The Xuanming Sect covered a vast area, with its buildings scattered yet orderly. The green tiles, white walls, and upturned eaves exuded a strong sense of ancient simplicity.
Xu Tianxi and his party of three, led by Xu Sanshi, took several turns, passing through over a dozen courtyards and long corridors, before entering a large courtyard.
The courtyard opened to the outside of the sect. Xu Tianxi noticed many simply dressed people forming a long queue outside the courtyard. They were all adults accompanied by children, their faces filled with anxiety but also a hint of expectation.
Xu Sanshi, seeing that Xu Tianxi seemed interested in the queue of commoners outside, chuckled and explained:
"Third Brother, our Xuanming Sect holds a large-scale Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony every three months. This is an important opportunity for the commoners outside. For just ten Gold Soul Coins, they can awaken their Martial Soul using our formation. It's fair, open, and honest."
Hearing this, Xu Tianxi casually remarked:
"I read in a book that ten thousand years ago, the Martial Soul Hall would actively send people to every corner of the continent to awaken Martial Souls for commoners, and they didn't even charge for it?"
Xu Sanshi's eyelid twitched. He quickly reached out and covered Xu Tianxi's mouth, then lowered his voice and quickly whispered into Xu Tianxi's ear:
"Third Brother, you can say things like that when we're at home, but never say it outside, or there will be trouble."
Xu Tianxi was surprised by Xu Sanshi's strong reaction: "Is what the book said false?"
"It's true! What the book said is true! But even if it's the truth, Third Brother, you can't say it out loud!"
Xu Sanshi hastily replied a few sentences, then looked around carefully, making sure there were no outsiders before cautiously continuing:
"Let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart, brother. Ever since the Martial Soul Hall fell, the responsibility of awakening Martial Souls for the commoners on the continent naturally fell to the two great empires and later, the Three Great Empires.
But as you know, the rule of the empires relies on the nobility. In their fiefdoms, nobles are like local emperors, with absolute power over the lives of the commoners in their territory.
Nobles are accustomed to enjoying their power and privilege. Why would they be willing to send people across mountains and rivers to awaken Martial Souls for commoners for free, which consumes manpower and resources? The empires don't reimburse them for it either.
Therefore, charging money for Martial Soul awakening naturally came about.
Speaking of which, the price we charge is already very reasonable. A commoner family can save up enough in a few months if they live frugally. Besides, our Xuanming Sect doesn't inherently have that obligation; doing this is somewhat like charity."
Xu Tianxi's pupils dilated in surprise, and he said in astonishment, "We charge for this, and those commoners still have to thank us?"
Xu Sanshi nodded as a matter of course, responding to Xu Tianxi:
"Of course! Before our Xuanming Sect started doing this, the City Lord's Mansion charged a hundred Gold Soul Coins, and even then, there were limited slots. Aren't we doing charity here?"
"Our Xuanming City doesn't have any major nobles. The biggest is just an Earl. And with the Xuanming Sect here, we need a stable environment for our business, so they wouldn't dare go too far."
"In the fiefdoms of dukes and marquises, it's not surprising to be charged thousands of Gold Soul Coins, or even have the price temporarily increased. After all, no one can supervise or investigate them, and low-level Soul Masters cannot resist them; they can only comply with whatever is demanded."
"Even more, there might be other demands, like contracts of servitude...
I won't tell you about the dirtier stuff. I heard all this from my classmates. Most of them are from noble families, and some of them were already quite wild before they even enrolled. When they bragged in private, they had no filter."
"In short, almost all the nobles in the Three Kingdoms profit from this. If you mention the Martial Soul Hall awakening Martial Souls for free in public, you're breaking imperial law.
It's legal to arrest you, or even kill you on the spot, because this matter is not acknowledged by the Three Great Empires."
Xu Sanshi's vivid description made Xu Tianxi's face turn pale. He secretly thought that he had still underestimated the nobles of the Three Kingdoms.
These individuals firmly controlled the upward mobility channels for commoners from the source, greatly reducing the possibility of commoners rising up, thereby stabilizing their own rule.
