A Happy Occasion Brings Spring to the Spirit

After leaving Spirit Hall, Fang Ling felt that the scenery was especially beautiful.

The Scorching Great Fireball hanging high in the sky had become warm, and the world suddenly brightened from its original gray-black state.

After a year of begging, his cheat had finally awakened.

It was somewhat obscure, but it was still better than nothing.

From then on, he also had the qualifications to climb to the peak!

A happy occasion brought spring to the spirit.

"Aunt Wu, have you eaten?"

"The weather is really nice today."

"Uncle Wang, has your son gotten fatter again?"

"Old Beggar, did you change places to beg today?"

Fang Ling walked along the road cheerfully, holding the certificate and greeting people nonstop.

Although no one else wanted to speak to him, turning their heads away or spitting on the ground, and the Old Beggar, who had once failed to seize his territory, merely stared at him deeply without replying, Fang Ling did not get angry.

He was happy today, so it was only right to celebrate.

Before long, he arrived in front of a familiar meat stall.

"Fatty, look!" Fang Ling held his head high and displayed the certificate to him.

"You little cripple who stole meat still dare to come here! What do you want me to look at?"

Seeing the familiar beggar, Fatty swung his knife down. With a clang, he stabbed it directly into the chopping board and reached out to take the certificate from him.

"Don't touch it. Put your greasy hand down." Afraid of damaging it, Fang Ling pulled his hand back and took the certificate away.

"My Martial Soul awakened! I have Level One Soul Power, so I can enter Notting Academy to study!"

"Huh? You really awakened Soul Power?"

Fatty's eyes were filled with disbelief, and his mouth hung open so wide it nearly dislocated.

"What Martial Soul?"

"A sickle!"

Fang Ling raised his right hand. With a flash of faint light, a Wooden-handled Iron Scythe suddenly appeared in his hand.

Under the sunlight, the metal blade looked even sharper and more dazzling.

No one would doubt that taking a blow from it would result in serious injury.

"Just wait and see, Fatty. I'll definitely become an outstanding Battle Spirit Master in the future!"

"By then, I'll have money to pay you back!"

"Oh my~!"

Fatty let out a plaintive cry and slapped his thigh with loud smacks.

Then, a fawning smile appeared on his face, vividly demonstrating to Fang Ling what it meant to change faces.

"Listen to you, Lord Soul Master. You'll be a noble Soul Master in the future. What are two pieces of meat worth? Why would you need to pay me back?"

"Come, come, come. I'll give you two more pieces."

Fatty personally selected two pieces with just the right balance of fat and lean meat, tied them with grass rope, and handed them to Fang Ling.

"If you want to eat, just come and take some. I hope you'll look after me in the future."

"Thank you for the meat. I really do need it right now, but I don't like owing people favors. If I say I'll pay you back, then I definitely will."

This was the principle Fang Ling had set for himself: he could not casually owe anyone a favor.

Favors were easy to incur but troublesome to repay.

On the Douluo Continent, even one's will possessed strength.

He was a trustworthy and grateful person. To avoid leaving hidden dangers on his path to the summit, he chose to start with small matters and not go against his true nature.

That way, his thoughts naturally remained clear and his cultivation proceeded smoothly.

Even if it did not affect his cultivation, it was still no trouble.

When others helped you, you should repay them as much as you were able. That was only right.

"But we'll have to wait until I have money." Seeing that Fatty wanted to say something, Fang Ling scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.

He had no money at all now, so he could only buy on credit for the time being.

"It's no trouble. Do as you like. If you're willing to repay me, just do it when you have the ability later." Fatty did not argue much and relaxed the conditions as far as possible.

"Alright, I'll be going now. Thanks for the meat. You get back to work."

Fang Ling bade him farewell and walked toward his Dilapidated Courtyard.

His Wooden Prosthetic tapped against the stone slabs, making a crisp series of clicking sounds.

