The Wrong Beginning

"Soul Master, the children?"

Village Chief Jack asked anxiously, his tone full of expectation.

Su Yuntao told Old Jack about Gula and Tang San's Martial Souls, said goodbye to Gula, and left Holy Spirit Village.

Gula did not hurry to check the system. Instead, he invited Tang San, "Little San, want to try out our Martial Souls in the back mountains?"

"Okay."

Tang San had originally planned to go home and cook. Hearing this, he nodded. His father could go hungry for a little while without anything happening. He wanted to learn more about Martial Souls from Gula.

Thus, the two set off for the back mountains together.

Along the way, both of them remained silent. Tang San was secretly sensing the difference between his two Martial Souls, while Gula opened the system panel and found the notification log.

Congratulations, Host, on successfully transmigrating. You have been bound to the "Strongest Trainer"/"Pokémon Master" System (Supreme Abnormal Invincible Ultimate Edition).

Newbie Gift Pack activated. Obtained 10 Great Balls, 5 Potions, 1 Full Heal, 5 Repels, and 1 Super Pallet Town Physique.

Newbie Mission activated. You have just turned eighteen upon entering the Pokémon World. Please obtain a Starter Pokémon as soon as possible, set out on an adventure, or enter a Junior Academy to study.

?

Gula was confused.

Was there something wrong with me, or was there something wrong with you?

He looked at Tang San beside him, who was happily playing with Blue Silver Grass. There was no mistake—this was the pure and spotless Third Young Master Tang San. This was Douluo Continent. Who had adjusted his system into this?

Oh, he had transmigrated into the wrong world. In that case, never mind.

"Gula, what's wrong?"

Tang San noticed his line of sight and asked in confusion.

"Nothing. Carry on." Gula answered perfunctorily.

Tang San was suspicious. He wondered whether Gula had seen through something, so he did not dare to continue playing with the Clear Sky Hammer and instead focused on studying the Blue Silver Grass.

Gula continued checking the system messages.

The Host has been detected as already possessing a Starter Pokémon: Groudon. Reward obtained: Viridian Power and one self-selected Ground Type Skill Disc. Receive?

The Host has been detected as having captured the max-level Mythical Pokémon Groudon. Title obtained: "Person of Cultivation." Obtained God-tier Cultivation Techniques.

(Includes God-tier Pokéblock Crafting, Master-tier Massage Techniques, Master-tier Pokémon Breeding Knowledge, Master-tier Pokémon Medical Science, Master-tier Archaeology, Master-tier Pokémon Psychology, God-tier Appraisal Eye...)

"Good, good, good. It's not even hiding the cheats from people anymore, huh? I like it."

Gula was surprised that both his Martial Soul and his avatar were regarded as his Pokémon. However, since he could receive two sets of rewards, he had no reason to refuse.

He silently recited his acceptance of the rewards. A series of rewards merged into his body, bringing about earth-shaking changes.

Super Pallet Town Physique: Greatly increases physique and strength. Reduces damage received from Pokémon by 99%. Contains Aura Potential within the body.

Viridian Power: After being acknowledged by Viridian Forest, the trainer is granted special power. It strengthens Pokémon affinity, allows communication with Pokémon through the mind, and can heal Pokémon injuries by consuming stamina.

The effects of the two rewards were immediate. Gula instantly sensed the changes.

His already powerful physique had become even stronger. His muscles did not become more prominent, yet he felt as though he could carry Groudon while running parkour. He also sensed a feeling of familiarity from the Blue Silver Grass around him.

Not bad. My Physique Strength is now strong enough to directly absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Even if there are no Pokémon on Douluo Continent, these rewards are already worth it.

Gula was satisfied as he thought silently.

Tang San frowned. "Gula, what did you do? I feel like you've become a different person..."

"Hmm? Have I?"

Gula was puzzled. He turned toward Tang San and, with a casual motion, equipped the title Person of Cultivation. In an instant, countless memories merged into his mind.

The God-tier Appraisal Eye automatically opened, and the system notification Rang Out at the same time.

Mission triggered!

A ??? by the roadside dared to look down on the future Strongest Trainer. Use a Pokémon to defeat or capture it!

Gula was speechless. What should he do if the system started acting up again?

Even more speechlessly, the God-tier Appraisal Eye did not seem reliable either.

Unknown Pokémon: Please have the discoverer name it.

Types: Grass, Fighting/Steel, Ground.

Potential: Demigod Level (the growth limit when proceeding step by step without fortuitous opportunities or trainer intervention).

Evaluation: A mysterious Unknown Pokémon with two sides to its nature. It is suspected to be the reincarnation of an expert and has boundless potential. Highly recommended as a main Pokémon.

After reading the description, Gula's silence became deafening.

He paused. Driven by the instinct of a Pokémon player of twenty years, he... took out a Great Ball.

"Little San, let me show you something nice."

"What?"

"You'll know once you go inside."

"It's so spacious! What a luxurious mansion, and there's so much Blue Silver Grass!"

"It's yours."

"Really?"

"Of course. Who asked you to be my good brother?"

Congratulations, Host, on capturing the mysterious Pokémon. It has been named "Tang San." Rewards obtained: one random high-level Grass Type Skill Disc, one random high-level Steel Type Skill Disc, strengthened Viridian Power, and enhanced physique.

Please actively participate in battles, cultivate your Pokémon to the throne of the world's strongest, and become a Pokémon Master!

System Shop unlocked.

Gula smiled. The interior of a Great Ball could change its environment according to the Pokémon's attributes. It was even more luxurious than the Tang Sect's main hall in Tang San's previous life, so there was no need to worry about him being dissatisfied.

