Douluo Continent, Spirit Pagoda Headquarters.
The towering structure pierced the heavens, majestic and imposing, gleaming with brilliant silver light. Its body had eight sides, while its peak vanished into the sea of clouds, lending a touch of mystery to the continent's greatest building.
"Cut a watermelon in half, one half for you, one half for me..."
The blazing sun hung high overhead, its rays pouring down from the distant sky and dispersing the thin mist lingering above the training ground. They illuminated a youthful yet undeniably handsome face, along with every fluid, richly nuanced movement of Taiji.
"Xuanzhen, can this slow ancient martial art really be used in actual combat?"
Not far away, two women stood in perfect sync, their arms folded across their chests and their heads tilted as they stared unblinkingly at the young man.
They were twins. It was as though the creator had carelessly used the same mold twice. Their snow-white hair fell to their waists, and their features were exquisite with sharply defined contours. Without any deliberate adornment, they were beautiful enough to resemble elves who had stepped out of a fairy tale.
The only difference was their eye color. The elder sister, Bai Haoze, had eyes as azure as the sky, while the younger sister, Bai Zhicen, had eyes as green as nature itself. At that moment, both pairs of beautiful eyes shimmered with unmistakable agitation.
Hearing this, Zhao Xuanzhen's lips curled slightly. His Taijiquan shifted from Double peaks pierce the ears into Turn and Left Kick. Several strands of black hair fell untamed across his forehead, while the ends of his hair were tied into a small bundle behind his head, swaying with the transformations of his fist technique.
"It's only for strengthening the body. It doesn't necessarily have to be used in combat."
"Big White Sister, Little White Sister, you two seem especially restless today. You've watched me all morning and haven't even practiced your Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
"We've been together for over twenty years. Our compatibility has long reached the limit for martial souls, and no matter how hard we try, it'll be difficult to break through ninety percent."
Bai Haoze examined Zhao Xuanzhen. The sunlight seemed to coat the young man's dark brown eyes with the colors of heaven. When their gazes met, she could clearly see the red sun reflected in his eyes.
"But you, Xuanzhen."
Bai Zhicen picked up where her sister left off, her crisp voice laced with concern. "Martial soul awakening is the dividing line that determines a soul master's entire life. If your martial soul isn't strong enough, then even Sky Phoenix may find it difficult to secure the most precious cultivation resources within the Spirit Pagoda for you."
"After all, the Qiangu Tower Master is the one who controls the Spirit Pagoda. His principles have always been cold and harsh. Trash doesn't deserve to enjoy resources."
"As for martial souls, thirty percent depends on mutation, seventy percent depends on luck."
"The remaining ninety percent depends on whether your parents are up to the task."
Zhao Xuanzhen remained perfectly calm, not the least bit worried that he might awaken some useless martial soul like Blue Silver Grass. His composed tone made the two women deeply dissatisfied. It gave them the strange feeling that the emperor was unhurried while the eunuchs were frantic.
The Bai Sisters exchanged a glance. The natural telepathy between twins allowed them to instantly reach an understanding.
Bai Zhicen activated her martial soul, the Space Unicorn. A flash of silver light later, they appeared behind Zhao Xuanzhen almost as though they had used Instant Transmission. At the same time, they extended their wicked An Lushan's Claw—one grabbed at his tied hair, while the other reached to rub his head.
Just when they thought their sneak attack had succeeded, Zhao Xuanzhen twisted his body and escaped their demonic claws!
Prediction!
Having his little braid tugged was one thing, but having his head touched was absolutely unacceptable!
After completing the final move of his Taijiquan, Zhao Xuanzhen shifted his palms apart, exhaled as he pressed down, and closed his stance. Looking at the stunned sisters, he asked with a soft laugh, "By the way, has Teacher returned?"
"Sky Phoenix went to the Mystic Nether Sect and will return to the Spirit Pagoda tomorrow morning," Bai Haoze answered instinctively, still immersed in the shock of their failed ambush.
"The Mystic Nether Sect?"
Zhao Xuanzhen paused slightly before realization dawned on him. "Teacher is making two preparations..."
Given Sky Phoenix Douluo's status as the Spirit Pagoda Deputy Tower Master, visiting the Mystic Nether Sect, which had declined for a thousand years, was practically beneath her. The only reason worth making the trip was the Mystic Nether Sect's exclusive pill, the Mystic Water Pill, refined from the essences of numerous water-attributed soul beasts and plants.
