Xiao Wu opened her eyes and saw three rabbits with their feet bound in the bamboo basket.
They were motionless. Only their still-twitching mouths indicated that they were still alive.
She was instantly annoyed and wanted to act up, but then she saw that the person before her was an old man and recalled what Zi Ji had said that day.
She stomped her foot fiercely, "coincidentally" stepping on the head of the leading burly man.
Bang!
"Ah——"
The guy, who was still whimpering, instantly sucked in a cold breath.
He was already coughing up blood from the heavy injury to his abdomen, and now a new pain from both above and below assaulted him.
He instantly broke down.
"This great lady, please spare us. This little one will never dare to do it again."
Bullying the weak while being strong on the outside but weak on the inside was well interpreted in him.
"Ah, this..."
"Hmph, Sister Xiao Wu is just going to properly punish you all."
As she spoke, her eyes were fixed on Old Liu Tou's bamboo basket.
It was as if all her resentment and anger were being vented on the unlucky fellow at her feet.
"So noisy. Crying out so loudly over such a small injury. Then what about when you were bullying this old man just now, pulling out a shiny big knife?"
Bang, she kicked him unconscious again.
Old Liu Tou wiped the cold sweat from his head.
He was a little confused as to why she had flown into such a rage upon seeing the rabbits in his basket.
This pretty and delicate little girl actually had such a big temper.
"What are you looking at? Hurry up and release the bunnies you caught. I just saved your life, you know!"
Although they were not soul beasts, the similarity of the species still made Xiao Wu feel the urge to rescue them.
"Alright, alright, I'll release them now, I'll release them now."
Old Liu Tou untied the restraints on the three rabbits.
His eyes, however, lit up.
"I wonder what your martial soul is?"
"My martial soul is a rabbit. A cute little white rabbit."
As she spoke, she even placed both hands next to her head, making the shape of bunny ears and wiggling her fingers.
This made Old Liu Tou laugh.
He also understood why she was so indignant about him capturing the rabbits.
It turned out it was because her own martial soul was a rabbit. He figured that because of this, she had an inexplicable bond with rabbits and did her best to protect them.
What Old Liu Tou didn't expect was that the person before him was, in her true form, a rabbit.
Xiao Wu took the three rabbits and held them in her arms. Because her body was still small, the rabbits directly made her front bulge out...
Old Liu Tou looked at the smiling Xiao Wu.
He then turned to stare at the three men on the ground.
A sincere heart had been wrongly given. Shaking his head slightly, he took out the few ropes he had left, tied them up, and made a dead knot behind their backs.
"Let's go, Xiao Wu. Come with me to the village, and we'll find people to take these three away."
Xiao Wu was a little shy.
She asked weakly, "Are there carrots to eat?"
"Hahaha, of course, of course. You can have as many as you want."
"That's good, that's good. Hehe, does Sister Xiao Wu need to help you carry these three back?"
She's already going with him, it has to be you.
Old Liu Tou didn't mind her disrespectful form of address.
He hurriedly shook his head.
This was an existence with innate full soul power. Even if she wasn't from his village, as long as that blockhead village chief wasn't a complete idiot, he would definitely give this year's work-study student spot to her.
What's more, they were old acquaintances.
A small gift like this was also reasonable.
Immediately, the two of them began to walk towards Emperor Soul Village.
The village chief of Emperor Soul Village was an old man named Jace.
He was leaning on a cane, hesitating at the entrance of his own village.
Seeing his old acquaintance Old Liu Tou rushing over with a little girl beside him, he couldn't help but be a little surprised.
Wasn't this guy all alone?
Used to being solitary?
Looking at this little girl's appearance, she wasn't from their village either. Where did he abduct her from?
"What's this?"
Jace asked with some confusion.
"You have the nerve to ask? Hurry up and call some people to tie up those three dog things on the mountain. I'm always telling you to discipline them, but you don't listen. Now look, these three guys are actually capable of murder for money now, and they were even bullying me. If not for this little child, I'm afraid I really wouldn't have seen you today."
