiritual power manifested. With a look of understanding and encouragement, Su Yuntao gave him some comforting words before the child withdrew disappointed.

This same process repeated with the following aspirants. Some successfully awakened spiritual power, while others did not. After assisting the first ten children, Su Yuntao began to show signs of fatigue. Awakening martial spirits was a task that demanded a lot of soul power, and the wear on Su Yuntao was evident.

Ma Xiu Nuo, observing the situation, approached Su Yuntao. "Rest, recover your soul power, and then continue," he advised with a voice that mixed concern and authority.

Su Yuntao nodded, aware of the need to care for his own soul power. He sat on the ground and placed his hands one over the other in front of his chest, closing his eyes to meditate. The specter of the lone wolf behind him gradually faded until it disappeared completely, a sign that Su Yuntao had ceased using his martial spirit.

The children watched in silence, some with expressions of amazement at what they had witnessed and others with thoughtful looks about what it would mean for them when their turn came. Su Yuntao, now in deep meditation, began to recover his soul power, preparing to continue with the ceremony of awakening martial spirits once he was fully restored.