Douluo Continent III Haotian Wulin

Aolai City is an inconspicuous coastal town on the east coast of the Sun and Moon Federation.

The small town is built by the sea, with narrow streets and low walls. On ordinary days, the busiest time is when fishing boats return to port in the early morning and vendors pack up in the evening. But today, this usually quiet town is unusually noisy. Since before dawn, the area in front of Hongshan College has been crowded with people, parents everywhere leading their children to participate in the awakening ceremony.

Because today is the annual Awakening Day.

Every person on the Douluo Continent possesses a Martial Soul. A Martial Soul is a part of their body; it could be a blade of grass, a bird, a hoe, a long sword, or even an ordinary stone. At the age of six, through an awakening ceremony, the Martial Soul dormant within them is awakened.

For ordinary people, a martial spirit grants them certain advantages over others. A hoe-shaped martial spirit makes farming easier; a avian martial spirit might grant sharper eyesight or more agile movements. For thousands of years, martial spirits have been an integral part of people's lives.

Even more important than martial spirit is soul power.

Because not everyone is born with soul power when their martial soul awakens. Often, out of a thousand people, you might not find even one child who truly possesses soul power. Only those who possess soul power are qualified to cultivate their martial soul and embark on the path that countless people look up to—becoming a soul master.

Soul power signifies the future.

Soul power means that destiny can be rewritten.

Therefore, even in this era of highly advanced soul guidance technology, even if one cannot become a soul master, one can still make a living through other means, and Awakening Day is still one of the most important days for every family.

In the crowd, a little boy who had just turned six was looking up, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Dad, what do you think my martial soul will be?"

He was very handsome, with short, soft, neat black hair. He was slightly taller than other children his age, and his eyes were especially beautiful, with clear black and white and long eyelashes. Although his clothes were ordinary, he was still noticeable at first glance.

The middle-aged man standing beside him was of average appearance, height, and build, looking no different from most ordinary fathers in this small town. Only when he looked at his son did a gentler light appear in his calm eyes.

"Dad doesn't know either." Tang Ziran smiled, reached out and rubbed his son's head. "We'll only know about martial spirits after they're awakened."

"Will I have soul power?" the little boy asked immediately, his eyes shining even brighter. "I want to be a Soul Master."

Tang Ziran was slightly taken aback, then said softly, "We'll find out soon enough whether or not you have soul power."

The little boy was clearly not satisfied with the answer. He pursed his lips and asked earnestly, "Dad, I'm sure I'll have soul power, right?"

Tang Ziran looked at him and suddenly felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

Awakening Day is never just a holiday for children. For many families, it's also a crossroads in life. Whether or not a child can awaken their soul power often means they will embark on a completely different path in the future.

However, he would naturally not say such heavy words to a six-year-old child.

"Whether you have soul power or not, Daddy loves you." That was all he said in response.

The little boy was taken aback at first, then nodded vigorously and gave a bright smile.

"But I still want to have it." He clenched his little fist and said very seriously, "I want to become very powerful."

Tang Ziran chuckled, tightened her grip on his hand, and said nothing more.

Parents kept bringing their children out of the academy. Most of them wore expressions of undisguised disappointment and sighs, but occasionally one or two would rush out of the academy overjoyed. It was almost obvious without asking that such children had awakened their innate soul power.

Whenever this happens, all eyes turn to him, filled with envy, jealousy, and amazement.

Tang Wulin's eyes lit up, and his anticipation grew stronger.

Time passed slowly, the sun rose higher, and the heat gradually spread. Just as he was getting sleepy from waiting, a teacher walked out of the academy, glanced at the form in his hand, and called out a name.

"Tang Wulin!"

"I'm here!" The little boy jumped up, his voice clear and loud.

Tang Ziran also perked up and quickly took her son's hand and walked over.

"Come with me." The teacher's tone was somewhat indifferent, clearly indicating that he was exhausted from a morning's work.

Tang Ziran followed behind Tang Wulin and entered Hongshan Academy.

