Young Friend, Do You Have Any Dreams?

Young Friend, Do You Have Any Dreams?

Zhongli and Paimon leisurely made their way toward Heaven Dou City. They passed many villages and small towns, witnessing much of the local customs and culture.

The place where the two had "landed" was Heaven Dou City.

It could be called the most "beautiful" landing spot in the entire Heaven Dou Empire.

In Heaven Dou City, whether commoners or nobles, people lived relatively prosperous lives. At the very least, they had three stable meals a day.

They even had some spare money for entertainment—watching soul battles, listening to music, and the like.

Compared to Heaven Dou City, the villages and towns they passed through now were truly like heaven and earth apart.

Never mind the difference in prosperity; food alone was hard to describe.

Delicacies were something one could only pursue and study after being able to eat one's fill.

Most commoners could only eat once a day. How could they possibly have fine food?

That day, the two passed through an unnamed village.

The village was not large, with around eighty households.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Grandpa."

Holding a bowl of porridge, Paimon spoke to an old man somewhat awkwardly.

Calling it porridge was generous—it was hardly any different from plain water.

The family was already so poor, yet they had brought out porridge to treat her. Paimon felt rather embarrassed about it.

She had originally planned to leave, but Zhongli showed no intention of doing so. Instead, he carefully savored the porridge, discussing things like the heat used to cook it as he drank.

Paimon simply could not understand it.

Seriously? You're the King of the Rocks! They're already this poor, and you still have the nerve to drink their porridge?

Paimon stared at Zhongli with wide eyes, looking at him as though she had only met him for the first time.

"No, no need to thank me. There is nothing much in our home to entertain you two with. I truly apologize."

The old man looked honest, and his words were sincere.

It was not because Zhongli was finely dressed and spoke with distinction that he had hosted them.

Besides, Paimon was such a lovable little fellow. In all his decades of life, this was the first time he had seen such a miraculous martial soul!

The little one also had such a sweet mouth. Unfortunately, there truly was nothing else to eat at home, or he certainly would have brought it out for them.

Beside the old man stood a boy who looked around ten years old. He wore patched clothing and was as thin as a rake.

At that moment, he stared eagerly at the porridge Zhongli was drinking and swallowed.

His eyes were filled with longing, yet he gritted his teeth and held himself back.

With Zhongli's strength, how could he not know this family's circumstances?

Yet he continued drinking the porridge unhurriedly, without distraction.

"Elder, how old is your grandson this year?"

At some point, Zhongli set the empty bowl aside and calmly asked the old man.

This porridge was likely the plainest he had ever tasted. Under normal circumstances, given his temperament, he would not have touched it.

But this porridge was more than merely a bowl of porridge. That was why Zhongli had drunk it without distraction.

At those words, the old man froze slightly. The child froze as well. How old was he?

It seemed that four... five, or perhaps six years had passed since his martial soul awakening?

For children from poor families, birthdays were not important.

"My lord, my grandson should... should be twelve this year."

Zhongli sighed. He looked at the empty bowl, then at the child who was skin and bones.

A twelve-year-old child was smaller even than an eight-year-old in Liyue. How tragic. How lamentable.

There was no Soul Power fluctuation within the child's body, which meant he possessed no Innate Soul Power and could not become a Soul Master.

For commoners, the best way to change their fate was for a Soul Master to emerge from the family. Once there was a Soul Master, they had crossed into another social class.

"Young friend, what is your name?"

Hearing Zhongli's deep voice, so full of reassurance, the boy felt warmth spread through his body. He blinked and said, "My lord, I... I'm called Wang Goudan..."

Zhongli: "..."

He had come so close, so very close!

Just a tiny bit more, and Zhongli would have cracked!

It was truly because of that name...

Taking a deep breath, Zhongli finally calmed himself.

"Wang..."

"Mhm?"

Zhongli had been about to call out Wang Goudan, but the words reached his lips before he swallowed them back down.

"My lord, please forgive us for making you laugh. We are uneducated. My name is Wang Mazi. His father, Wang Tiezhu, passed away early, so I gave him that name."

"My lord, you look like a knowledgeable nobleman. How about giving Goudan a name?"

Wang Mazi asked tentatively. The villagers had simply gotten used to calling him that; there were even stranger names in the village.

Everyone had grown accustomed to it anyway.

Still, having a better name would be nice.

Hearing this and seeing the expectant expressions on the old man's and boy's faces, Zhongli finally nodded.

Naming someone was neither a great matter nor a small one.

"Zhongli, you're so knowledgeable. Your learning has finally come in handy!"

"I heard you were the one who named Xiao too, right?"

Paimon flew over to Zhongli's side and laughed.

Zhongli turned to glance at Paimon.

In truth, he had named many of his old friends.

Whenever one of them fell, it felt as though something had lodged itself in his heart...

"That did happen."

Zhongli nodded and did not continue the subject.

This world might not have Corrosion, but the heart could still ache!

"Ah..."

After a long while, Zhongli finally said, "Young friend, your surname is Wang. How about I give you the single-character name Chen?"

"Wang Chen. Chen as in the sun, moon, and stars."

Most people could not bear the weight of that character, but this child might be different.

"Wang Chen?"

The boy's eyes lit up upon hearing the name. He quickly said, "Thank you, my lord. From now on, I'll be called Wang Chen!"

Chen carried the meaning of a dragon, soaring into the heavens.

Born in the darkest corner beneath the stars, you would surely carve through thorns and brambles...

"Young friend Wang Chen, do you have any dreams?"

"Dreams?"

"I... I don't have Soul Power. My martial soul is also a useless martial soul..."

Wang Chen lowered his head, looking as though he had accepted his fate.

That was how Douluo Continent was. If one possessed Innate Soul Power, even if it was only rank one, they could still have dreams. So long as they became a Soul Master, most dreams could be realized.

Zhongli nodded thoughtfully and did not press further.

Suddenly, as if recalling something, he said, "Oh, right. Elder, Wang Chen, neither Paimon nor I accept charity."

Paimon: "???"

"We carry nothing of value at present, so let this piece of amber serve as payment for the meal."

After saying that, Zhongli somehow produced an amber-colored "glass bead" and placed it on the somewhat battered table.

"No need..."

"You two, we have urgent business. Farewell!"

Before Wang Mazi and Wang Chen could react, Zhongli gave Paimon a meaningful look, and the two left at once.

"???"

After Wang Mazi and Wang Chen came back to their senses, they looked at the gemstone on the table. Though they had never seen such a thing before, judging by its quality, it was definitely no ordinary object!