What the Heck, I Awakened as a Saint at the Start

The courtyard, built with green bricks and grey tiles, stood silently at the end of the alley.

The stone beasts on the eaves had lost their former vibrancy, and the copper bells on the corners were covered in rust. Whenever a breeze passed, they would emit a dull hum, as if lamenting the loneliness of time.

Inside the weathered wooden door, a mixture of mildew and incense lingered in the air.

Above the shrine, the gilded plaques were faded and worn, the swaying red candles seemed to be shedding tears, the solidified wax droplets clinging to the altar.

Despite the peeling wallpaper, faded murals, and decaying pillars, one could still glimpse the lingering aura of auspiciousness; the entire courtyard exuded an ancient and solemn atmosphere.

An elderly man with snow-white hair, wearing a five-pointed white gold crown, waved his hand, and six jade stones floated in mid-air.

"Komugi, what are you staring at?"

The old man's voice broke the silence of the courtyard.

Standing before the old man was a boy of about six years old, with healthy, wheat-colored skin. He muttered, "Komugi? You're calling me Komugi?"

In an instant, countless memories surged through the boy's mind like a tidal wave.

The boy's pupils contracted sharply, and he couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.

"Tuoba Xi… the grandson of Tuoba Xi… the young clan leader of the Holy Dragon Clan…"

He stared with wide eyes, looking up at the elderly man who towered over two meters tall in disbelief.

The old man waited patiently for a response, and upon hearing the boy's self-talk, he urged, "Komugi, enter the Awakening Array. I will awaken your Martial Soul!"

The boy took a deep breath, slowly took a step forward, and walked into the array composed of six jade stones emitting a golden glow.

He wasn't from this world.

In his previous life, he was a fervent fan of Douluo Continent, having not only read the five-part series but also being obsessed with the anime.

He remembered falling asleep while watching the theatrical version of Soul Master, and never expected to wake up and find himself transported to Douluo Continent.

As soon as he stepped into the array, a strange energy gently lifted him, his feet leaving the ground as he floated in mid-air.

The golden energy felt like the warm rays of the sun, gently enveloping him.

Then, with a soft "pop," it felt as if shackles had been broken within his body, and a warm surge of power flooded his entire being, filling him with seemingly limitless energy.

Immediately afterward, his body began to undergo an astonishing transformation.

Green energy rapidly spread throughout his body, his muscles bulging as if inflated, straining the fabric of his clothes.

With another crisp "pop," the cloth tore, the garments unable to withstand the sudden burst of power and ripping apart.

His fingernails rapidly grew longer, flashing with an eerie light in the courtyard's glow.

Especially his golden eyes, which contained a scorching, intense aura; gazing into them for too long felt like being stranded in a sweltering desert.

Tuoba Xi stood there, his expression blank, his eyes flickering with light, like an anxious heart.

"A mutated Martial Soul?!"

It was well known that a mutated Martial Soul could become either weaker or stronger.

Sometimes, even powerful Martial Souls, due to mutation, would become weak.

Having not yet tested his Innate Soul Power, Tuoba Xi wasn't sure whether Komugi's Martial Soul had mutated into weakness or strength.

The boy looked blankly, murmuring, "A mutated Martial Soul?"

Unable to see his own Martial Soul, he felt uneasy.

As a transmigrator, the boy also knew that a Martial Soul could mutate into strength, but it could also mutate into weakness.

Seeing this, Tuoba Xi flipped his hand, retrieving a mirror from a Soul Tool storage compartment, and using his Soul Power to levitate it before the boy.

The boy held the mirror, and when he saw the shadowy figure of his Martial Soul behind him, he froze.

Two words that didn't belong to Douluo Continent escaped the boy's lips.

"Saint?"

That's right, behind him was a green statue-like figure, resembling a large, circular table, with no limbs, like a coiled giant serpent. It was green and yellow, and the statue had twelve hexagonal holes inlaid with runes.

Wasn't this the Saint from Adventure Time?

The boy shifted his gaze from the mirror to Tuoba Xi.

Tuoba Xi's Martial Soul was a snow-white White Armored Earth Dragon with four legs.

A reversed blade extended from the dragon's neck down its spine to its tail, and if not for the dragon scales covering its body, it would easily be mistaken for an oversized lizard.

This was the inherited Martial Soul of the Tuoba Clan, the "royal relatives" of the Spirit Hall - the White Armored Earth Dragon.

Eight Soul Rings glowed in succession beneath Tuoba Xi's feet, two yellow, two purple, and four black, a dazzling display of power.

Tuoba Xi suppressed the excitement in his heart and retrieved a crystal ball from a Soul Tool storage compartment, levitating it with his Soul Power and handing it to the boy.

"A mutated Martial Soul can be strong or weak. Komugi, place your palm on the crystal ball and test your Innate Soul Power! If your Soul Power is above level seven, your future will be bright!"

The boy trembled as he extended his right hand, and Tuoba Xi's eyes were fixed on the crystal ball.

When the palm of the boy's right hand touched the surface of the crystal ball, a suction force pulled at him, and all his Soul Power was drawn into the crystal ball.

Instantly, the crystal ball burst into a brilliant blue light.

"Ten levels… Innate Full Soul Power! Child, you haven't disappointed your grandfather's expectations. The revival of the Tuoba family is looking promising!"

Tuoba Xi was incredibly excited, so much so that he didn't bother putting away the jade and crystal ball used for awakening his Martial Soul and testing his Soul Power. He rushed forward and tightly embraced the boy.

After a while, the boy, struggling for breath, managed to say, "You… you're holding me too… I… I can't… breathe!"

Tuoba Xi snapped back to reality and quickly released the boy, his eyes full of affection as he looked down at him, becoming more and more pleased with what he saw.

Tuoba Xi's expression remained incredibly excited. His face was filled with a satisfied smile.

He slowly turned around, looking at the three portraits hanging on the wall at the front of the ancestral hall, and explained, "Yan'er, you haven't disappointed your grandfather and your mother. You possess Innate Full Soul Power. A Martial Soul isn't about mutation leading to weakness, it's about mutation leading to strength!"

The boy raised his head, carefully studying the portraits hanging on the wall of the ancestral hall.

All three ancestors were men, tall and muscular, with dragon-shaped phantom images behind them, though their Martial Soul forms were different.

Tuoba Xi's voice echoed in his ears.

"Take a good look at the Martial Souls of the three ancestors. They all possess Innate Full Soul Power. And they are all mutated Martial Souls. Yan'er, you haven't disappointed your grandfather. You have the potential to become a Title Douluo. In the future, you have a very good chance of having your portrait hung here after you die, to be venerated by future generations!"