The college was very quiet.

Compared to the crowded and noisy streets outside, this place felt like another world. Neat rows of white-walled, red-roofed buildings lined the streets, the roads were clean, the trees cast cool shadows, and even the air seemed much calmer. Tang Wulin walked along, looking around curiously, but the further he went, the more his excitement subsided.

The teacher led them to a circular building and stopped.

"Parents, please wait here."

Tang Ziran nodded, squatted down to look at her son, and said with a smile, "Listen to your teacher when you go inside, don't be nervous. Dad will be waiting for you outside."

"Yes!" Tang Wulin nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling. "Dad, I will definitely have a powerful martial soul!"

Tang Ziran looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, but she still smiled and replied, "Go ahead."

Tang Wulin then followed his teacher into the circular building.

This type of building can be seen in almost all elementary academies, and it has a common name—Awakening Room. On Awakening Day, the academy invites spirit masters from the Spirit Pagoda to preside over the martial spirit awakening ceremony for the children.

The circular building has seven floors, each with a dedicated awakening room. Tang Wulin was led to the third floor, and the moment he stepped into the room, his eyes widened in surprise.

The ground, walls, and dome are all engraved with intricate and ornate patterns. The lines intertwine to form a complete array, faintly radiating a soft light.

The moment Tang Wulin saw these patterns, his heart skipped a beat.

A very strange feeling quietly emerged.

It was as if something deep within his body had been quietly stirred and was gradually awakening.

In the center of the Awakening Room stood a middle-aged man dressed in a simple orange robe. The robe was embroidered with some dark patterns of soul beasts. His expression was gentle, yet he possessed an air that commanded respect.

Tang Wulin loved listening to his father's stories since he was a child, so he naturally knew that the person in front of him was a Spirit Master from the Spirit Transmission Tower. It was the first time the little boy had met a real Spirit Master, so he was inevitably a little nervous and quickly and respectfully bowed.

"Hello."

The middle-aged spirit medium looked at the well-behaved little boy and nodded with a smile.

"Come on, little one, stand in the middle."

Tang Wulin obediently walked to the center of the formation and stood still, but couldn't help asking, "Spirit Master, what kind of martial soul will I awaken?"

The spirit medium chuckled and said, "I don't know either. You'll know once you awaken."

As he spoke, he glanced at Tang Wulin's particularly beautiful eyes and joked, "Maybe it's a martial soul related to eyes."

"The Spirit Eye?" Tang Wulin's eyes lit up immediately. "I've heard my father mention it; the first master of the Spirit Pagoda—"

"Calm your mind and focus first." The spirit medium raised his hand to interrupt him, his tone still gentle. "I'm about to begin."

Tang Wulin immediately shut his mouth and nodded seriously.

The Spirit Master slowly raised his hands, and soft white light rose from around the array, quickly enveloping Tang Wulin in the center.

"Relax, don't resist," the spirit medium's voice came from ahead. "Feel the most natural power within you."

The white light grew stronger and stronger, warmly enveloping Tang Wulin's body.

At first, it felt very comfortable.

But after only a moment, he suddenly felt a slight burning sensation within his body, as if something was quietly churning in his blood. The feeling was strange; it wasn't like pain, yet it instinctively made him feel uneasy, as if something violent was trying to burst out from deep within his body.

The next instant, the restlessness suddenly intensified!

Tang Wulin's face paled slightly, and he felt as if his chest, limbs, and even his blood were about to boil. But just as that burning sensation was about to get out of control, another, even heavier force suddenly descended slowly from the deepest part of his soul.

It looks like a hammer.

A hammer heavy enough to quell all restlessness.

In an instant, Tang Wulin's vision went black.

In that brief darkness, he seemed to see churning gold, violent, scorching, and filled with destructive intent; and deeper within that gold, a faint blue-gold light flickered, clinging tightly to that violent intent like vines. Above that, a heavy, dark hammer shadow silently floated, suppressing everything.