"Fatty Han, that little crippled beggar didn't pay, did he? Can you give me two pieces of meat on credit too?" a nearby stall owner shouted.

"Get lost. He has Level One Soul Power and will be a noble Battle Spirit Master in the future. What are you?"

The owner of the meat stall, Fatty Han, could not be bothered to pay attention to the stall owner's astonished expression. Watching Fang Ling's tiny figure disappear into the distance, his eyes were filled with envy.

"A Soul Master! Why didn't I awaken Soul Power?"

After walking for a while, Fang Ling returned to his territory: the abandoned courtyard at the City Edge.

It had no windows or doors, and he had sealed the holes in the walls with mud.

The courtyard gate was dilapidated, and only half the roof tiles remained, but it was enough to block the wind and rain.

After carefully inspecting the place, Fang Ling saw that the marks and signs he had left before departing had not been disturbed. Only then did he enter with peace of mind.

Then he began tirelessly setting traps along the paths that had to be passed.

There were traps beneath the walls, made from sharpened wood.

Aside from the traps for catching rats and birds, these defensive traps were the most numerous.

In addition, defensive traps were hidden among the weeds in the courtyard.

They covered the entire courtyard. Anyone who triggered one would definitely suffer a vicious blow.

This good habit had saved him more than once.

Because, as everyone knew, beggars also fought over territory.

And because no one cared whether beggars lived or died, they were especially ruthless when they attacked.

Fang Ling was young and thin, and he was also a cripple.

He was only six years old—just five when he had transmigrated. Only by striking ruthlessly every time and using dirty tricks could he ensure victory.

He had already driven away several people.

After finishing the traps, Fang Ling began cooking the meat.

First, he used a sharp broken knife to cut it into small pieces against a stone slab, then threw them into the pot and added some rotten vegetable leaves. The only seasoning was salt bought with the last of his money.

This crude diet could not compare at all with the sumptuous delicacies of his Previous Life, but Fang Ling still ate with great relish.

It proved the old saying from his Previous Life: once a person was hungry enough, they could eat anything.

Not to mention meat, such a rare delicacy.

After finishing his meal, he wiped his mouth with a leaf and began trying to investigate where the points came from.

His investigation continued until nightfall.

There was no oil lamp. The night was clear and sparsely starred, and moonlight poured directly into the room.

Only the bonfire before him provided any decent illumination.

However, firewood was not easy to obtain, and there was no need to waste more of it. After eating dinner, Fang Ling did not add any wood and simply let the fire slowly dim.

He did not manage to figure out anything useful about the cheat, nor did he find a way to increase the points.

Fang Ling grew somewhat anxious.

But when he thought that he had only just awakened his Martial Soul and that the cheat had only just revealed itself, his urgency faded.

There was still plenty of time. He would eventually find a way to increase the points.

Accompanied by the chirping of insects, the cries of birds, and the whooshing of wind passing through the room, Fang Ling rested his head on the Wooden Neck Pillow he had carved himself and fell into a sweet sleep.

Everything seemed wonderful.

Until midnight.

"Ah!"

A short but high-pitched cry of pain startled him awake.

Although the owner of the voice had tried his utmost to suppress it, cutting it off the instant it escaped,

the good vigilance he had developed over the past year still woke Fang Ling in an instant.

The sound had been too loud!

It had come from the courtyard, beside the wall. In the silent night, it was like a shout right beside his ear.

Fang Ling picked up the broken knife beside him, but after thinking it over, he quietly put it down again.

Now that his Scythe Martial Soul had awakened, although the Stats Panel's evaluation was not very impressive, he could still kill someone as long as he used it well.

The suddenly appearing Martial Soul did not reflect light, making it even more unexpected.

Using the moonlight, Fang Ling cautiously poked his head out and took a glance.

In the grass outside the window, which was as tall as a person, a dark figure was slowly moving forward.

Perhaps this Newbie didn't write it very well. Readers, please go easy on me.