Unexpected Turn of Events

Yao and company entered the awakening chamber. Inside, a pale white room dotted with golden pulsing lines woven into marvelous patterns of animals. In the center stood a shocked old man wearing blue robes. His hair was a shade of white and his flesh seed to sag from his body.

The man quickly regained their bearings. Flashing a welcoming smile, he nodded at the three and focused his gaze at Guang Yao.

"This little one's name is Tai Yun. It's a pleasure to see the Guang Brothers in person. So, this little boy with grey hair would be the one to awaken their martial soul yes?" Tai Yun watched his tone whilst analyzing his clients.

They were people who had some status. It was best to be respectful.

"Yep. It's my little brother who will go through an awakening ceremony." Guang Long, quick on the uptake confirmed the spirit pagoda member's assumptions.

Yao stepped forward.

Already the boy was feeling like everything was a bother. His eldest brother Guang Biao could awaken his martial soul on his own but the man decided against it. Under the pretense of the spirit pagoda having better facilities that can help him identify the specifics of his martial soul. And it was mandatory that newly awakened soul masters would get registered into the spirit pagoda database.

A database that not only records a person's martial soul and background, but it also keeps tabs on their progress every time they go to the spirit pagoda for business purposes such as buying spirit souls that can grant rings for Soul masters to break their limits.

There were also benefits to being registered. If one was deemed talented enough then they could get scouted by powerful organizations and be recruited. Earning the soul masters benefits and access to a wide pool of resources.

As much as possible, the eldest brother Guang Biao wanted his little brother to reap the benefits that can come with awakening ceremony if he was lucky enough to awaken with a high soul power rank.

Bringing him to his current situation.

"Let's do it." Yao cut the crap and stared calmly at the old man.

Tai Yun nodded. Around him a burst of invisible power welled up. The power took a semi physical form in the shape of an invisible gust of wind. The old man's clothes fluttered and he raised a palm, pointing that palm at the grey-haired child.

Guang Yao shivered, a cooling sensation invaded him and the next moment made him grit his teeth. Icy needles seemed to prick his veins, like ants they crawled through his bloodstream, through his bones and across the muscles.

Bearing the pain, Guang Yao hands balled up into fists.

A headache assaulted him, a powerful headache befitting that of a sledge hammer striking his skull nearly made him lose consciousness. That and the effect of nausea made him start doubting if what was happening is normal.

Guang Long became worried. Guang Biao observed with a tense passive look.

"Big bro... Is little Yao going to be fine?" Guang Long couldn't feel at ease. He was there too. Back then, almost two decades ago he awakened his martial soul and it was quick, painless even albeit feeling strangely energized.

So why did his little brother look like he was struggling?

The formless wind blew harder around Tai Yun and Guang Yao. Soul power stirred crazy in the room and it combined with that wind, circling around the two people.

Seconds turned into minutes and the second eldest of the three siblings started tensing up.

"Big bro... We have to stop this." Worry fueled Guang Long's paranoia, taking a step forward he wished to bring an end to the process.

Guang Biao grunted, raising an arm to block his brother from advancing. The bald man's golden eyes glinted with curiosity, belief and apprehension. Intervening in a martial soul's awakening could bring detriments to the person undergoing awakening.

"Wait... I'll intervene once things get too out of hand."

"Yao Yao is in danger big bro!" Guang Long found his voice rising up. Guang Biao patted the man's shoulder and assured him. "It's ending soon."

At the brink of collapse, Yao held on but the more he did the more it grew worse.

He started hearing it.

Hearing things.

Whispers, cries, roars, and incoherent words. Echoes seemingly present everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

He could hear the shifting of sands, the flowing of an eternal river.

Tic... Tic... Tic!

And he heard the ticking of time.

The boy felt as if his body was being stretched apart. Like he was becoming part of something and being torn away from his current location.

It was as if his existence was changing.

Guang Yao felt as if he was everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

"Stop it! I had enough!" Guang Yao couldn't endure it anymore and he cried out. It was just too painful. His body felt sore and tortured, something inside him felt fatigued and his headache was only moments away from making him wretch.