The scene was fleeting.

In reality, Tang Wulin's right hand had already involuntarily risen.

"Buzz—"

A dark, gloomy light slowly condensed in his palm.

There was no dazzling light, no astonishing phenomenon, and none of the flamboyant aura expected of a top-tier martial soul. The dark light appeared extremely quietly, causing almost no ripples. After only a few breaths, a hammer silently appeared in Tang Wulin's palm.

It was a small hammer.

It was jet black, with a short, thick hammerhead. The surface was completely unpatterned, neither shiny nor sharp, and even looked somewhat dull and old. It looked like the most ordinary practice hammer in a blacksmith's shop.

ordinary.

This is the judgment anyone would make upon first seeing it.

But just as the small hammer was taking shape, the awakening array beneath their feet seemed to tremble slightly.

A very slight tremor.

It was so light that Tang Wulin himself was completely unaware.

The middle-aged spirit medium standing in front of him had his pupils shrink almost imperceptibly. Just a moment ago, he clearly felt that the aura of the entire formation was being suppressed by something extremely heavy.

It's not a fluctuation of soul power.

Rather, it is a more peculiar, more pure form of "weight".

But the next moment, the feeling disappeared, as if nothing had ever happened.

Tang Wulin looked down at the small hammer in his palm, paused for a moment, and then tentatively lifted it up. As soon as he exerted force, his small hand suddenly felt heavy, and he almost lost his grip.

"So heavy..." he blurted out.

The spirit master took two steps closer, examined the small hammer carefully, and frowned slightly.

Hammer-type martial souls are not uncommon, but this is the first time he has seen a weapon martial soul that seems ordinary yet subtly reveals something strange. However, no matter how he senses it, he cannot find any more obvious anomalies.

In the end, he could only suppress his doubts for the time being.

"Put your martial spirit away," he said.

Tang Wulin quickly did as instructed. With a thought, the small black hammer transformed back into a wisp of dark light and disappeared into his palm.

The spirit medium took out a crystal ball and handed it to him.

"Come on, let's test your soul power again. Put your hand on it and concentrate."

Tang Wulin took a deep breath and placed his hand on the crystal ball.

The next moment, a soft white light slowly emanated from inside the crystal ball.

Little by little, it gradually strengthens.

The light was not dazzling, but rather pure and stable. It rose steadily until it finally settled at a clear and bright level, shimmering quietly.

The spirit medium looked at the crystal ball, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Innate soul power, level five."

Tang Wulin was stunned for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up.

"I...I have soul power?" He asked the question almost while holding his breath.

"Yes." The Spirit Master nodded, his expression softening. "And level five isn't low. For a weapon spirit, that's already quite a good talent. As long as you're willing to cultivate diligently in the future, you're qualified to become a Soul Master."

Upon hearing the words "Soul Master," Tang Wulin seemed to light up.

The slight disappointment he felt earlier because his martial soul seemed somewhat ordinary vanished in an instant. So what if it's ordinary? As long as he has soul power, it means he's not destined to be just an ordinary person.

He really has a chance to become a Soul Master.

"Thank you, Spirit Master!" Tang Wulin almost bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

The spirit medium waved his hand, indicating that he could leave. But as Tang Wulin turned around, he couldn't help but glance at the child's right hand again.

Is that small hammer really just an ordinary hammer-type martial soul?

If it's just an ordinary martial soul, why would it cause such a faint yet clear anomaly in the awakening formation?

But if you're talking about something extraordinary, it's just too ordinary.

The spirit medium pondered for a moment, but ultimately said nothing more.

"Go on, your father is still waiting for you outside."

"Um!"

Tang Wulin agreed and turned to run outside.

Tang Ziran waited outside the circular building.

The moment he saw his son rush out, his previously calm expression tightened slightly. Tang Wulin, however, couldn't help but call out first, "Dad!"

"How is it?" Tang Ziran quickly went to greet him, her tone filled with barely suppressed nervousness.

