Difficult Choice and Martial Soul Awakening

The cold system notification echoed through Lin Kun's mind like a final judgment, completely extinguishing his last shred of hope.

Failure meant his soul would scatter. System unbinding meant that he would lose even this only possible cheat, and would head straight toward ultimate death.

"Damn it..." Lin Kun collapsed onto the cold mud, cursing weakly in a dry, hoarse voice. Before transmigrating, he had just been an ordinary young man. He occasionally complained about society, read novels, and his greatest adventure had probably been staying up late to play games. Now, he had suddenly been thrown into such a world where the strong preyed on the weak, and right from the start, he was expected to pluck the whiskers of a future god. The pressure nearly crushed him.

Despair surged over him like a tide, but his instinct to survive ultimately gained the upper hand with great difficulty.

"I have to live... No matter what, I have to survive first!" He abruptly sat up. Fear still lingered in his eyes, but there was now an added hint of ruthlessness born from being driven into a corner. "I can't cling to Tang San anymore. I might even become his mortal enemy. Then I can only rely on this damned system!"

He examined the mission again: Reversed First Kiss.

"Nuoding Academy, the work-study student dormitory, their first meeting..." Lin Kun desperately recalled the plot of the original work. "Xiao Wu and Tang San's first kiss was an accident. It seemed Tang San used Crane Controlling Dragon, and Xiao Wu ended up falling... Right, that was it!"

As the details became clearer, he saw a faint glimmer of hope. If it was merely an accident, then there was room to maneuver. He did not need to defeat Tang San head-on. He only needed to become the "beneficiary" of that accident instead of Tang San at that critical moment.

But all of that depended on him being able to go to Nuoding Academy, become a work-study student, and be assigned to the same dormitory as Tang San and Xiao Wu!

"Martial Soul... Soul Power..." Lin Kun clenched his fists, his nails nearly digging into his palms. According to the original owner's memories, Holy Soul Village's Martial Soul awakening ceremony seemed to be only a few days away. This was the first hurdle he faced. If he could not awaken Soul Power, everything would be empty talk. He would not even be able to leave the village and could only wait for the system to erase him.

Over the next two days, Lin Kun lived in extreme anxiety. He survived on the pitiful family resources left in the original owner's memories—several hard, dry corn buns and a little pickled vegetable—and spent most of every day training this frail body, hoping to gain even a little confidence. At the same time, he frantically recalled every detail related to Martial Soul awakening.

During that time, he caught sight of Tang San from afar once in the village. The child wore patched clothes, but they were kept clean. His eyes were calm, completely unlike those of a six-year-old, as he carried a bucket toward the village entrance to fetch water. Lin Kun instinctively hid, his emotions complicated. This was the thigh he had originally wanted to cling to, yet now Tang San had become the greatest obstacle to his survival mission.

At last, the day of the Martial Soul awakening arrived.

Village Chief Old Jack leaned on his cane and went door to door, gathering nine children, including Lin Kun and Tang San, in the village's Spirit Hall—which was really just a slightly larger wooden house.

Inside, a young man dressed in fitted white clothes and a black cloak was already waiting. A fist-sized character for "Soul" sat in the center of his chest. He had sharp brows and bright eyes, though his expression was somewhat indifferent. He was Su Yuntao, a Battle Spirit Master from Spirit Hall.

Su Yuntao gave the usual speech before beginning the awakening ceremony. One child after another stepped forward. Accompanied by golden light, useless Martial Souls such as sickles, hoes, and Blue Silver Grass appeared in succession. Without exception, none possessed Soul Power.

Soon, it was Tang San's turn. As the golden light rose, a small blue blade of grass appeared in his palm.

"Blue Silver Grass again. A useless Martial Soul." Su Yuntao sighed and habitually took out the crystal ball. "Give it a try. Let's see whether you have Soul Power."

The instant Tang San placed his hand on it, dazzling light nearly illuminated the entire room!

"Innate... Innate Full Spirit Power!" Su Yuntao was stunned. His gaze toward Tang San was full of disbelief and regret. "What a pity, though. It's Blue Silver Grass. If it had been a powerful Martial Soul, you would definitely become a great Soul Master in the future..." He shook his head and recorded the result.

