A Little Boy Selling Candy with Gourds at His Waist

Douluo Continent, southwest of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Holy Soul Village!

A small village formed by more than three hundred households scattered across the wilderness.

It was named after an untraceable Soul Saint who had once emerged from here.

It lay in Fasinuo Province, south of Notting City.

Purple qi surged along the horizon as villagers made their way to the farmland outside the village in twos and threes.

They worked at sunrise and rested at sunset.

On the little path, the only child stood out especially clearly.

He was five or six years old.

He wore coarse linen clothes and had neat, tousled black hair. His large, bright black eyes were lively, and his smile was remarkably innocent.

At the moment, a square wooden box hung around his neck, filled with brightly colored candies.

Two gourds hung from his waist. If one got close enough, they could smell a faint scent of alcohol and fresh grass.

Someone greeted him from far away.

"Xiao Qiu, what happened? Knocked down another beehive?"

Ye Qiu looked back and smiled.

"Auntie~ How are you so smart?"

"That's enough! Stop acting cute. Those two bumps on your head are about to grow into horns."

"Haha."

Scattered laughter broke out around him.

"Xiao Qiu, come over here!"

"Give Aunt Zhang two of those Honey Pomelo Candies. My sixth boy loves the stuff!"

"Coming right up, Aunt Zhang!"

Ye Qiu paid no mind to the villagers' teasing and happily ran toward the somewhat burly Aunt Zhang.

He pulled out two candies and placed them in Aunt Zhang's basket.

"Take them. Come eat at Auntie's house when you have time. One little mouth like yours won't make a difference!"

Aunt Zhang smiled and took out two copper coins, placing them in Ye Qiu's palm.

"Alright, Aunt Zhang. Take care!"

With a beaming smile, Ye Qiu waved at Aunt Zhang as she walked away.

Ever since he had become able to support himself,

he had rarely gone to mooch meals from the villagers.

Greeting the villagers in the fields along the way, he slowly made his way back into the village.

Suddenly.

Ye Qiu's eyes lit up slightly.

He waved toward the small hill at the side of the village.

"Yo! Little San, you're up this early training again!"

A thin, small figure stood atop the hill.

He looked about the same age as Ye Qiu.

The frequent baking of the sun and forge had made him considerably darker. His clothes were plain but clean, and his short black hair was neat enough.

Though he was young, his skills were enough to make even adults ashamed of themselves.

He darted down from the hill.

Light as a swallow, he leaped and sprang continuously, about to land on level ground in the blink of an eye.

But at the last moment, Ye Qiu's voice distracted him.

His footing faltered, and he nearly fell.

Tang San immediately frowned and warily scanned his surroundings.

Only after confirming that no one had noticed anything unusual about him

did he glare at Ye Qiu irritably.

"Ye Qiu, you're obviously younger than me. Stop calling me that!"

After saying that,

Tang San no longer showed off his footwork. He honestly ran toward the Blacksmith Shop at his home with his feet firmly on the ground.

Tang San had never wanted to bother with the little brats in the village. He often kept himself apart from them and played alone.

"Little San, slow down! Don't fall! Uncle Haozi won't feel sorry for you!"

Ye Qiu did not get annoyed. He smiled as he saw Tang San off, not forgetting to send greetings to the elder at his home.

"Remember to say hello to Uncle Haozi for me! And don't forget to pay for the wine he bought on credit!"

"..."

Tang San furrowed his brows.

Ignoring Ye Qiu's shouts, he continued running home.

"Tch, didn't the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record teach him manners?"

Ye Qiu curled his lip.

Whenever he went to collect debts, Tang San and his father often gave him cold looks.

Sometimes, Ye Qiu wanted to call him a little bastard.

But his strength did not allow it. Otherwise, his forehead might end up with a few more Silent Sleeve Arrows stuck in it.

"Xiao Qiu."

Just as he watched Tang San leave,

an elderly voice reached his ears.

