The Spirit Hall Awakening Room sat near the heart of the village's ancestral hall, enclosed by high stone walls and thick wooden beams that smelled faintly of incense and age. Sunlight filtered in through narrow windows, catching on the dust suspended in the air. At the center, a crystal orb rested atop a raised stone platform, surrounded by glowing spirit runes etched into a circular formation.
The floor had been polished smooth by generations of footsteps. It was quiet inside, save for the murmurs of curious children and their parents gathered along the edges.
A tall man stood at the center, clad in the silver-white robes of Spirit Hall, clean and sharp like a blade. His gaze swept across the group, calm and detached, holding only faint calculation behind his eyes.
"I am Su Yuntao, a twenty-sixth-ranked Spirit Grandmaster and your Awakening Soul Master for today," he announced, his voice crisp, cutting clean through the still air.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"There is no need to be afraid."
Then, without warning, he stepped into the formation.
A rush of wind stirred the room as blue light pulsed around his feet. Spirit power surged. In a flash of silver-gray light, his Martial Spirit emerged.
A wolf.
Its fur shimmered. Its fangs bared in a silent snarl. The air turned colder, heavier with pressure.
Several children gasped and stepped back, some retreating to their parents. A few began to cry.
But Wu Lan didn't flinch.
Neither did the boy beside him.
Tang San stood quietly, eyes calm, gaze steady. As if a snarling wolf meant nothing at all.
Su Yuntao noticed.
His gaze lingered briefly on the two of them. Then he nodded slightly.
"You two," he said. "Interesting."
He stepped back and began calling names from the scroll.
One by one, the children approached. Hands trembling. Voices small. Spirits awakened: a sickle, a staff, a gourd, even an old boot. Some glowed faintly before vanishing like fading sparks.
Each child placed a hand on the crystal orb. Each time, Su Yuntao tested.
Each time, the result was the same.
"No soul power. Next."
"No soul power. Next."
"No soul power. Sit down."
With every repetition, his tone grew flatter. Less invested. Less hopeful.
Time passed. Soon, only two names remained.
Wu Lan and Tang San.
The room had grown quieter. The younger children clung to their parents, disappointed or confused. The parents smiled awkwardly.
Wu Lan and Tang San stood on opposite sides of the formation. Their eyes met.
Wu Lan gave a faint smile.
"Go ahead," he said softly. "You first."
Tang San nodded and stepped forward into the circle.
The air changed.
Wu Lan watched closely. He had seen this moment before, many times, in another life. But watching it unfold in front of him was something else entirely.
He saw Tang San's steady breath, the quiet discipline in his posture, the calm pulse of spirit energy flowing into him.
Then, in his palm, a blade of Blue Silver Grass unfurled.
Simple. Humble.
The same weed that grew along the village walls and irrigation ditches.
Whispers filled the room.
"...Just that?"
"Blue Silver Grass? Isn't that useless?"
Wu Lan noticed Tang San's other hand. Clenched tightly.
He sighed inwardly.
Ah yes. The classic scene. Useless Blue Silver Grass. As if spirit worth could be judged by appearances. If this is useless, then Spirit Hall is blind. Actually... wait. They are.
Su Yuntao frowned. "Plant-type Martial Spirit. Standard Blue Silver Grass. Useless. Next one."
Tang San calmly retracted the grass. "Soul Master, you haven't tested my soul power yet."
Su Yuntao paused, then nodded. "Hmm. Let's test that."
Tang San placed his hand on the crystal orb.
A second later, light exploded from within.
Su Yuntao's eyes widened. "Innate... full soul power? Pity. A useless Martial Spirit."
Gasps rippled across the room.
Wu Lan stood in silence, watching.
See? Useless, huh? This guy has more Innate soul power than you, and you still call it trash. This is why I stopped trusting so-called experts.
Blind Douluo... it's not a title. It's a mindset.
Even now, staring at innate soul power, he still calls it useless.
Tang San returned quietly, falling in beside Wu Lan, lost in thought.
Their eyes met again. No words. Just quiet understanding.
Then Wu Lan stepped forward.
He moved slowly to the center, bowed politely. "Thank you for your time, Soul Master."
Su Yuntao blinked, caught slightly off-guard by the courtesy.
He cleared his throat. "Stand still. Relax. I'll begin."
The formation glowed.
A soft surge of energy flowed into Wu Lan's body, like warm rain seeping into dry soil. He welcomed it.
Then, deep within, something shifted.
And broke.
Crack.
A sound only he could hear. Like a seed splitting open in the dark.
Then came a fragrance. Faint. Elegant. An orchid blooming in moonlight.
The room brightened.
Light radiated from Wu Lan, not the harsh glare of raw power, but something gentler. Holier. It didn't shine to blind, it shone to heal. A spirit born not to conquer, but to endure.
Gasps echoed through the room.
When the light faded, silence followed.
In Wu Lan's hand floated a single orchid.
Its petals were pale violet, tipped in silver. It drifted softly in the air, though no wind blew. Around it shimmered an aura that felt... timeless. Immortal. Protective.
It called to something in the hearts of those around it.
The desire to shield.
Su Yuntao took a step back, stunned. "What... what kind of Martial Spirit is this?"
Wu Lan stood frozen, still caught in the moment. Su Yuntao's voice brought him back.
He looked down at the flower in his hand. It pulsed faintly.
He smiled. "Sacred Orchid."
It didn't roar. It didn't gleam with steel or fire. And yet, people instinctively leaned toward it, drawn to the warmth. The stillness. The need to protect.
Even a few of the children had stepped closer without realizing it.
Su Yuntao took a breath, regaining control.
"This is... certainly a powerful support-type Martial Spirit. We'll test your soul power next."
Wu Lan nodded and stepped toward the crystal orb.
The moment his hand touched it, a low hum rose from within.
Light filled it, not sharp, but steady. Grounded.
It stopped at four points.
"...Four?" Su Yuntao murmured. "You have soul power. Not bad. It's not innate full, but still... respectable."
He paused, then frowned.
"Still, it's an auxiliary-type Martial Spirit. Most likely support only. Not suited for combat."
He turned, already half-distracted, checking his scroll.
Wu Lan stood quietly.
The orchid pulsed in his palm.
Four soul power. Again, speechless. How does someone look down on Innate soul power higher than their own? Does he even think before speaking?
And again, the label: support-only.
He smiled to himself.
If only they knew what this flower could really do.