Tang Wulin's face flushed with excitement. He raised his right hand, and a wisp of dark light flashed, instantly revealing the small, jet-black hammer in his palm.

"My martial spirit is a hammer!" He first showed his martial spirit to his father, then eagerly added, "But Dad, I have soul power! The Spirit Master said I have innate soul power at level five!"

Tang Ziran was completely stunned.

Does it possess soul power?

Is it level five?

The next instant, surprise almost instinctively welled up in his eyes. For an ordinary family, level five innate soul power was by no means a low number. Even if the awakened soul power was only a hammer-type weapon, it was enough to prove that his son truly possessed the talent of a soul master.

But after the initial surprise, a more realistic thought also surfaced in my mind.

Soul Master cultivation is never just about talent.

The academy, cultivation resources, future souls, all sorts of expenses... it's a path truly built with money and opportunity. For wealthy and powerful families, it's taken for granted; but for ordinary families like theirs, every step forward is difficult.

Tang Ziran's gaze involuntarily fell on the small black hammer.

Hammer-type martial spirit.

It's neither rare nor particularly prestigious.

However, if it is a hammer-type martial soul, it is naturally suited to take another path - forging.

The thought had barely crossed Tang Ziran's mind when a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him. Joy and bittersweetness intertwined, leaving him momentarily speechless.

"Dad?" Tang Wulin called out softly when he saw that he was silent.

Tang Ziran snapped out of her daze, looked down at her son's incredibly bright eyes, and reached out to pat his head.

"Okay," he said softly. "Very good."

"Then can I become a Soul Master?" Tang Wulin blurted out.

Tang Ziran looked at the hope in her son's eyes, paused for a moment, and finally nodded.

"As long as you're willing to work hard, you can succeed."

Upon hearing this, Tang Wulin immediately smiled.

That smile was clean and bright, like the sunlight dancing on the sea in summer.

"I knew it!" He clenched his little fist and said very seriously, "Even if it's just a hammer spirit, I will definitely work hard to cultivate it. I want to be a soul master in the future, and a very powerful soul master!"

Tang Ziran looked at him, her heart skipping a beat.

Perhaps reality will force this child to learn forging first, to find a way to help his family in some way; perhaps, given their family's circumstances, every step they take in the future will be more difficult than for others. But at this moment, he clearly felt that the fire in his son's heart had not been extinguished because of his ordinary martial soul, but instead burned even brighter because of the result of his innate soul power being at level five.

That wasn't just a child's fleeting fantasy.

Rather, it is a very simple and stubborn desire.

He wants to become a Soul Master.

Even if reality won't be so easy for him to agree.

The father and son walked side by side out of the academy.

The afternoon sun shone brightly on the ground, almost blindingly so. Tang Wulin walked along, constantly looking down at the small black hammer in his palm, summoning it and then retracting it, never getting enough of looking at it.

As he watched, he suddenly looked up and said earnestly to Tang Ziran, "Dad, I won't give up."

"What?"

"A Soul Master." Tang Wulin clenched his little fist, his eyes shining brightly. "Even if I go on to learn something else in the future, even if this hammer doesn't look powerful, I will never give up cultivating."

Tang Ziran paused slightly, then smiled softly.

"Okay," he replied softly. "Dad got it."

The sea breeze blew in from outside the academy, carrying a slightly damp, salty scent, sweeping across the streets and also brushing against the child who had just completed his martial soul awakening.

From this day forward, his life will be different from before.

At this moment, Tang Wulin was unaware of the astonishing secret hidden beneath the seemingly ordinary little black hammer in his hand; nor did he know that for a long time to come, the furnace, the anvil, and the real forging hammer would enter his life first.

But at least for now, he knows one thing.

He possesses soul power.

I am qualified to cultivate.

So no matter how difficult the road ahead may be, he will never be content to be just an ordinary person.

And the gears of fate quietly turned their first revolution on an ordinary yet sweltering afternoon in this small seaside town.