"Could you tell me about my parents?" Nan Liujing asked casually on the way back.
Sun Kong did not refuse. He began recounting the story in an unhurried tone.
Nan Liujing listened intently. The vague outlines of his parents lingering in his memories gradually became clear as the story unfolded.
"Come to think of it, you've reached the age to awaken your Martial Soul. I just wonder whether you'll inherit your father's Martial Soul or your mother's."
The story paused for the moment, and Sun Kong smoothly changed the subject.
"If possible, I'd rather inherit both." Nan Liujing was half-joking, half-serious.
Sun Kong glanced at Nan Liujing from the corner of his eye and smiled faintly. "If that really happens, the moment your Martial Soul awakens, Shrek Academy—or any top academy, for that matter—will probably recruit you in advance."
Nan Liujing was puzzled. "Why?"
Sun Kong said, "Your father's Martial Soul was called the Dragon Subduing Staff, and it was a Dragon Subduing Staff imbued with a Dragon Soul. Your mother's Martial Soul, meanwhile, was Candy, an exceptionally rare Food System Martial Soul in this era. Of course, a Food System Martial Soul alone wouldn't make Shrek Academy value it so highly. But if you have Twin Martial Souls, that means you'll definitely possess Innate Full Soul Power. Under those circumstances, with full cultivation, you could practically be guaranteed promotion to a nine-ring Titled Douluo. And it has already been over a decade since the last Food System Titled Douluo appeared."
A name and the outline of a very plump figure immediately surfaced in Nan Liujing's mind.
Xu Lizhi, who had been one of the Shrek Seven Devils from the same generation as Tang Wulin.
His Martial Soul had been Steamed Bun, and he possessed Innate Full Soul Power. He had been admitted to Shrek Academy in advance when he was only ten, perhaps even earlier.
It seemed that Food System Soul Masters, especially highly gifted ones, were extremely popular in the era of Legend of the Dragon King.
The one thing Nan Liujing had not expected was that his father's Martial Soul had actually been the Dragon Subduing Staff. Yet he bore a different surname, so he was clearly not from the Qian Gu Family line.
"Uncle, what is different about the Dragon Soul carried by the Dragon Subduing Staff Martial Soul?" he continued asking.
"I knew you'd be more interested in the Dragon Subduing Staff than the Candy Martial Soul." Sun Kong wore an expression that said he had seen right through him. He explained, "An ordinary Dragon Subduing Staff Martial Soul is merely a low- to mid-grade Martial Soul. It isn't naturally imbued with a Dragon Soul. You can think of it as a staff with decent attack power—or rather, this kind of Martial Soul shouldn't even be called a Dragon Subduing Staff."
"But a Dragon Subduing Staff that is innately imbued with a Dragon Soul upon awakening is completely different. Dragon Souls also come in varying grades. The lowest-grade Dragon Souls are mainly Sub-dragon types, but even so, as long as it has a Dragon Soul, it is guaranteed to reach the level of a high-grade Tool Martial Soul."
"The next level consists of True Dragon-type Dragon Souls. Your father's Dragon Subduing Staff Dragon Soul belonged to this category. It was called the Thunder Dragon. You can think of it as the Dragon Soul version of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, a top-tier Tool Martial Soul."
Nan Liujing frowned, wondering whether the Thunder Dragon Soul would be suppressed.
Sun Kong did not notice the change in his expression. As he drove, he added, "The most top-tier Dragon Subduing Staff, however, is the Martial Soul inherited by the famous Qian Gu Family. Their Dragon Soul is the Evil Vanquishing Dragon Soul, naturally formed by heaven and earth from the righteous energy between them."
"That is the general classification of Dragon Subduing Staffs."
Nan Liujing considered it for a moment, then asked with the curiosity appropriate for his age, "Then can the Dragon Soul attached to a Dragon Subduing Staff evolve? For example, could it become an Evil Vanquishing Dragon Soul?"
The Evil Vanquishing Dragon Soul was not suppressed by the bloodlines of the Gold Dragon King and Silver Dragon King. He knew that much.
Sun Kong spoke frankly. "No matter what type of Martial Soul it is, it should have an opportunity for a second awakening. But to this day, according to the records, only the second awakening method of the Body Martial Soul has been summarized into a theory that can be passed down. Yet this type of Martial Soul is exceedingly rare. As for the Dragon Subduing Staff Martial Soul, there has never been a second awakening. There have only been mutations."
Nan Liujing fell silent.
A Dragon Subduing Staff imbued with the Thunder Dragon was indeed powerful, comparable to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, but for him, it was absolutely not enough.