Under such a system, talented commoners either became one of them, or... became one of the Evil Soul Masters!
At this moment, Yue Lao, who was nearby, suddenly interjected, "Young masters, this old servant remembers that in the Sun Moon Empire, their national law doesn't seem to have this clause. They also organize people to awaken Martial Souls for commoners, and sometimes they don't charge."
"What's so strange about that? The Sun Moon Empire has never seen the Martial Soul Hall, so of course, they wouldn't have that clause," Xu Sanshi said indifferently.
While they were talking, they had already entered the courtyard. The person responsible for awakening Martial Souls was startled to see Xu Sanshi and Xu Tianxi entering with their arms around each other.
Xu Sanshi raised his hand to signal him not to make a fuss, then quietly led Xu Tianxi away into a three-story high pavilion with a view. Xu Fu and Xu Xiaoyun came into view.
All four bowed in unison. Xu Fu pointed to the stone formation on the ground and said with a smile, "Come in quickly."
Xu Tianxi responded, striding into the awakening formation that could largely determine his future destiny.
Whoosh—
Xu Fu unleashed a stream of Soul Power. The awakening formation, composed of six black stones, slowly rose, enveloping Xu Tianxi.
"Close your eyes and feel it carefully."
Xu Fu said in a deep voice, then his body trembled, erupting with a profound aura. A black tortoise shell shield, three meters in diameter, appeared before him. Two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red Soul Rings appeared in succession, ensuring the awakening process was foolproof.
In the corner, Xu Sanshi stared intently at Xu Fu's ninth, Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, secretly thinking that his father's Soul Ring configuration was truly enviable. When his Martial Soul was awakened three years ago, he didn't have a ninth ring yet.
"If you like red Soul Rings, then cultivate diligently. When you become a Titled Douluo, Ancestor will take you to the ocean to find a suitable one."
Xu Xiaoyun's cheerful voice suddenly rang out. Xu Sanshi grinned at Xu Xiaoyun, swallowing hard as he repeatedly said, "Ancestor is wise," which amused Xu Xiaoyun, making him beam with joy.
This was where having elders came in handy; they could even help kill a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast.
Xu Sanshi thought happily, That scoundrel Bei Bei probably can't compare to me in this regard, right? Haha...
At the same time, Xu Tianxi, who was closing his eyes and sensing the inside of his body, seemed to hear some "crack" sounds of shackles breaking. A profound and mysterious power surged from deep within his body, quickly filling his limbs and bones.
Is this Soul Power? It feels pretty good.
Sensing wisps of mysterious energy, as fine as silk threads, being guided along his meridians, Xu Tianxi secretly nodded. He now felt full of strength, his mind clear, and his six senses heightened. He could even hear the distant cicada chirps.
A few seconds later, this Soul Power suddenly diverged. One part surged into his right hand, while another part flowed into his brain and the area between his eyebrows. Xu Tianxi couldn't help but spread his right hand, and his eyes involuntarily opened, a strange gleam flashing through them.
What's happening? Is this Twin Martial Souls? This thought simultaneously arose in the minds of Xu Tianxi, Xu Fu, and Xu Xiaoyun.
The next moment, Xu Tianxi instinctively raised his right hand, and a dense, dark stream of light surged from his palm, instantly engulfing his entire body like a tide and spreading outwards.
A black shield, one meter in diameter, materialized within the dark light, hovering before Xu Tianxi. It was a standard Profound Tortoise Shell Shield, and its quality was exceptional.
For some unknown reason, Xu Fu's body trembled as if struck by lightning when the Profound Tortoise Shell Shield appeared, and his pupils constricted sharply.
Is this the suppression of a superior Water Element? How is that possible?! I'm a Titled Douluo powerhouse, and my Martial Soul even possesses the Black Tortoise Bloodline!
At the same time, a subtle, gentle glow shimmered in Xu Tianxi's opened eyes. Deep within his pupils, two cold, frosty crescent moon shadows seemed to float, and a faint Crescent Moon Mark appeared on his forehead.
