2 Newfound Determination

"Innate... Innate Full Soul Power" Patriarch Sheng Hentian exclaimed with a shaky voice.

Never, in the entire history of their Sheng Clan, has anyone ever awakened with Innate Full Soul Power. Even the Sheng Clans Progenitor, Sheng Wuyong, who awakened the Sheng Clan's legendary Spirit Soul, the Sun Swallowing Mountain Lion and reached the level of a Titled Douluo, merely awakened with level 8 Innate Soul Power!

To think Sheng Feilong, who isn't of the Progenitors direct bloodline managed to awaken it... To top it off, he doesn't even have any variation of the Clan's hereditary Mountain Lion Spirit.

Sheng Hentian, as well as Grand Elder Sheng Yuntian's countenances grew increasingly unsightly as the crowd realized what the crystal balls bright light truly meant and begin exclaiming and whispering among themselves.

"Innate Full Soul Power! Our Sheng Clan has been blessed by the Heavens!"

"Sixth Elder Sheng Lingtian truly is a dragon among men to give birth to such a son!"

"The Sixth Elders position is sure to rise!"

"This... But the child's Spirit Soul isn't our Clans hereditary Spirit Soul..."

Grand Elder Sheng Yuntian was the first to snap out of his daze. He hurriedly turns to the crowd and infuses his voice with his Soul Power.

"Quiet, everyone! Quiet!"

At this point, Patriarch Sheng Hentian also snaps out of his daze, quickly chiming in with the Grand Elder.

"The Grand Elder is right. Everyone, calm down. Sheng Feilong, Sixth Elder Sheng Lingtian, meet me at the Main Hall later. For now, let us continue with the Awakening Ceremony! Sheng Henjian, step forth!"

Sheng Henjian currently has an indescribably unsightly expression to behold. Today way supposed to be his great day! He is the son of the Patriarch! He is aware of his own talent; even his father couldn't hold a candle to him when he was his age! He is of the Progenitor's direct descent!

But now? Some random Elder's child from one of the branch bloodlines actually awakened with Innate Full Soul Power? Unbelievable!

As he ascends the platform to the obelisk he throws Sheng Feilong a vicious glare, startling the latter, who simply continues his way to the other children's waiting area.

As usual, Grand Elder Sheng Yuntian also puts his hand on Sheng Henjian's back and begins channelling his Soul Power into the boy's body. Just a few moments later, a powerful lion's roar resounds through the whole Main Plaza, even more powerful than everything the crowd heard today, as a nearly 9 meters tall, deep brown lion with a majestic golden mane that sways in the wind as if made of fire appears above Sheng Henjians head.

The whole crowd of the Sheng Clan feels their heart rates increase while an invisible pressure envelopes every single one of them.

Feeling this pressure, Patriarch Sheng Hentian immediately cries out, his voice booming with excitement.

"Flame Maned Mountain Lion! My son awakened the Flame Maned Mountain Lion! Ha, ha, ha, glorious! Our Sheng Clan has been blessed by the Heavens!"

The Flame Maned Mountain Lion is atop-class Spirit Soul of the Sheng Clan that possesses a part of the bloodline of the Sun Swallowing Mountain Lion. So far only two people in the history of the Sheng Clan had awakened it. And both of these people reached the late stages of the Soul Saint rank!

Through all this, Sheng Henjian has a smug look on his face, while the crowd bursts into another round of exclamations of excitement and disbelieve. Recalling his Spirit Soul, Sheng Henjian turns around, looking at his father, still with the same smug look on his face, and waiting to have his Innate Soul Power assessed. Seeing this, Patriarch Sheng Hentian mentions for him to step up and put his hand on the crystal ball.

Channelling his Soul Power in it, the crystal ball lights up brightly, though not as impressive as it did when Sheng Feilong touched it, but still brighter than for other people.