The longbow in Old Liu Tou's hand directly hit Jace's shoulder heavily.
! (ˊωˋ*) !
"What are you going crazy for?! It hurts, you know!
Those three bastards actually did such a thing? Where are they tied up? I'll find people to take them away immediately."
"Hmph, they're right on the mountain. Just follow that road up."
As he spoke, Old Liu Tou pointed to Xiao Wu at the side.
"This is my life-saver, Jace. And she's an existence with innate full soul power. She came here because of some changes in her family..."
Jace looked at Xiao Wu's scruffy appearance and roughly guessed her situation.
He shook his head with pity and cast a comforting glance at Xiao Wu.
He wanted to reach out and pat her head but she dodged.
Slightly stunned, he didn't dwell on such a small matter.
"Little girl, are you really innate full soul power?"
"That goes without saying. Sister Xiao Wu's abilities are much greater than you can imagine."
Xiao Wu rubbed the rabbit in her arms, proudly raised her head, and said with a huff.
Jace's eyes lit up.
How long had it been since his village had produced a soul master?
And now, one had fallen from the sky.
And her parents were both dead, with no car and no house...
Might as well form a good relationship.
He would just give this year's work-study student spot to her, let her go to the Spirit Academy to study. In the future, when she grows up, she might even bring benefits to his village.
Looking at the smiling Old Liu Tou at the side, Jace thought to himself, this guy probably has the same idea.
Bringing her to me.
"I wonder what your martial soul is, little girl?"
"A bunny!"
A trace of imperceptible disappointment flashed in Jace's eyes, but it was quickly filled with more surprise.
After all, even if it was just an ordinary rabbit martial soul, because she had innate full soul power, she had basically already become a soul master. And he had heard from those soul master sirs that even if the martial soul was not that top-tier, the higher the initial innate soul power, the better the growth would be in the future.
Therefore, this was simply a future big sister who had fallen from the sky!
The hope for the revival of the entire village rested on her.
Although it was because she had saved Old Liu Tou, so he was just giving her the reward she deserved.
Of course, there was still a little hope, wasn't there?
Of course, he was also too embarrassed to say it like that.
He could only pray that Xiao Wu could realize this herself.
However, the thick-skinned Xiao Wu could not understand the thoughts in the hearts of these laboring common people.
This was probably also the reason why she did not come to Emperor Soul Village again later on.
With a personality like hers, she truly would not care about these points.
So she just forgot about it later.
In fact, in the original novel, the source of Xiao Wu's work-study student spot was a matter of great controversy.
But because the work-study student spots only existed in that kind of village.
After all, the young masters in the city did not need such spots.
And one of the possibilities that could well explain how Xiao Wu got the spot was that she had done a good deed and was granted it by the people of the village.
"Old Liu Tou, you go ahead and arrange things for this little girl first. I'll take some people and go capture those three idiots."
In a slightly simple wooden house, Xiao Wu's pair of eyes were sparkling.
She propped her body up on the table and took a good sniff of the dishes on the dining table.
Especially that plate of stir-fried carrots with white radish.
It simply whetted her appetite.
And that pearl, jade, and white jade soup.
It was very much to her liking.
"A-wuuu—"
"Chomp, chomp—"
Xiao Wu, who didn't care about her eating manners at all, made Old Liu Tou laugh.
If only he had such a granddaughter.
"Xiao Wu, you can stay with us for now. There's still a month until it's time to go to the Spirit Academy.
When the time comes, we'll send you there directly. I was thinking that our village can't produce any seedlings who can become soul masters anyway.
Even if we did, they would be far from comparable to your aptitude. Don't worry, I will definitely be able to send you there."
Xiao Wu wiped her face, which had some greens stuck to it.
"Spirit Academy? What on earth is that? Is there food there? Are there carrots?"