Actually, he also knew that Sun Kong was not entirely correct. It was not only Body Martial Souls that had a transferable theory for second awakening; it could be applied universally. A typical example was how Tang Wulin had been thrown into the sea by the current sect master of the Body Sect to temper himself.
However, Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon King bloodline had been strong enough for him to endure it by force. Without that bloodline, an ordinary person had a ninety-nine percent chance of being killed by it.
Seeing Nan Liujing fall silent, Sun Kong assumed he was digesting the information. "Get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow, we need to return to Star Luo City, and we'll awaken your Martial Soul there while we're at it."
"Yes." Nan Liujing respectfully said.
The Hover Soul Guide Vehicle rounded the road halfway up the mountain. Skyscrapers throughout Shrek City gradually emerged in the distance, and Nan Liujing's gaze became profound.
Second awakening. Mutation.
His heart suddenly stirred. His consciousness—or rather, the special Lightning Orb within his Sea of Consciousness, along with the voice that had startled him awake.
What could that be?
Was it an opportunity that belonged to him?
Within a space resembling chaos, bizarre and fantastical flashes of light occasionally streaked past. There was no telling heaven from earth.
A gigantic hammer, like the peak of a colossal god, hung suspended in the air. A terrifying aura as lofty and unfathomable as an abyss continuously spread from it, as though suppressing something.
Unwilling roars and successive tremors rose and fell, yet beneath the aura radiating from the giant hammer, they could never form any effective force.
Everything seemed to have remained in this state for a long time. Yet at that moment, a figure sitting cross-legged atop the enormous hammer seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes.
His pitch-black eyes seemed to pierce through space as they swept over that vast world.
"Hao Ge, what is it?" A gentle female voice rang out. In this chaotic world, a faint green-gold glow brimming with boundless life force lit up. It belonged to an incomparably beautiful figure. Even though her features could not be seen clearly, her silhouette alone was enough to leave one stunned.
Tang Hao withdrew his divine sense and said in a deep voice, "I sensed two unfamiliar auras of divinity."
"Auras of divinity?" The female voice turned surprised, then seemed to think of something. She said solemnly, "Could the Abyssal Sage King have grown impatient? But Xiao San said that within the Abyss Plane, only the Abyssal Sage King barely counted as a deity."
Tang Hao shook his head. "It isn't the Abyssal Sage King. Without absolute confidence, he would not rashly descend upon Douluo Star."
"Of the two auras of divinity I sensed, one feels somewhat similar to the Gold Dragon King, but it is very vague. I cannot distinguish what is real from what is not."
The beautiful figure said in surprise, "Similar to the Gold Dragon King? Then could it be the one that vanished many years ago..."
"I can't be certain, but if it really is, then it would be a good opportunity." Tang Hao said in a deep voice, "Wulin will awaken his Martial Soul soon. You can secretly stimulate the Golden Dragon King bloodline within him to awaken and merge with his Martial Soul. Perhaps we can use this opportunity to arrange an immense fortuitous encounter for Wulin."
"The Gold Dragon King and Silver Dragon King naturally attract each other as twin souls. Even if my perception is wrong in the end, there will be no loss."
"Alright." The beautiful figure answered solemnly.
"As for the other aura of divinity..." Tang Hao frowned slightly. "I am certain I did not sense it incorrectly, but this aura is extremely concealed and vanished in an instant. Even I could not capture it precisely."
The beautiful figure considered it. "Since Douluo Star connected with the Abyss Plane, the Spatial Nodes have become somewhat unstable. Perhaps you sensed the inheritance aura left behind by some deity within a Small World."
"That is possible. I am merely worried that the appearance of this aura will muddy Xiao San's ten-thousand-year plan."
"Rumble..."
As Tang Hao spoke, this world suddenly shook. Layer upon layer of ripples spread like a tsunami. Most of them gathered together, crazily crashing against the towering giant hammer beneath Tang Hao, as though trying to overturn it.
"Stubbornly resisting." A fierce glint flashed through Tang Hao's eyes. His heavy right hand suddenly slapped at the void. In an instant, vast divine power swept outward and struck the "tsunami," immediately shattering it into countless fragments.
After enduring this blow, the "tsunami" seemed to lose its follow-up strength and did not reappear.
Tang Hao snorted coldly. "Ah Yin, do as I said. Next, I will sleep for a period of time to strengthen the seal and accelerate the refinement."
"Alright." Ah Yin glanced at the faint, flickering mass of light imprisoned beneath the giant hammer and gently shook her head.
Every man for himself, and heaven and earth will destroy those who do not.
If there was anyone to blame, it was you for becoming the Plane Spirit of Douluo Star.
It may be the Dragon Subduing Staff, but don't worry. The male protagonist will not be suppressed by bloodline.
Before you continue