Su Yuntao's loud shout carried soul power from within his body, like the roar of an angry lion, instantly shocking the villagers at the door into silence.
The villagers looked at the furious Su Yuntao, filled with fear and panic. They stood there dumbfounded, at a complete loss, not daring to make another sound. The whole world suddenly became quiet.
The seven children inside the wooden house huddled together even more tightly, trembling as they stared at the angry-faced Su Yuntao.
The esteemed Soul Master from the Spirit Hall was angry. What were they supposed to do now?
Seeing the villagers still standing there blocking the way without moving, the dissatisfaction on Su Yuntao's face grew even stronger. He was about to shout again when Old Jack's roar suddenly rang out.
"What are you all standing there, stunned for? The Soul Master told you to move aside—didn't you hear him?!"
Old Jack came striding over quickly, dragging Tang San along, looking like an enraged old lion, almost ready to swing his cane to beat those people.
Those few people hurriedly stepped aside, not daring to defy Old Jack's authority.
Old Jack continued to scold them: "Have you all lost your minds? If the Soul Master gets angry, who will awaken martial souls for our children? Lord Su Yuntao is the greatest existence, do you understand?"
Those people finally came to their senses and quickly shouted, "Lord Su Yuntao, we were wrong!"
Su Yuntao's expression softened. He was quite satisfied with Old Jack's flattery and said gently, "Let the children come in. My time is quite limited."
But there was still someone brave enough to speak up: "Village Chief, what about Jiang Chen…"
Old Jack glared fiercely at him and ignored the question. Instead, he turned directly to Jiang Chen and said, "Little Chen, go in. Remember to keep a safe distance."
"No problem!" Jiang Chen walked in quickly, his smile exceptionally bright.
The so-called "safe distance" meant staying at least five meters away from everyone else, so no one had to worry about being harmed by his aura.
"You all wait outside," Old Jack instructed, then led Tang San inside.
The door of the Spirit Hall was slammed shut with a bang, leaving only the adults of the entire village waiting anxiously outside.
"Lord Su Yuntao, we'll have to trouble you this time," Old Jack said respectfully, standing beside Su Yuntao.
Su Yuntao was very satisfied with Old Jack's attitude. "Let's begin immediately. Have the children line up in a row."
As soon as he finished speaking, the seven children rushed to line up at the front. Tang San was helplessly squeezed to the back, and even further behind him was Jiang Chen.
Because he possessed the mentality of an adult, Tang San had never really been able to play with these children over the years, so it was normal for him to be pushed to the back by all of them.
Jiang Chen was even more straightforward; he consciously stood at the very end, arms crossed, leaning lazily against the wooden door behind him.
Old Jack noticed Jiang Chen's sloppy posture and immediately became so angry that his beard bristled and his eyes widened. He kept giving Jiang Chen meaningful looks until Jiang Chen had no choice but to stand up straight.
And five meters in front of him, Tang San kept turning his head back, watching Jiang Chen vigilantly, as if afraid that Jiang Chen would suddenly pounce and deliver a "fatal strike."
Seeing Tang San's cautious little appearance, Jiang Chen found it amusing. He immediately raised both hands to his fair face, baring his teeth to reveal two cute little tiger fangs, staring at Tang San with a mischievous grin.
Tang San shivered all over and quickly turned his head back, not daring to look at Jiang Chen anymore.
Seeing that the children were all lined up, Su Yuntao spoke: "My name is Su Yuntao, a twenty-sixth-ranked Great Soul Master, and I am your guide. Next, I will awaken martial souls for all of you. When I release my martial soul, it may look a bit scary, but please don't be afraid! Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid!"
He repeated the important part three times, and Su Yuntao was also helpless. Quite often, children would get scared and run away, seriously affecting the speed of his work.
After speaking, he took out the tools for awakening martial souls from his kit: six pitch-black stones and one blue crystal ball.
After arranging the six black stones into a hexagram formation, he motioned for the first child to step inside.
"Close your eyes and feel carefully. Do not open them without my order."
"Wolf, possession!"
In the horrified gazes of the children, Su Yuntao completed his transformation. Long fur sprouted all over his body, his physique swelled, and his clothes were stretched to the point of almost bursting.
Jiang Chen curiously watched Su Yuntao's transformation. Apart from that handsome face, the rest of him looked no different from the werewolves Jiang Chen had seen in Western movies from his previous life.
Except for Jiang Chen and Tang San, the other children were all trembling in fear. The first child kept his eyes tightly closed and didn't see Su Yuntao's terrifying appearance.
Su Yuntao was very satisfied. As long as the first child could awaken smoothly, the remaining children wouldn't be so afraid.
He didn't stop moving his hands and activated the formation on the ground. Instantly, a golden light barrier enveloped the child.
Countless golden light spots floated out from the black stones and entered the boy's body, calming his tense, trembling figure.
"Extend your right hand," Su Yuntao said gently.
The boy subconsciously stretched out his right hand, and slowly, a sickle gradually condensed in his palm.
Su Yuntao felt somewhat disappointed. Although a sickle could be used for attack, he had never heard of any powerful sickle soul masters. This kind of martial soul could only be used for farming.
He took the crystal ball to test the child's soul power, and the result disappointed him even more. There was not a trace of soul power, meaning this child could not cultivate at all.
Six children were awakened in succession, all receiving farming tool martial souls, leaving Su Yuntao utterly disappointed.
The little girl in front of Tang San was somewhat different; she awakened a Blue Silver Grass.
"This is a waste of martial soul, completely useless. Blue Silver Grass is the most useless martial soul on the entire Douluo Continent," Su Yuntao said. As soon as his words fell, tears welled up in the little girl's eyes, and she burst into loud sobs.
Su Yuntao grabbed her hand to test it; indeed, she had not a single trace of soul power.
Finally, it was Tang San's turn. Without needing Su Yuntao to say anything, he had already stepped into the formation.
"Tang San, do your best!" Jiang Chen shouted from behind.
Tang San's small face was grave as he nodded seriously. None of the previous seven children had awakened a martial soul that could be cultivated—this made his heart sink to the bottom.
So becoming a soul master was really that difficult.
Su Yuntao activated the formation again. Tang San's right hand smoothly condensed his martial soul; it was a gently swaying Blue Silver Grass.
At first, seeing that the golden light points pouring into the formation were far more than all the previous children combined, Su Yuntao had been overjoyed. But when Tang San's martial soul appeared, it was like a bucket of cold water poured over him.
The joy vanished. Su Yuntao's expression became indifferent as he waved his hand dismissively: "Waste martial soul. Next."
Old Jack, watching from the side, felt his entire heart turn ice-cold. That aged, weathered face was filled with extreme disappointment. This year, as expected, it still wasn't possible.
"Uncle, you haven't tested my soul power yet," Tang San reminded him.
Su Yuntao said indifferently, "No need to test. It's a waste of martial soul, you can't have soul power."
"Please just let me try," Tang San insisted.
Jiang Chen also spoke up: "Lord Soul Master, please test it for him. It won't take you much time."
"Fine." Su Yuntao turned around, holding the crystal ball, and walked to Tang San with an air of indifference.
Looking at Su Yuntao's nonchalant attitude, Jiang Chen secretly chuckled to himself, wait until Tang San's soul power comes out, it will definitely scare Brother Tao half to death.