Tang San's face flushed with excitement. No one had ever treated him so well. A spatial device that could contain people was something he had never even heard of in either his past or present life.

Thinking of his goal to rebuild the Tang Sect, he made up his mind completely. "Gula, an expert once took me as his disciple and passed down a cultivation technique to me. It's a hundred times more profound than the Basic Meditation Method you cultivate. I'll pass it on to you now!"

Gula's body jolted, and he widened his eyes.

"What a coincidence! I also encountered an expert who took me as his disciple. The Soul Tool just now was given to me by him. We really are fated!"

Tang San felt somewhat guilty. He had lied about the very person involved. Fortunately, his psychological quality was excellent, and he calmly nodded. "Yes. Let's go up the mountain and talk."

Holy Spirit Village was blessed with beautiful mountains and clear waters. Aside from being a little poor, it was extremely suitable for retirement.

As Gula walked along the mountain path, he polished his lie.

"Douluo Continent isn't the only continent. Across the sea, there's another continent called the Sun-Moon Continent. The Soul Masters there have mastered the power of Soul Tool Technology. You don't understand the power of Soul Tools right now, but you'll gradually understand it later."

Tang San listened with curiosity. Then he found an excuse of his own and rounded out the lie.

Gula and Tang San looked at each other. Neither of them had told the truth, but they felt that their trust in each other had grown somewhat.

When they reached the mountaintop, Tang San first taught Gula the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

This Daoist cultivation technique was not complicated. As long as one remembered the route for circulating energy, it could be learned quickly.

As it happened, Viridian Power had sharpened Gula's senses and cleared his mind, allowing him to memorize the route of the Mysterious Heaven Skill very quickly.

Gula awakened his avatar and learned the Mysterious Heaven Skill in sync with it.

Gula also Integrated Viridian Power into his Soul Power, making the violently hot energy much gentler and easier to control.

Following his connection with the Groudon avatar, Gula continuously sent Viridian Power into it, treating the defect caused by its missing soul. The earth, meanwhile, constantly restored Gula's stamina, forming a balance.

However, Viridian Power was barely effective against soul injuries. It could only be said to be better than nothing.

Gula was easily satisfied. At least it's a good beginning.

He circulated his strengthened Viridian Power, sensed the plants around him drawing close to him, and savored the mysterious strength originating from nature.

"If I had a Grass Type Second Martial Soul to combine with Viridian Power, it would surely be wonderful."

At that thought, he felt ashamed of his greed for one second.

Suddenly, the Blue Silver Grass in the distance warned him that someone was approaching.

Gula's thoughts shifted, and he guessed that Tang Hao had come to take a look after Tang San failed to return home following his Martial Soul awakening.

He stopped cultivating and said something shocking. "Little San, you have Twin Martial Souls, don't you?"

Tang San looked surprised, but not shocked. "Brother Gu, how did you discover that?"

In the distance, Tang Hao clenched his fists. His skin reddened from excitement as he suppressed the urge to shout and waited for Gula's explanation.

Gula smiled smugly. "It isn't difficult to deduce."

"First, unless someone had eaten Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures as food since childhood, Blue Silver Grass could not possibly possess Innate Full Soul Power."

"I don't need to say much about your family's situation. You go hungry twice out of three meals. Not suffering from malnutrition is already good enough. You definitely couldn't afford precious medicines."

Tang San looked embarrassed on his father's behalf, but he did not feel there was anything wrong. His father might be a little lazy, but he was still his father in the end.

Once he became a Soul Master, he would be able to support the family. His father would no longer need to work as a blacksmith, and he could ensure that the family had enough food and clothing.

Seeing that Tang San had not started shouting for blood, Gula looked pleased. He felt that his education had borne fruit and continued.

"Blue Silver Grass is a Trash Martial Soul known to everyone. It cannot support Innate Full Soul Power, so you must have a second Martial Soul."

"However, Twin Martial Souls require the origins of the two Martial Souls to be similarly powerful. Only when neither Martial Soul can overpower the other can they possibly reach a balance and become the one-in-ten-thousand Twin Martial Souls. Otherwise, one would simply be suppressed, and only one Martial Soul would awaken."

In the shadows, Tang Hao frowned. He did not believe any Martial Soul could match the Clear Sky Hammer. Still, what Gula said made quite a bit of sense, so he patiently continued listening.

"Therefore, I deduce that your Blue Silver Grass is not ordinary. Like other Soul Beasts, it may be the king among Blue Silver Grass, or even the emperor."

"The reason it appears to be Blue Silver Grass may be that its mutation is incomplete. It needs more similar origins to fill it out and complete its final evolution!"

"Ridiculous! Utter nonsense!"

Tang Hao could listen no longer. He would not allow anyone to belittle the Clear Sky Hammer. Yes, although he had not seen it yet, he was certain that Tang San's Second Martial Soul had to be the Clear Sky Hammer.

But Gula saying that the Blue Silver Emperor was incomplete was tantamount to saying that the Clear Sky Hammer was inferior to the Blue Silver Emperor, which was why its awakening had been incomplete.

That was something Tang Hao, who had always been proud of the Clear Sky Hammer, could not accept.

He flew to the mountaintop and glared at Gula.

"Boy Gula, what evidence do you have to prove what you're saying? Think carefully before you speak. Don't spout nonsense."

"Dad!" Tang San was shocked. He had not even seen how his father appeared. Could his father actually be a Soul Master?

Tang Hao looked at Tang San. His expression was gentle and kind, something Tang San was seeing for the first time in his life. "Little San, if you have any questions, I'll answer them later."

He looked at Gula again, signaling for him to continue.