"There are currently only two known god-level martial souls being passed down: the Six-Winged Angel of the Qian family from Spirit Hall, and the Sea God Martial Soul from Sea God Island."
"Sea God Island?"
"Mm. It's located in the northwest sea of the continent, and it's the place where sea soul masters and sea soul beasts worship their deity."
"Only two types?"
"Not necessarily. God-level martial souls are said to be bestowed by deities. In the past few millennia, only the Angel God and Sea God have managed to ascend.
"But according to ancient records, this continent once had more than a dozen deities.
"A very long time ago, there were over a dozen religious orders that served the gods. Back then, god-level martial souls likely could have been inherited through those churches. Perhaps in the future, a god-level martial soul might resurface from some forgotten corner of the world."
"Then… what happened to those churches?"
"History is always full of twists and turns. They vanished into the mists of time. You can look into these history books—maybe you'll find some answers. Today, only two institutions remain: Spirit Hall, which worships the Angel God, and Sea God Island, which worships the Sea God. There are also some heretical cults."
"From what I can tell, Spirit Hall went from a group of Angel God followers to a church and eventually became what it is now. Sounds like a lot of shady business happened in between." Chen Xianjun was secretly shocked, and then asked, "Heretical cults?"
"There are organizations across the continent that follow evil deities. Their members are mostly 'Evil Soul Masters.' These people commit atrocities in pursuit of power, slaughtering civilians and soul masters alike. The most infamous is the Scarlet Church."
"The Scarlet Church? The one that emerges every few centuries to cause bloodshed, creating disaster in the soul master world—endlessly reappearing through the ages and never truly eradicated?"
"That's the one. According to many sources, the Scarlet Church worships several dark deities, with their chief god being the Rakshasa God. I'll tell you more about that in the future."
"Grandfather, how does martial soul awakening work? What's the principle behind it?"
"According to our family's 17th-generation ancestor, the theoretical genius Chen Qianhua—before the age of six, the martial soul exists within the soul nest, its gate completely sealed and hidden within certain acupoints.
"It's only when the body stabilizes at six years old that the Awakening Stone can activate the innate energies within the body and awaken the martial soul.
"Ancestor Chen Qianhua theorized that the human body is born with a type of innate energy, which he called primordial qi. After birth, this energy begins to leak due to environmental influences—and even if untouched, it still diminishes gradually.
"Innate soul power is the portion of this primordial qi that gets preserved by the sealed martial soul. It nourishes the body's soul power affinity and is released during the awakening process.
"Therefore, the quality of the martial soul becomes extremely important at that point. The higher its quality, the faster it absorbs primordial qi, the better its affinity with soul power—and likewise, the martial soul is nourished by this energy.
"Ancestor Qianhua also speculated that martial soul mutations are related to primordial qi.
"Of course, the body's constitution also plays a role. A stronger physique helps absorb and carry greater innate soul power. That's why our Chen family has children start taking medicinal baths and eating medicinal food at age three."
"Incredible… the ancients were truly wise!" Chen Xianjun couldn't help but admire.
"Alright then. Rest early tonight. Tomorrow, Grandpa will accompany you to the ancestral hall."
"Yes, I'll go to bed now."
After Chen Xianjun left—
Chen Yu's expression turned serious. "Xun'er, what's the situation with the Xi Li Clan and Douhun City?"
"The Xi Li Clan shouldn't pose much of a problem. Though a few people are watching them, they're just some minor thieves. Nothing serious. As for Douhun City, there's a bit of turbulence. Too many eyes are watching—but we can handle it for now."
"Mm. Understood."
The father and son continued discussing the study for quite some time...
—
The next day — June 20, 5:00 AM, just before dawn.
Chen Xianjun woke up and immediately sensed something different. His body felt subtly transformed—deeper, steadier as if imbued with a profound resonance.
He asked his father, Chen Xun, who explained that on a child's sixth birthday, their bones fully form, meridians stabilize, and the martial soul completes its embryonic stage. Those with keen senses can feel the shift intuitively.
After morning training, incense bathing, and dressing formally, he prepared to leave.
9:00 AM.
Led by Chen Yu, Chen Xianjun walked toward the ancestral hall on the small hill south of the village. Following behind were his father Chen Xun, mother Ye Xiuxin, elder brother Chen Jianjun—and several others.
Zhu Tianhao, Aunt Ding Dang, and young Wu Neng joined them too. Zhu Tianhao was Chen Xun's loyal follower—akin to a houseborn retainer in ancient Blue Star terms—qualified to attend the martial soul awakening ceremony.
His father had died protecting Chen Yu, so Chen Yu had raised him personally.
Ding Dang also came from a long line of family retainers.
Wu Neng had a high chances of becoming Chen Xianjun's future attendant—so long as both awakened martial souls successfully, this would be formally confirmed. As his future lord, Chen Xianjun had special permission to bring him. Wu Neng's elder siblings didn't have this privilege.
Also accompanying them were his second aunt, Ximen Shaoping, and his cousin, Chen Feng, from the side courtyard.
The ancestral hall (zongci) was a sacred structure dedicated to honoring the family's forebears—great-grandparents, ancestors, and clan founders. It was the Chen family's spiritual core, a place of unity and cultural heritage. In this soul master world where bloodline inheritance reigns supreme, ancestral halls hold even greater weight than in Blue Star traditions.
The Chen family ancestral hall consisted of three main parts: the front hall, the main hall, and the rear hall, aligned north to south.
The front hall served as the entry and a gathering space for major family meetings.
The main hall was the heart of ancestral worship.
The rear hall was reserved for honoring non-family benefactors and loyal retainers.
The front hall was a spacious chamber used for ceremonies, gatherings, and greeting important guests.
Its left side housed ritual items and offerings, stored in a ceremonial warehouse.
The right side held family documents and genealogies, stored in the ancestral record chamber.
The main hall, with three chambers, was the core of worship:
The central main chamber held the spirit tablets of the founding ancestors.
The side chambers flanking it held those of branch families and Title Douluo ancestors.
The main altar enshrined three tablets:
Chen Ling, the founding ancestor
Chen Xili, the continuation patriarch—who guided the clan from crisis to stability
Chen Feiyi, the rejuvenation patriarch—who brought prosperity after decline
Their placement affirmed their supreme status in the family legacy.
The left chamber honored all Title Douluos and notable founders of the Chen family branches.
The second-generation ancestor, Chen Qian, son of the founder, once said he was unworthy to be enshrined beside his father—thus establishing a rule: only those who make extraordinary contributions or reach peerless Douluo rank may enter the main altar.
The right chamber held the tablets of other notable ancestors throughout the family's history.
The rear hall, located behind the main chamber, honored those outside the family who had helped the Chens over the years—especially loyal retainers and benefactors. It had five rooms and was similar in structure to the main hall, though slightly smaller.
In addition to these, the ancestral hall complex also had:
Side halls for discussions and meetings
Gardens for flowers and herbs
Pavilion of Inscriptions for plaques and ancestor biographies
Rear Garden for family leisure
Martial Hall, where children aged 6–12 studied soul master knowledge
Although Chen Xianjun had visited the ancestral grounds before, he'd only been allowed in the outer buildings. Before the age of six, children weren't permitted to enter the main ancestral hall.
All in all, the design of the Chen family ancestral hall emphasized both ritual significance and cultural heritage. It reflected the family's rich traditions and their core values:
"Passing on the legacy through literature, establishing the clan through martial prowess, honoring merit, fostering unity, and practicing humility."
—
The ancestral hall is important to the Chenlin Village setting, so this chapter provided some extra detail.
Next chapter: Chen Xianjun's Martial Soul Awakens!
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