Chapter 4: Martial Soul - Demon God Double Guns
The boy hesitated for a moment, then extended his right hand as Su Yuntao instructed. The golden light particles floating in the air seemed to rush forward, gathering into a bright glow. Moments later, the light coalesced into the shape of a sickle that materialized in his palm.
The sickle gleamed under the faint sunlight streaming through the window, sharp and real.
Su Yuntao furrowed his brows as he observed the weapon. "A sickle? It's a weapon-type martial soul," he said with mild disappointment. "It's not completely useless, but its combat potential is limited."
The boy stared blankly at the sickle in his hand, unsure of what to do.
Su Yuntao sighed and continued, "Let's see if you have any spirit power. Even a mediocre weapon martial soul can be cultivated if you have enough innate spirit energy."
The boy hesitated. "Master… what should I do?"
"Focus," Su Yuntao instructed, his tone calm but firm. "Use your will to retract your martial soul. With practice, you'll be able to summon it as easily as breathing."
The boy nodded, closing his eyes. A moment later, the sickle vanished, dissipating into faint traces of light. Su Yuntao handed him the crystal ball.
"Place your hand here," Su Yuntao said.
The boy placed his small hand on the glowing orb. Seconds passed, but there was no reaction. The crystal ball remained dull and lifeless.
"No spirit power," Su Yuntao declared, his voice flat. "Step aside."
The boy looked disappointed but complied, moving away.
The process repeated with five more children, each unveiling mundane martial souls: hoes, spades, and other farm tools. None of them showed even the faintest sign of spirit power. The atmosphere grew heavier with each failure.
When the seventh child stepped forward, a faint hope returned to the room. This time, a delicate light-blue grass sprouted in the girl's palm, swaying gently.
Su Yuntao frowned. "Blue Silver Grass… another useless martial soul," he muttered. "No offensive, defensive, or supportive capabilities. Truly disappointing."
As expected, the girl's test for spirit power yielded no results.
Finally, it was Tang San's turn. Shirakawa Yuki watched intently, his heart racing.
Tang San stepped into the hexagonal formation of stones. The golden light enveloped him, and unlike the others, his glow was brighter, denser. Su Yuntao's eyes widened slightly.
"More light particles than usual," Su Yuntao muttered, a flicker of hope flashing across his face.
Tang San raised his hand, and a familiar martial soul appeared: Blue Silver Grass. But unlike the previous girl's, Tang San's grass glimmered faintly with an imperial aura, subtle but unmistakable.
"Another Blue Silver Grass," Su Yuntao said, his earlier excitement fading. "It's still useless. Let's move on—"
"Master, wait!" Tang San interrupted. "You haven't tested my spirit power."
Su Yuntao sighed, irritated. "Fine, but don't expect much."
He handed Tang San the crystal ball. The moment Tang San touched it, a dazzling blue light burst forth, flooding the room with brilliance. The crystal orb glowed as if it had turned into a radiant sapphire.
"Innate full spirit power…" Su Yuntao whispered in disbelief.
Tang San looked puzzled. "Master, what does that mean?"
Su Yuntao explained quickly, "Innate full spirit power is the highest possible starting point for cultivation. It means your potential is extraordinary, even if your martial soul is weak. With full spirit power, your path as a Spirit Master will be faster and easier than others."
Finally, now it was Shirakawa Yuki's turn.
Yuki took a deep breath and stepped into the circle. As the golden light surrounded him, he felt an intense force stirring within his soul. It was as though something ancient and powerful was being unearthed.
When the light dissipated, Yuki opened his eyes. In his hands were two sleek pistols—one black as the void, the other gleaming crimson like molten lava. Each exuded an ominous energy that made the air around them feel heavy.
Yuki stared at the weapons, mesmerized. A deep voice echoed in his mind, resonating with an otherworldly cadence:
"Demon God Double Guns…?"
He repeated the words aloud, his voice steady yet filled with awe.
Su Yuntao's expression changed, a mix of astonishment and unease. "A dual-weapon martial soul… I've never seen anything like this before," he muttered. "We'll need to test your spirit power immediately."
Yuki nodded, retracting the pistols with ease, as though it was second nature. When he placed his hand on the crystal ball, the orb erupted in a kaleidoscope of lights—black, red, and gold swirling together in a mesmerizing dance.
"Innate full spirit power," Su Yuntao murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. "And with a martial soul like that… your potential is unimaginable."
The room fell silent, the weight of the moment pressing down on everyone. For Yuki, this was just the beginning.
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