In Nuoding City, inside a fairly large house, a young boy dashed through the hallway clutching a book about soul beasts.
"Mom! What flavor of cake did you get for my birthday?" he shouted excitedly as he hurried down the stairs.
"Jiaxu, how many times have I told you to be careful on the stairs?" his mother scolded, worry in her voice as she set the newly bought cake on the table.
"Sorry, Mom… I just got excited." Jiaxu mumbled, lowering his head—then quickly lifting it again. "Uh—where's Dad?"
"Your father stopped by the restaurant to take care of something. He'll be home later," Qingyan replied while placing the groceries she bought for dinner on the counter. "Anyway… are you excited for your martial soul awakening tomorrow?"
At the mention of martial souls, Jiaxu's energy surged back instantly.
"Super excited, Mom! I wonder what I'll awaken! Maybe your feather quill? Or Dad's chef knife?" he said, eyes shining.
"We'll find out tomorrow. For now, go keep yourself busy—I need to focus on cooking," Qingyan said as she began sorting ingredients.
Immediately, Jiaxu bolted upstairs, completely forgetting her earlier warning.
"JIAXU, BE CAREFUL ON THE STAIRS!" Qingyan yelled.
"Sorry, Mom!" he called back, already sprinting down the hallway toward his room.
Opening the door revealed a moderately large room. On the left side stood shelves filled with books, and a desk cluttered with sketch pads and drawing materials. On the right side were his bed and personal belongings. The walls were covered with drawings of scenery, people, and buildings—everything Jiaxu could put on paper, showing clearly how much he loved drawing.
Jiaxu sat at his desk and began sketching the soul beasts from his book. As he finished his first drawing, he heard a knock on the door. His father opened it and stepped in.
"Jiaxu, happy birthday. Here's a small gift from your amazing dad," Ming said, handing him a wrapped box. Jiaxu opened it and found a drawing of a majestic dragon signed by his favorite artist. He immediately rushed over and hugged his father tightly. "Thanks, Dad! You're the best!"
"You're welcome, son. Anything for you. Oh right—what were you drawing earlier?" Ming asked.
"It's a soul beast I saw in the book," Jiaxu replied, handing the drawing to him.
Ming looked at it. It was an Azure Mist Fox, neatly sketched with careful details.
The Azure Mist Fox is a small fox with light blue fur and a thin mist around its body. It has pointed ears, a fluffy tail, and bright, alert eyes.
"You really are talented, my son. You improve with every drawing you make," Ming said proudly. "Come on, let's go eat dinner." He gently set the drawing back on the desk.
Hearing "dinner," Jiaxu immediately dashed into the hallway—only to stop at the stairs and go down carefully this time.
The family spent the rest of the evening eating together and happily celebrating Jiaxu's birthday before finally going to sleep.
Early in the morning, Jiaxu woke up to the sound of his alarm. The moment he remembered what today was, his sleepy eyes flew wide open. He dashed to the bathroom and hurried through his morning routine.
Jiaxu peeked into his parents' room. Both of them were still fast asleep. A mischievous grin spread across his face.
"Mom! Dad! Wake up! It's today! My martial soul awakening!" he shouted, bouncing on his toes.
Qingyan groaned and buried her head under the blanket. "Jiaxu… five more minutes…"
"No! No! No! We don't have five more minutes! We need to get ready!" Jiaxu pulled the covers off his mother and ran to his father.
Ming stirred, rubbing his eyes. "Jiaxu… what time—oh, right! Today!"
An hour later, the whole family was finally ready. Bags packed, breakfast hurriedly eaten, and smiles plastered on their faces, they stepped outside.
A carriage waited at the gate, its horses stamping impatiently. Jiaxu practically bounced into the seat, his hands gripping the edge.
"Let's go! Let's go! I can't wait!" he cheered.
Qingyan chuckled, shaking her head. "You're more excited than I am."
Ming laughed. "Just make sure you behave at the Spirit Hall branch, Jiaxu."
"Of course, Dad! I'll be the perfect student!" he said, though his eyes sparkled with mischief.
The family climbed into the carriage, and Jiaxu practically bounced in his seat.
"Let's go! I can't wait!" he said.
Qingyan chuckled. "You're really excited, huh?"
"Of course! It's my big day!" Jiaxu replied, grinning.
Ming shook his head with a smile. "Just behave at the Spirit Hall branch, alright?"
"Sure, Dad!" Jiaxu answered, still full of energy as the carriage moved along the road, carrying the family to the Spirit Hall branch.
The carriage came to a stop in front of the Spirit Hall branch. Jiaxu practically leaped out, eager to see what awaited him inside.
"Wait for me!" Qingyan called, as she and Ming followed.
The three stepped inside, and the warm light of the hall greeted them. The polished floors reflected the high ceilings, and the quiet hum of activity made the place feel important, but not intimidating.
At the front of the hall stood a tall man with a calm expression—Ma Xiu No, the branch master. His eyes lit up when he saw Jiaxu's parents.
"Ah, Ming, Qingyan, it's been a while," Ma Xiu No said warmly, bowing slightly. "I'm glad you could come in person today."
Ming smiled. "Of course, Master Ma. It's a special day for Jiaxu."
Qingyan nodded. "We wouldn't miss it for anything."
Ma Xiu No glanced at Jiaxu with a faint smile. "And this must be the little one who's about to awaken his martial soul. You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you."
Jiaxu puffed up proudly. "I'm ready! I'll be strong, I promise!"
Master Ma chuckled softly. "We'll see about that, little one. But first, let's get you settled in. Your parents' presence here makes it all the easier."
Ming chuckled. "I suppose having both parents as spirit ancestors does have its perks."
Qingyan added with a grin, "Don't let it spoil him too much, though."
Ma Xiu No laughed lightly. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he behaves… or at least survives the awakening without turning the hall upside down."
Jiaxu's excitement only grew, and he practically bounced in place as they followed Master Ma deeper into the hall.