Spirit City, Spirit Orphanage.
Although this orphanage named after Spirit Hall didn't have many people, it was solely funded and operated by Spirit Hall. The children inside were either orphans left behind by Spirit Hall members who died in battle or "unlucky" children who had been orphaned by evil Spirit Masters and saved by the various Priests during missions.
Because it was run by Spirit Hall itself, the food was quite plentiful. The children here didn't suffer from any malnutrition; instead, they were each sturdier than the last.
Lin Xishan gazed into the distance. Today was his sixth birthday. On the Douluo Continent, today was the most important day of a person's life; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a second reincarnation.
Ever since he transmigrated to the Douluo Continent, Lin Xishan had been looking forward to this day.
Lin Xishan's original identity wasn't that of a Spirit Hall orphan. In fact, his bad luck had reached a whole new level; he was actually picked up by Qian Xunji.
Fortunately, Qian Xunji had brought back quite a few children, so Bibi Dong probably couldn't be bothered with him.
He just didn't know, now that Qian Xunji was dead, who would preside over his awakening ceremony.
Soon, Lin Xishan had his answer. The one who came was the Lion Douluo, the Fourth Priest of the Elder Hall.
Lion Douluo looked at Lin Xishan and the dozen or so other children of the same age before saying, "Follow me."
The awakening room wasn't particularly large, but the soft carpet made the other children sigh in wonder.
Lin Xishan had no time for such useless things. Once he became strong, never mind beast skins, even gold padding wouldn't be out of the question.
This absolute desire for awakening a Spirit naturally caught Lion Douluo's attention.
He liked children like this, so he immediately said to Lin Xishan, "Child, let's start with you. Come here."
Lin Xishan was delighted. He stepped forward at once, stood before Lion Douluo, and entered the prepared formation. Once he was settled, Lion Douluo raised his hand, and a stream of spirit power was infused into his body.
Lion Douluo rarely came out for such activities. This time was because most of the children in this batch had been brought back by Qian Xunji and Qian Daoliu. Since Qian Xunji was dead, he had come personally out of concern that Bibi Dong might eliminate them to pull up the roots.
Lin Xishan felt a gentle spirit power enter his body. He immediately concentrated his mind to feel the power within his heart.
Accompanied by a flash of white light, a dashing and elegant white figure materialized above Lin Xishan.
It had a body of mixed light blue and white with a few pale yellow accents, blue eyes, pointed ears, and a long tail with a golden halo at the end. It had a pair of white claws, a halo on its right arm, and a blue gemstone-like mark on its forehead.
Lion Douluo looked up at this figure, and a trace of fear actually emerged within his own Spirit.
Lin Xishan also recognized his Spirit. It was the guardian of Planet White from Seer, the Son of Curses, Cassius!
"You have awakened a very powerful Spirit," Lion Douluo said, taking out a crystal ball for testing. "Now, let's test your spirit power."
Lin Xishan reached out to take the blue crystal. He then felt something being drawn from his body, and at the same time, a deep blue glow flashed within the crystal.
The entire crystal lit up rapidly. Lion Douluo said in surprise, "Innate Full Spirit Power! You actually have Innate Full Spirit Power!"
Innate Full Spirit Power was still a rarity in this era of the first Douluo story, its value far exceeding that of subsequent eras.
Lion Douluo looked at Lin Xishan with increasing satisfaction. Just having Lin Xishan, a child with Innate Full Spirit Power, meant his special trip wasn't a waste.
Composing himself, Lion Douluo arranged for Lin Xishan to rest to the side for a moment, then turned to begin awakening the Spirits of the other children.
This batch didn't include orphans of Spirit Hall personnel, and the quality of their parents' Spirits wasn't very good, so naturally, few children possessed spirit power.
However, since one Innate Full Spirit Power like Lin Xishan had already appeared, Lion Douluo didn't care much about the others. He calmly arranged for the children without innate spirit power to go to the ordinary branch to study.
Spirit Hall wasn't the type to abandon those it took responsibility for; even those without spirit power would be raised to adulthood and taught a trade before being let go.
These people would most likely stay in Spirit City, becoming a seed of this great city.
As for those with spirit power, including Lin Xishan, they would be sent to the Spirit Hall Academy.
"Boy, are you willing to take this old man as your master?" Lion Douluo looked at Lin Xishan and asked.
Lin Xishan thought for a moment, then nodded and bowed deeply.
Lion Douluo was the highest-level person he could currently come into contact with. If he were truly sent to the Spirit Hall Academy on his own without any backing, there was no telling how much he would be messed with.
"Rise, child." A smile appeared in Lion Douluo's eyes as he reached out to help Lin Xishan up. Then he said to him, "Since you have Innate Full Spirit Power, I will give you a helping hand and help you hunt for a spirit ring today."
...
At the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, Lion Douluo stepped down from the carriage, then reached out to pull Lin Xishan down. He asked, "How is your mastery of the Meditation Method I taught you?"
"I've mastered it. I just felt my spirit power successfully complete one full cycle," Lin Xishan said.
"Not bad, not bad. You truly learn quickly," Lion Douluo nodded with satisfaction. Then he asked, "Have you sensed the attributes of your Spirit?"
"Teacher, my Spirit seems to have dual attributes of Earth and Darkness," Lin Xishan said after some consideration.
"A dual-attribute Spirit?" Lion Douluo narrowed his eyes, then said, "Are you sure you didn't sense it wrong? I don't see any dark aura from your Spirit."
Lin Xishan, helpless, possessed his Spirit and slightly concentrated his spirit power. A wisp of black spirit power appeared in one hand, while the other hand held the yellow spirit power belonging to the earth.
"It really is a dual-attribute Spirit. How peculiar." Lion Douluo could naturally feel it, and he was also inwardly satisfied with Lin Xishan's comprehension. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Since that's the case, I happen to know of a Spirit Beast that suits you."
With that, Lion Douluo led Lin Xishan directly into the Star Dou Great Forest.
In a patch of bushes, Lion Douluo stopped and said, "Wait here."
Lin Xishan did as told and then asked, "Teacher, what are we waiting for?"
"An Earth Fiend Shadow Dragon, a type of Drake with a trace of True Dragon Bloodline. It possesses both Earth and Darkness attributes," Lion Douluo said.
When night fell, a lizard-like creature about five feet long with wings hopped out. It held a large pink rabbit in its mouth and jumped onto a rock to feast greedily.
At that moment, Lion Douluo struck boldly, exerting the pressure of a Titled Douluo...