Old Liu Tou laughed. How many days has this little girl been hungry? Why is she so hopeful about food?
"Yes, there is. There are many soul masters like you there. It will be a lot of fun to live together then."
"Soul masters?"
Xiao Wu was stunned and hurriedly asked, "Is there a soul master named Lin Feng there? I'm looking for him for something."
A clear confusion appeared in Old Liu Tou's eyes.
"Lin Feng? Why does that sound familiar? I don't remember..."
"Aiya, how can you not remember? Think hard!"
An anxious look was on Xiao Wu's face. She had traveled a thousand miles to come here.
For what? Wasn't it just to find that one person?
If it was different from what the Auspicious Beast had said, then what was the use of her coming here?
That guy who was rumored to be able to revive her mother—if she couldn't find him, what was she still doing here?
"Take me there now. Let's go there directly to find him."
As she spoke, Xiao Wu started walking impatiently, constantly beckoning to Old Liu Tou.
"Aiya, you can't get into the academy if you go now. You have to get a martial soul certificate later, and then you can only go when the school starts and you report for admission."
Xiao Wu glared:
"What and what and what?
Why are there so many things? Sister Xiao Wu is going to faint..."
Old Liu Tou smiled and tapped her:
"Just stay here for now, Xiao Wu. I'll cover all the carrots for these days. Good food and good lodging."
"Wow!—
Really?
You're such a good person!"
Xiao Wu blinked her eyes and said gratefully. Old Liu Tou's heart immediately warmed.
However, before he could say anything, Xiao Wu asked in the next instant:
"Then where is my room?
Is it also made of wood?
Are there flowers? Is there a mirror?"
...
You really know how to make yourself at home...
—
Holy Spirit Village. A youth in white clothes, riding a horse, holding a long sword.
He wore a badge with a design of three intersecting sword blades, displaying his current identity: Soul Grandmaster.
His appearance was handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes. He wore a white, form-fitting outfit, with a black cloak behind him.
He stopped as he approached the village entrance and pulled the reins, proceeding at a slow walk.
Old Jack, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately came forward to greet him.
"Respected Soul Master sir, the children have been waiting for a long time. Please follow me."
Su Yuntao nodded lightly, a trace of imperceptible fatigue hidden between his brows.
"Just lead the way. I still have a mission. Besides your village, I still have many places to go."
"Alright, alright."
A brilliant smile bloomed on Old Jack's face.
This annual martial soul awakening day was the day he looked forward to the most in the entire year.
For him, who valued the honor of the village more than anything else, there was nothing more important than the village being able to produce a soul master.
He turned to look at the children lined up behind him and said loudly, "Children, this is the Soul Grandmaster from our Nuoding City, Mr. Su Yuntao. Next, he will be the one to complete the awakening of your martial souls for you. You must cooperate well with him and strive to awaken an outstanding martial soul. Grandpa hopes that among you, there will be someone who can become a soul master."
A sense of helplessness was in Su Yuntao's eyes.
This guy, he came every year, and every year it was the same sentence.
He really treated it as an opening speech.
"Becoming a soul master isn't that easy.
Before coming to your village, I had already been to many villages and not a single person was able to possess soul power, let alone a talented Soul Scholar."
Su Yuntao shook his head and walked straight towards the Spirit Hall in the village.
It was a simple wooden house.
Although it couldn't be considered exquisite, it did appear exceptionally clean and tidy in this village.
He pushed open the door.
The utensils and furnishings inside were also exceptionally clean.
It was clear that it was often taken care of.
Even the Spirit Hall in this village... had an extraordinary status.
"Line up, children. From now on, I, Su Yuntao, will be the guide for your martial souls.
No matter what happens in a moment, do not be afraid.
Follow my command."
Su Yuntao took out six black pebbles from his bag and formed a strange array on the ground.
"Lone Wolf Possession!"
