Phone

Ben stared in dumb silence as the red orb pulsed in the center of his chest, faint but steady like a heartbeat made of light. On his forearms, strange bracers of pale silver light flickered into view, shaped like something between armor and bone. Fins extended slightly from the sides, reminiscent of those alien designs he'd once seen in old sci-fi figures—only these weren't toys.

Su Yuntao stepped forward, brows furrowed, gaze lingering on the glowing "core." "A… Body-Type Martial Soul," he murmured. "It's not a tool martial soul and, not beast. This child's entire body has become his Martial Soul. But these… structures—" he gestured toward the bracers, "—they resemble… externalized soul markings? No, not soul bones."

Ben blinked, still trying to process what was happening. He instinctively tried to do something with the bracers—maybe summon a laser, shoot a feather, fly off like a certain red and silver hero. Nothing happened. The core just pulsed lightly, like it was breathing.

Figures, Ben thought. Of course, I awaken with built-in cosplay and not even a tutorial.

Then came the moment of truth—the innate spirit power test. The two assistants moved with practiced efficiency, holding the Spirit Power Crystal as Su Yuntao guided Ben's hand toward it.

The crystal flared with light—three rings formed, clear as daylight.

Su Yuntao's eyes widened. "Innate Spirit Power… level 3."

Gasps and murmurs filled the square.

Ben blinked. Wait… that's high, right? Right?! He quickly did mental gymnastics. If level 1 was already considered cultivatable, and 10 was a genius then level 3 was—

"Very good," Su Yuntao nodded, hiding his shock. "While not a genius tier, a level 3 innate power paired with a unique body Martial Soul holds great potential, especially for physical cultivation."

Ben wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or terrified. "So, uh… what do I do now?"

Su Yuntao gave a rare smile. "Train. And wait. Once you reach level 10, you'll need a spirit ring to unlock your first ability. Until then, strengthen your body, refine your soul power—and pray the stars remain kind."

Ben stepped off the platform as his Martial Soul faded into dormancy. He glanced down at his hands, then at the Evoltruster pendant hanging at his chest. The faintest glint shimmered in its glassy core.

Level 3. Nexus core. Bracers. No flying. No laser feathers. He sighed.

"…Still better than awakening a spoon."

And so, the salted fish of Holy Spirit Village took his first real step into the world of Spirit Masters—grumbling the whole way, but secretly just a little proud.

The plaza had quieted considerably.

The majority of children who hadn't awakened any innate spirit power had already been dismissed and shuffled off by their disappointed parents, a few of them crying softly as they were led home. After all, no innate power meant no cultivation, and no cultivation meant… well, farming or sweeping floors for the rest of their lives.

Now only two remained:

Ben Dover, level 3 innate spirit power.

And a shy girl named Mei, whose flickering flame bird had stunned everyone—innate spirit power level 2.

Su Yuntao, standing with his arms crossed, nodded to them both. "You two… stay."

Ben tried not to look too smug.

The Spirit Hall envoy stepped forward and clapped once. "Since you both possess innate spirit power, you're qualified to begin cultivation. That means you'll need to learn the basics of meditation and spirit power absorption."

He gestured to the stone tiles of the plaza. "Sit cross-legged. Focus."

Ben plopped down with a grunt, trying to appear calm, even as his sore legs whimpered in protest. Mei sat beside him, knees tucked tightly and expression nervous.

"Listen closely," Su Yuntao said. "Spirit cultivation starts with absorbing spirit power from the environment—it's in the air, the earth, everything around you. You guide that power into your body using a breathing rhythm and visualization technique. Think of it like drawing in the wind, then leading it through your limbs."

Ben nodded along, already slipping into student mode. Okay, this sounds kind of like qi circulation from those novels…

Su Yuntao continued, "Once you've gathered enough energy, it will collect in your dantian, the core of your spirit power. From there, it strengthens your Martial Soul and helps push you up the soul power levels—from level 1 to level 10 and so on. Once you reach level 10, you can absorb your first spirit ring."

"And that," he said, "is the road of a Spirit Master."

Ben let out a long breath and closed his eyes.

His heart beat steadily in his chest.

With Su Yuntao's instructions echoing in his mind, he began visualizing energy moving into him—wind flowing into his lungs, light soaking into his skin. He imagined spirit power as a shimmering mist drawn in with every breath and guided it downward, letting it pool deep in his abdomen.

Then something strange happened.

He felt… a hum.

Low. Rhythmic. Like a power generator buried inside him.

No, not inside him—in his core.

Ben opened his inner sense and saw it: the crimson energy core floating near his heart was glowing softly, and faint tendrils of energy were spiraling into it from the air around him.

Wait… it's cultivating on its own?

His Martial Soul was absorbing spirit power without him consciously guiding it. It was passively drawing energy from the environment, slowly, like a spirit sponge.

He blinked.

Well damn… that's cheating.

Still, he didn't complain. This wasn't a fast flood of energy, but a steady, constant trickle—like background music playing while he focused. Even if he stopped meditating, he could still feel the pull of spirit energy as long as his Martial Soul remained active.

Su Yuntao walked past, checking their posture. "You may not feel anything at first. Cultivation takes consistency. Even one cycle a day will help you grow."

Ben, eyes still shut, nodded faintly.

Brother, I'm running on solar panels over here.

He spent the next hour in stillness, feeling the gentle pulse of his Nexus Core as it quietly drank from the world, slowly stockpiling power like a battery.

Eventually, Su Yuntao called out, "That's enough for today. The rest is up to your diligence."

Mei stood up, wobbling slightly but smiling. "Did you feel it?" she asked.

Ben stretched his arms behind his head, grinning lazily. "Mm. Kinda… like taking a really deep nap while charging your phone."

She blinked. "What's a phone?"

"…Never mind."