Awakening Ritual (Seeking Recommendations, Collections, Monthly Votes, and Everything)

Douluo Continent, Martial Soul City, Worship Hall.

Late at night, inside a quiet, secluded room.

"No, Mom, Dad, don't worry about me, run..." A five or six-year-old boy was caught in the throes of a nightmare.

In his dream, a figure wielding a massive, pitch-black hammer struck down fiercely at the spot where the boy stood. A man and a woman threw themselves in front of him, shielding him with their bodies to save his life.

"Brother Qian Yu, you're having that nightmare again. Don't be afraid, Little Xue is here." Lying beside the boy was a cute five or six-year-old girl with a head of golden hair. She patted the boy's chest while whispering words of comfort.

"Ugh, Qian Renxue, haven't I told you not to climb into my bed anymore?" The boy, named Qian Yu, hurriedly wiped the dense beads of cold sweat from his forehead and the lingering tears from the corners of his eyes, pushing at her to get her off the bed.

"I don't want to! Brother Qian Yu, you haven't finished telling me the story of Huo Yuhao from Peerless Douluo yet!" Qian Renxue clung to his arm like a piece of sticky candy, refusing to let herself be pushed off.

"Fine, fine. I'll tell you, just let go of my arm."

"Yay!" Qian Renxue cheered with delight.

"So, as the story goes, Huo Yuhao obtained a 10-year spirit ring..."

In his past life, Qian Yu had been an elite special forces soldier and a fan of the Douluo series. An accident during a mission had caused him to transmigrate to the Douluo Continent.

Upon arriving in this world, Qian Yu had enjoyed four years of happiness. Back then, he had parents who loved him and a younger brother and sister. But at the age of four, a black mysterious iron hammer had ruthlessly shattered his beautiful life.

Although his parents' protection allowed him to survive that catastrophe, he had lost them completely, and the trauma of the event had left him unconscious, leading to his separation from his siblings. From that day on, his life was defined only by revenge and the search for his family.

Fortunately, he was rescued by a passing Qian Daoliu, who brought him back to the Worship Hall, gave him the name Qian Yu, and promised to take him as a disciple once he awakened his martial soul, pledging to help him seek revenge and find his siblings. That was how the current scene of Qian Renxue pestering Qian Yu for stories came to be.

The next morning, inside Qian Yu's room.

Qian Renxue was pressed against Qian Yu in an intimate position.

Qian Yu slowly opened his eyes and pushed the girl off him. His eyes curved into a gentle smile, showing none of the impatience he had displayed the night before.

He moved her aside tenderly, tucked her in with a blanket, then changed his clothes, washed up, and dashed out the door.

On the small path outside the Worship Hall.

Qian Yu's small, thin frame was strapped with heavy iron weights as he sweated profusely, completing his 100th lap of weighted running for the day.

Ever since arriving at the Worship Hall, 100 laps of weighted running, 500 push-ups, and 500 pull-ups had become his mandatory daily training.

"Stop right there." Just as Qian Yu was about to finish his morning run, a group of five or six-year-old children appeared from nowhere and surrounded him. Leading them was a chubby boy wearing a golden-yellow robe embroidered with crocodiles.

Qian Yu recognized the boy; his name was Jin Guang, the second grandson of the Second Worship. Among the younger generation in the Worship Hall, he bowed to no one except Qian Renxue.

Qian Yu did not want to cause trouble and had no intention of stooping to the level of these children.

However, just as he was about to step through the crowd, Jin Guang signaled his companions, and the group lunged forward, attempting to pin Qian Yu down.

"You fatherless, motherless brat, didn't you hear me tell you to stop?" With that, Jin Guang prepared to punch Qian Yu.

"Hmph." Upon hearing someone insult his parents, Qian Yu's eyes turned bloodshot, and a terrifying, murderous aura began to coalesce around his small body.

Qian Yu grabbed Jin Guang's descending arm with a fierce grip, then followed up with a single punch that sent the boy flying over ten meters away.

"Boss?" Jin Guang's companions were so terrified by Qian Yu's explosive power and chilling aura that they didn't dare approach him, instead running toward Jin Guang to feign concern.

Jin Guang landed hard, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He tried to signal his lackeys to swarm Qian Yu, but at that moment, a graceful figure appeared.

"Jin Guang, what are you doing?"

"Brother Qian Yu, are you alright?" The newcomer was Qian Renxue, who rushed forward to shield Qian Yu.

Seeing Qian Renxue, Jin Guang's eyes burned with even more rage, but at the thought of her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, he could only snarl viciously.

"Qian Yu, you coward who only knows how to hide behind a woman, just you wait. Once I awaken my martial soul, I'll kill you." He signaled for his lackeys to carry him away so he could find a healing spirit master.

"Little Xue, why are you here?" Looking at Qian Renxue standing in front of him, Qian Yu regained a shred of rationality, and the murderous aura slowly dissipated.

"Brother Qian Yu, you're asking me? Have you forgotten that today is the day of our martial soul awakening ceremony?"

"Oh." Qian Yu slapped his forehead.

Reminded by Qian Renxue, he finally recalled that today was the scheduled day for both of them to awaken their martial souls at age six. Naturally, Jin Guang was also six.

No wonder Jin Guang said that earlier; he plans to use his martial soul to defeat me.

Golden Crocodile King, the hereditary martial soul of the Second Worship's family. A top-tier beast martial soul that has produced a level 98 Super Douluo. No wonder Jin Guang is so confident.

I just wonder what kind of martial soul I will awaken. As he unstrapped his weights, he and Qian Renxue headed toward one of the Awakening Halls in the Worship Hall.

Inside the Awakening Hall, the Great Worship Qian Daoliu, the Second Worship Golden Crocodile Douluo, the Sixth Worship Thousand Jun Douluo, and the Seventh Worship Falling Devil Douluo were already present.

"They're here." Thousand Jun Douluo, being closer to the entrance, was the first to spot Qian Renxue and Qian Yu, followed closely by the bandaged Jin Guang not far behind.

By now, after careful treatment by a healing spirit master, Jin Guang's injuries were no longer critical, though the pain from his dislocated joints made every step agonizing.

"Hmph." Golden Crocodile Douluo let out a muffled grunt; clearly, the scuffle between Jin Guang and Qian Yu had not escaped his spiritual perception.

"Old Second?" Qian Daoliu gave a light reprimand. He, too, had sensed the conflict earlier but had chosen not to intervene.

He wanted to see what kind of surprise this little fellow, whom he had brought back and who held himself to such rigorous standards, would bring him.

"Grandpa." Feeling the strange atmosphere in the Awakening Hall, Qian Renxue spoke. "Good morning, grandpas."

Qian Renxue took the lead, using her advantage to enthusiastically run towards Qian Daoliu, then bowed and greeted all the Enshrined Elders.

"Good morning, grandpas." Jin Guang forced a smile and greeted all the Enshrined Elders, his expression in pain.

"Guang'er?" Golden Crocodile Douluo wanted to get angry.

But he was interrupted by Qian Daoliu.

"Everyone is here, so let's begin the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony."

"Qian Renxue, you go first."

"Second Brother, you preside over the ceremony." Qian Daoliu didn't give Golden Crocodile Douluo a chance to act up and began to give orders.