BOOM!

The world stopped. Dizzy but recovering Yao opened his eyes and stared at the scene unfolding before him.

A pure grey world, a world where only he had color.

In that world innumerable red strings almost made his eyes hurt. Those strings were tied to everything. To the room. To the people and to him.

Yao took a step. There was no sound.

All around him everyone was frozen still

And all of a sudden, a cracked pocket watch appeared before the child. A pocket watch made out of the finest silver as its whitish grey body riddle in cracks glowed. A chain attached to the pocket watch snaked forwards, binding itself to Yao and soon the thing burrowed into his chest.

"History will change." Yao heard an archaic voice speaking a language he couldn't comprehend.

Time flowed once again.

A burst of soul power knocks everyone back and Guang Yao fainted.

"YAO! YAO!"

"Xiao Yao!"

Guang Long rushed forwards, his heart beating fast as mania started flickering in his widened brown eyes. The man caught his little brother, checked for his pulse and sighed in relief but the flames of fury still burned within and he glared at the old man in charge of the ceremony.

Dong!

The room shuddered. Guang Biao took a heavy step and approached Tai Yun. Regret flashed in his eyes. He thought that everything would be fine since the longer and the more struggle a child underwent the greater their martial soul and soul power was since awakening a soul power meant waking up a slumbering part of your body and soul.

"Old man... What... Did... You... Do?" A voice as deep as the abyss. A cold murderous glare as chilling as a demon's. The bald man hefted up Tai Yun by his shirt.

Tai Yun, shocked silly soon regained his composure and he started laughing madly.

"This is... This is a miracle!" The man's eyes curved into crescents, shivering out of pure excitement, Tai Yun pointed a finger at the ceiling in the middle of the room.

In there were two numbers none expected.

20

Rank twenty soul power.

Guang Long froze. Guang Biao nearly dropped his hold on the old man before he hissed.

"Xiao Long get out of here with your little brother."

"But what about y-"

"I have some things to smoothen out."

Guang Long understood and fled the room with Yao in tow. Little Iron tailed them as the little beast's tail glowed red. Prepared to blast off anyone who would stop them.

Grimacing, Guang Biao stared into the old man's eyes. His crimson red eyes digging deep as if he wished to peer into the man's soul "Eveything that happened here didn't happen. Do you understand?" Guang Biao growled.

Tai Yun's expression worsened. His wrinkled face seemingly shrinking back on itself into a defiant and furious scowl.

"Keep things a secret? No! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

"If you did not know then the last time this happened dated back twenty thousand years ago! During the era of Tang San! Your brother holds immense potential! Qian Renxue the daughter of the Spirit Hall's Supreme Pontiff awakened with rank twenty soul power and she became god even if she got crushed by Tang San! I need to repor-"

Guang Biao raised the man higher. "I said you won't be leaking any information of this outside. My brother awakened as an innate full soul power. Rank ten. Not rank twenty."

"I'M PART OF THE SPIRIT PAGODA. YOU CAN'T THREATEN ME!"

Guang Biao let go of his hold, realization dawned upon his face. "You're right..." The man mumbled and Tai Yun cackled.

"Ha! You can't stop me! Excuse me but I have an important ca-"

In an instant the old man was sent flying into the air.

BAM!

"Gah!" Tai Yun's back slammed into the far end of the room. Falling onto his knees, he started coughing. Spitting saliva as he tried to breathe.

Steps resonated through the room. The steps came closer and closer by the second.

"You're right but you're also wrong. I'm the captain of this city's mecha brigade. You are a member of the spirit pagoda sure but a lowly one to boot. You said I can't threten you?"

Tai Yun shivered. A foot stopped by his head and he looked up.

Six rings of light lit up behind the man's back. Six rings that drowned out the room in yellow and purple.

The bald man had now transformed. His stature grew taller. Scales covered his skin and his hands turned into four claws.

Guang Biao was smiling sweetly.

It was so sweet it was terrifying.

"Then what am I doing right now? Am I not threatening you?"

"I-I..."