"Level 7 Innate Soul Power, congratulations, Patriarch. Your son is sure to become a great man in the future." Grand Elder Sheng Yuntian strokes his beard again as he chuckles to the Patriarch.

"Grand Elder is right, my son is sure to become a great warrior, ha, ha, ha! This calls for banquet! Everyone, tonight our whole Sheng Clang shall celebrate the new, young talents of the clan!

With this, I declare this years Awakening Ceremony completed!" Patriarch Sheng Hentian shouts, clearly elated by his son's talent.

Sheng Lingtian hasn't taken his eyes of Sheng Feilongs back for the entire time. The small figure of his son, even though he's surrounded by all those other children, who are elated and happily chatting, looks incredibly lonely to him. However, before he can say anything to his son, the voice of Patriarch Sheng Hentian resounds in his ear.

'Remember to come to the Main Hall tonight. Bring your son with you, as I said. No need to attend the banquet.'

Turning his head to meet the Patriarch gaze, Sheng Lingtians clenched fists slightly relax, as he sees the conflicted and even so slightly sorry look of Sheng Hentian.

Making his way down from the platform, Sheng Feilong is still lost in thought about his Spirit Soul. How could it not be the clan's Mountain Lion? What lead to this? Wasn't his mother's Spirit Soul just a common Field Hoe? It couldn't possibly overwrite the Mountain Lion. How... could have betrayed his father's expectations like this..?

Before he could continue his train of thought, he felt a big and strong hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he sees the same relaxed and calm expression of his father, slightly smiling and looking down to him. Tears well up in Sheng Feilongs eyes as he lowers his head.

"Let's go home, Feilong." After saying that, Sheng Lingtian silently leads his son back home.

Reaching the familiar courtyard within the clan's inner abode, Sheng Feilong makes his way to his own room, halfway through, he could no longer hold back his tears, nearly falling to the ground, bawling his eyes out.

Seeing this, Sheng Lingtian feels a painful tug at his heart and immediately makes his way to his son.

"Feilong, look at me!" stopping in front of his son, Sheng Lingtian kneels down on one knee, putting both his hands on his son's shoulders, before continuing with a solemn look on his face.

"No matter what your Spirit Soul is, Feilong, you will always be my son. Father will never lose faith in you. So what if you do not have the Sheng's hereditary Mountain Lion Soul? Your Spirit Eyes are at the very least as good as the Mountain Lion, if not better! Do you remember the stories I told you? About the great master of ancient times? 10.000 years ago, one of the Spirit Souls of the Spirit Ice Douluo, Huo Yuhao, also were the Spirit Eyes. He was considered a weakling, as he only had a Innate Soul Power or level 1, still he became a Titled Douluo, and even a god! What about you? You have a Spirit Soul which once produced a god, and moreover, you have Innate Full Soul Power, ten times stronger that the Spirit Ice Douluo! You would be considered an incredibly rare talent no matter where on the continent you go!"

Speaking up to this point, Sheng Lingtian's grasp loosens and after a short pause, he continues.

"...So what does it matter if you can't practice the clan's hereditary techniques? So what if you can't walk in those old fogey's footsteps? Your talent is more than father could've ever wished for. Stand with your back straightened and be proud. You have all the rights to be."

Sheng Feilong wipes the tears off his face and straightens his back, a newfound determination shining in his eyes.

"You are right... I'm sorry father, I'll never let you see such a pitiful state again, I promise!"

Sheng Lingtians solemn look vanishes into a bright smile, taking his hands of his son's shoulders, ruffling the latter's hair with one hand, and nudging the latter's nose.

"Good, that's my son. Now, go to your room and rest for a while. Today was a tiring morning. Tonight, we'll go and meet Brother Hentian and see what he has to tell us, alright?"

"Yes, father!" Sheng Feilong nods, takes off to his room and lays onto his bed, slowly fading to sleep, even though it's barely noon, this morning was truly taxing for a 6-year old.