Chapter 3: The Threshold of Power
The month since the Attribute Collection System sparked to life had transformed me, Fang Shen, from a scrawny orphan into something sharper, something more. Holy Soul Village remained unchanged—its muddy paths and thatched huts nestled against the wild edge of the Star Dou Forest—but I was no longer its captive. I'd shadowed Tang San daily, weaving myself into his routine with careful steps. Shared chores, quick nods, and casual banter had built a fragile bridge of trust with the boy destined to become a legend. Each time he trained, his Tang Sect arts flowing like a river, the system drank deeply, collecting fragments of his brilliance.
*Ding! Agility +0.1. Strength +0.2. Soul Power +0.1.* The system's chimes were my lifeline, each attribute pulled from Tang San's movements or the faint sparks of potential in the village kids stacking onto my own. Even Old Jack's stern lectures, laced with traces of his weathered spirit power, had fed the system. My status window, once a grim tally of weakness, now gleamed with promise:
*Status Window:*
- *Name*: Fang Shen
- *Age*: 6 years, 0 months, 15 days
- *Race*: Human
- *Strength*: 1.1 (Average male strength: 1)
- *Speed*: 1.2
- *Endurance*: 1.3
- *Mental Power*: 2.0
- *Soul Power*: 1.4 (Level 1.4; 1.0 represents Level 1)
- *Martial Soul*: Unawakened (Blue Silver Grass)
- *Soul Ring*: None
- *Techniques*: Mysterious Heaven Technique, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Purple Demon Eyes
The system had clarified that a soul power of 1.0 equaled Level 1, the baseline for a spirit master. My 1.4 meant I was pushing past that, a small but crucial edge built from weeks of collection. Crossing 1 in every physical attribute made my body feel alive—muscles stronger, steps quicker, stamina deeper. My mental power hitting 2.0 was the real triumph, sharpening my senses to a blade's edge. Colors burned brighter, sounds rang clearer, thoughts snapped into focus. The Mysterious Heaven Technique flowed smoother each night, its internal energy a warm current in my core. Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track let me glide silently across the orphanage hut's floor, a shadow of Tang San's mastery but growing steadier. Purple Demon Eyes, collected yesterday when I'd caught Tang San's gaze on the sunrise, made the world vivid, my vision tingling with clarity.
Today was the spirit awakening ceremony, the village's one moment of destiny. The square hummed with nervous energy, kids clutching parents' hands, Old Jack barking orders to keep us in line. Tang San stood at the edge, his calm a quiet anchor. I caught his eye, offering a nod he returned—a sign our budding friendship held.
Then he arrived—Su Yuntao, the Spirit Master from Nuoding City's Spirit Hall. His dark robe billowed as he strode in, his aura heavy with power. Without warning, he released his martial soul: a massive Lone Wolf, its silver-gray fur bristling, eyes gleaming with menace. The kids screamed, some stumbling back, others frozen in terror. Only Tang San and I stood firm, though my heart jolted at the sight. The wolf's raw power was a stark reminder of this world's strength. Tang San's face stayed composed, but his eyes flickered with curiosity. I mirrored his calm, hiding my own surprise.
Su Yuntao dismissed the wolf with a wave. "I am Su Yuntao, Spirit Master of Nuoding City's Spirit Hall," he said, his voice sharp. "I'm here to awaken your martial souls. Step forward one by one. Don't waste my time."
The ceremony began. Su Yuntao summoned a circle of glowing runes, his soul power filling the air with a faint hum. One by one, the kids stepped forward. A sickle. A hoe. Blue Silver Grass. Useless martial souls, each met with a shake of Su Yuntao's head. "No soul power," he'd mutter, sending them back to disappointed parents. The village's hopes faded with each failure.
Tang San went before me, his steps steady, his expression calm but curious. He extended his hand, and Blue Silver Grass sprouted—delicate yet vibrant, its blades pulsing with subtle strength. To my sharpened eyes, enhanced by Purple Demon Eyes, it was extraordinary, far beyond ordinary grass. Then I saw it—a faint silver light in his other hand, gone in a flash. The Clear Sky Hammer. He was hiding it, as I'd known from my old world's knowledge. No one else noticed, not even Su Yuntao, who focused on the grass.
