The next morning arrived with crisp air and clear skies. Yang Lin and Sun Yu prepared to take Yang Xiong to undergo his martial spirit awakening, a momentous occasion that would determine his future path as a potential Spirit Master.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School commanded an enormous territory, with hundreds of kilometers of land falling under its jurisdiction. Beyond the inner sect's main headquarters, they had established the prosperous Seven Treasure City and maintained control over all towns and settlements within their vast domain.
Yang Xiong's family home was located in Seven Treasure City, though not in the bustling central district. Their residence sat in the western section of the city, an area that was less developed and prosperous than the heart of the settlement. However, this location offered the advantage of being relatively close to Heaven Dou City, with less than a hundred kilometers separating the two major population centers.
The three family members made their way quickly to the designated awakening location. Upon arrival, they discovered that many other families had already gathered for the ceremony. This particular venue was just one of many smaller outposts scattered throughout Seven Treasure City. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School operated numerous such facilities to handle the large number of children requiring spirit awakening services.
It was important to understand the scale of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's influence. While the sect itself contained only about five thousand active Spirit Masters, the total population under their jurisdiction exceeded one million people. These citizens were essentially considered the private property and responsibility of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Despite being merely a smaller outpost, the awakening facility had been constructed with impressive luxury and attention to detail. Carved wooden beams supported the structure, while painted rafters displayed intricate artistic designs. The entire building radiated magnificence and spoke to the wealth and power of the sect that had commissioned its construction.
More than fifty children had gathered at this particular stronghold for their spirit awakening ceremonies. In addition to the young candidates and their nervous parents, several deacons moved throughout the area to maintain order and ensure the proceedings ran smoothly.
At that moment, two figures entered the hall from outside. These individuals wore elegant silver robes that immediately identified them as members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's inner sect. Their presence commanded immediate respect and attention from everyone present.
When the middle-aged man walked confidently to the center of the spacious hall, the entire room fell into respectful silence. All conversations ceased as people turned their focus to the important visitor.
"Greetings, everyone," the man announced in a clear, authoritative voice. "I am Ning Yuan, serving as a deacon within the inner sect of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. My martial spirit is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and I have achieved the level of a fifty-seven ranked Spirit King. I will be responsible for conducting your children's martial spirit awakening ceremonies today. All children who require spirit awakening, please form an orderly line."
The second person accompanying Ning Yuan began setting up a wooden table nearby, clearly preparing to record important information. This individual would obviously be responsible for documenting each child's awakened martial spirit and measuring their innate spirit power levels.
Yang Xiong joined the other children in forming a queue, his heart beating with anticipation and curiosity about what kind of martial spirit he might possess.
Ning Yuan retrieved six black stones from his storage and carefully arranged them on the ground in a perfect hexagonal pattern. Once the formation was complete, he gestured for the first child in line to step forward and enter the designated awakening area.
After the first young candidate moved into the hexagonal space created by the stones, Ning Yuan offered an encouraging smile. "Child, please close your eyes and don't be afraid. This process is completely safe."
Ning Yuan's hands began to emit a beautiful, multicolored light that danced and shimmered in the air. Suddenly, an enormous crystal pagoda materialized above him. The entire structure radiated graceful and luxurious illumination that filled the room with warm, comforting energy. This magnificent sight was his martial spirit, the legendary Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Multiple rays of concentrated light flowed out from Ning Yuan's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, quickly traveling through the air to inject themselves into the six black stones arranged on the floor. The originally dark stones transformed dramatically, now emitting a pale golden radiance that enveloped the child standing in the center of the formation.
As the golden energy entered the young boy's body, a mysterious power seemed to awaken within him, as if some hidden force was struggling to break free and manifest itself.
"Child, please extend your right hand," Ning Yuan instructed gently.
The boy instinctively stretched out his right arm, and all the awakened power within his body began flowing toward his hand like streams of starlight converging into a single point. The energy finally condensed and took shape, forming the phantom image of a fierce black bear.
Ning Yuan nodded approvingly. "Excellent! The Black Bear martial spirit is considered a fine beast-type martial spirit with good potential for development."
The child's eyes lit up with excitement upon seeing his newly awakened martial spirit. He stared in wonder at the phantom bear hovering above his right hand, clearly amazed by this incredible manifestation of his inner power.
Ning Yuan produced a clear crystal stone and continued with the next phase of the ceremony. "Now, please place your hand on this crystal stone. I will help you measure your innate spirit power level."
The boy showed no fear as he followed Ning Yuan's instructions, pressing his palm against the crystal's smooth surface. The stone immediately began to glow with internal light, and the previously blank crystal started displaying visible energy fluctuations that pulsed rhythmically.
Ning Yuan examined the results carefully before announcing his findings. "Very good! Your innate spirit power level is four, which gives you excellent hope of becoming a capable Spirit Master in the future."