With this light shout, wisps of blue brilliance flew from between his eyebrows and into his hair.
Following that, his hair, which had turned from black to gray, quickly became long, hanging down to his waist.
Two large fangs also appeared at the corners of his mouth.
His eyes turned into vertical pupils, and a faint scarlet color filled his eyes.
His body also gradually grew larger, his back slightly hunched. He really did look like a werewolf.
"Ahhh—"
"Holy crap..."
The appearance of this martial soul possession clearly frightened these just-turned-six-year-old children.
A little boy immediately wanted to run away but was grabbed by the neck of fate by Su Yuntao.
"What are you running for? Didn't I tell you not to be afraid?"
Holding the little boy with one hand, he looked at the reaction of the child before him with some amusement.
It was really nostalgic!
He was like this back then too.
He was also this shocked and afraid when he first saw a soul master's martial soul possession.
But soon, he was deeply fascinated by this power.
"Huh?"
Su Yuntao looked at a corner with some surprise.
It was a somewhat solitary youth.
The clothes on his body were very neat.
His eyes were calm.
He didn't look scared by him at all.
And looking at his development, the food he usually ate seemed to be quite good?
And it was indeed as Su Yuntao thought.
Ever since losing Tang Hao, this freeloader, at the age of four, Tang San, who had been making a living with his own skills, had surprisingly saved up two gold soul coins during his time in the novice village.
And his daily food, clothing, and shelter, not to mention, were completely different from when Tang Hao was around.
Although it couldn't be called living in luxury, it could be considered as having enough to eat and wear.
Tang San looked at the noisy children before him with some disdain.
A sense of superiority welled up in his heart.
"See, Father. I have endured your test.
I can live well on my own, and I have already far surpassed the strength I should have at this age."
Su Yuntao nodded and took another look at Tang San.
As one martial soul after another was awakened, the look of disappointment in Su Yuntao's eyes grew stronger and stronger.
As expected, I shouldn't have held too much expectation. Huh, it's that child from just now.
As Tang San walked into the array, Su Yuntao immediately began to guide his soul power.
Tang San's body trembled uncontrollably.
A Blue Silver Grass appeared in his right hand.
At the same time, his left hand was tightly held behind his back, clenched tight.
"Blue Silver Grass?"
Su Yuntao shook his head with some disappointment.
"A trash martial soul…"
He turned and was about to leave.
Tang San hurriedly grabbed him.
"Sir, you haven't tested my soul power yet!"
"What's there to say about a trash martial soul? Blue Silver Grass has never had anyone who could become a soul master."
Su Yuntao still shook his head.
Old Jack immediately became anxious.
Although this Tang San, after the age of four, was not that close to him anymore...
But he wasn't.
In his eyes, he was the most sensible, most capable, and most intelligent of this batch of children.
How could he be eliminated like this without even a chance to test his soul power?
So he hurriedly grabbed Su Yuntao.
"Sir, please test it. It's better to test it!"
I'll test your...
"Fine. Child, place your hands on this crystal ball."
Seeing Su Yuntao's expression, Tang San frowned slightly.
It was a good thing he hadn't shown any disdainful look, otherwise, he would have had to put him on the path to death!
With a brilliant flash of light, Su Yuntao's cry of surprise followed.
"Inn... innate full soul power!?"
"What, innate full soul power?!"
Old Jack's eyes widened, looking at Tang San with pleasant surprise.
That fiery gaze made Tang San feel a little uncomfortable.
He shivered.
"Good, hahahaha—"
"Sir, can this child of mine become a soul master?"
"He can, I suppose?
It's just this martial soul...
It's hard to say."
"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. It's good enough to become a soul master!
A soul master, that's great—, Little San, this year's work-study student spot is yours. You must go to the Spirit Academy and study hard, strive to become a powerful soul master in the future."
Su Yuntao didn't know how to comfort him and could only say, "Yes, Tang San, study hard in the future. Even if there is no room for growth on the path of martial soul cultivation, you can switch to martial soul theory research.
