Time passed quietly as Jiang Chen waited anxiously, and before he knew it, morning had arrived. Tang San was still climbing the mountain to practice, repeating his exercises like always, while Jiang Chen excitedly jumped down from the rooftop. Today was going to be a day full of hope.
After quickly having some breakfast, Jiang Chen headed toward the Wuhun Hall in the center of the village. He didn't wait for Old Jack's notice because he already knew Old Jack had gone to fetch Tang San.
The so-called Wuhun Hall was actually just a slightly larger wooden building. Jiang Chen had watched the Wuhun Awakening Ceremony from a distance over the years, always filled with envy. Now, it was finally his turn. This day might very well be recorded in the history of the Douluo Continent.
This year, a total of nine children in the Holy Soul Village were set to awaken. When Jiang Chen arrived at the Wuhun Hall, seven children were already inside. Outside the gate, many adults had gathered. Compared to the children inside, the adults seemed even more excited.
These children were the future of the Holy Soul Village. If one of them could awaken a martial soul and cultivate, their village would become famous.
Jiang Chen stood behind a group of adults, looking helpless.
"Please let me in," he called out.
A woman in her thirties turned around suspiciously. The moment she saw Jiang Chen standing behind her, she screamed—loudly and sharply—as if terrified. She jumped to the side with surprising agility, landing three meters away.
Jiang Chen was speechless. Was such a big reaction really necessary? He just wanted to enter.
Her scream was so tragic it drew the attention of many others. When they saw Jiang Chen clearly, their reactions were the same—everyone screamed and jumped back. The area in front of the Spirit Hall quickly emptied.
"What are you doing here, Jiang Chen?" a middle-aged man asked cautiously, making sure to keep a safe distance.
Jiang Chen smiled innocently. "Uncle, I'm six years old this year too. I'm here to participate in the Wuhun Awakening Ceremony."
Everyone seemed to understand, but some still objected.
"No, you can't go in. Others are awakening inside. You'll just cause trouble. What if you disrupt the ceremony?"
"Yes, yes! Don't let him go in. My son is inside, and I can't let him ruin my son's awakening."
"Exactly. What if he uses black magic again? Maybe none of the children will be able to awaken their martial souls because of him."
"The fortune teller said my son has the potential to become a titled Douluo. Even if I risk my life, I can't let this kid mess things up."
And so, voices of opposition grew louder. Some bold villagers even stepped forward to block the door. Judging by their determined expressions, Jiang Chen wouldn't be allowed in even if they had to beat him to death.
They absolutely refused to let Jiang Chen harm their children.
Watching all this from the start was Su Yuntao, who was growing increasingly impatient. He had only been to two villages so far and hadn't awakened a single child capable of cultivating. His mood was sour.
On top of that, he had a heavy task today. After Holy Soul Village, there were still five more villages waiting for awakening.
Seeing that the children hadn't come in for a long time and that one was being blocked outside, Su Yuntao's anger finally snapped.
"Let that kid in!" he roared in a deep voice.
Su Yuntao's roar echoed with the power of his soul, like a wild lion's growl. The villagers at the gate were shocked.
They stared at the furious Su Yuntao in terror. Frozen and speechless, the entire place fell into a heavy silence.
Inside the wooden hall, the seven children huddled together, trembling as they looked at Su Yuntao's angry face.
"The master soul master of Wuhun Temple is angry… what should we do?"
Su Yuntao glared at the stunned villagers blocking the door. His expression darkened even more, ready to scold them again, when suddenly Old Jack's growl cut through the tension.
"What are you all standing around for? Master Soul Master wants the path cleared! Didn't you hear him?"
Old Jack hurried over, dragging Tang San along. Like an angry old lion, he nearly swung his crutch at those who dared to block the way.
The villagers quickly stepped aside, not daring to offend Old Jack's authority.
Old Jack scolded, "Are you all confused? If Master Soul Master gets angry, who will awaken our children? Master Su Yuntao is the greatest existence here, you know that!"
Their senses returned, and the villagers quickly shouted, "Lord Su Yuntao, we know we were wrong!"
Su Yuntao's face softened, clearly pleased by Old Jack's words. "Let the children come in. I'm short on time."
But someone still boldly spoke up, "Village chief, what about Jiang Chen…?"
Old Jack gave him a fierce glare and ignored the question. Instead, he said to Jiang Chen, "Xiaochen, come in. Remember to keep a safe distance."
"No problem!" Jiang Chen replied brightly and stepped inside.
The "safe distance" meant staying at least five meters away from everyone else, so no one had to worry about his presence harming them.
"You all wait outside," Old Jack ordered, leading Tang San into the room.
The Wuhun Hall's door slammed shut, leaving the villagers outside waiting expectantly.
"Lord Su Yuntao, I'll be counting on you this time," Old Jack said respectfully.
Su Yuntao nodded, satisfied. "Let's begin. The children, line up."
At his command, the seven children hurried to the front. Tang San was pushed to the back, helplessly, and Jiang Chen followed behind.
Because Tang San had the mentality of an adult, he never really fit in with the other children. So it was no surprise that the others excluded him.