Behind his head, some threads of Spiritual Power seemed to interweave, appearing both real and illusory. It was almost impossible for anyone below the Titled Douluo level to detect them.
Xu Sanshi's eyes lit up. He stood up with a gulp and clapped his hands, cheering,
"It really is the Profound Tortoise! I knew it, Third Brother would definitely awaken our Xu Family's inherited Martial Soul.
Looking at this, his Innate Soul Power must be at least Level 9. From now on, our old Xu Family will have Twin Stars."
"Huh? Ancestor, why do you look so serious? Tianxi successfully awakened his Martial Soul, aren't you happy?"
Xu Sanshi caught a glimpse of Xu Xiaoyun's expression from the corner of his eye; it had become extremely solemn, his brows deeply furrowed, creating a network of old wrinkles.
Xu Xiaoyun glanced askance at Xu Sanshi, then turned his head, revealing a mischievous, old-rascal smile:
"His Profound Water is unusual. Why don't you go feel it?"
"Ah? Oh, okay."
Xu Sanshi paused, bewildered. He summoned his own Martial Soul, intending to compare them and see what was different.
However, before he could even reach Xu Tianxi, his Profound Tortoise Shell Shield inexplicably began to tremble. The dense Water Element permeating the shield seemed to have encountered the most terrifying thing in the world, dissipating in fear.
"Roar—"
The next moment, Xu Tianxi's Profound Tortoise Shell Shield was like a fierce beast whose territory had been invaded by its own kind. A purple light pattern flashed across the shield's surface, and a muffled beast roar echoed through the air, carrying an invisible wave of energy that struck outwards.
"No, what's going on here?"
Amidst the beast's roar, Xu Sanshi was pushed back by several invisible waves of energy. He stumbled backward several steps, finally landing on his backside, his face filled with disbelief.
Xu Tianxi wasn't even a Soul Master; it was impossible for him to push Xu Sanshi back with cultivation. He could only think of one explanation for the current situation—
His Martial Soul was being suppressed in quality, and it was a terrible suppression!
But, that's impossible!
Even Bei Bei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon could only match him, or even be slightly inferior. Among the entire Shrek Outer Courtyard, his Martial Soul was the strongest.
Xu Tianxi's Profound Tortoise Shell Shield looked identical to his own; how could it do this?
The next second, Xu Xiaoyun, who had flashed in front of Xu Tianxi and was carefully feeling the Profound Tortoise Shell Shield with his hand, cried out in shock, providing the answer.
"It really is Ultimate Water; this is an Ultimate Martial Soul!"
An unprecedented sharpness bloomed in Xu Xiaoyun's eyes. Having personally witnessed Xu Sanshi's Martial Soul being suppressed, and then personally experiencing a difference stemming from elemental affinity, he was absolutely certain that Xu Tianxi's Profound Tortoise Shell Shield possessed a power that surpassed all other Water Element Martial Souls in the world!
The ultimate of the Water Element is Ultimate Water!
Other than Ultimate Water, nothing else could have made the Water Element of Xu Sanshi's Martial Soul, which possessed the Black Tortoise Bloodline, instantly dissipate. Not even Ultimate Fire could do that!
And it was even more impossible for him, a Level 98 Super Douluo, to feel a subtle yet real difference at the Water Element level!
That subtle difference was an insurmountable chasm!
"Heaven bless Xuanming, heaven bless Xuanming! Hahahaha, Heaven has been kind to my Xu Family, hahahaha..."
Xu Xiaoyun's hearty laughter reverberated. Suddenly, he noticed the outsiders nearby and shot a fierce look at Xu Fu, who was also laughing triumphantly:
This matter is of great importance; not a single bit of information can be leaked!
Xu Fu understood. He surveyed the three people present, his gaze slowly locking onto his eldest son, Xu Sanshi.
Chen Wu and Yue Lao could not possibly leave the Xuanming Sect; only Xu Sanshi could.
For the future of the Xuanming Sect, he would just have to... make him close his eyes and rest for a while.