Like Holy Son Lin Feng from our Spirit Hall, bringing new theories and profound changes to the world of soul masters."
"Theory?"
Su Yuntao laughed.
"Oh, I forgot. You have never come into contact with these things before.
How about this,
I will first teach you the improved meditation method of Holy Son Lin Feng and the first path of the Innate Soul Evolution Art.
Although you have not yet obtained a soul ring, your soul power can still increase.
In the one month before you go to the Spirit Academy, you must cultivate well.
Here, this is your martial soul certificate."
Tang San reached out and took it.
Immediately, Su Yuntao placed both hands on Tang San's shoulders and began to guide the first path of the Innate Soul Evolution Art within his body.
As the soul power circulated, Tang San's eyes widened slightly, a look of disbelief in them.
"How is this possible?
This meridian route is actually not recorded in the Mysterious Heaven Skill!?
This comfortable and majestic sense of power, it seems it can even increase the speed of my internal energy cultivation?"
He instantly raised his head.
"Sir, you said just now that this is only the first path, right?
How many more paths are there?"
Su Yuntao was somewhat surprised by Tang San's question.
Generally speaking, shouldn't one be surprised by the divinity of the first path?
"There are a total of five paths at present."
Five paths, is it?...
A sharp light shot out from Tang San's eyes.
I must obtain these routes.
This is a completion of my Mysterious Heaven Skill. In the future, I will use this as a foundation to create a brand new cultivation method.
That's right, I can do it too...
Take this whatever Evolution art thing, and with my superior wisdom, I can quickly master it.
And then, I will ascend to the peak.
Tang San looked at Su Yuntao.
"Sir, if I want to obtain this cultivation method, what do I need to do? Join Spirit Hall?"
Su Yuntao was stunned again.
Why is this child's thinking so active?
I really can't keep up.
"It would naturally be excellent if you could join. After you report to the soul master academy, just come to the Spirit Hall branch. When you certify your soul master qualification, I will arrange everything.
Also, you don't need to do anything for that cultivation method. All soul masters can obtain it.
Holy Son Lin Feng's generosity and righteousness have given all soul masters under the heavens the hope of further progress."
"What?
He's wasting a heavenly treasure!"
In Tang San's perception, a cultivation method route like this was already enough to establish a sect.
And it even had the ability to be compared with his own Mysterious Heaven Skill.
The law must not be lightly transmitted.
This person named Lin Feng, doesn't he understand this matter?
Even if he had researched it himself, he should never do such a thing.
This was contrary to his own sect's philosophy.
Su Yuntao's gaze turned cold:
"You child.
What are you saying?
Holy Son Lin Feng selflessly contributed his theory to us, bringing about a revolution in the world of soul masters.
And now there are two brand new theories being researched and published.
Those are existences that surpass these paths, completely subversive theories. Don't you want to enjoy these things?
Wasting a heavenly treasure?
If he is wasting a heavenly treasure, then how would you stand, and how would you obtain these things?"
Su Yuntao frowned and snorted.
He swung his hand and left.
"Aiya..."
"Little San, how can you talk like that?"
Old Jack immediately became anxious.
For some unknown reason, he had just formed a grudge with Master Su Yuntao.
It didn't seem to count as a grudge?
It was just that Little San's words had made him unhappy.
Tang San ignored Old Jack.
"Hmph, what do you know?
Such an important, such a supreme cultivation method.
Naturally, it should be sealed within a sect. Only one's own faction and those who have been acknowledged by oneself should be able to cultivate it.
To spread it like this is contrary to reason.
Just you wait. When I create a brand new method based on your cultivation method and the Mysterious Heaven Skill, you will understand the principle that the law must not be lightly transmitted."
Spirit Academy, is it...
It really is time to change places.
Father, will you appear over there?
---
TLNote: Chapter is starting to get longer.