A smile appeared on Ye Qiu's cute little face as he looked toward the tall, thin old man in the distance.

He immediately jogged over.

"Grandpa Jack, are you here to buy candy or wine?"

"Haha. You little rascal."

Old Jack, the village chief, stroked his meticulously groomed beard and looked full of vigor.

He reached out and rubbed Ye Qiu's head.

"Forget the wine. Your wine is as weak as watered-down horse urine. Only a drunkard like Tang Hao would like it. Give Grandpa a few candies instead."

"Sure, here you go!"

Ye Qiu smiled innocently.

With a grab, five candies were caught between his fingers, and he handed them to Old Jack.

After carefully putting away the money,

Ye Qiu raised his head again and looked at Old Jack.

He asked with a smile,

"Grandpa Jack, did you come specifically to see me? Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes, Grandpa came to notify you about the Spirit Awakening ceremony three days from now."

Old Jack smiled as he put a lollipop into Ye Qiu's mouth. His eyes were full of hope—perhaps even wishful longing.

The village had not produced a soul master for many years.

"Three days from now?"

Ye Qiu's expression shifted slightly, and anticipation rose in his eyes.

"That's right. It'll be at the Spirit Hall in the center of the village. Make sure you come then."

Old Jack nodded kindly.

"Alright, come over for a meal when you have time. I still need to notify the other children."

"Take care, Grandpa Jack!"

Ye Qiu stood on tiptoe and waved his little hand.

Only after the road had grown sparse with passersby did Ye Qiu finish his morning business with a candy in his mouth. Hugging his box, he headed home.

A lonely, deathly silent one-room Wooden House.

That was Ye Qiu's home.

With no relatives and bare walls, that was the hand he had been dealt upon arriving in this world.

He had grown up eating meals from every household in the village.

"Phew~"

Lying on the cold, hard wooden bed, Ye Qiu let out a long breath.

Douluo Continent, Spirit Awakening.

Being fairly familiar with this world, Ye Qiu naturally understood the importance of a martial soul.

"I wonder what kind of martial soul I'll awaken. Will it be frogs like my parents'?"

Ye Qiu muttered to himself, then quickly shook his head, his face full of disgust.

"Better not."

Maybe his bloodline would revert to its ancestors and awaken a more powerful martial soul, with a higher Innate Soul Power?

"Sigh, I've had enough of this ordinary, mediocre life."

A trace of melancholy appeared on Ye Qiu's face.

"If my martial soul really doesn't work out, I'll see if I can live off a woman, haha."

As soon as the words left his mouth,

Ye Qiu laughed aloud himself.

Wanting to give them a warm home was only a normal thought, after all.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Under Old Jack's organization, many children of the right age gathered in the Spirit Hall at the center of the village.

The so-called Spirit Hall of Holy Soul Village was merely a somewhat larger wooden house.

It could keep out the wind and rain, no problem.

With so many children gathered here, this was a prime business opportunity for selling candy.

With the box hanging around his neck, Ye Qiu hawked his wares enthusiastically.

Tang San stood quietly in place.

Hearing Ye Qiu repeat himself three times before trailing off, he could not help feeling irritated.

"Yo! Little San. How about I treat you to some candy?"

Ye Qiu moved up to Tang San with a grin and held out a bright green lollipop.

"No need."

Tang San shook his head coldly.

He had absolutely no interest in such trivial favors between children.

"Fine, then."

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.

At present, he did not have much ill will toward Tang San, but the boy really could be irritating at times.

Before long,

after finishing several small sales, Ye Qiu saw Old Jack welcoming a young man with a smile.

"Slurp~ Slurp~"

Tang San stood in front of Ye Qiu.

Listening to Ye Qiu sucking on candy behind him, he could not help furrowing his brow slightly.

The young man wore a Spirit Hall uniform and was fairly presentable. His brows and eyes carried an air of arrogance and superiority. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Old Jack.

He began the day's main task: Spirit Awakening!

Wishing everyone a happy life!