For humans born on Douluo Continent, martial souls were a part of their bodies. They could be any animal, plant, or object, and they were Awakened through an awakening ceremony at the age of six.
Tomorrow was Zhao Xuanzhen's sixth birthday, and also the day of his martial soul awakening.
Zhao Xuanzhen's parents, who had died in battle, had both possessed above-average talent. His father had Innate Soul Power of Rank Eight, while his mother had Innate Soul Power of Rank Seven.
According to martial soul genetics, barring rare cases like Huo Yuhao, whose long-term malnutrition had caused his Innate Soul Power to hold back his martial soul, Zhao Xuanzhen's future probably would not be too poor.
However, in this new era, where soul master talent far surpassed that of ancient times, Innate Soul Power of merely Rank Seven or Eight was fundamentally unworthy of the dazzling golden-legend title of Spirit Pagoda Deputy Tower Master's Direct Disciple. That was why Sky Phoenix Douluo had gone to the Mystic Nether Sect—to obtain a Mystic Water Pill in advance that could raise Zhao Xuanzhen's Innate Soul Power by one rank.
"You two keep practicing. I'm heading back."
Having finished today's exercise, Zhao Xuanzhen waved to the Bai Sisters and turned to leave.
"Get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow, we'll accompany you for your awakening," Bai Zhicen called loudly.
Zhao Xuanzhen hooked his index finger and thumb together, making an OK gesture.
Watching Zhao Xuanzhen's back gradually disappear from sight, the two sisters let out deep breaths.
Immediately afterward, their delicate, curvaceous bodies abruptly swelled, transforming into the typical build of Korean double-door refrigerators. Beautiful women became hulking men in an instant.
They were secret weapons the Spirit Pagoda had invested heavily in cultivating, the Left and Right Chancellors of the next Tower Master, unknown to outsiders. Thus, they had learned the Disguise Technique. But Zhao Xuanzhen was different. From the day he returned to the Spirit Pagoda, he had grown up under the sisters' watch. He was one of their own.
After leaving the training ground, Zhao Xuanzhen expertly passed identity verification, took the high-level elevator, and went directly to the Ninety-ninth Floor.
The Spirit Pagoda had a total of One Hundred and Eighth Floor. The top eight floors belonged to the Qiangu Family, the Tower Master's lineage. Sky Phoenix Douluo's Leng Family occupied five floors, second only to the Qiangu Family, and the Ninety-ninth Floor was reserved for Zhao Xuanzhen to live alone.
In the living room of the luxurious single-level apartment, floor-to-ceiling windows cast sunlight into the room, as though the entire world had been collected within. A row of exquisite bookshelves was filled with ancient books, each one revealing its owner's taste.
Chronicles of Douluo History, Encyclopedia of Continental Martial Souls, The Language of Flowers of Steel Wool, Compendium of Soul Beasts...
Zhao Xuanzhen walked over to the shelves, his gaze sweeping over the many ancient books. He pulled out a copy of Fundamental Theory of Soul Tools, sat on a luxurious sofa made from the pelt of a Ten-Thousand-Year Flame Lion King, and began reading quietly.
Although he was a transmigrator, there was not much he could do before his martial soul awakening. Practicing Taiji each day to strengthen his body was a habit from his previous life, while studying Soul Tools was laying the foundation for a Secondary Profession.
Zhao Xuanzhen had also been an orphan in his previous life. He had been picked up by an old Daoist fortune-teller who called himself the sect master of the Two Forms Sect. The old Daoist discovered that Yin and Yang Dual Qi lay within Zhao Xuanzhen's body and declared him a once-in-a-thousand-years Daoist cultivation genius. Before his death, he passed down the Daoist arts of the Two Forms Sect.
Unfortunately, Zhao Xuanzhen had been frail since childhood and was destined not to live past twenty. An old man in his seventies had died of old age. Sobbing voice.
Heaven cherished life, so Zhao Xuanzhen had transmigrated to Douluo Continent with his memories intact and lived a second life.
At this age, other children played with mud and urine, while Zhao Xuanzhen had directly started studying ahead by relying on memories from his previous life.
After reading for a while, Zhao Xuanzhen stretched lazily. Suddenly, he felt the room had become exceptionally hot. A trace of dark blue flashed through his eyes as he said calmly:
"Xun Word, third setting."
In an instant, a Qingfeng breeze drifted in...
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