Lin Kun's heart pounded wildly from his place in the corner. Witnessing this scene in person was far more shocking than reading about it in a novel. He became even more nervous. It would soon be his turn.

The last few children also completed their awakenings. They all had useless Martial Souls and no Soul Power. Finally, Su Yuntao's gaze fell on Lin Kun, who was hiding at the back with his body trembling slightly.

"Your turn, child. Don't be afraid."

Lin Kun drew a deep breath and walked step by step into the middle of the six black stones. Whether he lived or died depended on this moment!

Warm golden light rose again, enveloping his body. Lin Kun felt as though something within him had been awakened. A faint but genuine warm current flowed through his body. At the same time, he felt something unusual in his right palm.

As the golden light faded, Su Yuntao and the children all looked curiously at his right hand.

It was neither a farming tool nor Blue Silver Grass. What appeared in his palm was an extremely ancient-looking book made of neither metal nor wood. Its cover was dark and plain, without any floral pattern or writing. Only at its center was embedded an exceedingly tiny transparent crystal that seemed to be formed from light. It could easily be overlooked without close inspection.

"This is... a book?" Su Yuntao froze for a moment. He had never seen such a Martial Soul before. Book Spirits were rare, and most were related to support or spiritual abilities, but this book appeared far too ordinary. He could not even sense any energy fluctuations from it.

"Come, test your Soul Power." Maintaining his professional conduct, Su Yuntao handed the blue crystal ball to Lin Kun. His tone was calm, and he clearly held little hope. One village producing someone with Innate Full Spirit Power was already a miracle.

Trembling, Lin Kun gently pressed the hand that had just awakened the Book Spirit onto the crystal ball.

The instant they made contact—

A faint but clearly visible light lit up from within the crystal ball!

Though it was far less brilliant than Tang San's Innate Full Spirit Power, it was undeniably light! Light enough to illuminate the center of the crystal ball!

"He has Soul Power! Though it's only Innate Spirit Power Level One, he truly has Soul Power!" Su Yuntao was astonished again. This impoverished little village had actually produced two children with Soul Power this year, though one had a useless Martial Soul while the other possessed a strange Martial Soul and weak Soul Power.

"Innate Spirit Power Level One..." Lin Kun looked at the faint light, but his heart was filled with wild joy! Level One! Though it was the lowest level, it meant he was qualified to become a Soul Master! It meant he could go to Nuoding Academy! It meant he had a chance to complete that damned mission!

At this moment, his hope of survival became a little more real!

"Child, what is your name?" Su Yuntao took out the registration book.

"Lin Kun."

"Your Martial Soul... will be registered as 'Unknown Book.' Innate Spirit Power Level One." After recording it, Su Yuntao patted Lin Kun on the shoulder. "Though your Soul Power level isn't high and your Martial Soul is unknown, you still have a chance. Work hard, child."

The ceremony ended, and the children dispersed. Village Chief Old Jack excitedly held Tang San's hand, speaking about the work-study student slot and going to Nuoding Academy. Tang San listened calmly, but his gaze occasionally drifted toward Lin Kun, who stood nearby, equally silent while suppressing excitement in his eyes.

This child who also possessed Soul Power and had a strange book as his Martial Soul left a faint impression on Tang San.

Lin Kun paid no attention to Tang San's gaze. All his thoughts were immersed in his own world.

He had succeeded! He had obtained his ticket to Nuoding Academy!

However, once the excitement faded, even greater pressure followed. Going to Nuoding Academy was only the first step. The real challenge was his first meeting with Tang San and Xiao Wu, and that incomparably suicidal mission he absolutely had to complete.

"Unknown Book Spirit... Innate Level 1 Spirit Power..." Lin Kun looked at his palm as the phantom of that ancient book flashed and vanished. "What exactly is this? System, what is special about my Martial Soul?"

The system in his mind fell silent for a moment before giving a cold response:

Insufficient information on the host's Martial Soul. The host must explore it independently. Completing system missions and obtaining points and rewards are the host's only means of becoming stronger and surviving.

Please actively prepare to depart for Nuoding Academy. Countdown for the Reversed First Kiss mission: twenty-seven days.

Lin Kun drew a deep breath and clenched his fists.

The road had already been laid out before him. Whether a bottomless abyss or a mountain of blades and sea of fire lay ahead, he could only keep walking.

For the sake of survival.