The awakening ceremony continued with the second child stepping forward, and the basic process remained similar for each participant.
Yang Xiong watched the proceedings with growing interest, noting something unusual about the results. Approximately thirty to forty percent of the children tested so far had successfully awakened innate spirit power levels. While these power levels generally ranged between two and five, it seemed clear that the disciples and families associated with major sects possessed significantly better natural talent compared to children from small mountain villages.
Finally, Yang Xiong's turn arrived. When he extended his right hand following Ning Yuan's standard instructions, absolutely nothing happened. His entire right hand remained completely unresponsive to the awakening energy.
Ning Yuan frowned with confusion and concern. After attempting the awakening process three consecutive times, Yang Xiong's right hand still showed no reaction whatsoever. This unusual situation made the deacon wonder if something might be wrong with his own technique or the awakening formation.
At this critical moment, Yang Xiong's mother, Sun Yu, stepped forward from the crowd of waiting parents. "Deacon Ning Yuan, it's possible that this child's awakening follows the same pattern as mine. His martial spirit might manifest in a specific part of his body rather than his hands."
Ning Yuan clearly recognized Sun Yu and understood her background. "Deacon Sun, such a situation should be extremely unlikely. Although your martial spirit manifests through your eyes, the probability of body-part martial spirits appearing in the Spirit Master world is exceptionally low."
Sun Yu persisted respectfully. "Deacon Ning Yuan, please allow me to examine my son's condition more closely. There remains a possibility that he has inherited my eye-type martial spirit or something similar."
Ning Yuan nodded his agreement, willing to explore this alternative explanation.
Sun Yu turned to address her son directly. "Yang Xiong, please concentrate carefully and tell me if you feel any changes occurring in your body. Pay special attention to whether there are power fluctuations in any particular part of your body, especially around your eyes or other specific areas."
Yang Xiong closed his eyes and focused intently on his internal sensations for several long moments before responding. "Mom, I feel like there's power fluctuating throughout my entire body, not just in one specific place."
Everyone present was surprised to hear this unexpected response. Ning Yuan immediately turned to the recording deacon standing nearby. "Deacon Li, I will attempt to help this child awaken his spirit once more. Please assist me and Deacon Sun in observing the process carefully."
Deacon Li, who had been responsible for recording the ceremony results, approached to get a better view. Meanwhile, Yang Xiong's mother, Sun Yu, directly summoned her own martial spirit to aid in the observation. Her eyes became brilliantly bright and piercing, while two yellow spirit rings and two purple spirit rings materialized around her body simultaneously. She was clearly exerting her martial spirit's abilities to their absolute maximum potential.
In truth, based on Sun Yu's natural innate spirit power and martial spirit talent, if she had not been a member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School with access to their superior resources, she probably would never have been able to obtain such high-quality spirit rings for her advancement.
As Ning Yuan operated the awakening formation once again with even greater care and attention, Deacon Li observed the process intently for several minutes before making his assessment. "Indeed, this child's martial spirit appears to encompass his entire body. I can detect spirit power fluctuations occurring throughout his physical form, not concentrated in any single location."
Yang Xiong's mother, Sun Yu, nodded in agreement, clearly confirming her son's unusual martial spirit manifestation through her own specialized observation abilities.
Ning Yuan proceeded with the standard measurement process, producing a crystal stone as he had for all the other children. "Child, please come forward and measure your innate spirit power level."
When Yang Xiong placed his right hand on the crystal stone's surface, the light emanating from within the crystal was noticeably stronger and more intense than what had been displayed by any of the previous children tested that day. However, the illumination was not blindingly bright or overwhelming.
Ning Yuan seemed somewhat emotional as he announced the results. "Excellent! Your innate spirit power level is six, which makes it the highest among all the children tested today. Unfortunately, your martial spirit type may limit your future development. If you had awakened an Iron Sword martial spirit like your father's, there would be no question that you could surpass his achievements."
Whether it was Deacon Li, his mother Sun Yu, or even his father Yang Lin watching from a distance, everyone present agreed with Ning Yuan's assessment. It was obvious that in this current era, very few people recognized the true value and potential of body-type martial spirits.
However, contrary to the disappointment shown by the adults around him, Yang Xiong's heart was filled with pure ecstasy and excitement.
An innate spirit power level of six combined with a full-body martial spirit! If these two characteristics had been evaluated ten thousand years in the future, they would undoubtedly indicate a top-tier genius with incredible potential.
Yang Xiong knew from his knowledge of future events that even Huo Yuhao had possessed only an innate spirit power level of one, and his martial spirit had been limited to just his eyes. Even Huo Yuhao's first spirit ring had been the lowest quality white ring. Despite these apparent limitations, the Body Sect had eventually dispatched large numbers of their members to Shrek Academy specifically to recruit him.
With his superior starting conditions, Yang Xiong felt confident that his future prospects were far brighter than anyone present could possibly imagine.