"Hahaha… incredible."
Luo Feng's laughter rang out, filled with genuine astonishment.
Seeing the expression on his face, the surrounding children exchanged confused glances, unable to understand what had just happened.
Before Lu Tianming could ask anything, Luo Feng suddenly stepped into the fading golden sphere. He placed both hands firmly on the boy's shoulders, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Hehe, little brother," he said warmly, his voice carrying unmistakable admiration, "to awaken such a powerful martial soul—and with such extraordinary innate soul power… your future is boundless. One day, you will surely stand among the great."
The praise came so suddenly that even Lu Tianming was taken aback.
Just moments ago, this envoy had appeared calm and ordinary. Yet the instant the martial soul awakened, his demeanor had completely changed—as if he were staring at a priceless treasure.
"…Thank you for your kind words, big brother."
Despite the overwhelming attention, Lu Tianming's expression remained calm and cold, his voice steady.
"But it's a pity," Luo Feng said with a sigh, regret evident on his face. "If you had joined our Spirit Hall, you could have reached even greater heights."
As he spoke, he withdrew his hands from Lu Tianming's shoulders. With a casual wave, the golden sphere shattered into countless motes of light, fading into the air. The six black stones that had formed its core returned neatly into his grasp.
"Big brother, what do you mean?" Lu Tianming asked, a faint frown appearing on his face. Luo Feng's words had genuinely confused him. He never even asked me to join Spirit Hall—so how could he already speak of refusal?
"Oh?" Luo Feng was momentarily surprised, then smiled. "Good. I'll explain it to you."
After carefully packing away his belongings, his expression turned serious. His voice slowed, carrying the weight of experience.
"Everyone knows this much," he began. "Only those who possess innate soul power can cultivate a martial soul. But talent alone does not decide how far one can go. There are many factors that determine whether a soul master can truly reach the peak."
He raised a finger.
"First—cultivation realms."
"There are ten major stages in a soul master's path. Each stage has a bottleneck, and to break through it, one must absorb a soul ring from a soul beast."
"From level one to ten, one is known as a Soul Trainee."
"Levels eleven to twenty—Soul Master."
"Twenty-one to thirty—Soul Grandmaster."
"Thirty-one to forty—Soul Elder."
"Forty-one to fifty—Soul Ancestor."
"Fifty-one to sixty—Soul King."
"Sixty-one to seventy—Soul Emperor."
"Seventy-one to eighty—Soul Saint."
"Eighty-one to ninety—Soul Douluo."
"And finally," Luo Feng paused, his eyes growing solemn,
"those who step into the realm of ninety-one to ninety-nine… are known as Titled Douluo."
As his words fell, silence spread through the hall.
For the first time, Lu Tianming truly felt the vastness—and cruelty—of the path that lay before him.
"Every major breakthrough is not merely an increase in soul power," Luo Feng continued, his voice steady and profound. "It is an evolution of the martial soul itself. With each step forward, the martial soul grows stronger, purer, and more complete."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"The gap in strength between each realm is vast—so vast that no amount of effort from a lower stage can bridge it."
"However," he said, his gaze sharpening, "the true strength of a martial soul is determined by two crucial factors."
"First—the innate quality of the martial soul. This is decided at birth. A weak foundation limits one's future, while a superior martial soul grants limitless potential."
"Second—the age of the soul rings absorbed at each stage."
"The higher the age of the soul ring, the greater the enhancement it provides. Skills become stronger, soul power increases more rapidly, and the martial soul undergoes deeper transformations."
He looked directly at Lu Tianming, his expression growing serious.
"This is why two soul masters at the same cultivation level can possess vastly different combat strength."
Hearing Luo Feng's explanation, Lu Tianming became even more certain of the hardships that lay ahead.
Yet fear never appeared in his heart.
On the contrary, a quiet fire burned within him—an eagerness to learn, to grasp everything that could help him grow stronger.
"Then," he asked calmly, lifting his gaze, "how can Spirit Hall help me become stronger?"
"Haha," Luo Feng laughed softly, confidence evident in his tone. "You must understand—Spirit Hall is the strongest organization on the entire Douluo Continent. If even Spirit Hall cannot make you stronger, then I believe no one can."
He did not explain further. No promises, no details—only absolute certainty.
But that certainty alone was enough.
Lu Tianming immediately understood the intent behind those words. Luo Feng was not explaining—he was recruiting.
Without hesitation, Lu Tianming replied, "Alright. I'll join Spirit Hall."
The moment those words left his mouth, Luo Feng's eyes lit up with unconcealed joy.
"Hahaha! You've made the right decision," he said earnestly. "Spirit Hall will not disappoint you. Follow our arrangements, and your path forward will be far smoother than most."
Then, turning his attention to the others, his expression returned to neutrality.
"Since everyone has completed their awakening," Luo Feng announced, "we'll head outside."
Just as Luo Feng was about to step forward, he suddenly paused, as if remembering something important.
"Oh, right," he said, turning back. "What is your name, child?"
"Lu Tianming," the boy replied.
"Lu Tianming…" Luo Feng repeated softly, a hint of approval flashing through his eyes. "A good name."
His gaze then deepened, lingering for a moment longer than necessary.
"As for your martial soul," he continued, "you likely don't yet know its true name. For now, you may call it Lava Hound."
Lu Tianming gave a small nod, committing the name to memory.
"Alright," he said simply.
Though his response was calm, something stirred within him.
A name, after all, was never just a name.
After that, everyone exited the temple one after another.
