In front of the Notting City Martial Soul Hall, Su Yan stood before the notice board, staring at it in a daze.
A joyous announcement from the Martial Soul Hall: Palace Master Yu Xiaogang, age thirty-five, had broken through Level 90 and become the youngest Titled Douluo in history, with the title Holy Dragon!
"Master, Yu Xiaogang." Su Yan murmured, his thoughts drifting back to yesterday morning.
Holy Soul Village, at the entrance.
Su Yan stood beside the stone stele at the village entrance, excitedly rubbing his hands together.
Today was a big day—the day of the Martial Soul Awakening.
Six years ago, a Mud Truck had hit him and sent him to the Douluo Continent, where he had to start life over.
When Su Yan realized at the age of two that he had transmigrated to the Douluo Continent, he had been so happy he nearly smothered himself in bed.
The Douluo Continent really was one of the few otherworlds that was both safe and pleasant.
Everyone had a Martial Soul of their own, and there were no cases of people killing and looting over magical treasures.
The various sects got along well, and sect-wide conflicts were rare—conflicts that could leave thousands of disciples seriously injured at best, or wipe out an entire sect at worst.
There was no 996 work culture like in the real world. It was practically heaven.
Clop-clop-clop-clop, clop-clop-clop-clop.
On the path outside Holy Soul Village, an old, battered carriage that looked like it had fled a disaster rocked its way into the village.
As it drew closer, Su Yan saw a large "Soul" written on the cloth covering its side.
This was the carriage of a Martial Soul Hall deacon.
Over the past six years, Su Yan had confirmed that this was indeed Holy Soul Village, the Holy Soul Village whose ancestors had produced a Soul Saint.
The village chief was indeed Grandpa Jack, who went on about Soul Masters all day long.
When Su Yan asked if there was a blacksmith in the village, Grandpa Jack shook his head. "There have never been any blacksmiths in Holy Soul Village."
Then he asked, "Are there any people with the surname Tang?"
The answer was no as well.
Since the Tang family and the Martial Soul Hall had yet to become entangled in their feud, the Martial Soul Hall was practically his dream organization. What could be better?
Helping commoners awaken their Martial Souls and providing financial support to low-ranking Soul Masters—those two things alone were enticing enough.
And even Soul Masters who weren't members of the Martial Soul Hall could benefit from them.
So what if he joined the Martial Soul Hall?
The carriage had already entered the village. Su Yan jogged after it until it reached the wooden house.
The wooden plaque above the door bore the words "Martial Soul Hall."
A group of children and an old man leaning on a cane were already waiting outside.
"Xiaoyan, where have you been? The War Soul Master's already here. Come over quickly," the old man called.
"Okay, Grandpa. I was watching from the village entrance." Su Yan jogged to the end of the line and waited for the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony to begin.
If possible, he wanted Su Yuntao to perform his Martial Soul Awakening.
As the Blind Douluo, Su Yuntao had helped countless prodigies—at least eighty thousand, if not a hundred thousand—each one extraordinarily gifted.
General Douglas MacArthur, a five-star general, had once said, "If Su Yuntao worked for me, I'd be willing to give up everything, including my life."
Su Yan knew he had no fate with a legendary figure like that, so he didn't dare hope for much.
The young man driving the carriage hopped down and went around to lift the curtain. He took out a black bundle, then a dozen or so children climbed out after him. They all looked young and wore clean, coarse-cloth clothes.
"Go play among yourselves, but don't wander too far," the young man instructed. Then he headed toward the wooden house. "Village Chief Jack, we can begin."
"Of course, War Soul Master." Grandpa Jack bowed respectfully, then turned to the children. "Children, this is the War Soul Master from Notting City. He'll guide you as you awaken your Martial Souls. Be sure to cooperate with him. Grandpa hopes some of you will become Soul Masters."
"Surely one of them will. After all, the village has produced a Soul Saint," the young man said with a smile, pushing open the door to the wooden house.
