"Of course," Ray replied confidently. "Everyone does. When you turn six next year, you'll awaken yours, too."
His voice grew sleepy as his strength faded. "I can't lift my arm anymore. I'm going to sleep. You should sleep early too."
Before his sentence even finished, he had already collapsed onto the bed, his breathing evening out almost instantly.
Vivienne watched him quietly. She tried to grasp at the memories hidden deep within her mind, but everything remained blurry, unreachable.
She lay down soon after and drifted into sleep as well.
Deep into the night, the bedroom door opened quietly. Wilheim slipped inside and knelt beside his son's bed. He took out the ointment Gilbert had given them and gently pulled up Ray's sleeve, turning on a small shoulder light to see clearly.
He froze.
Ray's arm was completely uninjured.
No bruises. No swelling. His skin was smooth and healthy, like polished jade. Shocked, Wilheim checked the other arm, then his palms. They were the same.
His wife would never lie.
Then where had the injuries gone?
As his eyes lingered on his son, he failed to notice the faint golden vein-like pattern beneath Ray's hair, slowly fading away.
After a long moment, Wilheim put the ointment away and left quietly, his heart filled with questions.
The next morning, Ray woke early, washed up, and hurried to the kitchen to help his mother carry bowls and plates.
"Do your arms still hurt?" Selina asked anxiously.
Ray swung his arms freely. "They don't hurt at all! I feel even stronger."
Selina smiled in relief. "The medicine must be very effective. Your dad applied it after you fell asleep."
Wilheim, who had just stepped out of the room, stiffened.
He hadn't applied anything.
Could it be… his son's martial soul?
Silverfalls Vine shouldn't be capable of this.
Yet as breakfast filled the small home with warmth and laughter, Wilheim watched his son carefully, deep in thought.
"Dad! Hurry!" Ray called brightly. "We're learning about martial souls today! And don't forget to remind me to meditate later. I, Raymond, will definitely become a powerful Soul Master!"
Three Years Later – Ironspire Academy;
Hugo squeezed his round body closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially as he leaned toward Ray. "Ray, I heard Charles finally broke through to rank ten. He's buying his spirit soul tonight. What about you?" His eyes flicked around before continuing. "Didn't you say you were already rank nine last time? Graduation's almost here. If you don't hit rank ten before then, you'll have to go home and cultivate without the academy's recommendation letter. Getting into an intermediate academy later will be a real headache."
Three years had passed in the blink of an eye, and Ray had changed more than most.
Once barely over a meter tall, he now stood close to one-point-four meters, noticeably taller than many of his classmates.
His build was balanced, neither thin nor bulky, and though he didn't look particularly imposing at first glance, there was a quiet sturdiness to him that made people think twice.
His features had sharpened with age, and his clear black eyes reflected light like polished glass. Despite possessing the much-maligned Silverfalls Vine martial soul, he remained surprisingly popular within Ironspire Academy.
Hugo was the same chubby boy Ray had met during his first year.
Back then, he had looked down on Ray with open disdain, until one unforgettable afternoon when his attempted bullying ended with him pinned to the ground, lifted with a single arm, and beaten into loud, humiliating tears.
From that day onward, Hugo had become well-behaved to the point of obedience, trailing Ray like a loyal shadow.
None of the students in the Soul Master class had soul skills yet, and their soul power ranks were still relatively close.
What truly set Ray apart was his physical strength. Though he didn't look muscular, the memory of being hoisted off the ground like a sack of grain had left a deep impression on Hugo.
Since then, fear had turned into admiration, and admiration into loyalty.
The Soul Master class consisted of just over a dozen students. By now, six of them had already reached rank ten soul power, officially qualifying to advance from Soul Scholar to true Soul Master once they obtained a spirit soul.
Graduation was approaching fast, and soon they would leave the elementary academy behind.
Ironspire City, being small, lacked an intermediate Soul Master academy, so students needed both a spirit soul and a recommendation letter to continue their education elsewhere.
Hugo was among the six who had already reached rank ten. Those who broke through before graduation would receive a recommendation letter from the academy, a valuable advantage that spared them from additional tests later.
Those who failed would have to cultivate on their own and undergo strict evaluations before being allowed into an intermediate academy.
"I should be close," Ray replied with an easy smile. "Feels like I've hit a bottleneck."
His cultivation speed had long since drawn the attention of Teacher Gerrad Frost.
Starting with only rank three innate soul power, reaching rank nine in three years wasn't extraordinary by genius standards, but for someone with Silverfalls Vine, it was remarkable.
While not dazzling, it placed him comfortably among the upper tier of the class.
As Gerrad Frost continued to guide him, she gradually realized the source of his steady progress. Ray possessed exceptional spiritual focus.
He could enter meditation quickly, remain immersed without distraction, and sense the energy of his surroundings with unusual clarity. His spiritual power far exceeded that of his peers, allowing him to cultivate with rare efficiency.
With graduation approaching, Gerrad Frost had begun paying Ray extra attention. One more student reaching rank ten would bring her recognition and rewards, and Ray did not disappoint.
With half a month remaining, he stood at rank nine, only a single step away from breaking through.
"Good luck," Hugo laughed as they packed their bags. "Who knows if we'll end up at the same intermediate academy. Once you get your spirit soul, we should spar again. Let's see who beats up who this time."
Ray shot him a sideways glance. "Keep dreaming."
He lingered outside the academy gates instead of leaving immediately. Before long, a familiar flash of silver emerged from the neighboring composite academy.
"Vivienne, slow down," Ray called gently. "You'll trip."
Vivienne ran toward him, her short silver hair catching the light. Though three years had passed, she had changed little beyond growing slightly taller. She remained small and delicate, far too petite for her age, with an appearance closer to that of a much younger child.
"Big brother, I want a lollipop," she said cheerfully, clinging to his arm.