Outside, Tyson was already waiting, his expression tense with anticipation. The moment Luo Feng stepped out, Tyson hurried forward to greet him.
"Sir Envoy," he asked eagerly, unable to hide his nervousness, "how was this year's Martial Soul Awakening?"
Luo Feng took a slow, steady breath before answering, his tone calm yet heavy with meaning.
"Good," he said. "Two children awakened top-quality martial souls—with innate soul power levels of three and six respectively."
"What? Two children? And such high innate soul power?" Tyson exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
A burst of joy spread across his face.
This year's awakening… was far beyond anyone's expectations.
"Who are they?" Tyson asked eagerly, unable to contain his excitement. "Sir Envoy, could you tell me?"
Luo Feng smiled faintly. "They're already here."
He shifted his gaze toward the group of children behind him.
"Lu Tianming. And you as well—come forward," he said, gesturing toward the girl. "Xiao Ling."
At the sound of his name, Lu Tianming stepped out calmly. Beside him, Xiao Ling hesitated for a brief moment before following, realizing she was the one being called.
"Lu Tianming and… Xiao Ling?" Tyson repeated, disbelief written all over his face. "These two awakened martial souls with innate soul power?"
"Mm." Luo Feng nodded.
"That girl, Xiao Ling, awakened the Iron Spirit Vine martial soul, with innate soul power at level three," he explained evenly. "As for Lu Tianming—he awakened the Lava Hound martial soul, with innate soul power at level six."
He paused, allowing the words to sink in.
"Both are top-quality martial souls. It's just a pity…" his gaze briefly shifted to Xiao Ling, "…that the girl's innate soul power is limited to three."
Luo Feng's tone remained calm, but the difference between the two had already been clearly drawn.
"Hahaha! Two people—two people!" Tyson burst into loud laughter, his voice echoing through the open space. "Finally… the gods in the heavens have heard our pleas!"
Lu Tianming blinked in confusion, clearly not understanding why the village chief was laughing so uncontrollably.
Even Luo Feng and Xiao Ling, standing beside him, were momentarily stunned by Tyson's sudden outburst.
"Cough!Cough!"
Luo Feng cleared his throat loudly, his expression stiff, deliberately interrupting the awkward scene.
"Haha… ah—" Tyson froze, then quickly snapped back to his senses. Noticing the strange looks directed at him, he scratched his head and gave an embarrassed smile.
"Uh… sorry for startling everyone," he apologized hastily.
"There's no need, Chief Tyson," Luo Feng said calmly. Then his expression sharpened, his gaze turning serious. "However, there is something I must inform you of."
"Lu Tianming has already agreed to join our Spirit Hall. I expect that no one will attempt to influence or sway his decision."
As he spoke, an invisible pressure seemed to spread.
"I have also extended the same offer to Xiao Ling," he continued. "She wishes to consult her parents first. Make sure her family is properly informed."
His tone was firm—almost cold.
Over the years, countless children whom Spirit Hall had personally guided through martial soul awakening had later been taken away by rival organizations or the two great empires.
To Luo Feng, this was not merely disappointing.
It was unacceptable.
"Haha, Sir Envoy, there's no need to worry over such a trivial matter," Tyson replied quickly, a flattering smile spreading across his face as he sensed Luo Feng's cold tone. "I'll personally speak with Xiao Ling's parents and persuade them to let her join the glorious Spirit Hall."
"Good." Luo Feng nodded, his expression easing slightly.
He then turned toward Lu Tianming, his gaze sharp and steady.
"Tianming, remember your promise," he said solemnly. "Once again, I'll say this clearly—joining Spirit Hall is the best choice you could have made."
"Mm. I'll remember," Lu Tianming replied calmly.
Luo Feng let out a subtle breath of relief. Seeing no hesitation in the boy's eyes, he nodded.
"Good. Since you've chosen Spirit Hall, we won't treat you unfairly."
As he spoke, he reached into his storage tool and withdrew a tightly rolled parchment scroll along with a small pouch.
"Inside this scroll is a soul power cultivation method practiced by most members of Spirit Hall," Luo Feng explained as he handed it over. "It may be basic, but it's perfectly suited for your current stage."
"Once I report your situation to the bishop," he continued, "you may be granted an intermediate-grade cultivation method. For now, practice this diligently and strive to reach level ten as soon as possible."
Lu Tianming accepted the scroll with both hands, instinctively understanding its value.
"And these are fifty silver coins," Luo Feng added, passing him the small pouch. He gave a faint smile and a knowing wink. "Use them wisely. Consider this… my personal investment in you."
Looking at the two items in his hands, Lu Tianming felt a quiet certainty settle in his heart.
He knew he had made the right choice.
"Thank you, Sir," he said sincerely, expressing not only gratitude for the resources, but also for the trust placed in him.
"Haha, there's no need for thanks," Luo Feng replied with a warm smile. "From now on, we're family. Among family, there's no need for thanks—or apologies."
After exchanging a few more words with Chief Tyson, Luo Feng turned and headed toward the distant road, setting off for the next village to continue his duties.
Lu Tianming watched his retreating figure for a long moment.
Strangely, the heaviness that had long lingered in his heart was gone.
He lifted his gaze to the sky. It was still clear and bright—after all, barely an hour had passed. Morning light stretched endlessly above him.
Mother…
"I've found my goal," he thought quietly. "I'll become stronger. I'll work harder than anyone—and one day, I'll stand at the very peak."
The vast sky reflected in his eyes.
And so, his path truly began.