"Shshhh..." Guang Biao silenced the man as he pressed his boot on the man's head. "You are right. I am not threatening you."

"I am advising you not to make a mistake here. You could report the case to the higher ups. You'll get a promotion but after that what?"

"I know how rotten the spirit pagoda just like the federation is old man. They will not protect you from my wrath. And they will willingly hand you over because they know better."

"Those five hundred mecha masters stationed by the federation here along with me? Their loyalty lies in me, their captain not some federation who is struggling inside with politics."

"If I gave the order we could hunt you down easily. You have a family remember? A hardworking son without soul power. A lovely married daughter with a devilish body I'm sure many men would want. Five hundred mechas marching downtown to flatten your home and abducting your children. You wouldn't want that do you now?"

Color draining out of the old man's face, Tai Yun finally relented. "I-I understand. Please have mercy!"

"Good now that wasn't so hard after all was it?" Guang Biao helped the old man get up and started dusting Tai Yun's clothes with a smile.

He fished out a black business card and gave it to the old man.

"I'll help you cover things up later. Take this card, from now on I'll be keeping an eye on you."

"No hard feelings alright? Water under the bridge. If you need help you can contact me using that card."

Guang Biao left, pinching the bridge of his nose out of frustration.

Tai Yun sat down on the floor.

He was confused, afraid and happy?

The old man looked at the business card and gulped.

"Now that I think about it. A promotion wouldn't help me out as much as this does. And I for sure want the heads of my family still attached to their shoulders."

-----

Outside of the spirit pagoda, Guang Biao silently entered a car and drove to a hospital Guang Long rushed Guang Yao to.

"Well shit..." The bald man sighed.

Things got more complicated. The most he expected for Yao to get was an innate full soul power of ten. Those who awakened with rank ten soul power had the glory of being labelled as geniuses. Their cultivation speed would be faster and the rank they can achieve in their lifetime would be higher.

"Really? Rank twenty?" If Guang Biao had hair then he would've pulled them all out by now. Soul masters could roughly guess the rank of other soul masters at a glance, especially if the other party was weaker and Tai Yun along with the room's measuring device did not lie.

Rank twenty was just too much. It was too much potential that it became harmful.

Ever since Yao was younger, Guang Biao already had an eye on the kid

The child was smart. So smart that he could even outsmart him in games and when it came to learning things the kid quickly picked up things. Guang Biao once left a white rank mecha blueprint lying on a table to test the waters and the next day he found that blueprint missing.

Only finding it inside the boy's room. Next to a bunch of drawings, words and a tower of books about mecha engineering and metal properties.

Yao had somehow improved the mecha's functionality by ten percent theoretically. A child less than five years old improving a mecha using only self-taught knowledge.

Guang Yao was a prodigy when it came to engineering apparently. That much Guang Biao believed in.

But now? Rank twenty soul power?

The kid would reach heights no one ever could. Guang Biao even wondered if he could match up against that man once Yao reaches his thirties or fourties.

The strongest man in all of Douluo Star. The man one step away from god. Rank ninety-nine quasi god stage limit douluo. Atlas Spear Yun Ming, Shrek Academy's Seagod Pavillion Master.

The bald man clicked his tongue. The more he thought about it the more it became a possibility not too far out of reach.

Guang Biao gritted his teeth.

He was the eldest brother. At first, he was skeptical about his little brother bringing a baby home. And he was afraid that the creepy smart kid was the reincarnation of some demon at the first year Yao showed intelligence but over the years those doubts melted away.

Gaung Yao made Guang Long happy. And that in turn made him happy even if he didn't show it much. Plus, he had another younger brother to take care of. Wasn't that great?

"No matter what I won't let something happen to this family." He already lost his parents and only had his brothers left. It would drive him insane if he were to lose what was left.

If anyone else knew about Guang Yao's potential. They would try to rope him in? And if they couldn't they would eliminate him.

A super genius not on your side is a young genius better off dead. Lest they turn into a thorn down the road.

The federation, the spirit pagoda. Those people from Star Luo Federation hiding among the continent working as informants.

"They're all scumbags."

Scumbags who wanted more power.