The seven children followed him inside the Martial Soul Hall.
Inside, the young man took six dark, round stones from his bundle and arranged them in a hexagon on the floor. Then he took out a shining blue crystal ball and placed it on a wooden stand.
Once everything was ready, he clapped his hands and said gently, "Children, line up."
The seven children, who had been laughing and chatting, fell silent at once and stood in a straight line.
"My name is Su Yuntao. I'm a Level 26 Soul Grandmaster, and I'll be your guide. Now, I'll awaken your Martial Souls one by one." Su Yuntao bent forward slightly and raised a finger for emphasis. "Remember, don't be afraid, no matter what happens."
"Yes, War Soul Master!" six children answered in unison.
Only Su Yan stared wide-eyed and murmured, "It really is the Blind Douluo, Su Yuntao..."
Su Yuntao was standing right in front of him, alive and well.
The mysterious disappearance of Tang Hao and his son had made everything feel strange.
The supporting cast was in place, but the protagonist was acting like a diva and disappearing.
How was anyone supposed to enjoy this?
Su Yuntao crouched down and beckoned to Su Yan. "Come here, child. Stand in the middle."
Su Yan pressed his lips together and stepped into the circle. Suddenly, he found himself looking forward to seeing what powerful Martial Soul the Blind Douluo would bring out of him.
"Don't be afraid. Close your eyes and focus on what you feel." As Su Yuntao spoke, his eyes suddenly lit up. He shouted in a low voice, "Lone Wolf, possess me!"
His eyes turned a faint green, and pale green light rippled out from between his brows. His black hair instantly turned gray and grew wildly outward.
Hair covered his exposed hands as well, and the claws extending from his fingers glinted coldly. His body swelled to more than twice its size, stretching his white outfit taut.
One white and one yellow ring of light appeared beneath his feet and hovered around his waist.
"Ah—"
Gasps of all kinds rang out inside the Martial Soul Hall.
Su Yan took the full force of it. His breath caught for a moment, and he nearly collapsed to the floor.
A Beast Martial Soul's possession was far bigger and wilder than he'd imagined. He could even faintly smell the blood on the wolf.
"Don't be afraid. Use your heart to guide the power." Su Yuntao's eyes glimmered green, and a trace of bloodlust crept into his voice. "This is my Martial Soul, Lone Wolf. If you're lucky enough to become a Beast Martial Soul Soul Master, you'll have the same kind of power."
As soon as he finished speaking, Su Yuntao brought his hands together. Six streams of faint green light flowed into the six black stones.
Golden radiance, as thin as mist, shot from the stones at once, forming a pale golden dome of light around Su Yan.
Su Yan closed his eyes, shut out all distractions, and felt the pale golden light continuously pour into his body. A power began to well up from deep within him, growing without end.
The Blind Douluo lived up to his reputation. He might not do anything at first, but when he did, he made a tremendous impression.
A cluster of flames ignited at Su Yan's feet, blazing wildly and filling the dome of light until it engulfed him.
From within the flames, a long howl shot into the sky as red fire swirled around his body. His burning eyes turned blood-red, his body suddenly swelled, and fur like scarlet flames covered him from head to toe. A chilling glint appeared at the tips of his ten claws.
Awooo—
In an instant, the rumble of thunder, the howl of the gale, the crack of a torrential downpour, the muffled groan of the earth, and the joyful cry of the Fire Wolf all blended together.
Then, in the blink of an eye, the sounds stopped. The flames vanished, leaving only a Fire Wolf standing in the circle. Every tuft of scarlet fur fluttering in the air seemed to proclaim its excitement.
Su Yuntao stared up in shock. He could feel an immense pressure coming from this newly awakened Martial Soul.
It was the innate suppression a wolf king exerted over ordinary wolves.
What kind of monster had he awakened this time?
Why "this time"...?
Before you continue