Su Yuntao placed the testing crystal in Tang San's hand. The orb blazed with dazzling light, casting shadows across the square. "Innate full soul power! Level 10!" Su Yuntao's voice rang with disbelief. The village gasped, Old Jack's jaw dropping. Tang San only nodded, as if he'd expected it.
Then the system chimed, nearly stopping my heart: *Ding! Detected: Soul Power +4, Martial Souls: Blue Silver Grass (Grade: King), Clear Sky Hammer. Do you want to pick up? Yes/No.*
My mind reeled. Four levels of soul power. Blue Silver Grass, but King-grade, a rare and potent variant. And the Clear Sky Hammer, one of the continent's mightiest martial souls. My eyes flicked to the forge, where Tang Hao might be watching. A Titled Douluo, his senses razor-sharp. Claiming the Clear Sky Hammer could draw his gaze, and I wasn't ready for that. But the hammer was a legend, a force that could shatter mountains. If I could hide it, nurture it in secret, it could be my ultimate weapon.
"Yes," I whispered, "pick up Soul Power, Blue Silver Grass, and Clear Sky Hammer." A surge of energy roared through me—warm for the soul power, vibrant for the grass, and heavy, like a mountain settling into my soul, for the hammer. The panel updated:
*Status Window:*
- *Soul Power*: 5.4 (Level 5.4)
- *Martial Souls*: Unawakened (Blue Silver Grass, Grade: King; Clear Sky Hammer, Hidden)
- *Soul Ring*: None
I marked the Clear Sky Hammer as hidden in the system's interface. I couldn't summon it, not with Tang Hao nearby. His connection to the Clear Sky Clan was too strong, his power too vast. If he sensed his clan's martial soul in me, an orphan with no ties, I'd be exposed. The King-grade Blue Silver Grass would be my public face, versatile and unassuming, while the hammer waited for the day I was strong enough to wield it.
My turn came. I stepped into the circle, Su Yuntao's crystal hovering over my hand. A warm pulse surged, and Blue Silver Grass sprouted—lush, vibrant, its blades tinged with a faint golden sheen. Su Yuntao's eyes narrowed as he tested my soul power. The crystal glowed, strong but not blinding. "Level 5," he said, surprised. "Not bad for a village like this."
I stepped back, ignoring the whispers. Level 5 was a lie—my soul power was 5.4, but the crystal rounded down. It was enough to secure my place at Nuoding Academy alongside Tang San. I caught his glance, his eyes lingering on my grass with curiosity. He didn't speak, but he'd noticed its quality.
As the ceremony ended, Tang San approached. "Level 5, Blue Silver Grass," he said, his voice probing. "Yours looks… different."
I shrugged, keeping it light. "Guess we're both stuck with weird grass. You going to Nuoding Academy?"
He nodded, a spark of determination in his eyes. "Yeah. You?"
"Same," I said, grinning. "Maybe we'll spar, see whose grass is tougher."
His lips twitched, almost a smile. "We'll see."
As he walked away, the system chimed: *Ding! Detected: Mental Power +0.1. Do you want to pick up? Yes/No.* I whispered "Yes," my mind sharpening further. Tang San was a goldmine, and I'd only begun to tap it.
That night, in the orphanage hut, I practiced the Mysterious Heaven Technique, my soul power thrumming at Level 5.4. Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track made me a phantom, Purple Demon Eyes sharpened the dim room to crystal clarity, and my King-grade Blue Silver Grass hummed with potential. The Clear Sky Hammer lay hidden, a heavy pulse in my soul, waiting for the day I could wield it without fear. Nuoding Academy awaited, where Tang San would rise—and I'd be there, collecting every spark, hiding my hammer, and forging my own legend in the Douluo Continent's shadow.